I was thinking that with all the ex- and current servicepeople on this forum, it might be nice to have a list of who to talk for info on specific vehicles and/or military sites with museums. Here is my example

I was a E-5 in a E-6 slot in the Minnesota Army National Guard before I got out in 1997. I started as 13F Forward Observer. Mainly 4.2in and 81mm mortars, with occasional work with M198 155mm towed, and M109 155mm SPG. I was able to see, but not call for, the last Calls for fire for the wonderful M110A2, before it was retired fully from all branches of the service. All the brass got nice VHS tapes of this big hoo-ha. I miss that gun system. Trained to call for the MLRS, but never did any live fires. Never travelled abroad. I was able to help a bit with both the computerized training system for FO's down at Ft. Sill (Ah, home) and the B-Fist (just gave an opinion back when they just had cardboard mockups on what the interior should look like inthe B-fist) Can you belive it, they asked us peons for a opinion. Never got to see the insides of the B-fist though..darn.

Secondary MOS was 64D, Tracked Vehicle Recovery Specialist. Got stuck in the E-6 slot while still being a E-5. Ran around with M88A1's recovering vehicles at AT and training in new crews that would be used division wide. Also trained onthe M578A1, hated that thing. Got a M2 .50cal instead of a M60 at least!

I also now live about 2hrs away from Camp Ripley, so I can once again have access to many of the interesting vehicles they have on display at the museum and in the vehicle park, although I have not been there since the current conflict has kicked up, so access may be a bit more limited.

Started my life on M728 Combat Engineer Vehicles and M60/48 AVLBs (I was trained on the M60 AVLB at AIT, but my National Guard unit had M48 AVLBs). My unit was a mechanized unit with the line platoons being M113A2 equipped. We supported the 86th Brigade, 50th Armor Division of the Vermont Army National Guard. My last summer of Annual Training before I entered active duty was with an M48A5 equipped New Jersey National Guard unit which was also part of the 50th Armor Division.

I entered active duty back when the Armor Officer Basic Course was segregated into either M1 Track or M60 track. I trained on the XM1, M1, M1IP, M901 ITV, M3 CFV while in my basic course. We did our "10 Day War" on M60A3TTS tanks. When I arrived in Germany, my unit was still equipped with M60A3TTS tanks and I was a platoon leader. About a year later we transitioned to brand new M1A1s and a year after that we drew even newer M1A1HA.

I attended the Cavarly Leader Course, Armor Officer Advance Course, Battalion Maintenance Officer Course and Airborne School after a short trip to the Gulf (1991-2 was a busy year for me). I was also a "Tac Officer" for a bunch of new 2LTs attaending their basic course.

Served as a Battalion Maintenance Officer for 3-32 Armor and commanded a tank company in 1-12 Cav and Headquarter Company 215 Forward Support Battalion, all in the 1st Cavarly Division. Did 3 NTC rotations and a second short trip to the Gulf.

Spent 2½ years as a Readiness Group "Assister" (those of you who have ever served in a reserve component FSP1 unit know and love us well). Spent every summer evaluating National Guard and Reserve units during their annual training. Spent a year as an instructor at the Ordnance Munitions and Missile Center at Redstone Arsenal.

Did my S3/Operations Officer time at a computer simulation center doing all sorts of computer exercises (CBS, BBS, CSS/TSS, Janus, Spectrum).

Currently command an Ordnance satellite school and have a large assortment of tracked, wheeled and towed US Army materiel at my disposal, a lot of it brand new (we field some equipment to other units) and some of it is ancient and long out of the active Army inventory.

For those of you who 'dis" officer types, try to keep up with me.

11Bush (Infantry) all the way...

Trained as Mech Inf, (M-113...drove them, rode in them) but ended up in the last straight-leg unit in Germany. (Primary mission was defense of the Pershings).

E-3 in a E-4 slot.... E-4 in a E-5 slot.

Mech Inf at Ft. Hood for as a 'filler' for some NG unit from Tenn. Those boys knew how to 'party' out in the field.

Assistant S-3 Air NCO as an E-5 and E-6 in the Reserves, and that's where I hung it up. RIF.

All over the US and Europe.... stints to Canada and Iceland. Roughly 12 'good' years over a 20 year period....1972-1992. Pretty much 'un-eventful' although I was a week shy of Vietnam, and a few hours short of Desert Storm. We had been alerted.

Wanted Airborne, wanted the CIB, but was happy and proud of the chord....still am too!

And how I love those mortars.

I'd jump on the opportunity if they came calling.

I did 20 years active duty and 1.5 years in the USAR.

