What was almost a military career ender for you..... but wasn't?

2021-06-21T16:25:18-04:00

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 21 at 2021 7:40 PM

2021-06-21T19:40:03-04:00

This is a long story so I'll keep it short and leave out any names/units/dates.
We're staying at a small airfield and have billets next door. We've never spent time in this place but we were told the bar scene was awesome. We were explicitly told no one can leave and no drinking. We wait until everyone is asleep, sneak out the windows and a group of us head out.
So we go to the bars. One dollar drinks, two dollar mixed well drinks, drunk college kids, etc. It's getting into the early hours of morning so it's time to head home. Things are fine until we get pulled over for speeding in a 15 pax van with about a half dozen junior enlisted. Somehow they let us go and miraculously slip back into our racks before first formation. Somehow no one found out and no one was UCMJ'ed. ;)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2021 7:54 PM

2021-06-21T19:54:07-04:00

Fort Hood, the lack of accountability of its soldiers and leaders that lead to various scandals

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jun 21 at 2021 8:02 PM

2021-06-21T20:02:05-04:00

Following this thread because it sure seems like it will be entertaining

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2021 9:04 PM

2021-06-21T21:04:10-04:00

Everything I never got caught doing...lol

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2021 9:48 PM

2021-06-21T21:48:46-04:00

My recruiter told me not to disclose the previous dislocations to my right shoulder and the break in my thumb from my early teen years. Well, when I went through OSUT, I had a 250lb guy roll over me during the SandPit Welcome and disjointed my thumb and dislocated my shoulder. Next morning, I go to the TMC to get it looked at (I put them back on my own like an idiot), and they asked if I had ever had this problem before. When I told them yes, they pointed out that it wasn't in my medical file, so they would have to let my Command know that I was an injury risk (apparently). I was threatened with a Chapter for dereliction and withholding necessary information. I don't know how much weight there was to it, but it was threatened.

Response by A1C Chris Pointer made Jun 21 at 2021 11:06 PM

2021-06-21T23:06:56-04:00

This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM&t=45s

Humvees failed airdrop

Response by SGT Jonathan Persons made Jun 21 at 2021 11:52 PM

2021-06-21T23:52:16-04:00

I told a major that he would bounce down the sidewalk to the division headquarters if he tried to enter without showing me his ID.
The Garrison commander was coming down the stairs behind me as this Major started screaming that he was neighbors with the PM and would see me kicked out of the Army next week.
The Garrison commander took the major off of my hands and I never saw him again.

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Jun 22 at 2021 7:17 AM

2021-06-22T07:17:23-04:00

I backdoored my way into the Primary Leadership Development Course and almost got kicked out for - in no particular order -- fire, sex, racism. I graduated at the top of the class -- Go Big or Go Home -- AATW!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2021 8:39 AM

2021-06-22T08:39:58-04:00

I don't know what kind of shenanigans you're talking about, and I have a good cookie to prove it. Now if you'll excuse me, something something dental appointment.

Response by SPC Roger Dunn made Jun 22 at 2021 9:58 AM

2021-06-22T09:58:03-04:00

I was stationed in Germany and went out off post and had a few too many drinks and a full bird colonel was at the location and he was talking trash about us combat engineer's and I happen to over hear it,and decided to confront him. Well he kept talking trash,so I asked him if he was one of us? When he said no, I then told him to shut up. He asked what am I going to do if he doesn't. I said I will feed him the beer mug I have in my hand. Well he said I didn't have the balls to. So I smacked him upside his head with the beer mug. Lets say I spent a few nights in a small cage.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 22 at 2021 11:12 AM

2021-06-22T11:12:56-04:00

Here's another one. Thankfully none of us got in trouble for this but our CO and 1SG did. I won't tag them but after a two week training exercise our CO got a bunch of kegs and we had a party in and outside our barracks. The MP's were called and found our CO and 1SG hiding in an empty room. They took their CAC's and reported them to the post commander. The next morning the front of the barracks area was littered with trash, empties and solo cups. Our entire unit got banned from that post until higher said that we had to go back the next year for the same training because we were the best at what we did ;)

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 22 at 2021 1:34 PM

2021-06-22T13:34:11-04:00

There was this one time, wait...
nice try.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 22 at 2021 3:38 PM

2021-06-22T15:38:44-04:00

I did lots of stupid stuff in a 22 year career. Two I’ll admit to for their teaching value to younger RP members.

Dropped an F-bomb at the wrong time and place. Upset the General’s secretary. Had a very uncomfortable conversation with the General. May have cost me promotion to Colonel.

Failed a test of tactical airdrop procedures and rules. I pointed out tWo questions were Bogus for A closed book test. Chief of Stan-Eval agreed. Ops officer allowed

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Jun 22 at 2021 4:37 PM

2021-06-22T16:37:37-04:00

Recruiting duty. We normally finished our month in the first 2 weeks and spent the rest in the bar down the road (which was owned by a Vietnam Vet).
It is amazing nobody got in any serious trouble.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2021 3:43 AM

2021-06-23T03:43:57-04:00

Simply put, the delay on promotions.

While we can all say "promotion is on you" -- at the end of the day, the Army says they only need so many of a certain rank/mos. This is extremely frustrating, especially when certain MOS are bottlenecked and everyone is trying to make the same rank at the same time.

Response by SSgt Carrie Foster Campbell made Jun 23 at 2021 10:00 PM

2021-06-23T22:00:48-04:00

Believe it or not, writing a letter to a 4-STAR General who has a 2-STAR General was the Commander of the 1st Armored Div and my dad was the Division CSM. (This when I met as an Airman in the Air Force) When he was a 4-STAR he was Commander of US Army Europe ( USAREUR) I was just inviting him to visit my Kaserne in Germany where I was a SP4 cook.. my unit and mess Sargent weren;t very happy about it when they found out about it.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2021 10:24 PM

2021-06-23T22:24:23-04:00

So to understand this story, you have to understand that I've never had an issue with LBGTQ+ folk, so much so that I have issues with those who do.

It was the late 90s, and I was a SSG in Germany. I was in the DFAC at the time (no idea why, I was already living off post...maybe I was feeling too lazy to go out for lunch and didn't want to have to rush back from town).

There was some MAJ a couple of aisles over ranting and raving...guess he'd had an encounter with a gay soldier and hated it. It was the time of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In any case, he was talking to a group of officers, and every other word out of his mouth was f***ing f****ts this and that. He was loud, and disturbing my lunch (and I was reading). I got mad, and hollered over "Hey Major! The next time you have a thought...let it go before it dies of loneliness!!!".

At that point you could have heard a pin drop in the entire DFAC. I continued. "The idiots in the assless chaps and the hairy chests in prom dresses at the Pride parades? They're the 5%, the outliers, and we straights have our weirdos too, so we have no room to talk. The only difference between 95% of gay people and us is the gender of the person they go home to at night"

You'd think that'd be the end of it, but this guy wasn't exactly the brightest bulb....he yelled back "Oh yeah, SSG Walker, if you like them f***ing f****ts so much, how do we know you're not one of them, huh?"

........and I could not stop myself.

I looked that Bama right in the eye and said "Sir, ask your wife".

25+ years later, and I have no earthly idea how I didn't get court martialed for that one.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Jun 23 at 2021 11:11 PM

2021-06-23T23:11:53-04:00

I was stationed in Saigon (Tan Son Nhut) in late 72. I managed a seat on a T-39 from Clark AB, Philippines back to Saigon after a TDY (Yea, who goes TDY to Clark from the war zone...Me!).

I grabbed my bag and was hoofing it over to our maintenance shack on the transient flight line. On the way over I was observing an Army officer (a major) approaching. As he got in close proximity, I said hello and kept walking.

As I passed, the major ordered me to halt. I stopped and turned, replying, yes major? Sergeant, don't you salute your superiors?

Feeling my Wheaties I quipped, Major, I have no superiors and damn few equals.

He was not amused. He insisted to know who my CO was. I invited him to come with me as I was headed there now. What happened after we reached the orderly room had me almost passing my pants.

The major commenced to start ripping the E-9 First Shirt about my attitude and what had transpired.

As the chief was starting to explain flight line protocol, the CO, A FULL COLONEL, stepped from his office and intervened. The chief called us to attention.

He asked the major if he was familiar with flight line protocols. He said he was not and was informed that saluting on a flight line was like a red bulls eye on his back. The colonel said, dismissed. Then in the next breath said, Gilmore, my office now!

I figured my shit had just gotten real weak. The old man was cool about things. He chewed my backside profusely. He also told me not to do it again. Then he said he wished he had the cojones to say that to some senior officers he encountered in his early career.

The old man dismissed me and told me to have the chief go to his office. Presumably to forestall and addition chewing out...I found out later it was just that. The date was December 19, 1972...an early Christmas present that saved me a stripe not to mention money.

Response by SGT Daniel Rocco Ames made Jun 24 at 2021 1:03 AM

2021-06-24T01:03:43-04:00

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and keep my mouth shut on this one... haha

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Jun 24 at 2021 10:02 PM

2021-06-24T22:02:04-04:00

Lying about how I fractured my leg at tech school for the Air National Guard. Something that will always bother me however I was fortunate for NCO leadership that felt it must be addressed without destroying me. I was kicked out of the military and it still burns today. The leaders involved were wise beyond their years as I learned my lesson and the people I have made a difference in their lives as an Army Nurse made their decision worthwhile and right for the country.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jun 24 at 2021 10:30 PM

2021-06-24T22:30:26-04:00

SSgt Timothy Prevost When an MP MSG appeared in a Korean “Ville”’ @0630 hours! “Ki An Ni” is my best recall of the villages name. It was East of Camp Casey, way over the hills at Casey’s end in the canyon.

Response by SGT John Melvin made Jun 25 at 2021 7:21 AM

2021-06-25T07:21:16-04:00

I had mostly a great experience in the military. My wounds from Nam did not really come home to haunt me until late in life and then the VA stepped in and has done right by me. I also had great commanders in the military including my last, a MOH recipient. I always had my sights on getting a degree in engineering and career. After the military and thanks to the GI Bill, I made that happen with a lot of help and had a great career in industry. My time in the military has always been a big plus in my life and helped make it (my life) a good one. Did I have any negative experiences in the military? Of course I did, but no grips here, only gratitude.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jun 25 at 2021 7:32 AM

2021-06-25T07:32:13-04:00

I'll take "Questions I won't be answering until after the retirement ceremony" for $1000 Alex.

Response by SGT Ty Henderson made Jun 25 at 2021 10:18 AM

2021-06-25T10:18:43-04:00

I was an angel, never did anything wrong, and was the favorite son. I have the Good Conduct Medal to prove it….

Response by PO2 Mike Vignapiano made Jun 25 at 2021 7:39 PM

2021-06-25T19:39:06-04:00

Unfortunately, this was a career ender for me. To keep it very brief, I was stationed at Mayport Fl and was dating a woman whose ex-husband was a Chief stationed on a ship out of that port. The Legal Officer at Mayport Florida, who was also a Chief did not like me at all. She lied to the woman I was dating and persuaded her to make false accusations against me. I went to JAG and after the investigation, we requested Special Courts Martial. When my Command was made aware of that, they dragged their feet from July to October, 30 days past my EAOS. At that time they dropped all charges. Since it was past my EAOS, I was handed my DD-214 which was Honorable but with an RE-4 code.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Jun 26 at 2021 12:03 PM

2021-06-26T12:03:33-04:00

A fellow classmate and I screwed two women we picked up in a bar in our ANCOC classroom. Neither of us had any money to get a hotel room. We were both drunk and it seemed like the thing to do. The women were snuck on and off a military installation, into a classroom with and screwed with great gusto for the better part of 90 minutes.

Response by SSgt Jimmy Jackson made Jun 26 at 2021 9:26 PM

2021-06-26T21:26:35-04:00

Decided the people playing tennis next to my dorm were a little irritating. Decided it would be a good ideal to shoot bottle rockets at them. I was a Sgt. at the time, so it didn't go over well with my CO. Fortunate for me, only article 15 with $50 fine and no loss of stripes. Had a lot of NCO's that had my back and previous service went a long way. Still made Ssgt. later on. I would not recommend this. (Yes.... adult beverages were involved)

Response by SGT Michael Cunningham made Jun 27 at 2021 1:51 AM

2021-06-27T01:51:03-04:00

This one time, we were running down the road on ft hood and our XO was laying into this specialist for falling out. Out of no where this guy from another unit, I have no idea which, interrupts the Captain and starts to tell him to lay off the soldier... Right in the middle of his sentence I hit him with the biggest knife hand and "fuck you mind your own God damn business" that he immediately went back to his own business... It was a sgt maj... I didn't even realize until the XO pointed out afterwards...

There are loads more, but yeah, that's probably the one that is safest to share.

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Jun 27 at 2021 2:21 PM

2021-06-27T14:21:52-04:00

Whoo...so many. Probably the most colorful one was when I was deployed. I was in Baghdad after my unit got extended. I caught the Brigade Fire & Effects NCO (my so-called leader) sexually assaulting one of my battles when I was on my way back from the gym and preparing for night shift at the TOC. I was already heated because a fellow servicemember was in trouble, but I admit that I took EXTRA PLEASURE in beating that NCO down...ESPECIALLY when I realized he was raping a friend! Three of his battles tried to pull me off of him, but they ended up catching hooks and kicks as well. I popped one of their knees out of place. Ultimately, it took about a platoon of people to get us all separated. I ended up assuming my shift about 45 minutes late that night because of having to get interviewed for the report. I was about to get chewed out by the Battle NCO that night, but I told him that one of his battle buddies raped somebody and that if he's got heartburn with my being late to take it up with the BDE CMDR and MPs. The reason it almost ended my career is because the NCOs I defended my battle and I against tried to get the Company Commander to give me an Article 15 for disrespecting a Non-commissioned officer, which would have jeopardized my re-enlistment that was getting worked on. I told my commander, 1SG, and the NCOs trying to get me in trouble that if they moved forward with their plan, I'd put ALL OF THEM on blast for the stuff they did. Their wrongdoings included adultery, embezzlement, and fraternization, along with the one NCO who raped my friend. I got to re-up on All Saints Day that year, but none of those NCOs faced punishment for what they did. They all got to retire with their benefits intact. They caught hell from their spouses when they got back, though. I made sure of that!

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Jun 27 at 2021 8:26 PM

2021-06-27T20:26:58-04:00

I got field grade office hours in boot camp for clubbing another recruit up side his head with my rifle. The company commander wanted me to get twenty days in correctional custody breaking rock (and we did do that back in the day). The battalion commander asked the Drill Instructors what kind of recruit I was and they responded, "Average recruit, never been in trouble." I got ten days hard labor. They could have thrown me out for that I think.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 27 at 2021 11:05 PM

2021-06-27T23:05:03-04:00

My ex got a DUI on post. My senior rater was the Post Commander. She financially destroyed me which impacted my career as well. I am no longer mad at her because she killed herself at 51 with excessive consumption of vodka every day.

I wonder how differently life would have evolved if I never made the decision that would lead to events that I would eventually experience. My maker gave me 9 lives because he/she knew I needed all of them. Absolutely all of them. It is easy to be a risk taker with 9 lives, but my approach has dramatically changed now that I only have 2 left. For someone who flew in helicopters and road tanks, I am pretty damn mellow now days hahahahaha

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2021 6:11 PM

2021-06-28T18:11:02-04:00

I didnt get any good conduct medals by snitching on myself. Nice try NCIS.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2021 9:41 PM

2021-06-28T21:41:33-04:00

A career ender for me was when i had just got promoted to Sergeant, I was extremely excited and ready for my new responsibilities but I did not realize just how much I was about to take on. At the same time of my promotion we had just got a new 2nd Lt who was of Asian decent and his way of thinking and getting things prepared for any mission was a little off on top of the Micro managing he was doing to our Platoon. So back to me just picking up Sergeant, my Lt tells me that I am going to be a Section Leader (in charge of 4 teams of 4 Marines) for WTI which is a huge field operation exercise that cultivates almost all units from the Air Wing to the Grunts and our task was to be attached to Artillery and provide them air support. WTI was only 2 weeks away and already i felt the pressure on, prior to getting all the gear ready for the field exercise, I also had to come up with my Sections own gear list, and write a 5 Paragraph order. Now in my MOS we have to take the Air-wing and Grunts portion and mash them together which is like writing a dang novel. The Lt read our 5P's and if there was anything wrong with them we had to do them over and over again until they were right. I ended up doing mine 6 times because I had never done it before (Newly promoted SGT!!!). Anyways during the field op i was constantly yelled at and scrutinized by the LT. After our mission with Artillery we then did some training in a Mount town and did Convoys where all Section Leaders would be Convoy Commanders. The Lt rode behind me in my vehicle during the whole time and when our Vics rolled up to the Mount town we were hit in every direction to the point where all i heard was my LT yelling WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? YOUR MEN ARE DYING!! THINK OF SOMETHING!!!. At that point i got out of the vehicle and put the LT on blast, swearing at him, knife handing him (before the whole "knife hand hazing" thing and almost punched him. The look on his face was shocking as he then said "calm down you are doing a great job" and to which i replied "Really sir because youve been down my throat and expecting me to snap my $*$&% back this whole (&(&(*&) time". Luckily the field op ended at which i saw a fellow Squad Leader throw away all of his documents including serialized rosters in the trash so i did the same "little did i know he took his out before they dumped the trash" and a Captain that used to be in our unit found the roster and knew instantly who to give it to our 1stSgts. Next thing i know our DI SSgt was yelling at the Platoon asking who threw the documents away. I confessed to doing it and went to 1stSgts office. I was expecting to get NJP'd or possibly go to the brig for throwing away PII but after telling him everything and how i felt my 1stSgt had a long talk with me and it got so severe that my SSgt told me to go to mental health. I never got NJP'd now its given me severe anxiety and panic attacks throughout the day so yeah that was fun.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2021 7:24 AM

2021-06-29T07:24:21-04:00

I helped run Marines United

Response by PO2 Christopher Foss made Jun 30 at 2021 7:43 AM

2021-06-30T07:43:31-04:00

For me, one of those moments was being too much, too obnoxiously, in the right. Rather than letting the Chain of Command fix an issue, I was doing my best PitA imitation and "demanding my rights".

