How did our Soldiers that served in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, deal with controversy in your careers?

CH (CPT) Heather Davis — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:01:10 -0400

I am asking for an historical perspective for all of my veterans that have served in Vietnam, and Gulf War to provide your perspective.

COL Mc., SPC Velaquez

Response by CPT Bruce Rodgers made Jun 4 at 2015 3:04 PM

CPT Bruce Rodgers — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:04:08 -0400

The biggest controversy I had was dealing with my employer when I was deployed for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, no one knew the law

Response by CH (CPT) Heather Davis made Jun 4 at 2015 3:04 PM

CH (CPT) Heather Davis — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:04:20 -0400

I bring up this topic of discussion due to many of our veterans had to deal with adversity in their military careers. Many served in Viet Nam who had to deal with suicide adulations, and environments that were not conducive to their careers.

I would respectfully ask how did you overcome adversity? How did you follow orders and not react to the political climate?

Response by SSG Sean Thoman made Jun 4 at 2015 3:51 PM

SSG Sean Thoman — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:51:24 -0400

There were many issues to deal with, Army wide promotion freezes, annual promotion points calculations getting lost or people stuffing them in desk going DFR and having to go through IG, NCO Academy Lists changing when another NCO with more time in grade or service, or higher rank needed to go to for promotion and getting bumped back on the school list. Then time to PCS or get another injury or aggravation of an existing injury (I fracture pelvis and broke vertebrates on night time land nav course) and back through physical therapy and series of injections and nerve blocks. I mean it was always something. I did not deploy to Desert Storm, July 4, 1990 found the hard way I allergic to Penicillin and had a seizure and became non-deployable and had 4187 flag, medically, only rescinded after a year without another seizure a year later. Only to turn around and break my ankle.
Civilian life and National Guard is another beast altogether. I was eventually medically retired because of seizure issues which are now determined to be diabetes and hypoglycemia. National Guard, you have to balance more than active duty (I am not saying active duty has it any easier) you have to balance family, job, children, and health concerns when it comes to maintaining fitness. Most employers and spouses are not supportive and you get raked over the coals by the domestic judicial system-simply because your military, means you have a propensity to violence. So the vote seeking political judges and magistrates side with the non military spouse, which is usually the Mother. Unless she is in jail for a felony, just my experience.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 4 at 2015 8:06 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:06:13 -0400

Back in 1975 when I first started as a private there were hundreds of volunteer soldiers coming into Fort Ord, CA with large bonuses to be in the infantry and most of those bonuses turned into drugs and the selling of drugs. There were a lot young men sent off to confinement during those first two years due to the health and welfare inspections with dogs and the implementation of urinalysis testing! Rude awakening for a 17 and 18 year old, but I made it through that time period by listening to what my father said, "stay focused, keep your nose straight, stay on task, and avoid the peer pressure!" For once I followed directions from my father and then I watched the military make huge improvements over the next 35 years!