Entered the Army in 1975 with the USAR at Fort Devens MA. Volunteerily transferred to active duty in 1996. I earned my BLUE Cord at Fort Polk, LA in 1975. Earned my CIB in 1990 during the 7 Inf. Div Light's deployment for Operation Just Cause, Panama. Retired in 1996 and currently live in Houston, Missouri (the Ozarks).

Been around, worked with/on: M113 series (Inf/ Mortars/ Command/ Tow); M151A1/A2, (Tow, M60); M2/A1/A2 and M3 Bradleys; M901. Do have an extensive slide collection of numerious armored and wheeled vehicles used by the Army and USMC. Unfortunately, don't have a photo scanner available.

Spent all my time in the Infantry Field as either a Grunt or TOW. Served from a lowly 90mm Recoiless Gunner to a TOW Section Leader. Spent my last 6 years in staff postions, a Brigade S3 Asst Ops Sgt & Air NCO and a Bradley (TFXXI) S2 NCOIC.

Schooling includes all NCO Development up to the Advance Course, NCO Battle Staff Course. USAF trained Air Movement NCO (Airload planner).

Been to Germany (2x 6 months tour at Hohenfels), Korea, LA, TX, CA, HI, Korea to include the DMZ, Panama.

Duty assignments:
Job:

Trp D, 5 Arm. Cav, 187th Inf. Bde Sep, USAR, Ft. Devens, MA (75-76) (E2- E3)
11B, M113 and M113A1 Driver/ Infantry
Co. A 1 Bn 41 Inf, 2AD, Ft. Hood, TX and Hohenfels, FRG (76-78) (E2-E4)
11B: Infantry, 90mm Recoiless Rifle Gunner, M113A1s
CSC 1 Bn 50 Inf, 2AD, Ft. Hood, TX and Hohenfels, FRG (78-79)
11H: TOW Gunner, Squad Leader, M113A1 Tow under Armor
CSC 1 Bn 5 Inf, 25 Inf. Div, Scholfield Barracks, HI (79-82) (E4-E5)
11H: Tow Gunner, Squad Leader, M151A2 Tow
Co. A 4 Bn 9 Inf, 7 Inf. Div, Ft. Ord, CA (82-86) (E5-E6)
11H: Tow Squad & Section Leader, M151A2 Tow
11C: 81mm, Squad Leader, M561 (Gamma Goat)
Co E 1 Bn 17 Inf & 5 Bn 20 INF, 2 ID, Camp Casey, Korea, (86-87) (E6)
11H3E9, Tow Section Leader, M901
HHC 3 Bn 17 Inf, , 7 Inf. Div, Ft. Ord, CA (87-91) (E6)
11H, Tow Section Leader, M966 HMMWV
HHC 3 BDe, , 7 Inf. Div, Ft. Ord, CA (91-93) (E6)
11H, Asst. Operations Sergeant & Air NCO
S2 3 Bn 41 Inf, 2AD, Ft. Hood, Tx (93-96) (E6)
S2 4 Bn 22 Inf, 4 ID, Ft. Hood, Tx (93-96) (E6)
11M52S, Battalion Tactical Intelligence Sergeant (M577 and M2 Bradley)

Houston, Missouri, 1996 RETIRED

Earned the Cord and the CIB and still proud of them.

And my prayers to all the soldiers in the SW Asia and all other hostile areas around the world.

GREETINGS " TROOPERS & TROOPETTES "

I like this NEW CONCEPT idea, I think it will help EVERYBODY whether they model or not.

If anyone WANTS TO KNOW anything about me, just MY PROFILE.

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS !!

Peace, Love, & Happiness To All..

AS ALWAYS,

ABD

Steve Joyce

Graduated VMI in 1976 a 2LT Armor did BAsic Armor officer and Motor Officer before going to Gerany for three years Did a stint as a platoon leader, S-1 and a new concept then FIST Chief. They didn't have enough arty types so they attached a few of us Armor types for cross training. I was "Short" so when my battalion did a PCS to Wildflechen, I stayed and did all the move coordination. With that done I went stateside and joined the 87th MAC in Birmingham Al. Sot of a management consultant group. We set up CPX for Manuever BDE and larger units. Ended up being the S-2 as a junior Captain (normally a senior Major slot). Civilian employment was awful so I packed up the bags and moved to Big D. Got my major and a welcome to IRR. except for a request (and prompt refusal) to join the Delta Force it's been uneventful.. Experience...I know that M-60A-1. We called them RISES what they now call A-3's

Graduated from Parris Island in Aug of 85. Was sent to A-school in Memphis for Aviation Ordnance. B-School found me in Yuma Az building Ordnance for F-4's, A-4's, Harriers, Kfers( Mig aggressers). Among other aircraft from the other services that were deployed there.
After B-School I was stationed at Cherry Point were I built and loaded ordnance for Harriers, F-4's, A-4's A-6's C-130's. Did a couple West Pacs and Med Cruises while there and suppoted Cobra's Huey's C-46's, F-18's, and of course Harriers.