Sure, sure, I Was right, but by forcing it into formal recognition "when it didn't need to", I almost got me and a couple of other people discharged before the Command Master Chief convinced me that I had made my point and could let it go.

Sometimes, the best battle is the one that isn't fought.

Response by SSgt Eric Owens made Jul 5 at 2021 7:29 PM

2021-07-05T19:29:20-04:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond but I've been so busy I missed the request. My answer is short and simple. Youthful ignorance. In my day no one mentored anyone. There was no NCO or officer to talk to me about my career. At the time I was dealing with personal issues outside work that was affected my ability to make smart choices. In the six years I served not once did anyone sit down with me and talk about where I wanted to be or go. That is no all on me or us. It's shameful the military doesn't push for that type of support. Or I would have retired with full benefits and a pension check for the rest of my days. My son and I would have never been homeless living in my car. The pension check would have kept a roof over our heads.

Response by SGT Randall Smith made Jul 11 at 2021 12:58 PM

2021-07-11T12:58:42-04:00

In the Army less than 6 months, a Pvt E2, and got into a fight with the Sp5 incharge of our bay. Was in Germany and new. Spc Davis said he was going to press charges against me for hitting a E-5. The 1st heard both sides of our story and the witness told what happened. So Top offered me two choices, His punishment or the company article 15 and the CO would set the punishment it would be in my 201 file for a year. Remembering my dad telling me that a good First Sgt. would always take care of his men, I took his punishment. So for the next three weekends when every one else went to town, I painted bathrooms, hall ways, the rock garden and waxed hall ways. Davis insisted upon a Article 15 because I had hit him with a beer bottle. The Lt. busted him down to E-4. It came out that he had brought the beer to the barracks which was not legal then for "EM in the barracks.

Response by SGT Greg Gold made Jul 11 at 2021 10:12 PM

2021-07-11T22:12:17-04:00

To make a long story really short I threw a temper tantrum in an NCO meeting, and told top to go $#&! himself. I then beat a field grade down to an administrative letter of reprimand.

Response by SGT Scott Carter made Jul 13 at 2021 12:48 AM

2021-07-13T00:48:44-04:00

As a lowly SP-4 during Operation Just Cause my platoon was tasked with maintaining what was (more or less) a blockade around the Nicaraguan embassy due to the fear that Noriega might attempt to slip out through it. We were also guarding the home of the Panamanian embassador to the US. We were not allowing any traffic larger that a full sized sedan due to fear of VBIEDs (not what me called them then). So when a smallish sedan pulled up wanting to enter the embassy we got everyone out of the vehicle and searched their persons and the vehicle. In the meantime a TV news had walked up and was filming the proceedings. They also happened to be blocking my view from the sandbagged position I was behind, covering my guys with a SAW. I asked them to move several times before the woman on the mic turned towards me. By then I was yelling. She said “You know that is an embassy and you are not allowed to search them?” I replied “Lady if you and that camera don’t get the fuck out of the way I can’t guarantee your safety! Now get the fuck out of the way!”

Little did I know the camera operator was filming the entire time so I wound up on television that evening. Fortunately there was no audio. However you could read my lips wit no problem. The next morning our company commander called me in and asked me what the fuck…? did I think I was doing cussing like a damn sailor on television? That was the end of though, due to several mitigating factors 1) I ad gotten word from the RED CROSS that my grandfather had died but I would not be able to return for the funeral. 2) one of my guys was dragged down the road by a bus that had backed in to the concertina wire we had placed around the Nicaraguan embassy. It started snaking down the road behind the bus and snatched Jonesy’sfeet out from under him. When I finally got to him the wire had cut the hell out of him. It had also bent the spoon of one of his grenade, to the point where it had almost allowed the striker to rotate over and set it off. Had to call EOD on that one.

I would my ass my hat and my house cat that my career would have been over had those two things not happened. Our BC also knew that most if not all of us had gotten only an hour or two of sleep a night not to mention an all MRE diet for 6 days. As it wound up I only received a letter of reprimand.

Response by PO2 Frank Inscore made Jul 13 at 2021 5:36 AM

2021-07-13T05:36:56-04:00

It wasn't me and I forgot all the names, but I DARE SAY THIS ONE IS ... Bringing hookers onboard while deployed and having them stow-away for over a month before the hookers were discovered? The girls dressed in dirty dungarees and ate chow on the mess decks. That is how they got caught...... eating chow.

Response by SSgt Russell Stevens made Jul 13 at 2021 12:48 PM

2021-07-13T12:48:28-04:00

When I had PSC orders from Alaska to New Mexico I did all the regular out processing from Elmendorf AFB (21 TFW) and was cleared to go on leave and then proceed to the new assignment at Cannon AFB. After 30 days leave I arrived at the new assignment, did all the in-processing and had signatures and initial on the in processing checklist. Bear in mind this was in the days when you didn't get paid until you signed into your new assignment. I hand delivered my pay records in a sealed envelope to the in-processing meeting like we were all required to. I filed my travel voucher and was paid for travel but never received my base pay. I spent the next three months going through my chain of command trying to get Accounting and Finance to pay me. Finally at six months from the time I left Elmendorf AFB (and the last time I was paid) I went to the job service office in Clovis, NM and applied for unemployment benefits as well as start a job search. I figure since the Air Force is in breach of my contact I can consider myself unemployed.

The counselor at the job service office took all this in and started the process to get me registered in job service. In New Mexico law at the time, all unemployment benefits had to be reported to my previous employer which set off someone at HQ USAF. The following morning I, my supervisor, 1st Sergeant, and Squadron Commander were all called into the Accounting and Finance office where we were met by our Wing Commander and a Major from AF Account and Finance. The purpose was to get my pay caught up and dismiss the 27 TFW accounting officer from service. The Wing Commander asked me why I hadn't gone through him and I replied I left weekly requests for an appointment with his staff. He said he would fix that too.

The good news was I also picked up a part time job making $15.00 an hour in a time when that was very high pay. The Air Force didn't like that but for the next four years, I kept reminding them that 27 TFW can't be counted on to make payroll.

Response by GySgt Jack Wallace made Jul 13 at 2021 5:35 PM

2021-07-13T17:35:28-04:00

I called this story. Close call, and glad I was in shape.I was a young Cpl. station in Okinawa. Got my first RR trip as it was to Korea. Don't know the rules and I'am alone. Well ,I did asked other airman where to go thats safe because I'am only Marine there and don't want any trouble. As luck would have it, found a small club that had lots of girls and drinks were cheap. Around mid-night I was close of being intoxicated.so I left the bar and wanted to just walk it off. About a block or so , I found 4 airman that wanted to rob me. One yelled out,GET HIM.So being a good Marine I decided not to loan any money out and just to take off running some where.After about mile or so , I then found a Korean serviceman with an m-16 pointing at my head.The Korean serviceman was asking me about curfew. I stated, don't give a crap about curfew as 4 airman just tried to jump me.The Korean serviceman walked me back to my Motel at gun point and was told curfew 2400 hrs* Got it.Yes sir I never, never let this happen again****Also, I have 2 more, but not sure about the release.Thanks.

Response by SGT William Cannon made Jul 14 at 2021 6:57 PM

2021-07-14T18:57:52-04:00

THE NIGHT ON LZ JAY, DURING THE GROUND ATTACK, AN NVA/VC 75 RECOILESS ROUND CLEARED OUR BERM AND HIT ABOUT 2 FEET FROM THE ASSISTANT GUNNERS FOOT, AND IT NEVER EXPLODED...THERE IS A GOD...

Response by SN Joel Penhallegon made Jul 14 at 2021 7:55 PM

2021-07-14T19:55:42-04:00

There is no such thing as an 'awesome bar scene.' Nothing good happens in those places.
People get drunk, start fights, drive while under the influence, etc.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2021 8:53 PM

2021-07-14T20:53:35-04:00

I got the maximum punishment for a field grade art15 in ait for letting someone else drink underage and make a fool of themselves at an accountability formation. The battalion commander decided it would be more of a punishment not to chapter me out and keep me in the army. He was right.

Response by MSgt Eric Roseberry made Jul 14 at 2021 9:30 PM

2021-07-14T21:30:27-04:00

Young Airmen I supervised told me he was Wican. I thanked him and suggested he have his records updated to properly reflect his religious beliefs.

A few days later the 1st Shirt calls me in to his office to discuss ways to have the Airmen removed from the Service.

I requested we continue the discussion with the commander. I discussed the US Constitution and the Commander's oath of office.

We had a new 1st shirt the next day.

Response by SP5 Kenneth Smith made Jul 15 at 2021 11:16 AM

2021-07-15T11:16:58-04:00

While with Provisional Corps Vietnam, Hue-Phu Bai, I was assigned as secretary to DEPCOMUSMACV General Creighton Abrams while he was assigned as corps Commander. When he got orders to return to Saigon, I was invited to his hooch by his enlisted aide. General Abrams was at the Officers Club at the time. The aide showed me all the 25 square feet of gifts the General had received during his tour-swords, etc. which were laid out on the floor. General Abrams was scheduled to fly out the following day, and Army regulations forbade the transport of open liquor bottles. The aide suggested that the best way of disposing of the liquor was by our consuming it. Which we attempted to do. After a time, we got notice that the General was on his way back to the hooch, so we strategically retreated to his bunker which was located behind the hooch. All I can remember by this time was kneeling on the floor of the bunker chugalugging a bottle of Creme-de-menthe. The only punishment that I received from this was a terrible hangover the next morning that I had to endure while performing my duties putting together the Generals' Daily Reading Book. I don't know it it was "mission accomplished" or not, but it is something that has stuck with me all these years later.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Jul 15 at 2021 5:20 PM

2021-07-15T17:20:58-04:00

While I was stationed at Little Rock AFB, there was a sadness first sgt, who had two sets of rules. One for him and one for the rest us. I was nearing the end of my time at Little Rock, and had re-enlisted for a base of preference (Hurlburt Field in Florida). I was processing my some paper for my move, and got wot some paper work for a friend in the orderly room. Parking at the squadron orderly room, between the squadron executive's and NCOIC of the orderly room's parking spots, I walked in the paper work. Not sluffing off, I went back to my car to leave and behold there's the First sgt, waiting at my car writing down my license plate number. I asked if there was I problem and he immediately goes off on me, about illegal parking. I tried to explain to him, that I just dropped off some paper work and was leaving. He ranted on about me being there for a half hour. In reality it was only 2 minutes. He threatened to have my car towed and impounded, if I did it again. Two days later this first sgt came down to my section and parked in the reserved spot for military vehicles only. The spot was plainly painted and stenciled. The first sgt saw me (as I was radio dispatching equipment in the dispatchers window) and starts shouting that he knows he I legally parked, but was only going to be ten minutes with my NCOIC. (It turned out to be 30 minutes). As I picked up the phone to call the security police, my supervisor stopped me and he wrote down the first set's license plates. He wrote a report on this violation and kept it in his desk, just incase I'd need it later. The following week I was out processing through the orderly room and had to weigh out. The clerk call the over the orderly room officer, (a first Lt.)whom I once helped with a problem and who wanted to say farewell to me. As I stepped on the scale, the officer saw that I was a 1/2 pound over my max weight, when the first sgt steps into the office to see why I'm there. He looks at the scale and tries to tell the Lt, that he'll deal with me. The Lt has me step off the scale and zeros the scale. He also tells the first sgt, everything was up to par and then sign my papers ending my time at Little Rock. If the frist sgt had checked my weight and canceled my PCS move, I would have torn up my re-enlistment papers and left the Air Force.

Response by SSgt Robert Jorgensen made Jul 15 at 2021 10:20 PM

2021-07-15T22:20:51-04:00

Short and sweet - an E6 and an O3 were to dumb to read the maintenance forms onmy plane that was 1st a spare for the 1st fight and documented the drag chute on the 2nd flight as a primary, releasing the drag chute then telling me to put a new one in, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN and the in the reserves an O6 that had no common sense about life or command turned me off and that cost an E9 4 cases of beer in his bet with the guys that I would re-enlist, sorry ROSS. End of story!

Response by SSgt Luke Hunt made Jul 16 at 2021 6:13 AM

2021-07-16T06:13:46-04:00

Several reasons could've ended my career.
I had problems qualifying with the m16
I had trouble passing a hazardous materials course
I literally told my supervisor to go F**k himself after he embarassed me in front of my colleagues.(luckily, his supervisor witnessed the confrontation that led me to saying that)
and one night I had way too much to drink on a deloyment

Response by MSgt Van Dent made Jul 16 at 2021 9:29 PM

2021-07-16T21:29:29-04:00

Was stationed at a closing base in Korea in 90. Since my job was no longer needed on base they put me in charge of the shuttle bus crew to down town. During one of the Korean Holidays we were told not to take any GOV's off base because of the heavy traffic. Well, after spending a few hours at the club on base I was a little lit and talking to 15 other folks that wanted to go down town I told one of my troops to get the bus we are going downtown to party and since he hadn't been drinking he would drive. We stayed downtown until the clubs closed and went back to base. Needless to say the SP's were waiting for us and started to apprehend my troop. I drunkenly told them NO I ordered him to drive the bus. They let everyone else but he and I leave. After a few phone calls I was told to go back to my room and report to the base commander the next morning (they didn't pursue anything against my troop and after my explanation they sent him on his way). When I arrived at the Commanders office I did my reporting statement and he immediately told me to do an about face and walk to the corner and stand there until he decided what to do with me (24 yr old Sgt standing in the corner mind you). After about an hour he told me to turn around and stand at attention. He started letting me know what could be done to me for my actions but in the end he told me that since I was enough of a man and leader to take responsibility for what happened and not let my troop be implicated that standing in the corner was the extent of my punishment. Then he smiled and said to get the F*** out of his office and stop being a DUMB A**. I saluted and said yes sir. That night at the Com Club he bought me a beer and we had a good laugh about it. As I went up through the ranks in my later years, I used his innovation and guidance as a way to deal with my own DUMB A** troops.

Response by SPC George Edwards made Jul 16 at 2021 10:41 PM

2021-07-16T22:41:23-04:00

I was stationed in Hanau, Germany in 1963 on a Hawk missile site. I was an E-4 and my battery commander had informed me that I was going to be in charge of the Engineering Section. He was very aware that if a site had no power, it was useless and we were using 45kw generators for power to the launchers and a 15kw generator for power to the personnel shack. Anyhow, the BC had to assemble a cadre of men to go back to White Sands, NM to fire out. The 7th Army did this because they were not permitted to fire a missile in Western Germany. BC called me in and informed me that I was going. I asked not to go because my wife and new daughter were living off post with me at the time and I really had no desire to come back to the States back then. I ended up going and we did our thing, got back on a plane about a week or so later, and flew to Frankfurt. Just before we landed, the First Sgt stood up and made a speech saying that everyone had done a great job and had the rest of the weekend off.........."Except Sgt Edwards"......Oh, I forgot to mention that the 1st Sgt and I never got along. He hated me and the feeling was mutual. When we got back to our caserne, I checked the duty roster and saw my name as COR for that night. I got on my bicycle, headed home and when I got there, told my wife that the MPs might be calling us a visit in a while. They never came and Monday morning at reville I waited to face the music. But, somehow, nothing ever happened. Never found out why.

Response by PO3 Steven Taylor made Jul 17 at 2021 1:40 PM

2021-07-17T13:40:26-04:00

Getting caught with marijuana onboard ship. I got reduced in rank fined and spent 30 days in the MarDet brig. It was a blessing though because we were cleaning boilers in the Caribbean and hot as hell, all I had to do was sweep the flight deck with a broom and dust pan out in the fresh air. A Snipes heaven lol

Response by CPL John C. Lynch made Jul 17 at 2021 7:51 PM

2021-07-17T19:51:20-04:00

Having the Cherry 2nd LT Team Leader (FIST-ABN) that I gave a hard time to as the Team NCO when he arrived to Division come back as my Battery CO 3 years later. Never forgave me and made life "diffiicult". Refused to sign off on any of the Re-Up options they were offering in the 80's, so I said, "You know--I can ETS out in a few weeks rather than re-up". He said go right ahead so I did. Wait--I guess this DID End my Time in Service. ;-)

Response by SPC James Seigars made Jul 19 at 2021 4:43 AM

2021-07-19T04:43:50-04:00

Mine just goes to show that I never gave up & learned from my mistakes in my younger years. Here goes:
I was originally in the Army from 1985 until 1996 and came back in from 1999 until 2012 as anyone can see looking at my profile. When I was in Germany from 1988-1990 I was seeing a Polish Girl and even went to where she lived, which was supposed to be off limits to Americans since she was immigrating to Germany at the time & was supposed to be on lockdown for a certain period of time which wasn’t up yet (just in case she was a spy). There were several people in this complex and she had three other women in her room, one of which was Russian. She also liked me, but I told her I liked the Polish Woman better. So she turned us in to the German Police who came in on a Sunday (which they never did according to everyone I knew who stayed there) and caught us.

They called the MP’s and they came and got me. I got chewed out for possibly causing an international incident and compromising the reunification of Germany (this was about 2 months before the wall fell in 1989). The woman was sent back to Poland and I was sent back to the U.S. in 1990. They were supposed to give me a General (Honorable) with no IRR time. But somehow the paperwork got messed up & I got an extra 6 years added. I made all my meetings, Drills, etc. until then and got my General Discharge.

I then spent almost three years having my RE 3 changed so I could go back in the National Guard on the Try One program (you signed up for one year and could quit after if you didn’t like it). After that I re-enlisted one more time in the Guard and transferred to Active Duty signing the papers September 10, 2001 and getting to Fort Campbell in January 2002. I stayed in after that and retired in 2012. I was 19 when I went in and 45 when I got out & wouldn’t change it for the world. We all have to learn & grow and most people deserve a second chance if they screw up in their youth, unfortunately the Military has a hard time seeing that & giving them that chance in my experience.

