Today is the birthday of the US Army
I know we have a lot of army vets on Dailykos, including our founder, kos.
The US Army was part of the lives of millions of my generation, either in it or running away from it. There was a hot shooting war in Vietnam then. The draft was in force.
As I look back on it it was the most exciting time of my life, the most exciting thing I ever did. The most important I ever was doing the most consequential things. I don't say that as an unmitigated good.
I joined the Army because I was young and dumb and wanted excitement in a life that was at that time bounded by city blocks. I could have dodged the draft---3 of my brothers did-- but I wanted to SEE it.
So, influenced greatly by the movie The Longest Day at age 17 I enlisted to be a paratrooper. And I became one, an airborne infantryman.
after jump school, I was sent to Panama, because I was still under 18.
That wasn't enough for me, I wanted to see what was was like. So I volunteered for Vietnam when I turned 18. I spent a year there, first as a grunt in the 101st Airborne. In the picture below I'm sitting first row, 2d from left
After being there about 5 months I volunteered to be a lrrp ("lurp") which were later renamed to Rangers. These were 5 and 6 man teams that did reconnaissance patrols. OUr AO was mostly along the Cambodian border of what was then called II Corps, from Pleiku south to Buon Ma Thuot.
I could in no way describe much of that experience here knowing the ration of shit I'd get for it. But it was the most defining period of my life and left a mark on me I never forgot.
I'm sitting on the left in this picture, out on radio relay patrol. OUr teams worked far enough out that we had to post teams midway to relay the radio messages.
Three of my team mates waiting to go on patrol
My feelings about my army service have gone the gamut from hating it to cherishing it. Overall I'm glad I served in the US army and proud that I did. I showed up for a war in the uniform of a US Army paratrooper. And I took the consequences.
SO here's to the US Army--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!-- and to all the veterans on this site. Good Luck! Fight with what you have untill relieved!