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When I went through the induction process in April 1974, there was a representative from the ASA at the induction center who attempted to pull me away from the contract I had initiated with my recruiter and have me join-up with the ASA in some capacity. At that point in my life I had no interest in the technical aspects of communications so my scores were barely within the acceptable range from the aptitude tests I had taken. He was really leaning on me to go into a commo MOS until I asked him if my aptitude score for the career field I had actually enlisted for was good enough, he looked and said, "yes it is." I said, "Good, you had me worried that I wouldn't be able to do what I was attempting to enlist for and I was about to just go home and forget about it." HAHAHA. I guess the ASA was short-handed in their commo MOS's at that time and so they were trying to persuade people to sign up for them. In 1977, the ASA was merged with the US Army's Military Intelligence component to create the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). And ironically, my final duty station in Germany was at an INSCOM installation, Gablingen Kaserne on the North side of Augsburg. But I was not there to work for INSCOM...I was assigned there as the Detachment Commander of my company's flight detachment which was there to support VII Corps Artillery. We supported the Brigade Commander with an OH-58, and I was the designated pilot for the Commander, VII Corps Artillery with a UH-1 Huey. I flew for two of them during my tenure...MG Louis J. Del Rosso, and BG Creighton W. Abrams Jr, whose father was the Army Chief of Staff when I joined in 1974. I loved flying for both of them, but actually deployed to Dessert Storm with BG Abrams. What a time we had in that job...wheww! Loved it very much, and enjoyed the heck out of Augsburg and living in Southern Bavaria. I'd do it all again without requiring even the gentlest of nudges if I could.
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 16
In 1965, during my senior year in High School, I was planning on joining the Navy. I took the Armed Forces exam and thought nothing more of it. A couple months later, I was called into the principals office (not an unusual occurrence) and was told there was a man waiting in his office who wanted to talk to me. In his office was a NCO who stated he represented the Army Security Agency and wanted to talk to me about joining. He stated that I had scored exceptionally high on all the tests and I was just what the Agency needed. I inquired as to what my job would be and all he would say is that it would be highly classified and there would be a thorough background investigation of me and everyone I knew which would be conducted by the FBI. This sounded like a lot more fun than being on a ship in the middle of the ocean. He stated I had to join for 4 years because my first year would be schooling. I was given a sheet with three MOS's listed and told I would probably be selected for one those. I joined and spent 10 1/2 years with the Agency and really enjoyed it. It was much different than the regular Army. We were not controlled by DA, but were under the direct control of DIRNSA (Director National Security Agency) which allowed us to get away with a lot of stuff we never could have in the regular Army. I ended up as a Comsec/Sigsec Advisor. I managed to avoid the 05H MOS which was copying morse code and am very glad that I didn't have to listen to that stuff of 4 or more years.
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LTJG Phillip Panuco
Hi, I just joined Rallypoint and it was nice reading about someone I know from the 7th Radio Research Unit Saigon. I was sent TDY from the 104th Army Security Agency Security Detachment (Torri Station Okinawa) for 90 days from March to June 1966 and then a second time later that year for another TDY. Keep the memories alive.
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SSG Gerald King
Phil - Good to hear from you. Drop me an email at: [login to see] Also I have a site with lots of pics from Vietnam. http://www.sigsec.us/
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Served with the Agency from Jun of 1965 to Nov of 1975. Vietnam, Germany, Ft Hood, Ft Meade, Ft Riley - School at Ft Devens. Plus other classified assignments.
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SP5 Grover Crail
With us it was always something classified. Most days all denied:) You do know one of ours was the first casualty in Vietnam? True. Look it up.
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SSG Gerald King
Actually Jack Davis was not the first casualty. President Johnson declared Davis as the first casualty, but there were actually several who were killed in Vietnam before he was. My first tour in Vietnam (1966) was at Davis Station with the 7th RRU
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