Response by SGT John Peacock made Jul 19 at 2021 9:51 AM

2021-07-19T09:51:40-04:00

DWI as an E4. Long story short, it was a 1st offense, I wasn't an NCO, and they had not yet instituted the "1 and done" policy regarding DWI's. Another time I got pass out drunk at a club in Korea and was kicked out, picked up by the MP's and taken to the station. My 1SG picked me up and took me to my barracks room to sleep it off but my dumb butt went right back out and got picked up again, but this time my battle buddies got me b4 anyone else did. I was taking depression meds at the time and didn't know the booze would have such a strong effect on them which is probably the only thing that saved my butt from a court martial. I had lost my 1st born kid during that time of year and was majorly depressed so that being the case, they were more lenient.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2021 11:53 AM

2021-07-19T11:53:58-04:00

Still not ready to go there. But a buddy of mine....

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jul 19 at 2021 2:21 PM

2021-07-19T14:21:18-04:00

Perhaps My big mistake was after very quick promotions but No civilian work experience I decided after 8 years active duty to get out. I had two years of college and My OIC, The unit Commander and the Base equal opportunity Officer tried to talk Me in to going on Operation Bootstrap which the USAF would send Me to two years of college and continue to pay Me as a SSgt and upon graduation send Me to OTS, Officer Training School to be commissioned a 2Lt. All of them told Me they thought I'd make a good Officer. I got out, did finish the two years of college full time and got MY BS degree. Being a civilian isn't what its cracked up to be, My saying "The Grass is always greener in the other fellows yard until You get there and find half the lawn is dead" After an 8 year break I went back into an Air Force uniform as a SSgt but lost the four years time in grade as it was too long. My promotions were again quick and rose to SMSgt, a grade i held five years with 22 years in uniform. I turned down CMSgt as i didn't want to go to the new location out of state and retired. I would have had to hold the grade two years to retire in that rank and felt SMSgt was good enough. I also retired from a Civilian Police Department. Things worked out ok but passing up the opportunity to become an Officer I'm not so sure that was the correct choice. My Military record was fine the first 8 years except some miner infractions, the last 14 were flawless and I had learned a lot. It probably didn't hurt I had been a Cadet at a Military Academy prior to entering the USAF where the training was Infantry in the US Army ROTC program there.

Response by SGT Mary G. made Jul 19 at 2021 5:40 PM

2021-07-19T17:40:21-04:00

I will follow a family tradition on that one. For my Dad what was classified remained classified his whole life. That's my choice too.

Response by SGT Joseph Dutton made Jul 19 at 2021 10:19 PM

2021-07-19T22:19:03-04:00

PFT test. All most got booted out a couple of times due to PFT test because I couldn't make or exceed the Commanders standards. But I did make & some times exceed the Army's basic standard. One time I got the IG involved. End result, I retired with over 21 years of service.

Response by SFC Wendell Pruitt made Jul 20 at 2021 11:58 AM

2021-07-20T11:58:39-04:00

As a Service school instructor at Ft Bliss I had a group of trainees in bleachers going over procedures while waiting on their turn on the equipment, This was mid July and we had a yellow Wet bulb because of the heat, I decided that on the side of caution of heat injury to have the trainees remove their BDU shirts and unblouse their pants, All was fine for about 20 minutes when a Specialist appeared and asked to speak with me, He said the Commander wanted me in Her office immediately, I turned training over to my AI and walked up to Her office, Her immediate response when I walked in was to start of saying when She called for me I would double time to her, I held back my laugh and said ok point noted and ask what the immediate problem was, She starts going off about me having a Co-ed class in the bleachers in T shirts and ask me is I knew the difference between Women and Men, Then she said I woud not allow this situation because some of the women may not be wearing bras and it could create a distraction or incident. At that point I did laugh and point out if they were without Bras, they were out of uniform and I would address them individually and take the correct actions, She continued to hammer on me a few seconds and I was tired of wasting my time so I stated loudly and clearly to her, " You are the dumbest Commander to ever Sh*t between a pair of Combat boots for taking me away from training to address this nonsense" at which point I hear someone clear their throat behind me. The spineless 1sg was making coffee in the corner and heard the whole exchange.. That Summary Article 15 as an SFC became the end of my 5th Good conduct Medal ... Lesson Learned: Always clear the office visually before speaking your mind, No Witness = No UCMJ usually....

Response by PO2 Hank Kaczmarek made Jul 20 at 2021 1:27 PM

2021-07-20T13:27:22-04:00

7 years in, preparing to put on my E-6 stripes and I failed a drug test.
Only lost one paygrade, but became the senior E-4 Corpsman in the entire Navy.
Sent to Marine Infantry for punishment--I did have a billet on a ship and the CO cancelled it.
Did my year in Division, and the fix was in. A HMCS in Med. Logistics I served with told me if I shipped over, I'd go to FSSG and do what I was best at--Pharmacy Supply. Take the E-5 exam and I'd make it no sweat--then spend 1 year as an E-5 and this (now) Master Chief corpsman i'd be working for would put me in CAP and get my E-6 stripes after all.
But my wife went back on Active Duty, and was sent to New Orleans. I had at least a couple more to do @ Lejuene. Our marriage was on extremely shaky ground, so I decided to get out to support her, and keep the family together. I knew we would never make it being separated for all that time. But I did get an Honorable RE-1 JBK discharge. I could have made up the lost ground, but we're still together, 24 years after she finished the 12 she had left to do to retire. Grandparents to 4. I made the right choice.

Response by PO2 Hank Kaczmarek made Jul 20 at 2021 1:40 PM

2021-07-20T13:40:41-04:00

Name ommited to protect the innocent until proven guilty
A Sub returned to New London whose Corpsman had suffered from Colitis almost the entire patrol. Ambulance took him up to the hospital immediately upon the gangway being lowered.
Lots of things didn't get done or weren't recorded. Dosimeter badge readings, air sample results, Health record audits, that kind of thing.
A "Hot-Shit Corpsman" who had problems with authority was detailed to clean up the Sub's medical and radiation records, get everything straight while the doc was in the hospital.
Detailed Corpsman does a great job, XO compliments him, But it doesn't get done fast enough for a CDR from NUMI, who comes aboard to audit heath records that are still not completely done. Pokes his head into the tiny sickbay, introduces himself to the corpsman, who does likewise. CDR states his purpose for being aboard, Corpsman looks at him and says. "GET THE F&&K OFF THIS BOAT!"
CDR heads for the sail on a full head of steam. Asks for CO who is ashore, but XO is there. CDR explains what the Corpsman told him, and he wanted his ass on a pole. Suddenly a small elderly man in a dark blue suit steps in and says, "I'm Admiral Rickover--you have a problem, CDR?" Rickover listens, and explains that he's aware that there were recording and testing issues aboard that affect Radiation Safety, the reason HE is aboard. Instructs the CDR to "GET THE F&&K OFF THE BOAT" until Rickover tells him to come back. Then Rickover goes to sickbay.

He compliments the Corpsman on a "Crackerjack" job being done. Then gets a piece of the Admiral's mind. A promise of a trip to DC for Mast with him if it ever happens again. That was the end of it. Would never happen these days.

Response by PO3 Andrew Kelly made Jul 20 at 2021 11:23 PM

2021-07-20T23:23:06-04:00

First off I admit total responsibility for this and know my OIC was the only thing that spared me at the time.
We were stationed off the coast of Oman doing circles in the water as we flew air control missions since some Iranian pilot had launched a missile at a tanker obviously not being able to distinguish between civilian and military targets.
We were recovering our bird and rushing to secure it so we could get out of the storm that had blown in mid-recovery. As we started to pull in the power cable we got too reckless and the plug came flying the final distance and struck me in the face. (15 lb plug attached to 06 gauge cables)
Here is the point where I screwed up.
I thought I had simply given the guy next to me a swat on the side and told him to pay attention. What I thought was a swat was much harder and knocked the wind out of him and took him to his knees.
I saw 5 years of hard work going up in smoke. The guy was screaming for me to be arrested, not without good reason, and just about everyone on shift was turning their backs to me. I was sent to my rack and ordered to report to our OIC first thing in the morning. Long night to be sure.
In the morning I reported to our Cmdr and he and I took a quiet walk up to the foredeck. We talked for about 2 hours as I told him my side of the story just for the record and he gave me a lengthy rundown of how bad I had screwed up. In the end, he removed me from working on the roof during flight ops, took me off the night shift, and put me on notice that any errors the rest of the deployment even being a minute late to muster and he would throw the book at me and write me up to stand in front of the Captain to explain myself. My good work record and the fact that this incident was out of character for me gave me enough rope to either save or hang myself.
Once we returned to home base the incident was dragged out from time to time to roast me over the coals but the old man was one to back his OICs on the deployments and since he had closed it all they could do is yell at me. I did not get an attitude of entitlement about it and stood my ground and did not even raise a but while they raked me over the coals. I knew I was saved by the Cmdr's good graces and kept my nose clean for the rest of my tour.

Response by GySgt Bob Authier made Jul 20 at 2021 11:46 PM

2021-07-20T23:46:18-04:00

Long story short. After my first four years in the Marine Corps from 1967 I had broken my back, both knees, and been shot. Somehow they allowed me to stay around until I retired medically in 1990.

Response by CWO2 Richard Rose made Jul 21 at 2021 4:56 PM

2021-07-21T16:56:06-04:00

It was the fall of 1974 and not been at my new duty station but a very short time and being the hard charging E-5 fleet sailor I was given a watch section to supervise. When it comes to security of classified material you wouldn't ever find anyone to speak otherwise. Anyway, the Cold War was a very real threat to our national security. On this one particular watch the "Operations" Watch Officer decided to conduct a SAB Alert at the most inopportune time. By the time this guy wanted to do his fun and games we had already processed nearly 200 Flash precedence messages of real world value. I informed the young Ensign that I neither had the time or resources to play games (don't forget, I am an old school fleet sailor.) Within minutes I step out into my departmental admin area and there is this sailor aiming an M1 at my head and he learned how I felt about him with the rifle in my spaces since we provided our own security. Then I step out on the operations floor and I had no less than two 1919 machine guns aimed at me. I informed the Watch officer and his E-6 section leader that I was serious when I advised him that I was not playing. A few minutes later the Wise Ensign and Moron E-6 buzz the buzzer to the actual commcen and we had T.S. material out and in use. I opened the door and what do I have at my door Bevus & Butt Head. E-6 has a 1911 and shoves it into my stomach for which I asked him very politely where he wanted the medical department to surgically remove it from. Also, neither one of them held security clearances or need to know required before entering . The E-6 thought he would be macho man and attempt to push his way in. Now the Ensign gives me an order to allow them access. I then advised them to read the sign on the door that indicated deadly force authorized. This is when my metal clip board became stuck in the wall and I immediately ordered my watch team to arm themselves and to shoot the next SOB that wanted to attempt to enter. Now, the Ensign is pissed and he says that I am on report for insubordination and refusing to follow a lawful order (yes, he did.) Then it was going to be a courts martial and me get busted. To which, I grabbed him an physically removed him from the space. All of this happened on the mid-watch and he wanted to show everyone he was in charge and I was to appear in front of the C.O. immediately following watch turn over. I informed my chain of command when they began to come in that morning. The Chief busted out laughing as did the LPO. So, we head to the C.O.'s office for me to receive my punishment. The Ensign was the cock of the walk just waiting for the hammer to come down on my head. Skipper reads the charges and asked me if it happened like the report indicated. I told him that for the most part was correct with the exception of weapons and forcing themselves into a space with T.S. material out. I am then dismissed and the Captain informed the ensign that he did not believe the Navy was the correct career for him.

Response by SGT John Lawrence made Jul 23 at 2021 7:52 PM

2021-07-23T19:52:39-04:00

I will tell you this and what did end my time in service. It was a CSM that did not like anyone who went to church, except officers could, he told me that since I was going to church that I did not need my three stripes and I promptly told him that if he wanted my three stripes then just try to take them. I will give him credit, he tried but I decided that I needed to leave so for a year and a half he did everything he could from police call around the Battalion to trying break my spirits. The more he tried the stronger I got, let me be clear I never disrespected him, my unit, or the Army, I was proud to serve even in the early 1970's and when my ETS date came I exited the Army with my three stripes and a promotion to E-6 but I had to have 3 years left of service before I could get the promotion. I left proud of my service and to this day still proud to have served, only a few of us get to say that compared to the population of this great country.

Response by SGT David Emme made Jul 24 at 2021 2:32 AM

2021-07-24T02:32:37-04:00

Not ducking when an IED went off and it did end my career.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2021 2:10 PM

2021-07-24T14:10:05-04:00

edit: double post

Response by SGT James Hunsinger made Jul 26 at 2021 7:52 PM

2021-07-26T19:52:53-04:00

In the late 80s/early 90s I was with 10th Mountain Division. I was a member of a transcription and analysis team at the time. We got a new team chief in that had never been tactical a day in his military career. We did not get along at all. I was the senior specialist on the team and I was tasked with training him to be a tactical intelligence soldier. He was nearly untrainable as he wanted to fight with me about everything that he wanted to do by the book and I tried to explain to him that doing them by the book would get us killed in battle. At one point I had actually made the decision that if we ever did deploy with him as team chief I would have to injure him to save the lives of the rest of the team. Thankfully, it never came to that but things did get very heated between him and I on several occasions before things were finally resolved.

The biggest one was after being in the field for about two weeks. Because of the operational tempo of the exercise I had gone about four days with no sleep. No one's fault really, just the way things happened. I was finally getting off of my shift and was heading to my shelter half to get some much needed sleep when he approached me with a five gallon fuel can and asked me if I knew where the fuel point of the BOC we were colocated with at the time was. I said yes, it was about 500 meters away from our location. He tossed me the can and told me to go get it filled and turned his back on me. I have only lost my self control in my life a few times and this was one of them. I saw red and I was enraged as there were other team members that could very well complete this task and that I knew full well were not engaged in any other tasks at that time. I threw it at him, hard, and hit him in the back with it. I told him "Since you know where it is he can go fill it your f*&$ing self!" and then I stormed off to sleep for a few hours.

Once I had some rest I realized what I had done. I went to him and asked to speak with him privately. Since it was only him and I that were witness to what had happened I decided to try and keep it between us. I apologized to him and told him had I not been as exhausted as I was it would not have happened. He accepted the apology shook my hand and said he understood and that we were good.

When we got back to garrison he skipped the platoon sergeant and platoon leader and went went directly to the commander and asked for me to be given a field grade article 15. I think he did it that way because he knew they would not side with him in his efforts, and they didn't. I was not sure what my options were so I called my father who was a CW3 with 20 years in at the time and obviously I trusted him more than anyone. He had friends that were JAG lawyers that he spoke to with all the information and they told me to demand a court martial. So when they called me in to sign the article 15 I said I wanted to be court martialed. Boy did the tune change at that point!

What I didn't know before speaking with my father is that if they would not court martial me then they have to drop the article 15. The gamble was that they would not want to go through the trouble of a court martial for such a situation. Then investigations started...

The question as to why a team chief let a soldier go almost 96 hours without sleep while he was getting sleep became a focal point of the investigation. Medical professionals explaining that with that level of sleep depravation that the command had no case. It basically made him look like the POS that he was by the end of it and I walked away with nothing more than a stern talking to by the commander.

There were more antics between me and that guy. Including when he got busted down to E-4 for some epicly stupid shit and then ran his mouth to me in the motor pool saying the completely wrong things to me at the wrong time. But that is another story...

Response by SSG David Phillips made Jul 27 at 2021 6:08 AM

2021-07-27T06:08:41-04:00

After back to back to back combat tours I really didn’t know any one when I returned from my last tour and I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. All the time away from my family was playing a major toll on my marriage also. I knew I could make more $$$ out of the Army and be happier so I put in my retirement packet. Was best decision I made and I actually make close to 3 times my military salary on only 40 hour week. Military was a career for me and one I did enjoy for most of my 22 years.

Response by PFC Russell W made Jul 29 at 2021 9:31 AM

2021-07-29T09:31:00-04:00

When I found out Jodie was with my girlfriend while I was away at drill. I lost it for months and it got me an Unsatisfactory Participation and a Gen/Honorable

Response by LTC Philip Marlowe made Aug 17 at 2021 6:31 PM

2021-08-17T18:31:24-04:00

My 'career ender' was not as exciting or adventurous as a number of the ones posted here. Mine simply occurred upon my first active duty discharge from the USAF in 1974. If someone had told me that between 1974 and 2012 I'd 1) complete two college degrees, 2) get commissioned an Officer in the US Army, 3) serve in 6 countries, 4) get RIFed in 1992, 5) get promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and eventually RETIRE from the US Army / USAR (fully) in 2021, 6) serve in Combat, 7) command two active duty battalions as a RESERVIST, 8) command a Base Support Battalion as an MP Officer, 9) work for 3 different Federal agencies (DOL/DOJ/DoD), and based on my preceding experience, 10) serve as a Program Director, Deputy Country Manager and Country Manager supporting troops in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, I'd have told them they were smoking something. After I left the USAF, I couldn't see beyond 'tomorrow' - for at least the first year or so and then a light clicked on - WTH am I doing! I started a career in the service to my country and I wanted to finish it in whatever capacity I could - and with that in mind, I joined the USAR, went to ROTC (admittedly at the time simply for the $100 a month - which was 1/5th of my salary as a LEO in Indiana), got my commission in May, 1980 - the rest of the story (above) is simply HISTORY. It would have been much simpler if I had had a mentor or the information that even existed then - but I didn't and we didn't much talk mentors in those days. Even today, I keep thinking "If I had only known then what I know now". Today, I try to share my experiences with young troops who are thinking of leaving the service....try to get them to see a different picture and 'can' the emotion so they can make educated decisions which are not CAREER ENDERS in and of themselves.

