OT: Last US Vietnam-era draftee to retire
 

Was drafted in 1972 and decided to stay in for 39 years.

http://news.yahoo.com/last-vietnam-e...085254385.html

Brandon

I didn't think we had anyone from Vietnam still in service! Not even generals!

It's also quite rare for an enlisted man to be allowed to stay in that long, even in the Reserves/National Guard.

Up here in the AK Army 'Guard we've got an E-7 in my current unit who is retiring this year who did a tour as a draftee in '70 or '71 (he had a pretty long subsequent break in service after that though, joining the Nat'l Guard sometime in the early 80s).

We've also got a CW5 in the state's aviation battalion who is wearing a 1st Aviation Brigade combat patch from back in those days, but I've never talked to him and don't know his story.

On a related note, the Ohio Guard retired its last Hueys last year. It might have been a USAR unit, but I'm certain it was Hueys. There was a Reserve unit that used to fly out of Port Columbus when I was younger. Whenever they went north, or returned from there, they would come right over my house, at window rattling, wall-shaking altitude.

Respect. Sounds like a helluva guy. Thanks for posting the article.