1989 I found myself heading to NAS Willow Grove to "Train Reservists" as an E-4 I was the Senior Active Duty 6521/41 on the base.The base was made up of mainly active reserves and TARS. There I worked and supported A-4's then transitoined to F-18's, Prepostioned all deployments. Worked with P-3 Orions.(It was a Navy base). Sea King's and Ch-53's. Even had the joy of building and loading the A-10's for Pa National Guard.

Was there in Jan of 91 when the great Desert Classic broke out and was cut orders to head out. Once there we built and supported every Aircraft that was in the USMC inventory. Duties also setting up FARPS for the the helos.(Cobras and Apaches mainly). Also had the pleasure on more than one occasion to perform my secondary MOS Doorgunner.

After the Classic I was caught in the great downsize of 93 and got out, but there are times that I do miss it.

Spent my 4 years active duty working on Bradley Chassis as a 63T. I was stationed in Fort Sill, OK on a brand new MLRS unit. Never did much work on them since they where still new, so I spent most of my efforts on our POS M577A2s we had there. I got orders cut for Germany in August 1995 and was happer then a pig in the stuff since I always wanted to go there and hated Oklahoma (no offence to who may live there....just not my style ). I got to Germany in September and proptly got sent to Graf for Gunnery and then to Hoesfeld right after that. Did recovery and then got deployed in December/January 1996 to Boisna as part of IFOR, and we where the first Mechianized unit in country...flown in by C-17 and C-141s. Spent 10 months in Country then left back to Germany and I got out of the Active army in September 1997.

I joined the NJ ARNG after this partly of out nesseisty to make ends meet while going to school full time. It was pretty much a big joke there and I managed to get out going to AT 3 of the 4 years I was in due to school and or job situations. I did go back to Germany in October of 1999 while in the guard...got to do dismount OPFOR stuff, which was a welcome change for a Mechanic and did the typical Fort Drum AT that same year in the summer.

Currently I work as civilian contractor working on the computer hardware that the army uses to train officers on...so I guess I'm still partly in the army

I enlisted in the Navy in 1978 and volunteered for submarine duty as an Auxilieryman. I have served on three Fast Attack's and one Boomer - all in the Pacific Fleet.
For some reason, I have never been interested in modeling ships, Like many of you I am drawn to Armored vehicles.
I am currently the Command Master Chief for a Submarine Training Facility in the Pacific Northwest.
CMDCM(SS) Rob Jones
aka Cob

Spent 8 years in the Italian Army as a armoured Cavalry officier.

I served in:
- Army Academy
- Lancieri di Novara (5°): Leopard 1A2 platoon commander for one year (we also had Bergerleopards and M113)
- Scuola Truppe Corazzate (Armored Troops School): instructor on Leopard1A1, M47
- Lancieri di Montebello (8°): commander of a mech Squadron on VCC1 (an Italian M113 variation)

I was trained on the following AFVs:
- Leopard1A1
- M113
- M106
- Bergerleopard
- M47
- M60A1
- VCC1 (Italian variation of M113)
- Blindo 6614

and weapon systems:
- 106mm recoiless gun
- 120mm mortar

I left the active duty in 1985 with the rank of Captain. I'm now in the Reserve (something like the National Guard in the US I think).
I've been recalled twice in service to be trained to new weapons system like:
- TOW
- Milan
- New individual weapons (Beretta AR70 and 92S)

and vehichles:
- B1 Centauro (tank hunter)
- VCC2 (another Italian variation of M113)

My rank is now Lt. Colonel and I'm looking forward for another "tour" in the Army to be trained on the C1 Ariete MBT.

That's all

Started my career training to be a light infantryman, an expert with the LPC (Leather Personnel Carrier, or boots for civilians ), then changed my mind an graduated as an LT of Armor in 1975. Served as aplatoon leader and company XO with M60A1(AOS), M88 M35A2, M113A1, etc., also spent 19 months as a scout platoon leader using the M113A1 and M113A1 with tow mounted in back (only got those for REFORGER). Then went to Germany where I commanded a combat support company (scouts & mortars) with M901A1, M106A1, M113A1, and early M113A2, and the dreaded M578 ARV . I later commanded a tank company with M60A3(TTS). I finished active duty at the National Training Center as a support battalion S-3 and ground liaison officer (nine months at George AFB :-) ).

I am now in the Army Reserve having served as Rear Battle Officer in the 101st ABN DIV, and as commander of a school battalion training chemical defense specialist - getting to play with smoke generators, decon apparatus and flame warfare , and several jobs as a staff puke