Response by CWO4 Terrence Clark made Aug 21 at 2021 9:10 PM

2021-08-21T21:10:53-04:00

As a Chief Petty Officer so newly minted my anchors still had protective plastic, on my first watch as a fully qualified Officer of the Deck, I authorized engineering to blow tubes (main boiler tubes). It was summer.
Everyone was in dress whites. A huge cloud of black soot settled on King Juan-Carlos & Princess Sophia of Spain and half the heavy brass from AFSouth who were gathered to watch the transfer of five AV8A's from the U.S. to Spain.

Response by SGT Neal Harlow made Aug 24 at 2021 9:11 PM

2021-08-24T21:11:04-04:00

FT Stewart I got loaded at the club and missed an alert. I was dragged down to the MP station and popped .51 percent alcohol. They were going to can me , but my PLT Sgt Managed to get it down graded to a company level ARTICLE 15. Grass duty for 5 months.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Aug 26 at 2021 3:40 PM

2021-08-26T15:40:54-04:00

Getting passed for promotion twice for undisclosed reasons. Recent transfer to the Army saved me from leaving active duty this year.

Response by SSgt Glenn Gilbert made Aug 27 at 2021 5:59 PM

2021-08-27T17:59:09-04:00

I am a BRAT who grew up in Germany. We actually got to stay there from 1972-1983 and then we actually came back for my senior year. So yes we always partied and did it hard. I was in 5th grade legally drinking in Germany. I enlisted in the AF after a few years out on my own. I stayed in Germany until I was 21 because I wasn't legally allowed to drink in the US. So after basic training my high school friends from Germany take a unplanned trip to Key West and get annihilated on booze. My buddy who drove has his car break down so I am late to my first duty Station At DMAFB. Got in a ton of trouble for being 3 days late. Kept drinking and showing up to duty still drunk from the night before. Finally one day I tried to call in sick and my Sgt wasn't having it. Took me to the hospital had them run test to see if I was sick at all or just hung over. Sgt even gave me the chance to come clean and say I was just an idiot trying to get away with being hung over. It didn't work. Our commander wrote out an article 15 and showed it to me and said she'd give me one more chance. Sixty days in this new shock camp type of jail for enlisted idiots like me. IF I dindt pass with flying colors I was getting the article 15 and a dishonourable discharge. The M.Sgt. in charge really turned me around and my thinking. They'd never had anyone graduate from that program as fast as I had. It was 10 times worse than basic training. But it finally turned me into a great Airman. The next time I stood in front of my commander it was to get Airman of the year for our base. Came in like 5th place against all of the AF that year. Sometimes I wish I'd stayed in and got my 20 years, but then again I wouldn't have the amazing high paying career I have now nor the family and wife. I actually tried to get back in after 9-11 but I was over the age limit by one year. I see on here they have waivers. I wish I'd known about that back then as I am a huge patriot and wish I was able to go back to war. I was one of the first into Desert Storm and one of the last to leave. I owe my life and my career now to the lessons I learned from my M.Sgt. when I was in jail. He really taught me a lot and gave me some great confidence and life skills.

Response by SGT Michael Wyatt made Aug 29 at 2021 11:06 PM

2021-08-29T23:06:51-04:00

Going Awol after threatening to kill my squad leader. Came back and finished with an honorable Discharge

Response by SSG Cam Prince made Aug 30 at 2021 7:46 PM

2021-08-30T19:46:48-04:00

NOPE!

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2021 8:32 AM

2021-08-31T08:32:03-04:00

Wrecking a HMMWV during an off-road confidence course…that was a fun one.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2021 8:46 AM

2021-08-31T08:46:29-04:00

About 10 miles from Kabot in the NAG, we were headed back from a pirate distress call. It was about 30min before then end of the watch at 2300 or so. After noticing signature from the radar, but no visibility by the lookouts, the bridge continued steaming as usual. All stations manned and guns mounted. For a moment of silence and waiting, doing 11 knots ahead, a flash from the mast headlight of a tanker in front of us caused a rage of surprise and yelling of commands to all stop and reverse engines, sound the collision alarm, and sound general quarters. The helmsman reacted startled but followed as well as the boatswain's mate over the 1mc. In the moment of alarm and brace for shock the tanker collided into the starboard side of our hull above the waterline. When we listed back upright, noise over all channels relaying reports went ballistic and some panic on the bridge set in. Captain came on deck and asked, "Who the hell crashed my ship?!" And that's when the whole bridge team realized we are all responsible for what just happened. Followed by investigation after the storm, I amongst several team members went in for questioning by Navy lawyers and a month's long investigation with a seven day repair visit in Dubai that ultimately lead to the case being dropped. Surely we all thought we were going to get canned and kicked out for the lack of protocol that could have avoided the collision. Nobody was killed, just a few injuries and no flooding or severe damage to the hull. Just moral damages and a lot of dirty looks between members involved whom all never got fired and ended up staying aboard for the duration of deployment. AND same watch bill for a few weeks after it! - OIF 2006

Response by SPC Patrick O'Brien made Sep 1 at 2021 5:30 PM

2021-09-01T17:30:35-04:00

I threatened to shoot a Lt

Response by SPC Jerry Buck made Sep 1 at 2021 6:49 PM

2021-09-01T18:49:37-04:00

My current disease Ankylosing spondylitis.but my platoon Sargent staff Sargent Tibbs asked me if I wanted a medical I said not what I signed up for. TIBBS ThEN STOP GOING ON SICK CALL .cause that's what's gonna happen..let me know, then no pt straight to the motor pool

Response by SFC Kurt Brunken made Sep 2 at 2021 9:55 AM

2021-09-02T09:55:00-04:00

That time the f-ing Taliban tried to blow us up, that almost did it.

Response by SPC Charles McFate made Sep 2 at 2021 4:30 PM

2021-09-02T16:30:00-04:00

1st one was in 1980, basic training, Ft Leonard Wood, KY. Our company had a female platoon.
They had the top floor of the barracks. I would "volunteer" to sweep the stairwell. Would meet up w/ a girl etc, DI called me into his office for the 3rd time and said if I did not get my act together, I would be booted out...

Response by SFC Michael Smith made Sep 3 at 2021 10:36 AM

2021-09-03T10:36:30-04:00

TAMMS evaluators came by my UMCP at Bradley Gunnery and noticed we had 3 deadlined Brads for different reasons. We had just came off flood duty so wheel vehicles were limited and we could not make daily runs for parts and had to rely on the Log PAC for parts. Problem was they hadn’t shown up for 3 days. They asked why I didn’t use “Controlled Substitution” and I responded, it’s not allowed in a training environment. The right answer I guess. Evaluators did what they do and within 2 hrs the CSM was at my tent wondering what the hell I was trying to do. I guess when the Colonel got the word and checked out BN Maint, they were playing volleyball and drinking beer. Oops, all of a sudden I was in a few uncomfortable meetings. I was praised by evaluators but scorned by the unit and almost disciplined.

Response by Cpl William Sneed made Sep 3 at 2021 2:25 PM

2021-09-03T14:25:26-04:00

My MOS

Response by COL Fred Hogan made Sep 4 at 2021 1:56 AM

2021-09-04T01:56:15-04:00

In the Guard, I was passed over for the second time, 1999. That generated a 1 January 2000 Dear John letter giving me six months before they process me out. I moved over to Reserves and did alot of work getting my personnel paperwork and promotion package in proper order. Had to find a micrfish reader even at the local library....Two weeks before the promotion board met in May 2001, a Major calls me from St Louis to inform me I have already been promoted, effective date was Oct 1999.....I musta rubbed someone in personnel off once to often.... Keep your own tract and retain copies of everything....

Response by Cpl Teresa Miller made Sep 4 at 2021 8:05 AM

2021-09-04T08:05:03-04:00

Ill start from the beginning. I walked in Jersey City recruitment center to join the Air force in Nov 1974. I happened to run into a lovely woman Marine who eventually talked me into joining the Marines. I didn't know much so just asked for area option, California and after being sworn in they didn't take me till May 1975, loosing all points for VN era, they took the men but not the women. So not asking for some sort of training, area option was a bad move because i ended up in the Mojave desert and in warehousing, job 3051. After "on the job training" I ended up in this dark warehouse, war was over and not much to do. One day a beautiful civilian woman "Esta" came down looking for something and started talking to me. Next thing I know I am transferred to MOWASP Operations 3043. A wonderful job in an office working with civilians, military and enjoyed that job for over a year till a Gunny came in and three times put me on mess duty. I couldn't deal with his alcoholism, so I ended up transferring to special services working at the Yermo base horse stables. Another wonderful job by accident. So here is my close call where I could have been booted out of the military. One day a group of what we thought was military family wanted to take out horses for a trail ride, us as guides. The civilian boss was out, short staffed, and me being next military in command, lance corporal, I started taking the money, the others checked the ID, while the other military staff set the people out for the trail. One of the staff put a mother with a child together which is a no no. Well, the horse threw the two and all hell broke loose and they were hurt. It turned out that the id's weren't military and I was the direct blame. I thought, well its been up and down from the beginning....nothing new here. Thinking Im in a hurt of trouble, I get another transfer to Headquarters. So out of Jeans back into uniform working for the best Gunny and staff yet. They tried to get me to re-up but I decided why push it.....I made it. Being in the Marines was the best time of my life. I know many of you military saw action and I just happened to do my time during the short era of No War. I would like to thank all of you for your service. Simper Fi, Always. TMiller

Response by SSG Dave Johnston made Sep 4 at 2021 1:23 PM

2021-09-04T13:23:32-04:00

QMPed; twice... while on active duty. had almost 17 years of active duty and stuck at E-5; needed civilian Ed for promotion packet, spent most of my time as the acting PLT SGT for the Med Plt of an Armor Bn. right up until DOD/DA opened a window of opportunity in '92 under 10 USC 1175 right at the end of "Desert Storm". I took VSI, said my goodbyes, and made up what I needed with 3 callups to Active duty post 9/11...

... then there was the year I spent with the 'Jimmy Carter peeping Tom BDE' in the Saini... spent most of my time with the ex-Pats and other m ember nations assigned, Top asked me why I didn't spend off-duty time at the Sand Castle, the American Contingent's clubhouse, told Top I didn't like stupid people... The E-6 that was my supposed squad Ldr had no clue what a DA 4187 was geesh

Response by SSG Rick Miller made Sep 4 at 2021 11:18 PM

2021-09-04T23:18:20-04:00

Giving my SGM an honest answer. He asked me what the biggest morale killer in the unit was. My answer was one word. You.

Response by PO3 Charles Brooks made Sep 5 at 2021 5:44 AM

2021-09-05T05:44:57-04:00

If you weren't there it never happened.

Response by CPO James Soper made Sep 5 at 2021 4:34 PM

2021-09-05T16:34:04-04:00

Broke my back near the end of my first enlistment and didn't feel I was getting all the care I needed. Left the service for 2 years and had a change of heart after thinking about it. Reenlisted and stayed until retirement.

Response by 1LT Peter Duston made Sep 5 at 2021 5:47 PM

2021-09-05T17:47:41-04:00

Several when I was young, dumb and drunk............ following a female across the border into East Berlin while drunk and spending most of the next day trying to sneak back into West Berlin and safety. I was a Russian linguist, etc. Fortunately, my trench coat and good German helped.

Response by CH (CPT) Jerry McGowin made Sep 5 at 2021 9:03 PM

2021-09-05T21:03:16-04:00

I told my BN Commander that i was going to report him for Wife abuse.

Response by CW2 Richard Athey made Sep 6 at 2021 3:53 AM

2021-09-06T03:53:20-04:00

In WOCS I received a package from a lady friend that had to be opened in the Tack officer's office. Turns out to be anatomically correct gingerbread women. After the personal questions from all the tac's about my lady that I refused to answer, I new I was done for if the female CO came in. Instead I got smoked and was given 30 minutes to have the barracks help me consume all contence of the package.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 6 at 2021 2:32 PM

2021-09-06T14:32:44-04:00

I thought I might lose some rank as I did AT with a very large NG unit. We were drinking and watching young women in bikinis using the slip and slide. I know I am going to hell.

Response by COL Donald Mondragon made Sep 6 at 2021 4:46 PM

2021-09-06T16:46:46-04:00

I seriously considered leaving the military at two different times. First, after a toxic commander who promised me an above-the-mass-rating, but gave me a center-of-mass rating. I was so frustrated by this self-seeking commander, I was ready to leave the Army. My wife wisely pointed out that this commander would be gone in a year. The next time was when I met with my senior rater, the regional commanding general, who gave me a mediocre OER. I met with him to discuss this, but he never gave me a straight answer. I wondered if I could no longer significantly contribute to the Army and its mission. I'm glad I didn't leave either time.

Response by SSG Gregg Mourizen made Sep 7 at 2021 12:26 AM

2021-09-07T00:26:24-04:00

Trusting my admin NCO's to do their job.
At one point my records showed that I had been in the military for ten years, and according to the records, never attended basic training or any schools, even though I had been deployed overseas, twice for training, and one to the middle east. I even reenlisted. This was as a reservist and National Guard.
When I went active duty, my records were held onto for two years. Fortunately I had all my documentation, to submit to the regular Army. Guess what, they failed to update my records as well, in two separate units. They even had me fill my 2-1 and 2A in my 201 file myself. Even then, they failed to update my records.
Another issue when going active duty, The would only sign my into one of my existing MOS's (2 infantry, one medical). They would only let me into the medical MOS, even though I hadn't done it for years. I asked if I was still qualified, seeing as they had changed the designator. The recruiters ensured me I was. I finished going through MEPs and inprocessing (often trying to verify I was still qualified), and was sent all the way to Korea, where I was asked three questions by my CSM, and told I wasn't qualified to be in my MOS, and I would have to goto school again. A full year of training, as opposed to the 6 months for the MOS I wanted.
The cutoff score for my MOS was 798, but for a short time it dropped down to 675. Having what should have been 725 points, I was sure I was going to be promoted. Imagine my surprise when I didn't make the list.
Imagine being at your E-5 board (a year later) and being told I needed to start taking some clases and corespondence courses. I told the SGM That I had two associates degrees and was halfway towards my Bachelors Degree, and that I should be maxed out on education points. As president of the board, he stopped messing with me and focused all of his attention on the admin NCOIC, as to why the records of a soldier weren't up to date, when being sent to an NCO board.
I wont get into the multiple pay issues. Awards not being issued, even though they were awarded.

I wish I could get credit for PTSD based on my horrors with administrative function. I mention it to my VA doc's a couple of times, and they just laughed.

Response by SFC Byron Perry made Sep 7 at 2021 3:51 AM

2021-09-07T03:51:21-04:00

The time as a E-4/specialist in Germany with less than 3 years in service, I took off the rank insignia on my collar, slammed them on the desk of my squad leader's (a 15 year plus E-5) desk, told him "I"ve got a few things to tell.you." Said my piece about how badly he does things and treats my fellow squad mates, and when I finished about 5 minutes later, we of course went to see the platoon sergeant. I fully expected to receive an Article 15 over it. The next week, in first formation, I was called to the front to be promoted to E-5. Don't ask me how the timing was so perfect, I had no idea that I made the cut off score that month. After that, he was just as big of an ass to the lower enlisted, but he acted like we were old friends.

Response by LTJG Phillip Panuco made Sep 8 at 2021 12:13 AM

2021-09-08T00:13:47-04:00

I originally served with the Army Security Agency in 1966 Okinawa (104th ASA Security Detachment) and 1966-1969 Vietnam (7th RRU/10st RRC/374th RRC with 4th Infantry Division). I went to the University of Washington until my enlistment with the Naval Security Group in March 1973. After serving at Pearl Harbor Hawaii (Technical Guidance Unit and Intelligence Center Pacific), I was transferred to VQ-1 Guam in January 1980. When I reported in, my Department Master Chief, CTTCM Niesmith, asked me if I knew CTT1 S**** who recently transferred to Hawaii. I innocently responded, hell yes and I even nominated him for Enlisted Person of the Quarter for IPAC. Immediately things went downhill after that. I found out later that both the Master Chief and PO1 S***** were at each other’s throat but I did know specifically what the main issues were. Three days after arriving at VQ-1, I was “volunteered” to be the command’s Leading Petty Officer (LPO) for 90 days with the punishment division, called X-Division and also nicked name “The Dog Shack”. This was considered the kiss of death for CTs because of its punishment nature and negatively on my forthcoming enlisted evaluation.
I informed my wife that night to kiss my ass goodbye because I will probably soon lose my Top Secret clearance and either washout of the Navy or be assigned another rate. Either fate or Karma smiled on me, because when I reported to the VQ-1 Command Mater Chief (I have forgotten his name) said he knows why I was assigned to him, and he will keep a close eye on me. During my initial 90-day tour, I turned around a lack-luster X-Division into well oiled division, zero personnel issues, plus our division was able to procure 30 plus surplus refrigerators for the barracks. These refrigerators came in handy because the Secretary of the Navy authorized beer in the barracks. Also, I instituted accountability for all cash received in our sales of hot dogs, snacks, and drinks we sold in our “Dog Shack”. After 30 days of my assignment, the Command Mater Chief called me into his office and directed me to bring all bank statements, cash logbook, and receipts. After reviewing the documents, he informed me that I have increased the command’s petty cash from the normal receipt of $1,500 a month to more that $3,000 a month. He explained that is why the previous X-Division LPO’s always transferred from Guam with new cars. I informed the Command Master Chief that I didn’t want to lose my TS security clearance because of fraud.
When I was coming up with the end of my 90-day tour in X-Division (Dog Shack), I was informed by the Command Mater Chief that I will be extended another 30 days because he cannot locate a replacement Petty Officer 1st Class. He also informed me that because I have raised morale and esprit de corps that now VQ-1 personnel are asking to be assigned to X-Division. Because of this, the Command Master Chief said he will personally write my enlisted evaluation report and have the Command Officer sign off on it. End result, I was early selected for CTT Chief, and my future was secure. I have eventually retired as a CTT Master Chief.

