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A lifetime of service...!
Last Vietnam Era Draftee Finally Retires
Posted from abcnews.go.comPosted in these groups: 
Vietnam
Vietnam
Posted 7 y ago
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COL Lee Flemming good read and share.
It was 1972, a time of protest when war was stigmatized and some of those who fought in it were spat on.
A young drywall installer in Oregon, just 19 years old, had just gotten a letter from the White House, and believed that President Nixon had sat down and written to him. It was a letter informing him that he would be drafted.
Now that teenager is Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger, and he's been in the Army for 39 years. He is the only active duty army soldier that was drafted and is still serving. At 58, he is now about to retire.
TSgt Joe C. SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F.] SGT Robert George SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan MSG Andrew White SGT (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SGT Philip Roncari SP5 Michael Rathbun SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] SrA Christopher Wright Cynthia Croft SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
It was 1972, a time of protest when war was stigmatized and some of those who fought in it were spat on.
A young drywall installer in Oregon, just 19 years old, had just gotten a letter from the White House, and believed that President Nixon had sat down and written to him. It was a letter informing him that he would be drafted.
Now that teenager is Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger, and he's been in the Army for 39 years. He is the only active duty army soldier that was drafted and is still serving. At 58, he is now about to retire.
TSgt Joe C. SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Stephen F.] SGT Robert George SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan MSG Andrew White SGT (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SGT Philip Roncari SP5 Michael Rathbun SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] SrA Christopher Wright Cynthia Croft SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
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LTC (Join to see)
Awesome. I was very fortunate when I took my first company command as a green 2LT (waiting for OBC while ALL of the other officers were getting mobilized) and a Vietnam veteran master sergeant in the command was willing to serve as 1SG. The first of many great NCO mentors during my officer career.
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I had to take a double take when I read that "Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger [had] been in the Army for 39 years. He is the only active duty army soldier that was drafted and is still serving. At 58, he is now about to retire" since I am 60 and I served with draftees in 1974 and 1975.
Then I looked at the top and saw the article as from July 3, 2011 which was just over six years ago.
In any event tanks for honoring CSM Jeffrey Mellinger COL Lee Flemming
Thanks for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
FYI SFC William Farrell Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George
Then I looked at the top and saw the article as from July 3, 2011 which was just over six years ago.
In any event tanks for honoring CSM Jeffrey Mellinger COL Lee Flemming
Thanks for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
FYI SFC William Farrell Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George
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