Military Veterans in CAP

[PhoenixRisen]

I think we've discussed this before, but I always find it interesting that more of our senior member military veterans seem to come from the Army more than the Air Force, or any other branch for that matter.  I wonder why.

Could be 'cause it's the biggest branch.... maybe.

[SarDragon]

USN - 1969-1989; Aviation Electronics Technician
Boot camp - Great Lakes
NAS Brunswick, ME
Navy Air Support Unit, Iwakuni, Japan
NAS/NAEC Lakehurst, NJ
USS Midway, CV-41, Yokosuka, Japan
NALC Det West/NAMTRAGRU North Island, CA
FMP MMFC, Misawa, Japan

[tarheel gumby]

NC Army Guard :
Det 1 211th MP Co.
Discharge June 1985

[Al Sayre]

USN - 1982-1989; Aviation Electronics Technician
Boot Camp- San Diego
A School & AFTA - NAS Millington TN
Operations Maintenance Div. NAS Sigonella Italy
C School - NAS Millington TN
LMET School-NAB Little Creek
Helicopter Support Squadron 6 (HC-6) NAS Norfolk VA
  HC-6 Cruises on: USNS Sirius
                              USS San Diego
                              USS Milwaukee
                              USS Butte
Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Division NAS Norfolk VA
   

[PHall]

ANG/USAF/ARNG/AFRC   21 Apr 74 - 5 Aug 05.  31 Years, 4 Months and 14 Days.

[Gunner C]

1972-1975 Army ROTC
1975-1977 19th Special Forces Group (Abn)
1977-1978 5th Special Forces Group (Abn)
1978-1979 Defense Language Institute
1979-1982 39th Special Forces Detachment (Abn)
1982- Defense Language Institute
1982-1983 5th Special Forces Group (Abn)
1983-1987 7th Special Forces Group (Abn)
1987-1988 Defense Language Institute
1988-1991 7th Special Forces Group (Abn)
1991-1995 John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School

Participated in Iranian Revolution (losing side), Unconventional Warfare in Europe, Operation Grizzly Hitch, Central American Campaign (including Ahuas Tara II and Golden Pheasant), El Salvador, Drug War in Bolivia, and Panama Invasion.

[LtCol057]

Let me get my 2 cents worth in.

1970 - 1971       Cadet MD Wing
1979 - 1985       US Army Reserve (Combat Medic/ Pharmacy Specialist)
1990 - present   Senior Member NC Wing

[Hawk200]

I think we've discussed this before, but I always find it interesting that more of our senior member military veterans seem to come from the Army more than the Air Force, or any other branch for that matter.  I wonder why.

I started while I was AD Air Force. Probably wouldn't have done so if I hadn't been.

Could have been a cadet, but of course when I was a teenager I knew everything, and was absolutely certain that I would never join the military. (The irony is not lost on me.)

[Ranger75]

1968 – 1974  Cadet, CAP, C/Col
1970 – 1974  Cadet, AFROTC
1974 – 1976  U.S. Army, Enlisted Service, Sergeant
  3rd Ranger Company, Ranger Department, USAIS, Tactical NCO

1976 – 2005 U.S. Army, Commissioned Service, Colonel
  51st Officer Candidate Company, U.S. Army Infantry School
  Company C (Airborne), 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry (GO DEVILS), 173rd Light Infantry       
     Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)
  HQ, 173rd Light Infantry Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)
  Company C (Airborne), 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry (TOMAHAWKS), 173rd Light
      Infantry Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)
  Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry (BLUE LANCERS), 1st Cavalry
      Division (FIRST TEAM)
  HQ, 2nd Brigade (BLACKJACK), 1st Cavalry Division (FIRST TEAM)
  U.S. Defense Attaché Office, American Embassy Monrovia, Liberia
  U.S. Defense Attaché Office, American Embassy Lagos, Nigeria
  2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry (WOLFHOUNDS), 7th Infantry Division (Light)
      (BAYONET)
  HQ, 7th Infantry Division (Light) (BAYONET)
  U.S. Defense Attaché Office, American Embassy Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
  Defense Intelligence Agency
  Executive Offices of the President, Office of the Vice President

[Gunner C]

Company C (Airborne), 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry (GO DEVILS), 173rd Light Infantry       
     Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)

Charlie airborne!  I've known a couple of guys who were in that company.  Never heard a bad word about it.  It turned out some OUTSTANDING NCOs and officers. Very small community, very elite.