Response by PO2 Christina "Jian" Phillips made Sep 12 at 2021 11:22 AM

2021-09-12T11:22:04-04:00

Does kicking a LT in the crotch count when they are supposed to have your best interests in mind and they ruin you for life. THAT I literally would've sacrificed anything for....to see them squeal.

Response by CPL Jason Northedge made Sep 26 at 2021 1:54 PM

2021-09-26T13:54:50-04:00

Got caught smoking out by the dumpsters, 3 days before AIT graduation. They were typing up my discharge when my drill sergeant saved my ass. Whew!

Response by 1SG Tom Carter made Oct 26 at 2021 6:49 PM

2021-10-26T18:49:52-04:00

Going from Active Duty combat arms to Reserve REMF in a data processing unit.
I was disappointed in the lack of disciple, and extremely low standards they had. In my initial meeting with my 1SG I was wondering in my head, how he allowed this. I was ready to get out then and there, but then I made my decision. I told myself that one day, I would be on the other side of that desk. It took another 12 years for that to happen, but I did it.

Response by 1SG Tom Carter made Oct 26 at 2021 6:50 PM

2021-10-26T18:50:10-04:00

Response by MSG Loren Tomblin made Oct 29 at 2021 3:18 PM

2021-10-29T15:18:50-04:00

When I was shot all to hell in a firefight but recovered. When the medical board using the whole man concept was convened a COL on the board denied me medical retirement because I had made too much rank in a short time. I responded with "OK Sir I will stay in this man's Army and get to the top. My last assignment was the SGM billet at a major command. HOOAH!!!! I turned it down because my bucket lest was complete as far as my career meant to me. I won.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 5:35 PM

2021-10-29T17:35:28-04:00

My back injury

Response by SSgt John McIntyre made Oct 29 at 2021 8:01 PM

2021-10-29T20:01:43-04:00

In 1969 while flying from Clark AF base to Thailand, in a C130, over Viet Nam, a ground to air missile was shot at the plane. According to the pilot, the missile exploded a few 100 feet below the plane's right wing blowing the plane on its side. Fortunately, the plane was not damaged and we continued on to Thailand. Had the missile hit the plane, I am rather confident, my career would have ended.

Response by SFC Oddie Brown made Oct 29 at 2021 8:33 PM

2021-10-29T20:33:18-04:00

Recruiter. Worst job I ever did. Loved the civilians and hated the people I worked with and for. I did my 3 years and went back to my MOS. It took me years to recover from the daily threats and BS I put up with. If you haven't been a detail recruiter you will never know.

Response by SFC Oddie Brown made Oct 29 at 2021 8:33 PM

2021-10-29T20:33:55-04:00

Recruiting.

Response by Sgt Greg Puckett made Oct 31 at 2021 7:36 AM

2021-10-31T07:36:34-04:00

Nice try OSI , I didn't admit to it then and you are not going to get me now.

Response by 1LT Peter Duston made Oct 31 at 2021 8:03 AM

2021-10-31T08:03:55-04:00

I had a few all reflecting alcohol that I sometimes include in my AA dialogue even today - decades later. Here's one example of ow I might have started WWIII or young, drunk and dumb!
Cold War Berlin – April 1959
By April 1959, I was getting to be a short timer and had developed an attitude about the Army. Although an Eagle Scout and “good kid” from high school, the military makes us grow up in good ways and often in “bad” ways. Thank God, I survived the bad ways to become a responsible adult although it would take years later thanks to my drinking.
An incident set in Berlin still reminds me of how lucky I was on a couple of levels. Having a PePeShe – Russian submachine gun aimed at my belly was not cool! The Soviets had built a large memorial along the Tiergarten in the British Sector shortly after their victory in capturing the city in 1945 and in subsequent years were allowed to send their soldiers across the zone boundaries to do honor guard detail at the memorial not unlike us at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. The Memorial was strictly “Off Limits” to allied troops but that didn’t hold me back from strolling up to the site on a day off in my trench coat playing the arrogant “big shot”. Picture broad steps with huge columns supporting a “gate” overhead, flanked by Soviet T-34 Tanks and beyond a walkway to a massive wall with thousands of names of Soviet soldiers who fell in the Battle of Berlin. I “strolled” up the steps, under the arch and started down the steps towards the walkway. Right in front of me, a Russian guard with his PePeShe at port arms had just turned and was slowly and ceremoniously walking away towards the wall. I don’t know what possessed me but maybe with noon-time beer courage or maybe arrogance, I snapped out a nice and loud and in Russian: “Hey Comrade! Don’t forget that big brother is watching you!” Oops! He spins and brings his weapon to the ready aimed at my midriff. I froze! “Holy shit,” I thought. I’m dead. I am sure that he was confused. My Russian was good so maybe, just maybe, he thought that I might be a Soviet officer or NCO playing hard ball with him. Whether I squeezed out an apology or what, I don’t remember. I just eased backwards, up the few steps and when I thought that I was out of range, “booked it” breathing hard and shaking like a leaf. There could have been several outcomes to that incident, none of which would have been good. Creating an international incident between two nuclear armed super powers. Well, you get the idea!

Response by Maj John Hitchens made Oct 31 at 2021 10:38 AM

2021-10-31T10:38:28-04:00

Pneumothorax (lung Collapse) at officer trading school while walking back from the track at 5 am after running 5 miles to get off bed posting due to too many demerits.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 31 at 2021 2:14 PM

2021-10-31T14:14:43-04:00

My miserable ex wife crashed her van at Ft Riley and got a DUI. My senior rater was the Post Commander.

My miserable ex wife again. In the early 2000s I was giving her $2000/month, but she still filed bankruptcy. I got stuck for all the joint debt: house, van, and credit cards. I was financially devastated. I had lost my secret clearance for a period of time. I was supposed to go to Iraq but could not. I received an OER that essentially painted me as a valueless dirt bag because I could not go to Iraq. It did not kill my career, but it killed any chance for promotion.

The lesson I learned is I can live a good life based on values, but I will still suffer sometimes. That is the nature of the world.

Response by MSgt Michael Cronin made Oct 31 at 2021 4:15 PM

2021-10-31T16:15:45-04:00

Art 15 4 months before reenlistment. I was an outstanding Sgt so the commander kicked out the art 15!

Response by PO1 Tom Follis made Oct 31 at 2021 5:25 PM

2021-10-31T17:25:25-04:00

For my twilight tour in 93, I turned down orders for Japan and Alaska. Accepted orders for the USS Holland AS-32 out of Guam. Had an E-7 that was a slobbering drunk that rarely showed up for work and when he did, I caught all the crap because his job wasn’t done. A warrant that allowed E-3 and below to do what they wanted and a female Lt that didn’t know s++t from applesauce. The only thing that did save my career was when they sent me TAD to military law enforcement. They actually did me a favor.

Response by Maj John Bell made Oct 31 at 2021 9:06 PM

2021-10-31T21:06:58-04:00

Discretion demands that I not give a direct answer. Let's just say I became disillusioned. Despite being selected for promotion I could no longer serve.

Response by SPC David Warren made Nov 1 at 2021 8:28 AM

2021-11-01T08:28:30-04:00

Atta boy!

Response by Lt Col Terence McDonough made Nov 1 at 2021 9:13 AM

2021-11-01T09:13:09-04:00

II was a Catholic Chaplain in the Air ,force in 1984, an 04. I requested a transfer to the Line of the Air Force as a Social Action Officer, a position for which the AF admitted I was qualified. AF personnel initially recommended approval, but the Chief of Chaplains objected and demanded that I be discharged for making the request . The AF caved, and I was involuntarily discharged on 2/2/1984. I went a civil court and also submitted a request to the AFBCMR for reinstatement.

It took over four years, but in Oct of 1988 I was reinstated to the AF as a Major. the time I was out was explained as "Major McDonough was not discharged,, but transferred to his home of record ".
I was assigned to FEW Warren AFB in Cheyenne Wyoming as Chief of Social Actions. In March of 1991 I retired as a Major with 20 years o0f credited service.
I went to the BCMR again and four years later I was promoted to Lt. Colonel (05) with a date of rank of 1984, with restoration of all back pay and allowances.
As a sidebar, what this means is that from 1984 to 1991 I was officially an 05 wearing the rank of an 04 (7 years) and was never considered for promotion to 06. I wonder if there is a good Lawyer available to help me pursue 06.
Terence M. McDonough Lt. Col. USAF Ret

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2021 12:16 AM

2021-11-09T00:16:00-05:00

Sequestration (2009 - 2014). This was the death of MANY careers during that time.

Due to the Iraq exit and draw down many MOS's were way over strength and on the chopping block. Promotion point cut off score for 88M (vehicle operator) was stuck at 798 for about 5 years straight. Also the RCP (retention control point) was tightened. E-5s could no longer stay in for 20 years and retire. Most of my 88M NCO buddies I deployed with in 2008 were getting kicked out left and right.

It was either get RCPed or get promoted. Due to spending my first 8 years in the Marines I was lacking points. Mainly award points and college points. Marines hardly ever give out awards and college really wasn't a very feasible option for Marines while I was in.

So I went full bore and started doing as much online college classes (WHILE deployed in Afghanistan) as I could. Got 6 college classes (AMU) completed in a 9 month deployment. Many nights I got no sleep due to staying up writing essays.

With the awards I got for that deployment, college points up, brought my rifle score up to a 37 and scored a 289 on my PT test I was able to raise my points substantially.

By October 2013 the points finally came down to promote a tiny few. I was one of those. I was the only 88M to get promoted to SSG/E-6 in the whole brigade that month. And the first 88M in that Distro platoon in over 15 years to get promoted to SSG/E-6.

Many of my peers had trouble talking to me afterwards. The hate and jealously I received was something out of a 1990s movie. But it was all hate and jealously from people who's career was in the shitter or getting booted out.

NEVER SAY DIE!!! NEVER QUIT!!!

edit: other factors that didn't help:
2011 January - promotion points for correspondence courses no longer covered training points
2013 February - promotion points for UMO 151 disappeared. That's 8 points I lost.
2013 March - promotion points for headstart/language classes disappeared. Thats 4 points I lost.

Response by SSgt Russell Dennis made Nov 16 at 2021 11:40 PM

2021-11-16T23:40:56-05:00

Too much partying and not enough focus on the front end of my career in 1983 nearly tanked my career! I did give it all up, buckled down to duty, and bounced back to win airman of the year honors in my new squadron in 1987. I finished my career in 1993 to continue my education. I took an early out because I recognized that the 5 airman working for me were all very successful. One was accepted into the Air Force Academy and the Other four were all taking college credits. And yes, they all had more credit hours than I did!

Response by SGT Donovan Leeds made Nov 18 at 2021 1:04 AM

2021-11-18T01:04:02-05:00

DUI (2003) - I fully expected to be reduced in rank and get kicked out. I was already undergoing medical evaluation for lower back issues and sleep apnea (I had two disks removed and I'm allergic to NSAIDs ie: motrin). My work shift was 0200 - 1000 M-F. My standard 'weekend' meant going to the local microbrewery on Friday evening, having a few drinks with dinner, walking to the movie theater next door to catch whatever was playing for the next 2 hours and then driving the 1.5 miles home. Well, some junior soldiers I didn't know showed up to the bar and I ended up joining their group and drinking more than I normally did. They went to return to base because they had curfew - and someone else had taken the cab they called to pick them up. I made the mistake of thinking I could get them back to base without an issue and got caught at the gate. I ended up going to local traffic court as well as federal court in addition to having to face the BN CDR. I took full responsibility and accountability for my actions and ended up paying a fine and getting 12 months Probation Before Judgement (PBJ) with regular visits with my court-appointed probation officer (Federal Court). Traffic court ended up being a wash - I was recommended a lawyer and he successfully argued me out of any fines or other punishments due to how the citation was worded. I received a Field Grade Letter of Reprimand (LOR) and was barred from driving on base for 12 months (fortunately where I worked was "technically" not on base). I still have all the e-mail correspondence and hard-copy documents from my case. I've never once downplayed the seriousness of what "could have" happened. I've never driven after consuming alcohol since.

Response by SGT Mustafa Stokely made Nov 23 at 2021 9:47 PM

2021-11-23T21:47:54-05:00

So, there was this one time when we used the warhead of a tactical nuke to pop popcorn... Ha! Just a joke... (Or is it?!) :o ;) :D

Response by SGT Todd Miller made Dec 20 at 2021 10:08 PM

2021-12-20T22:08:15-05:00

This was actually somebody else's bad day that I witnessed. It was the 80's. I was armored cavalry at Ft. Polk and we were rail loading to go to Ft. Bliss. I was driving the como retrans jeep. We were parked along the right side of the road. In front of me was the squadron XO and CO's jeeps and drivers. Tracked vehicles were driving up the road to our left, turning left at the CO's jeep, going about 150 feet and turning left again to drive up a ramp and onto a flatbed railcar. The jeep drivers were waiting our turn to load.

I'm watching the tracks in the rear view mirror. A M577 track with a generator mounted right of the driver was getting close to the side of the road. I could see the TC whacking the driver with a rod and I thought, "Must be a new driver". The track started getting close to me and I decided to get out of the jeep. He was making me nervous. I yelled at the other two jeeps drivers to get out just in case. All three of us stood there and watched as this M577 ran over all three of our jeeps, made a perfect left and then another left, up the ramp and on the railcar, like nothing happened. All the while the TC was beating the driver with a rod. I don't know if the track had an intercom system problem or what. He only got part of my jeep but the other two were completely crushed. Never heard what happened to that guy.

Response by LTC John Wilson made Dec 28 at 2021 11:48 AM

2021-12-28T11:48:03-05:00

Not sure... I'll have to check the MCM for statute limitations. :-D

Response by 1SG Arthur Kristiansen made Dec 31 at 2021 10:14 AM

2021-12-31T10:14:49-05:00

This has been the most amusing thread that I've ever seen on this site. I didn't realize at the time that I was spending 21 years with such a gaggle of disgusting, undisciplined reprobates as I see here. Sadly, from the sound of things, I'll probably have to serve with y'all again when we are inevitably made to suffer hell and damnation. Great question and even better answers (lol).

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2022 9:33 AM

2022-01-01T09:33:19-05:00

This private at the time told a LT to sign my paperwork and I would work on his IFF RT at my leisure back at my shop. He signed and his IFF RT that he signed for ended up elsewhere.

Response by SSgt Tracy Kawasaki made Jan 9 at 2022 10:59 PM

2022-01-09T22:59:05-05:00

I was deployed to Italy. I was a Com/Nav man for the KC135. I worked on AIRCRAFT radios which run on 28 Volts DC. Well a certain Captain, cough, cough, John Miller, cough cough, called me in to the Pilots shack. Seems he had been trying to fix a ground radio and had no success. So he wanted me to fix it. I informed him that I was not qualified to work on said radio, that by regulation I was not to work on said radio without training or manuals. I told him i would be willing to look at said radio, but could not promise a fix. That's when he started yelling. I just stood there until he tired of yelling. I asked him if he wanted me to look at the radio. He said yes. I said the first think we have to do is power down the radio, so I can look at it. He started yelling again about how we could not power down the radio.
I said "So, you want me to work on a live radio with either 110 or 220 volts running through it, without training, and without a manual.
He said that was what I had to do.
I answered, Well Captain Miller, I will not work on this radio while it is live, I will not risk my life over this radio. You can't use it now because of excessive static, so leaving it live is doing nothing for you. If you want me to touch the radio, I will have to power it down.
Capt Miller said, are you disobeying a direct order?
I answered I am disobeying an unlawful order!
He screamed at me that I was going to be court-martialed.
I told him I would welcome a court martial where I and all these pilot witnesses would testify that you attempted to force a subordinate to work on deadly live voltage equipment without training or manuals, then we will see who actually gets court martialed.
Well, he slammed the door and left.
I turned to the pilots and asked if anyone minded if i shut off the power to the radio to have a look, they all were quite quiet and murmuring go ahead, no problem, fine.
So I disconnected the radio, opened her up and started looking.
Seems when they set up the pilot shack, they didn't have any 110 power, so they hooked up a 220 to 110 converter. Those things are noisy (as in electronic noise) as heck. I soon found connections on the inside where I could hook up a 220 Volt source. I went out and scrounged a power cable off a piece of junk equipment, crimped on ends and attached it to the 220 terminals. Powered it up and it worked great. Pilots were all happy, ops was happy, Capt Miller never did go through with his court-martial threat. Never thanked me, never mentioned the incident.

Response by SGT David Taylor made Jan 15 at 2022 10:51 AM

2022-01-15T10:51:57-05:00

Moved into probably the worst unit I could have imagined. It was pure hell biding my time to get out of it. I actually ended my career because of that unit. Went from competition in a NATO team to WTH just happened.

Response by PO2 Chris Sabo made Jan 28 at 2022 12:15 AM

2022-01-28T00:15:14-05:00

I was never really awarded a good conduct medal. Just one day someone in my chain of command said hey you've been in for so long without getting in trouble You need to put that on your ribbon rack.

Response by SPC Greg Campbell made Feb 11 at 2022 1:04 PM

2022-02-11T13:04:54-05:00

We had a Napoleon complex knee high to a grasshopper buck that thought his shit didn't stink. Transfered in and thought he would throw his weight around. My unit was mostly SP/4s, couple E5s, bunch of E6s. Some of the tanker SP4s were made acting Jack to fill TOP CQ roster. I was the XO driver, we were headed back to garrison. My stuff was buried under the XOs crap. This guy demanded I put my dufflebag on the tool truck. Well gotta find the XO to move his stuff so I could get to mine. Nope ain't digging. He persisted. Finally having been fed up, I yanked Said dufflebag out of jeep and launched it in the door of the rat rig. Providence had him walking to the door as bag attained mach1 caught him dead in the chest. Art 15, assault on a dumbass. Let me say NOBODY liked him. Went to visit the CO. I got 3 day of extra duty. That's it. The guy turned shades of red never seen before. He was excused and hauled ass out the door. Walked up the stairs with my snickering Platoon daddy hearing guffous laughter coming from the office. He ended up transfered to another company. I didn't have to buy beer for a month. The bucks 'witnesses' stated there was no way I could of known where he was when he got nailed. I played dumb as well, I knew exactly what was up.

