Military Life Phase II

Damned.... 1979 was when it all first began for me.  Seems like a lifetime ago

Three years in Security Police out in the Missile fields of SD.  Great times.  Served a few years on a combat competition team which kept us in shape, had us at the range weekly with M16s, lugged an M60 in the field, flew on a lot on Hueys as part of a fire term in support of convoys consisting of fire teams in multiple vehicles transporting war heads, Fire Teams in the field, Camper Alert Teams for 24 hr security, Security Escort Teams with maintenance crews when they accessed the missile sites and finally my last year, earned a spot in scheduling and regained some sanity from the chaos in the field.  Then .. off to EW school.   This is sort of what I wanted from the get-go  (Electronics), but that is another whole story how that all played out.  A year in MS at Electronic Warfare Training, then volunteered to fly and spent another year in training.  It'd be 24 months before I got out of school(s) and at Offutt AFB, NE.  Then the real fun began.  Rivet Joint / RC-135 program.  Flying 'beaner' missions down south, rotes to overseas locations, and few years later, down to Panama for a few years on C-130s (Comfy Levi Program); highlight there was the awesome location, numerous Central America and South America missions that culminated with Operation Just Cause in Dec '89.  The following year, back to Omaha for all the Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm deployments.  Finally, down here to Greenville Texas which was the icing on the cake.  I was greasing a slot to Headquarters in San Antonio when a close friend of mine asked " WTF?   Greenville is where the action is! " ... Greenville it was. One of the best decisions of my life.  Then, retired from the USAF and never moved from the area.

Next twenty plus year in the commercial sector which eventually would bring me back to 'the program' where it'd become my customer.   How that all happened is a fun one to tell over a cold one, but it's not what most think usually.  I simply came across a solution, realized potential use and the implications, but had no grasp of how integral it could or would be come.  That one solution has kept me close to my military roots for the last 20 years or so; close to the 'program.'.  But... that had me looking in from the outside. I was wearing a suit not a uniform.  I've never been one to hang all my old military medals, achievements, etc on the walls of my office.   My shadow box is on top of an armoire  off to the side.  I'm truly proud of of what it contains but.. it's for me .. not public consumption? I'm a civilian.  My world now.

Well, seven years ago, I embraced my military heritage at a different level. This is what I think of as Phase II.  I was riding with several motorcycle groups, President of a Chapter with the Iron Indian Riders Association (IIRA) and I meet a few folks over a couple of years whom belonged to the  CVMA (Combat Vets Motorcycle Association).  Now, when I initially see this, I'm envisioning grunts in the trenches shooting ragheads or gooks and now on bikes.  Just the way my brain works.  Then I realize the actual background... roots ...  meat.. of the Association. Requirements for membership I found out are various situations/background.  Been in Combat? Check.  Deployed to a Combat zone? Check.  Received Hostile Fire Pay? Check.  Shot and or Killed anyone?  Well .. not yet.   LOL.  I'm suddenly realizing this encomappases all aspects of a war zone to speak.  Not everyone fills all them blocks; only need to fill 'one' to meet eligibility requirement.  If you were in the trenches, in a tank, a jeep, a plane , a ship .. and your ass was on the line and your DD214 reflects one of the above mentioned criteria or recieved combat related medals.... you meet the criteria as a Full Member.  Now, my brain is working.  I'm a life member of the VFW which is an excellent organization .. but .. it feels different.  I'm a Life Member of the American Legion with is an excellent organization .. but.. it feels different.   The CVMA 'seems similar' , a completely different feel with all members are motorcycles, but not a 'motorcycle club'.  They live by much of the 'same code' one could say, but ... for anyone aware of the MC world....  lets just say a notch more relaxed.  In fact, more methodical like a military outfit.  Which brings me to my point.  It's like being in the military again for me in many ways.  And I always loved that.  Guess that why I've come to love this... the CVMA.  It lights a fire deep in me that has been dormant for a few decades.  I'm proud of the branch of service I was in.  I'm proud of the rank I retired at.  I'm proud of the people of all services that I served with.  Always have been, but now... it's back into the front lobes of my brain.   Chain of events over the last year have made me look deep into what I feel .. believe in...  want to pursue at this point in life.  As I type this the Combat Vets Motorcycle Association has my soul and brain on fire.   Similar to military life, everyone isn't perfect.  There is always drama in 'groups' of people.  But being in a group of folks with similar backgrounds, similar feelings of duty and love of this great nation, and the vast majority have one's back in a situation ....  just .. clicks with me. Something about being in a large or small group of folks and know everyone is probably 'packing', for all the right reasons.  I remember last year saying the Pledge of Allegiance with 5,000 Brothers and Sisters before our meeting began and thinking ... "I bet there are at least 4500 pistols in here"..  Funny Shit.  I'm finding myself inking up my right arm with pictures .. words... that surmise my  twenty years in various  AFSCs.  Different Programs.   A flood of memories.  And I'm proud of all that ink and what it signifies.

Military Life Phase II...  .. hmmmmmmmmm... I need to come up with a different word/ acronym for that.  Maybe... CVMA?