[Trung Si Ma]

  Company C (Airborne), 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry (GO DEVILS), 173rd Light Infantry       
     Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)
  HQ, 173rd Light Infantry Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)
  Company C (Airborne), 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry (TOMAHAWKS), 173rd Light
      Infantry Brigade (SNOWHAWKS)

I was in the 172nd at the same time.

Were you on the exchange to Kapyong Barracks with 2nd PPCLI in 1979?

My last pure infantry assignment was Manchu Charlie Airborne up at Wainwright.  Then went down to Rich for two years.

Got married in Snowhawk Chapel in '78

[RiverAux]

The results of this poll so far are interesting.  It indicates that 78% of respondents are some sort of veteran.  As far as I know there is no actual data on veterans in CAP, but I'm pretty confident that it is much lower than indicated in this poll.

So, either the membership of CAPTalk is much, much more heavy with veterans than CAP in general OR perhaps the title of this poll has discouraged the non-vets from participating. 

If this is a true representation of the percentage of vets on CAPTalk it might explain why there seems to be stronger support for certain "make CAP more military" topics such as PD.  However, on uniform topics in particular the vets usually seem to split apart into multiple camps ranging from the "I've done my time in uniform, where's my golf shirt?" to "I still want to serve my country in AF-style uniform and anyone that can't cut their hair or squeeze into it should be kicked out". 

[Trung Si Ma]

The results of this poll so far are interesting.  It indicates that 78% of respondents are some sort of veteran.  As far as I know there is no actual data on veterans in CAP, but I'm pretty confident that it is much lower than indicated in this poll.

I don't think that the numbers from the poll are indicitve of anything but which branches are more popular amongst members.  This is not "did you or did you not serve" poll and people like Kirt counted more than once with his Active Army and ANG service.

[RiverAux]

Actually, there are two options for those who have not served to select.

[Al Sayre]

The poll also does not include PHS or NOAA

[Stonewall]

The poll also does not include PHS or NOAA

IMHO, if they don't tote guns, they aren't military.

[Ranger75]

Guys  --  Thanks for catching my error.  My time spent in Alaska was indeed spent with the 172d LIB, not the 173rd.

Trang Si Ma  --  The battalions I was with never made it across the border to spend time with the PPCLI at their home station.  I did have an opportunity to work with them at those times when they sent companies to Rich to conduct exercises with our units. 

Gunner C  --  I can't think of another unit that was more fun to serve in then the independent airborne companies of the 172d.  Where else could one get paid to conduct a jump from a CH-47 onto a snow bowel at the top of a glacier with skis strapped along your side, cane a route down to the foot of the glacier, and conduct two weeks of rock and ice work when you get to the bottom?  The only thing better is an opportunity to attend the summer and winter instructor courses at NWTC.

[RiverAux]

The poll also does not include PHS or NOAA

/Those are Uniformed forces, not Armed Forces.  There is a difference.

[James Shaw]

Navy Cryptologist
Georgia Army National Guard Intelligence Analyst

[G+10]

1979-1983 AFROTC
1983-1984 UPT-H Ft Rucker, AL/Kirtland AFB, NM (TH-55/UH-1H/UH-1F)
1984-1989 Det 10, 37 ARRS, FE Warren AFB, WY (UH-1F/UH1-N)
1989-1994 1st Helicopter Squadron, Andrews AFB, MD (UH-1N)

Separated from AD and did a year USAFR as (what was then known as) a MEO (Equal Opportunity) officer at McGuire AFB, NJ