Response by 1SG James Kelly made Feb 20 at 2022 6:11 PM

2022-02-20T18:11:01-05:00

I'd tell ya but then I'd have to kill ya.

Response by SGT John Ball made Feb 27 at 2022 11:11 AM

2022-02-27T11:11:39-05:00

As a young, knucklehead soldier a second field grade article 15. I certainly thought I was done, but my Squad leader, PSG, and First Sergeant instead mentored me and kept me on the straight and narrow. Yes, that included smoking's and such, but I overcame these article 15's and made E-5 in four years. Those Article 15's were not the end as I thought they were. Instead, I had leadership that believed in me and that saved me.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2022 9:19 AM

2022-02-28T09:19:50-05:00

When I was in Ft Gordon our class was given hotel rooms since base housing was full. Everything was going smooth. Until a female decided to get drunk and fall asleep skinny dipping in the pool. Our company sent a babysitter to our hotel. He ignored the instructors, class leaders, and school leadership. When the instructors gave us a weekend pass he said no one leaves. We enjoyed our pass anyway since the school leadership gave us the pass and told him has no say over us until the end of the course. Some of the guys went out a got their own hotel rooms in a different hotel. He kept harassing us. Started trying to order females to show him their "personal videos" We ended up having to call the police on him. At the end of the course we had weeks before we had to report back to Nashville. A lot of us went on vacation. He called me wanting to know where I was. I told him I'll see you in two weeks. Then my girlfriend and I took a cruise. When I reported to Nashville he tried to yell at me. The Co told him to shut up. After 5 hours of questioning. No punishments were given. He would continue to harass soldiers especially females throughout the deployment. No matter how many complaints, reports of sexual harassment, or threats against us, he never faced any punishment. Instead they promoted him.

Response by SSG Gregg Mourizen made Mar 9 at 2022 5:21 PM

2022-03-09T17:21:21-05:00

When my Reserve Unit in Arizona, refused to release me to a local unit where i lived (in San Diego).

After coming off of a three year mobilization, I came off of orders and relocated my residence from Oregon to San Diego, California. I was temporarily assigned to the unit in Az, for the mobilization to Tx as an instructor. At that point, I have never set foot in the Az unit, and was prepared to possibly have to drive to my old unit in Dublin CA (near San Francisco). Like many reserve units, I could never get through when calling and no responses to my emails. I later found out that the Dublin unit was stood down, but was never informed, and somehow my temporary assignment became permanent. I found out by driving through to touch bases with them, and discover they were no longer there
I found a unit 10 miles away from where I lived in San Diego, with an appropriate slot open for an E-6 like myself. The receiving unit said everything was set, and I was preparing to drill there. My departing Unit blamed the receiving unit for not processing me properly, and then threatened me with an Article 15 for not showing up there. The receiving unit blamed the departing unit. I ended up driving a 600 mile each way, or flying in and inconveniencing everyone involved, rather than just driving 10 miles.
Interstate transfer is supposed to be almost automatic. I filed the appropriate paperwork. Notified the UA's of my intentions. The only thing I could see, for denying such an obviously needed move, was the retention numbers, at the end of the fiscal year. I ended up finishing my enlistment, without ever getting the transfer approved. Let's just say re-enlistment was not an option for me, after that. I already had my 20 in, and retired out at 23 years (2 years later).
Imagine how screwed I would have been, if I hadn't moved from Oregon.
Yeah, I really wanted them to try and charge me, after doing everything I was supposed to do.

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made Mar 20 at 2022 12:11 AM

2022-03-20T00:11:06-04:00

I told Wing Commander you can’t do that. I will an E-5 getting ready for a convoy of special weapons on public roadways. We had not completed all of the checklist and all the security requirements when Commander got tired of waiting and ordered us to go.
We were on an open radio channel with about 100 people and I came on and said you can’t do that we haven’t completed the checklist is not a lawful order. After a moment silence and he came back on told me I was relieved and they get off the radio.
ThT Afternoon they decide to court martial me or just to shoot me a sunrise or through me out of the Air Force. the judge advocate office decided that I was right and actually what he had done was illegal. My squadron commander went to bat for me and I actually ended up with nothing more than a out chewing out. The last thing my he said to me as I left his office was you’ve used up every good laugh chip do not ever have don’t ever try that again.

Response by SCPO Anthony Wingers made Mar 24 at 2022 7:31 AM

2022-03-24T07:31:21-04:00

Special Court Martial for assault. Found Not Guilty.

Response by SCPO Anthony Wingers made Mar 24 at 2022 7:32 AM

2022-03-24T07:32:06-04:00

Special Court Martial for assault. Found Not Guilty.

Response by PO3 Dale Olson made Mar 25 at 2022 4:48 PM

2022-03-25T16:48:52-04:00

For me, it was a E-6 that did everything he could to get an article 15 on me. He was a piss poor leader and could not solve a course and speed calculation even with help. He wore a pair of glasses that you could start fires with. He gave me 3.9 quarterly marks just so I could not get a good conduct medal. I called him out one time on the beach but opt'd not to open a can of Whoop-ass on him as one of our ships' officers was there. So, I did my last 30 days and got out.

Response by SSgt Derick Brock made Mar 25 at 2022 6:30 PM

2022-03-25T18:30:55-04:00

How about one that was the actual career ender for me. Was in KSA. Troop working for me had one of my military vehicles downtown, not an issue. Involved in a hit and run and totally lied about it. When confronted by the copshop, he continued to deny, until we pretty much had all the evidence, then confessed. Took him into the Captain's office to sort it all out, and she was more concerned with CYA than good order and discipline. In front of the troop her words were "we have Generals lying to Congress so I don't think him lying to you is that big of a deal." I calmly dismissed the troop and then not so calmly let her know what I thought of that thought process. She, of course, reminded me our respective places in the rank structure, and I pretty much told her I believed integrity was more important to me and I also believed she was lacking. I was out of service (my choice) within about four months.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2022 1:36 AM

2022-03-26T01:36:26-04:00

Back in 2014 my unit had Gunnery training for a week. In my platoon we had 3 Bradleys' but were only using 2. My vehicle and another's. The other vehicles gunner signed out both bolts to both vehicles. At the time I did think it was strange that my gunner didn't sign out his bolt but lets be real it wasn't my problem, everyone knows what they should do with signing things out... so I thought. After the day ended we were cleaning up the area and I was closing up my the Bradley. My team leader and my self were the last two left in the motorpool and I didn't think that the person who signed out a bolt to a bradley would just leave it in the motorpool. My team leader was in the back to say clear for me so I could raise the ramp. As the ramp raised i closed up lock and key and we left. Hr later I have NCOs hollering and screaming for me asking me where's my bolt. I told them I didn't sign it out it was other Bradleys' gunner. They look at me and give me the look... then say why did he sign out your vehicles bolt. I respectfully responded to them that Im the driver and if anyone should have signed for it it should have been my gunner not me. About 20 mins later they say they found the bolt behind my vehicle under the track. In my head im like wtf. Yea i didn't check but my team leader was there i doubt he didn't see it. They started talking of Article 15's and what not but decided to keep it company level. I declined that counseling statement 3 times refusing to sign it. Had to see the 1SG who told me if I don't sign UCMJ action would be taken upon me. I was pissed on so many levels. I spent the first week of corrective training pulling weeds for about a week at the unit then another 35 days cleaning up the staff duty building till about 21:00.

After some time I really started believing that they were out to get me for some reason it sounds silly but if I have to think this way there's a problem. Over the next year I made sure I was babysat. That I was with someone else at all times. About 2 months later I give my team leader the keys to my Bradley after having done a full sweep of the area with him as a witness. He turns in the keys I watch him go into the office to do it. Next day You guessed it NCOs' come hollering and screaming. My platoon leader says where's my keys. I tell him They were turned in by my team leader. He says they are not in the box and that my Bradley is open and dead. Threatened me with another Article 15. My team leader comes round the corner after hearing and says that he gave the keys to the platoon sgt himself!!!! and that he and myself did a full sweep around my vehicle before we left. He bit his tongue and left. The person who went into my vehicle, left it open, and left the power on to kill the vehicle was the NCO of the gunner who left the bolt behind my track, that somehow my team leader didn't see. I was ready to just peace out. I didn't and ended up in behavior health for 2 months as I was losing my sht. This is just one the many stories. Also that NCO walked away like nothing happened no corrective training no investigation nothing.

Response by Cpl Gunner Stout made Mar 26 at 2022 4:22 AM

2022-03-26T04:22:46-04:00

The Pathet Lao who didn't look up in the tree he stopped to pee on..

Response by SFC Steve Harrison made Mar 26 at 2022 6:32 AM

2022-03-26T06:32:18-04:00

Mandatory reclass from 13E to 13B as a SSG. Never been anywhere near a howitzer except to pull tail once when I was a private. Took over an M109A3 and had no clue, with weeks before my first Graf. Bought my gunner many beers and we spent a few weekends while he took me through every crew members duties. Practically memorized the -10. The range safety test was passed only because I knew shell/fuze combinations as a 13E.

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Mar 26 at 2022 6:40 PM

2022-03-26T18:40:41-04:00

Sgt Timothy Prevost .?
Although I Can't Totally Answer That EXACTLY
But I LOVED My Military Years.. USAF 06/29/1961 - 06/10/1965
And Darned WELL Would Have Made It A Career But For ONE Issue.
By The End Of My 4th Year, I Was Stationed At OSAN AFB, South Korea And Was About 19 + At Time.
I Was Bringing In Base Pay, Over Seas Pay, Isolated Duty Pay, And Hazardous Duty Pay..
My BEST Pay..... $173.00 Per MONTH......It Was Simply Money....There Wasn't Any....

Response by CWO5 Jeffrey Backus made Mar 28 at 2022 12:11 AM

2022-03-28T00:11:37-04:00

Alcohol, excess on occasion.

Response by PO3 Juan Gonzales made Mar 28 at 2022 12:45 PM

2022-03-28T12:45:54-04:00

I was dressing down a seaman 2 class for sleeping on watch. I told him if it happen again I would sent him to explain him self to our chick shit Captain. I turned around to walk away ran into the Captain. I came to attrition saluted, he smiled returned the saluted, He said I can be a chick shit sometimes as he walked away. Dis not hear any more about it.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2022 3:30 PM

2022-03-28T15:30:07-04:00

Being a fat ass. Seems it was a bigger deal than drinking and driving and drug use, which many of my peers partook in and seemed to make rank faster (due to having it covered up by superiors who liked them). I feel like my weight struggles kept me well out of favor with my superiors and gave them a convenient excuse to cancel orders and make my life hell. Well, now I can be as fat as I want and even though I did only make E-6, I'm doing better financially than most with my VA disability and retirement combined. He who laughs last.

Response by 1SG Bobby Johnson made Mar 28 at 2022 4:23 PM

2022-03-28T16:23:07-04:00

I was voluntold to go to Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Cocoa Beach Florida and attend the Equal Opportunity Advisor Course. It was pure hell leaving wonderful Fort Bragg for 16 weeks and having to stay at Coca Beach. Fortunately, the TDY pay was good and the accommodations were great! Also, it was the worst time to be there, April thru August.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 8:11 PM

2022-03-29T20:11:07-04:00

When I went in the Army the first time in 1973 I was considering a career. But, when Viet Nam was winding down and eventually fell and making rank was next to impossible and IF you did not get RIF'd, I decided that there was no future in the active Army. I eventually joined the National Guard and finished my career while working my civilian job. (no fear of getting RIF'd) It was a good move because of all the good men and women who got RIF'd during the Clintoon years and pretty much got nothing. Clintoon called it "the peace dividend". Peace for who ??

Response by SFC Bert Linson made Mar 30 at 2022 3:05 PM

2022-03-30T15:05:25-04:00

You know how when you are at training base you are not supposed to fraternize with AIT students? Well, one Saturday morning during 76P BNCOC another BNCOC student and I had already drank one pitcher of beer at the Ft. Lee snack bar. Somehow we thought about driving around Ft. Lee would be a good idea and for some other reason that I don't know, I ended up driving his car. We pick up two AIT females and I don't know where we were going but somehow we ended up going the wrong way down a one-way street which happened to be right in front of the MP station. Next thing I know we were getting pulled over by the MPs! We were popping Big Red gum in our mouths like crazy. The MP asked me if I knew that was a one-way street and I told him no since I was new to the area. He let me go. We ditched the AIT soldiers somewhere, probably the PX, and then headed back to the BNCOC quarters and counting our blessings! Next week I will tell you of the time when I was the ANCOC student 1SG and ran PT formation completely blasted after drinking until 0400. LOL I have not touched a drop of alcohol since March 1997.

Response by Lt Col John Culley made Mar 30 at 2022 3:32 PM

2022-03-30T15:32:26-04:00

The humiliating end of the Vietnam War caused me intense anxiety. Luckily, I stayed in the Air Force Reserve long enough to see Republican Presidents Reagan and Bush end the Cold War with a resounding triumph. Unfortunately, Democrats Clinton, Obama and Biden have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Ukraine.

Response by SSG Michael D made Mar 30 at 2022 11:49 PM

2022-03-30T23:49:14-04:00

In 2003, I received a non-deployment profile from Walter Reed AMC. Fortunately, I was able to retire with 20 years 4 years later. I wasn't forced to retire, I did it because I could no longer deploy. I felt inferior to lower ranking soldiers that had deployed. Upon looking at my uniform without a combat patch, and 16 years of service, don't know what they were thinking about me.

Response by Sgt David Gutierrez made Mar 31 at 2022 12:56 PM

2022-03-31T12:56:00-04:00

1980 Beale AFB, I was the crew chief on the U-2 aircraft told my crew to get the tools and meet ma at the aircraft to get it ready for the days missions. Well had a new slick sleeve assigned to the crew who came back literally crying that the other crew member Patrick Sullivan took his hat and wouldn't give it back. Well during the refueling process I approached SRA Sullivan and told him I wanted the hat before the shift was over or his ass was mine. He started yelling at the new recruit which didn't make things any better. After we finished refueling the aircraft I was taking care of the paperwork when all of a sudden Sullivan came up to be and said lets go behind the blast fence. Anyone who has been in the Air Force knows that means only on thing they want to kick your ass! So I couldn't take of my shirt fast enough, when SSgt Mac told me don't do it, its not worth it. Well I didn't listen to him I went back to the blast fence where Sullivan was waiting. He started saying why don't I like him and pointing his finger at me yelling and screaming, by then another SRA and our line chief TSgt Battaglia showed up at the scene, I point my finger at him and said give me the kids hat and he smacked my arm, which gave me the switch to let go and smack him once across the face. He fell to the ground, got up stumbled to back to the flight line where a specialist vehicle picked him up and called for an ambulance. I ended up getting a letter of reprimand and my buck Sgt star the same day. Sullivan was reassigned to the tool crib for the remainder of my enlistment. Deemed self defense.

Response by SFC Walt "Butch" Deal made Mar 31 at 2022 3:41 PM

2022-03-31T15:41:54-04:00

1980, Ft Gordon Ga. I am a newly promoted SSG with two days left of a very long AIT, COMSEC Repair. I wake up one morning and faint, crashing down on to the floor. Several hours later I am in intensive care at Eisenhower Medical Center. I spent a month in the hospital. I had a severe arrhythmia of my heart. I was subject to passing out anytime or having a stroke. They ended up putting a pacemaker in my chest. I had no idea of what I was going to do. The only MOS I could do was MP and I couldn't do that with a pacemaker. I had never worked a day of my new MOS. I asked to stay in the Army and they did a med board and said yes. I was given a medical profile of 411121. I had no serious physical restrictions. I took every PT test and did all the difficult assignments. No matter what I did, I couldn't get promoted. Finally, 8 years later I convinced my doctor to lower my profile to 211121. I was selected on the very next SFC board and ended up retiring at 20 years as a SFC. Flash forward to 2016, I'm living in Alaska. My cardiologist tells me that my heart problem was probably a virus of some sort and that I never actually needed a pacemaker.

Response by Cpl Gunner Stout made Mar 31 at 2022 7:17 PM

2022-03-31T19:17:46-04:00

Re: Prevost's photo:

Rowdy is no issue - it was when my troops got quiet I got concerned - it meant they had come up with a plan that I probably wasn't going to like, and I knew if I didn't check it out I was gonna end up filling out lots of paperwork..

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2022 11:09 PM

2022-03-31T23:09:37-04:00

CO's mast 2nd week of Nuke EM "A" school over a copied homework assignment. I ended up in the fleet in A gang on a carrier. I had two options. Glad I chose wisely.

Response by SPC Edward Abney made Apr 1 at 2022 10:15 AM

2022-04-01T10:15:19-04:00

We were sitting in the Mess Hall, across from a table of MP's, who were about to go on duty, and, we were drunk as skunks. Some of the MP's told us to hold the noise down, and we responded with pelting them with the food off our plates. Busted, thrown in the clink, we all faced an Article 15 or worse. I thought that I would be facing a Court Martial, and kicked out of the Army. Thankfully, we had a Company Commander who gave us the choice of a Court, or an Article 15. We all took the Article 15, did our 14 and 4, and were better for the experience.

Response by 1SG Cj Grisham made Apr 1 at 2022 10:33 PM

2022-04-01T22:33:04-04:00

Standing up for my rights.

https://youtu.be/mLfGikbQkcM

mLfGikbQkcM

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Apr 5 at 2022 5:00 PM

2022-04-05T17:00:39-04:00

Hmm... Welp, I've been too honest at the wrong times without any fear over who was exposed to my honesty.

I was getting quarterdecked during boot camp, and I had that moment of clarity all Marine recruits get; the one when we realize we'll never be loud enough, fast enough, or intense enough. I got angry. Really angry. So angry that mid-push up I flipped off my new drill instructor when I didn't think he was looking. My timing SUCKED!!! Cliff's Notes... yeah, it wasn't a good day for me.

Next instance would've been at MOS school. Pulled a knife on a jackass soldier student trying to get into the bathroom I just finished cleaning. It's not like it was the only male bathroom so he could've gone elsewhere. We pushed around until I finally pulled out my SOG Trident and had it near his right kidney. Never poked him let alone stabbed/cut him, but when my SNCO came by asking why drill sergeants we're complaining about me roughing up one of their students I thought he was testing my integrity and told him everything. That also wasn't a good time for me. Turned out though the soldier student never saw the knife in question. If I didn't say anything about it I probably would've gotten off with just a verbal warning to not rough up students from other branches (our school trained Marines, soldiers, and sailors).

Next major one was the result of me eating Charms in South Korea. Yeah, those things are in fact bad luck, and I'm not an easy believer in such things. Thankfully my career didn't end then.

Next instance was as a civilian and I was being a stereotypical "Angry Facebook Veteran." I don't remember what I said on FB, but it got the Secret Service to come knocking on my door a couple days or weeks later. Funniest thing by far was finding out the agent was very allergic to cats, and my mom's a stereotypical crazy cat lady. That got her out of the house real quick!

My next one was a really bad car accident I got into that under any other circumstance should've either straight up killed me or left me permanently injured and handicapped.

Last one would've been finding out my security clearance had expired, and I had to do the questionnaire all over again. Questionnaire asked about my first units; one of which had been disbanded for years, and I got angry that I had to provide an answer so I got honest with my answers; putting down EXACTLY what I was seeing and hearing in my head. Yeah I dropped a lot of F bombs with the "I don't knows." That earned me an ass-chewing before I even started checking into my new unit, but ultimately the security manager was impressed at how mad I was and my seeming lack of fear to be so honest so we were pretty square shortly after that.

That was all as a Marine/Marine veteran. Now as a soldier...
I retained my seeming lack of fear of one's rank when I casually but purposefully walked up to two senior SNCOs and asked for clarification about the ceremony. They answered my questions as professionally as can be expected, and despite not being at parade rest I think they were too surprised to see someone like me approach them and directly ask them about a matter they should definitely be versed in.

Yeah I'm a mildly wild dude, and my adult life has been a wild ride since I joined in 2006.

Response by SPC Stiv ChenRobbins made Apr 6 at 2022 8:34 PM

2022-04-06T20:34:35-04:00

I didn't really intend to be a lifer, I didn't even enlist until I was about 26. Still... I was with the AK Army National Guard. Conditions could be pretty bad sometimes, but it's what you sign up for. Was pm a two-week field exercise, with the usual regimen of one hot meal a day in the field, an outhouse, sleeping in a tent at 40 below. The one hot meal meant a lot.
One day, a certain general comes flying in with a helicopter load of Press. He is doing his job, gladhanding them and showing them how us poor dumb troops lived. Then one of them sees us start to line up for that hot meal, and so naturally the General brings them up to the front of the line and proceeds to treat each and every one of them to a full meal. Strangely enough, field rations were not brought out with an extra dozen or so just in case we had guests, so it was clear that people like me (I ended up at the end of the line because I had to finish up with a young fella who didn't realize that wearing bunny boots for weeks at a time without changing socks has dire consequences) were going to get the privilege of another round of cold MREs. I took exception to an officer being that callous about his troops, and started heading his way to discuss it. Fortunately, good old Sergeant Charlie saw my face and bodily dragged me back to my ambulance, threw an MRE on the air heater and talked me out of doing anything that would put me in a military prison.
I did not reenlist when it came up again, but that was more to do with my socks being frozen together inside my arctic sleeping bag while I was about a foot away from a white-hot multifuel stove in a tent.

Response by SPC Rosario Olgin Aleman-Crawford made Apr 15 at 2022 2:08 PM

2022-04-15T14:08:41-04:00

A bomb blast

Response by SPC Brian Stephens made Apr 27 at 2022 12:41 PM

2022-04-27T12:41:56-04:00

2 things.

1. Qualifying at the range. I found it all but impossible to breathe on the plywood box with LBE and my cartridge cases riding on the edge of my ribcage. I was assuming the position I was taught in Basic and it never occurred to me to change my position or undo my belt until on my last chance a mysterious range NCO stopped at my station just before he gave the order to fire, placed his hands on my shoulders and yanked me straight back from my position of nose on the charging handle. I was holding my breath preparing to fire an excruciating 20 rounds when suddenly I was yanked back, the pressure on my ribs shifted and I could breathe! I shot and qualified.

2. Crohn's Disease. I knew something was wrong. I had been shamed by the Chief Warrant on sick call and I just let that develop and instead of making waves, I let my colon cook to near rupture. I do not regret doing that. I cashed in my leave and left about five weeks before my ETS date. I went to a GI Doctor, planning to get fixed up and reenlist but he diagnosed Crohn's and that was the end of my plans as a lifer. I got an Honorable Discharge, not a medical discharge, with full benefits, two successful trips to Crete where my firing section won the right to fire the live missile both years, several certificates of appreciation, and a medal. I applied for and got a service-connected disability through the VA and went to college and then grad school ten years later. And then professional licensure. I had three full years of experiences of a lifetime while dealing with a grenade going off in slow motion in my colon nearly every minute of every day in permanent party.

Response by SFC Howard Holmes made Jun 21 at 2022 3:22 PM

2022-06-21T15:22:09-04:00

Years 13 thru 17. It was when I hit 13 that I started feeling like I had to finish out because I HAD TO! I had too many years invested to not finish it out, but, 7 more years seemed like an eternity. It was no longer, mentally, that I was doing it because I wanted to. So when you start doing it because you feel you have to, it just squeezes you. I had to punch it through. It was like a brick wall that I couldn't conquer in any shape or form. Once you hit 17 you're only a year from that 18 year lock. Once I made it past 18, I would counsel my subordinates with ten and eleven years in and tell them what they may experience. I was trying to head off them making stupid mistakes, or falling in to bad attitudes. More times than not, my advice was not taken and most of them got out. I would have several of them call me years later and tell me how they were trying to back in. So anybody in that 12 year range, be aware of this brick wall, but hang on through it all, it is well worth it. You will hate everything, PT tests, the uniforms, the responsibilities, the job, but hold on to it. You've gone too far to quit.

Response by CPO Clifford Henry made Jun 29 at 2022 3:33 PM

2022-06-29T15:33:46-04:00

Nice try fed, I’m not falling for that again!

Response by SGT Tom McWilliams made Jul 2 at 2022 3:18 PM

2022-07-02T15:18:04-04:00

I was out partying with my classmates from AIT in Juarez, Mexico. We were bar hopping and dancing with the ladies we found. We were having a lot of fun when I spot this very nice young lady with long blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. She's American, go figure. We have lots of fun over the next 6 weeks between my classes and hers. I assume UTEP. She asks me one day if I have dress greens. I'm like, Sure, Why? Her dad is hosting a little get together and she wants me to be her escort. He's a colonel temporarily assigned to Ft. Bliss and she was only 16. I was sick to my stomach. I just knew I was going to Leavenworth. Thank God I found out before the event and had lots of help convincing her not to tell her old man who I was. Graduation and PCS overseas could not come quick enough.

Response by Cpl Craig Howard made Jul 29 at 2022 1:47 PM

2022-07-29T13:47:25-04:00

We had a "Dissatisfied" Marine in our barracks that had issues with 4 or 5 other Marines, also in the barracks. His way to get back at them was to clean everything he owned except for what he was issued from his room, and then went to the SgtMaj and said that there was a LOT of illegal items in the Barracks. We had a surprise Health and Comfort Inspection and everyone above the rank of SSgt was there to conduct the "Raid" on our home. I had the XO looking through my stuff. I was over 21, but the Alcohol in my wall locker was not allowed, They also found some expired prescriptions. (Antibiotics) The they found my Guns. They were locked up in a safe, in my wall locker, and had trigger locks. I do believe in security. As it turns out, no one was busted. The booze was dumped, as were the pills. The guns were taken to the Armory the next morning. I checked them out the following day and kept them off base. My big concern was that the idiots at the armory can check out any gun they have, even if it is someone's private property. Not Happening,

Response by COL Jim Lincoln made Aug 30 at 2022 12:50 AM

2022-08-30T00:50:54-04:00

My near career ender was my direct involvment in the Iran-Contra affair. As the TOW missile program manager for the Army,I supplied the TOW missiles for Ollie North to trade for hostages in Iran.I was required by the Army to do it all secretly,with no records or informing my chain of command.When it became public,I was interviewed by the Congressional Selecrt Committee,and accused of committing several crimes (It is a longer story!) Bur in the end,I was exonerated and finished my career on a positive note.

Response by TSgt Tommy Amparano made Aug 31 at 2022 2:16 PM

2022-08-31T14:16:54-04:00

Nice try. I am not admitting to a damn thing. LOL

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 31 at 2022 4:22 PM

2022-08-31T16:22:30-04:00

Getting assigned to a cavalry unit.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2022 7:03 PM

2022-08-31T19:03:16-04:00

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Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 31 at 2022 7:35 PM

2022-08-31T19:35:56-04:00

I enjoyed Basic Training. because I was an Squad Leader.

Response by Lt Col Marlon Ruiz made Aug 31 at 2022 10:10 PM

2022-08-31T22:10:17-04:00

Although all military personnel enter military service with the best of intentions, sometimes you can't escape personality clashes that occur from time-to-time. After all, it is a very real human trait that some folks just don't see "eye-to-eye" on some topics or experience what we have all come to know as "bad chemistry." If such a scenario develops and happens to also involve the military rank structure and hierarchy; well, such clashes will inevitably lead to some possibly personal career-ending scenarios. Such would have been the case for me, but luckily, I was able to cope with the situation in such a way that lead (not only to restoring a valuable comradeship but also taking the higher road which also elevated my personal growth galvanized a very productive and successful career instead. Want to know more? Read on...
The situation I was involved in resulted from being selected for my first major command (MAJCOM -career-broadening) assignment right out of years out in the field as a successful USAF aviator with over thirteen years flying strategic bombers with the Strategic Air Command. My selection to serve at my first MAJCOM as a senior Captain, was intended to back fill one of two critical Airforce liaison programs, previously run by a single Major position who underwent serious stress problems and had to undergo quadruple heart surgery as a result. Upon arrival at the haedquarters, I was expected to carry on half the workload of my predecessor; while another senior Captain back filled the other HQ program previously run by the Major in question. Post surgery, the Major continued at the HQ as our immediate supervisor.
My immediate supervosors' expectation was to have each Captain report to him and never question his authority under any circumstances. As I became very familiar with the governing documents associated with my assigned position, I quickly realized that many decisions from my immediate supervisor were irregular and some outright illegal (as program responsibilities included management over actual budgetary regulatory guidelines). None-the-less, my immediate supervisor began to personally dislike me, as I continued to question hios decisions and disregard for stated regulations. It all came to a head when I underwent my first major HQ program audit and many irregularities were noted by the inspecting authority. The audit happened just six weeks into my position tenure. Records required for audit during the inspection were either unavilable or stored under lock & key with the only key in the possession of the oversight immediate supervisor who was unavailable during the program audit visit. In short, I underwent the audit process and took full responsibility for all program failures and short-comings and provided the auditor with my plan to rectify all deficient areas of operations.
Shortly after the audit, my immediate supervisor also ordered me to fly onboard an aircraft test flight, which was illegal and of which I protested and brought the matter up to our office commander. MY actions placed me in a most unfavorable light with my immediate supervisor. As it turned out, during this difficult period in my career, I was ordered overseas on a six-month TDY in Central America to support the then counter-narcotics US Southern Command mission. Upon returning bacl to the HQ after successful completion of my tour of duty, I was asked by the MAJCOM commanding general if I would be willing to relocate to central America for a three-year permanent assignment (as favorable reviews by the forward deployed commanding general to my MAJCOM commander included a request for my services on a more permanent assignment basis. I immediately accepted the relocation from my current assignment to get back out in the field in the form of a permanent change of duty station. You would think that would be the end of this anecdotal tale. Not even close.
Upon my PCS overseas, it seems that in the eyes of my MAJCOM immediate supervisor, I would be the officer "who got away" from his wrath. That said, He made it his life's mission to follow my assignment career and try to tarnish my reputation with every would-be supervisor and/or commander he could manage to back brief on my personal character. While my grandfather's advise was to take on the individual head-on, I decided the best couse of action was to focus on my career, one assignment at a time and prove my worth, skillsets and integrity without having to counter or bad-mouth my immediate supervisor back at the HQ. After about three years of countering with my chosen strategy, I not only manged to change the minds of all those commanders in my career who had gotten a false pre-conceived notion of who I was; but I was also successful in having each commander realize the malicious nature of the damaging gossip and the obvious ill-intentions of my former HQ supervisor. I final surpising caveat to this story is that, after to "below promotion zone recommendations, two adjunct tours at two service academies and a very successful foreign area (FAO) service officer liaison - state department/joint service equivalent and when it came time for me to retire from active duty as a Lt. Col., it was this same former HQ supervisor individual who recommended that I include my "sleep-apnea" condition in my VA health profile paperwork to be considered for a 50% disability determination, which greatly helped me in my post active duty military career life as I returned back to being a civilian once again.

Response by SrA Kevin Adams made Sep 1 at 2022 8:53 AM

2022-09-01T08:53:41-04:00

One night with liquid courage a friend and I decided to take the magnetic sharks teeth and 1 star placard off the base commanders staff car while it was parked at his on base residence while he was deployed with one of the fighter units.

This was Pope AFB in the 90's, we were the 23rd wing, Flying Tigers so our planes had the iconic teeth as did the base commanders staff car, we/I thought they would look good on my buddies car for an upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert.

We were not caught, but weeks later turned in by a fellow dorm rat for entering his room unknowingly and placing an unused toilet in his room. The Air Force OSI were alerted, searched our rooms and found the items. We ended up charged with a few things including Grand Larceny. The Security Forces were none to pleased as they had no leads and no clue where the teeth were so they were bending the ear of the JAG to throw the book at us.

Our saviors came in the from of some of our Pilots and Navigators having a good time at a squadron function at the club on base, in the was a painting of an incident from WWII in which a C-47 was credited with a kill on a Zero while flying the Hump, this happened to be our squadrons legacy unit so the O's decided to "liberate" the painting to present to our Squadron Commander.

After the club manager called and complained, and threatened prosecution, a commanders call was convened, the enlisted were dismissed, and the rumor was the O's passed the hat, took up a collection and paid for the painting.

Our section SMSgt went to our commander and made the comparison that the O's were able to buy their way out while 2 young enlisted airmen were going to "hang" for their judgement. So our commander apparently made some calls and all our charges were gone, we ended up with an LOR each.

Response by SPC Rick Price made Sep 1 at 2022 11:18 AM

2022-09-01T11:18:24-04:00

Making Berets mandatory

Response by PFC Doyle Hayes made Sep 1 at 2022 10:43 PM

2022-09-01T22:43:43-04:00

Injuries and it did end my career

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2022 5:02 AM

2022-09-02T05:02:47-04:00

Back in 1999 I had just went active duty I went to a party in a trailer park with a couple of buddies that shared a room with in the Barricks we started drinking Jack Daniels and all I remember was the person to the left and to the right of me smoking a pipe with marijuana in it on the way back one of the guys was I didn’t take you for a pothead so I was like oh crap . Next day I was in the community Latrine on the third floor and I overheard the first sergeant talking to the medic about a piss test the following morning from the window above the 1st floor stoop and I knew I had marijuana in my system and if I got caught I knew it was gonna be a career ender so I got up at 3 o’clock in the morning before they bang on everyones door to come downstairs and slept behind the gym and avoided all phone calls in the office in fear of the telling me to go the company for meto take a piss test somehow they never called for me to go down there and I never hung out with those guys ever again.

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Sep 2 at 2022 3:48 PM

2022-09-02T15:48:47-04:00

Perhaps not as spectacular as some responses here but on one occasion I was called in to see the Battalion CSM. He showed me the Change of Rater NCOER that he had just received from my rater -- this was in the days when the NCOER had several sections were each rating had a numeric score attached to it, and they all totaled up to 125 for a perfect max score -- anything less than about a 120 was bad news for a senior NCO (I was an E6P at that time). The rater score on the NCOER was 3 -- yes THREE.

The CSM was not officially in my rating chain, but my rater was the HHC company commander, so under the reg at that time, that made the Bn Cdr my reviewer. Fortunately the Bn Cdr had the CSM make a "recommendation" on each of the NCOERs where he was the reviewer (mostly 1SG's and primary staff NCOs). Now, the CSM was not the president of my fan club by any means, but even he realized that this hatchet job 'probably' wasn't justified. He told me he was just going to drop that NCOER into his desk drawer where it would never see the light of day, unless...

I managed to stay out of trouble until the CSM was leaving and right before he left he gave me the NCOER. It had never gotten to the Bn Cdr for signature and never been filed. Technically that left a four month unrated period in my record but small gaps like that weren't unusual so it never came back to haunt me. (The fact that the gap was between a pair of max score NCOERs may have helped)

So, how did I happen to get what was probably the lowest rated NCOER ever written? Well, it was a change of rater because I was being reassigned from Headquarters Company (where I had been in charge of the Bn Hqs tank section) to C Company (where I was a tank commander). I was being transferred out of the headquarters because I had told the Battalion Commander that he ought to take the headquarters tank section away from HHC and attach the section to one of the line companies when we were in garrison and only have us with the Hqs while we were in the field securing the TOC.

That suggestion itself wasn't a problem, but I had explained that the reason for moving the tank section from HHC to a line company was because "The HHC Company Commander doesn't know a damn thing about tanks, doesn't want to know a damn thing about tanks, and never will know a damn thing about tanks."

Oh, by the way, the HHC commander was standing right there when I said it -- and he was the rater who wrote that NCOER.

I was transferred to a line company the next day and the headquarters tank section stayed in HHC, but about a week later HHC had a new company commander. I don't know that my conversation with the Bn Cdr had anything to do with it, but I do know that the captain's transfer to a staff slot at Division was unexpected. Post hoc ergo propter hoc?

Response by PO2 Rodrich Hill made Sep 22 at 2022 6:13 AM

2022-09-22T06:13:11-04:00

The ease in which rape and sexual abuse are disregarded by my fellow sailors, soldiers, airmen, and marines. But I didn’t almost get out, I got out. Anyone willing to continue to associate themselves with an organization that they know is wrong is just as culpable as the organization itself.

Response by SSgt Timothy Anderson made Nov 6 at 2022 9:53 AM

2022-11-06T09:53:58-05:00

What was almost a military ending career, DID end my career! 29 January 2005, I was headed home from base, I just got promoted, came down on orders for Iraq or Afghanistan (I don't remember which). I also applied for the Drill Instructor's academy. All my paperwork was in order, I had all the signatures I needed. I had done the pushup and sit-up part, and just needed to do the run the next day, but that never happened. As I was headed out the gate, at the last minute, I decided to head over to a friends house, where we did music. We produced beats and made music.

I'm located in Warner Robins, GA, and was stationed at Robins AFB. So to continue, as I was sitting at the light to make a right turn onto Moody Rd, I saw a car sitting on this side street that was next to a Goodwill that sat across the street from a Honda dealer. I said to myself, "God, he's going to pull out here". And as soon as the light changed for the turning lane I was in, the guy pulled out and stop dead in front of me trying to go right down Moody Rd, as I was going left up Moody rd. I was riding a 2003 Suzuki 1000, as I blacked out I flew over the hood of this car and rolled, according to witnesses, 75-100 ft up hill from the point of impact.

I do not know or remember what happened, all I know is that I did blackout before hitting that car. It was nothing I could do, as the cars that were behind me were getting over in the right lane and there was no way for me to avoid going over that car. I woke up and blacked out several time that night, and didn't wake up until the middle of the next day in so much pain.

Anyway, to shorten this book, i lost my right leg due to complications in 2008. I never got to live my dreams of becoming a Drill Instructor, and making 1st Sergeant. I want that more than anything in this world, and it was taken from me. Needless to say, THAT ended my military career.

Response by SSgt Timothy Anderson made Nov 6 at 2022 10:36 AM

2022-11-06T10:36:14-05:00

I forgot to mention in my story that I was on the TDRL list for 5 years. I had to go from Warner Robins, GA to Texas every freakin year to sit in front of a board of officers that didn't give a damn about me or that fact that I need to do 3 years to retire. I was forced to retire and didn't even get a proper retirement. I got my retirement papers in the freakin mail!

Response by MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. made Nov 7 at 2022 2:48 AM

2022-11-07T02:48:21-05:00

I cussed out a female plebe at West Point during my first spring semester there for sleeping in an empty room (strictly verboten). She reported it to her female Tac who in turn reported it to the Regimental Tac (a female Maj. (P) who was the first female to hold that post at the academy. Her husband was a retired 1-star and she was jumped over many senior O-6s to get a highly desirable set of quarters.

She decided to make an example of me and was pushing for me to be severely punished . For a while it looked like a might be facing a court-martial. However, the JAG convinced the Supe that TDS was instructing me to refuse Art. 15 and if they took me to court I would likely get off with only token punishment and the case would be plastered all over the news media from coast to coast.

In the end, I was required to spend one semester in an admin position and not have contact with cadets, given a 3-star "desk-drawer" letter of reprimand, and undergo a psych eval. They made me course director for Honors Hi-351 Military History from Greco-Roman times to WWI and I did a complete redesign of the course. The shrink said I had PTSD from my Vietnam service and he was not at all surprised by my actions and reported to the Supe that I was just fine.

During the next year, I rode the chairlift on the West Point ski slope numerous times with the female RTO, who discovered I was a pretty decent guy. I was awarded the History Dept. Excellence in Teaching Award (determined by student, peer, and supervisor recommendations), and a frequent speaker at cadet company dinings-in.

Finally, the Supe came in to monitor a class I was presenting on the German spring 1918 offensive. Normally, he would slip in quietly, stay for a couple of minutes, and then quietly depart. In this case, he stayed for the full hour.

Later, our Dept. Head told me the Supe said mine was the best class presentation he'd ever seen at the academy. It wasn't good enough to get him to approve a Legion of Merit for my retirement award (I received a 4th MSM), but who's complaining?

PS: My efforts to find a tenure-track position in academia failed, but I did land a job as Executive Editor of Presidio Press, a publisher specializing in military history and military affairs. One of the many books I edited was the Supe's "1794: America, Its Army, and the Birth of the Nation."

Response by SP5 Terri Bastedo made Nov 7 at 2022 8:21 PM

2022-11-07T20:21:50-05:00

I was hit by a car going 65 mph. I shouldn't have lived they said. They also said I'd never walk again, and yet I did, and ignored my profile during PT.

Response by CPT Richard Trione made Dec 5 at 2022 7:11 PM

2022-12-05T19:11:47-05:00

Thank you so much for this great share, Terri! Good to know another fellow Alabamian!

Response by CPO Bernie Penkin made Dec 8 at 2022 12:11 PM

2022-12-08T12:11:58-05:00

I had been assigned the collateral job of damage control petty officer. It was supposed to be for 6 months, but went on for a year. I was told that if I passed a ship wide inspection, I would get relieved of the job. Well, I worked hard to pass the inspection and I did, except the rest of the ship failed. Got told I had a bad attitude when I asked the Chief who was going to relieve me on the job. So, I kept the job. Had a couple of months left on my enlistment and was allowed to go TAD. Loved the change and wanted to re-enlist only to have the LT berate me on what kind of a f-up I was for failing the inspection and that none of my work was up to par with the re-inspection. I reminded him that I passed and everything was in order to pass the re-inspection. I passed the re-inspection with flying colors. He then sat me down to sing my praises and talk to me about re-enlisting. Told him no way would I give him the satisfaction of a FITREP bullet for retention. I got out. Three months after I got out of the Navy, I joined the Coast Guard Reserves. Three years later I went CG active and retired after 20 years. So I did end a career in one service, but went on to another.

Response by SGT Michael Bell made Jan 27 at 2023 10:12 AM

2023-01-27T10:12:30-05:00

My 1st hitch was a disaster. I joined at 17. While the Recruiters did right by me but there were far too many mistakes by me. It actually did end my career, temporarily - for 20 years when I reupped in the Navy Reserves and finished Honorably.

Response by Sgt Daniel Latch made Feb 16 at 2023 4:42 PM

2023-02-16T16:42:59-05:00

Busted Milk and Cookie Party: 1st deck Block 8, Club 118, MCAS Iwakuni, JN.

I was senior sergeant in room 118. The party was a moronic “dry” protest that e5s were not allowed alcohol in barracks. Someone lit a pipe with Lipton Tea and the MPs got called. They posted outside and in the halls before banging on the door. By then the squadron duty officer showed up. It was quite a scene. I got called on the carpet by H&MS CO who got a good chuckle out of it when he won the Best Entry of the Month with the heading of this post. I even got to meet the base CO, Major General Victor Armstrong, who relaxed the prohibition. After that, our SgtMjr became a regular at Club 118, where young Buck still knew how to play and be good Marines.

Response by SGT Thomas Twitty made Apr 7 at 2023 12:56 PM

2023-04-07T12:56:48-04:00

I was on a river heading to Dong Tam to deliver Aimmo and Beer in our LCM8 Mike Boat maned by 6 men. We hit an obstacle and old fish nets and the props were vibrating badly. Being one of two divers in the unit serving 19 boats, everybody was looking at me. After all, I was paid $100 a month for extra, extra hazardous Duty. So I went in the water without any gear, free diving with only a cheap ass Randall Type knife. I cleared a ton of net debris off of the Duel Props which was more than I had expected and took about 20 min.. Just as I was about to swim back to the front ramp I was surrounded by a massive swarm of Asian Sea Snakes, 1000’s of them. I knew that they were deadly poisonous if they bit me and there would be no anti venom available. So basically "Kiss My Ass Goodbye". I slowly started pushing them aside bare handed while I swam toward the ramp. I made it and the crew members pulled me clear of the Mass of Snakes. They checked me over and found no bite marks but as a precaution brought me about 6 beers which I sucked down almost instantly. That was the only substitute for Anti Venom available. My shrink at the VA put me in for PTSD years later because of continued nightmares about "The Snakes".
Tom Twitty [login to see]
Currently writing a book "Call-Up the Reserves". Press Release here.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CqlG4pFci1IFPhAfJN7G9w8-4Lm_yNAgS244HQS0Ncg/edit?usp=sharing

Press Release 2nd edition

Book Press Release Call Up The Reserves A Vietnam War Story 1968-69 By Tom Twitty Finally Underway after 54 years of being the Company Self Appointed Historian. The book details the impact and missions of the Army 231st Reserves Boat Unit from Tampa Bay, FL. The Story -how a mil...

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Apr 8 at 2023 11:52 AM

2023-04-08T11:52:45-04:00

Well, there was a time when I was the senior NCO in a Battalion Headquarters Tank Section. I had only been there a few months. We were in the field one day when the Bn Cdr happened to come over and talk to me for a few minutes. I don't recall the conversation, just the usual small talk of a Bn Cdr (O5) trying to show interest in his people talking with one of his NCOs (E6). The conversation ended with me suggesting that in garrison he ought to attach the three tanks from the headquarters over to one of the line companies. He asked why and I explained that the Headquarters Company commander "doesn't know a damn thing, about tanks, doesn't want to know a damn thing about tanks, and never will know a damn thing about tanks."

At this point I should mention that the HHC commander (O3) had walked over and was standing right next to us when I said that.

The next morning I was transferred from HHC to C Company.

The HHC commander personally wrote my evaluation report. Because he put himself as my rater, that made the Bn Cdr the reviewer. That NCOER never made it to the Bn Cdr's desk because the Sergeant Major 'looked over' any NCOERs going to the Bn Cdr for signature. The CSM called me in and showed me the NCOER. I don't recall the exact details, but the total score was 3 out of a possible 125 (all my prior NCOERs were 124 or 125). The CSM dropped the NCOER in his desk drawer and told me that if I stayed out of trouble it would never go forward.

Less than a month later that HHC Commander was quietly transferred to some staff slot at Division. Apparently it took a couple of weeks for the Bn Cdr to realize that I was right about the HHC Cdr.

Response by SGT Jimmy Carpenter made Aug 13 at 2023 12:49 AM

2023-08-13T00:49:03-04:00

This is prior to 9/11 so Ft. Hood was an open post. I had been off post at a bar with a couple buddies and we shared a pitcher of beer. The speed limit on Rancier was 40 or 45 but immediately dropped to 30 once on base and I didn't slow down fast enough and got pulled over by an E4 MP. He asked if I'd been drinking and I said I shared a pitcher of beer with a couple buddies. He gave me a couple of field sobriety tests and was going to let me go with a warning but his supervisor showed up and said it doesn't matter if I passed the field sobriety tests or not, they had to give me a breathalyzer. I had to blow in it 3 times and all 3 times there was a wide gap in the results but 1 of them was a cunt-hair over the legal limit so they took me in. At the PMO they gave me another series of field sobriety tests which were videoed for court and gave me another breathalyzer which again, I had to blow 3 times and all 3 times there was a huge gap between results. When my court date came, I was just going to plead guilty and take whatever they were going to give me. My public defender read the arrest report and it turns out that E4 hooked me up when he wrote it. He said "SGT Carpenter performed a series of field sobriety tests in a well enough manner." I changed my plea to not guilty. Several months passed (and 9/11 happened) and I got a call from my attorney to meet with her the day before my trial. I assumed it was to go over what would happen during the trial but it turns out all charges were dropped without prejudice. I had lost my BNOC class date and promotable status and got a General Letter of Reprimand though. A DUI wouldn't have ended my career but it would've ended any promotion beyond E6.

Response by SSgt Khanh Pham made Sep 2 at 2023 12:00 PM

2023-09-02T12:00:20-04:00

I passed by for a random request. Stopped over to see what your message was about: Digital Operations Manager at RallyPoint(Internet) Guess this explains the question and the outreach. Yeah, stories are important connections/links between people. I am disconnected from the military, and Rally Point for nearly the same reason.

My father was a combat vet, and also internal affairs in the Vietnamese Army in the Vietnam war. I have heard many many stories before joining the USAF in 2002. Right off the bat, in basic training, I wanted to kill my TI. What they were doing is just psychological abuse, and I was waiting for a legal reason to kill one of them. It was a small goal, just one kill was enough. Since they only got close enough to intimidate, and not physically touch--I did not get the opportunity. The class 1-2 cycle behind me did and broke the leg of one of those TI. That was almost a career-ender, before the gate.

On towards electronic principle, coming out of lunch waiting to match back to the dorm. This tall white guy from Arkansas was bullying people and smashing hats. I told him to stop fucking around and leave people alone (imagine a 5'8 111lb Asian guy, telling a 6"2 200 lb White Supremacist to stop fucking with people). So, he smashed my hat on my head and asked what I was going to do about it. I grabbed his hat and threw it across the parking lot, and we almost had a royal rumble.

Went to my first duty station, and for years, did not see too many major events. Bullying here and there had to report one guy for incredible verbal abuse. When asked to stop, he said am I going to cry to the commander. This guy Keith was just completely removed from the reality of where we were working, and who we all were. His friend asked me to drop the charges, and I did not know I had started a legal proceeding. I said I can let it go. Which is most likely a major cause of suicide by a young airman in 2010, who was assigned to that shop with Keith. He was still the same guy when I became an SSgt in 2010. I was managing a mission in Thailand, and he was back at headquarter making ill remark about SSgt Pham. When I called HQ and asked about Keith, they all said, that it was just Keith. It was almost a career ender for me if I could not navigate that hateful and hostile work environment. At least 1 airman killed himself while assigned there. This seemingly minor scuffle in civil disorder, segway into something really major.

In 2013, the eclipse of signs of intelligence occurred. Maybe I can embellish it with on the 13 minutes, of the 13 hours, on the 13 day of May, a group of white male secret gathered and conspired to accuse SSgt Pham of fleeing to China to sell secrets. Of course, they could not be bothered to tell me they had done that, being all secret and all. They sent 1 senior member of AFTAC Mr Armitage (20 years in my field, and now a civilian as IG), first Sergeant Lindley (nearly 20 years as a cop), and a Cap Mulligan (2 years out of Air Force Academy). They escorted me out of Thailand and held me on base at Patrick AFB for months, punishing me -- while not even saying I did anything wrong. After 2 months I told them this was kind of wrong. So they say I can move out of base. I guess a lot of people started asking what this SSgt did to be punished along with all the other people who had committed some sort of illegal acts. After 4 months I learned a few more things. A young airman overheard SMSgt over in his MPF section telling other seniors how they had stopped me from fleeing to China to sell secrets. I still suck it up and let the idiots have at it. Finally one day, TSgt Clark shot himself and left his wife and two young children behind. It was a Thursday or so because I had to request the rest of the week off. Something was off the entire week, I was breaking, or I could sense bad things. TSgt Clark was sitting next to me at the mental health station, where I had been ordered to see Dr Deddrick, who asked me if I had thought of killing others, myself--of killing hers. To which, I just said, does this seem wrong to you? Are you a doctor asking me if I want to kill you? What are you doing that can cause that? So for 4 months I was detained illegally, punished without any formal charges, and denied access to lawyers, by using a psychiatrist to question me about everything. where I plan to go, what I plan to do, blah blah.

Well, after the death of TSgt Clark, I became aware of the fact that all the suicide prevention training was for me. I had always thought that I was the leader, the one that would help prevent suicide--for others. I wonder how many people were like me, thinking they would never be the ones killing themselves or others. It did not take long, to realize I was in a situation that I had to get away from, by any means.

Booked my flight out of dodge, and told the shirt, that I was leaving, and don't try to stop me. They can get the paper in order for me to leave, or not. So within 48 hours, everything was signed, and I could leave the military. I had to sign a waiver for my right to a lawyer, a right to a trial, the right to human rights, and the right to civil rights--a pretty amazing document that awakened me to the 1700s.

It would take another 10 years before the VA paid me for the psychological torture and abuse I had gone through. Of course, they also called me delusional about being persecuted. As if the 11 years never happened, and the US never detained me without legal proceedings or forced me to sign a waiver for inalienable rights.

Just recently June 2023, the FBI showed up asking to talk to me. About how I am high-risk, do I have a plan to kill people? They seem fairly incompetent at handling the entire matter. They could have done their job 10 years ago, but one prior military FBI agent had explained "We receive over 2 million tips a day, we cannot investigate everything. I know there are bullies and wrongdoing in the military" So wrong doing is normal and acceptable. Then I learned FBI had been conspiring with many companies to secretly censor Americans whom they disagree with. The FBI became the new secret police and SS squad. This is one of those event that will nearly end my career as an American. I am right on the fence about leaving and never coming back. America is super powerful, but powerful people and groups have never attracted me, nor do they instill fear and awe. More like loathing than anything, to be so powerful and not do much good for the people needing help.

You guys who are new to the US military. Stay in touch with your family more than your military. Be loyal to your family more than to the military. Between 2013 and 2023, I died several times--the military was the cause of death and none of the cause of my survival. When a Chief who was retiring shared with me about my focus on the military, it did not fully make sense for me, nor during my trauma. But after I got out alive, I understood what he was advising me.

Chief Frederick (you can call him Frederick the Great now), had said, "Pham, the USAF will use you and then discard you. What else do you want to be? I thought about it and said I wanted to be a think tank. And from that point on, I was forced down the path of heavy thinking, without a choice. The universe conspired to make me live the life I asked for.

Response by SGT Jody Beach made Sep 26 at 2023 8:46 AM

2023-09-26T08:46:22-04:00

It did end my career.... Trusting the system ......