Poll: Military Service

[headquarters]

Originally Posted by Eddie

The only playing I've done for the last three years has been Play-by-Post stuff on a friend's website. Unfortunately, those games die out pretty quick because of RL. At least that's the excuse that we always get. Truth of the matter is, the same three people keep popping up, the pace is so slow only those three of us bear with it, and the games die. So I'll have sporadic bouts of gaming flurry, followed by long dry spells waiting to know if I can do what I'm trying to do. You know?

I am blessed with a regular FtF group - we play every 3 months or so for a full weekend -yeah , RL interferes.

Tried a little Pbem with our group ,but as you say -its not the same as a good FtF.

I do understand the wait..there is the gamesessios and time inbetween..

[Fusilier]

Welcome Eddie.

[General Pain]

Originally Posted by headquarters

I am blessed with a regular FtF group - we play every 3 months or so for a full weekend -yeah , RL interferes.

Tried a little Pbem with our group ,but as you say -its not the same as a good FtF.

I do understand the wait..there is the gamesessios and time inbetween..

You mean: there is ftf-sessions and the dead-time between them hehe

[General Pain]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Hello all. I looked for the best place to do an introduction and was unable to find anywhere that looked as good or better than this. So...please don't misconstrue this as an attempt to brag or beat my chest in an attempt to belittle others.

My name is Eddie Thomas. No reason to hide it as it's in the publication credits for Twilight: 2013 and it's going to become quickly apparent that I found this place through that medium.

I'm an Infantry officer in the United States Army currently on Active Duty at Schofield Barracks, HI. I've been in the Army for a total of eleven years with a small break in service to get my degrees. I started off as an enlisted man before I had said break in service and then went to OCS after completing college.

My qualifications include a myriad of things, to include Ranger School, Sniper School, Basic Airborne, Air Assault, Infantry Mortar Leader's Course, Stryker Leader's Course, Sniper Employment, and a few other piddly schools. I've served in 3rd Bn, 75th Ranger Regiment; 2nd BDE, 10th Mountain Division; 2nd BDE, 25th Infantry division; and a couple of TRADOC units that I prefer not to mention. I just returned five days ago from the [dripping sarcasm]wonderful vacation spot[/dripping sarcasm] known as Iraq. My most important claim from that deployment? The only soldier that I didn't bring back with me, I lost due to him dislocating his kneecap playing football on Christmas Eve in 2008 and going home three months early.

My non-military education includes two Bachelors degrees in Management and Finance, and I'm currently attempting to complete the last three classes I need for my Physics degree. However, it'll be some time before I'm capable of doing that without losing lots of credits through transferring schools.

Writing and publication credits to me, I've done a little bit of consultation work and minor writing up until T2K13. Most of these were with Clayton in the Spycraft line for the Militaries series of books and some of it was with the Stargate line, though most of that was pushed through by another friend.

Outside of work and education, I have three children ranging from 6-12, help out on their soccer teams and I've taught jujutsu since 2002.

So you can see, I've led a pretty eventful life and have a wide experience base to draw on. I consider myself no expert on any subject, but I'm pretty damned knowledgeable when it comes down to it.

I look forward to adding to this community and already see some names that look familiar to me.

Welcome aboard,eddie

[m47dragon]

Hi, new here.

I served in the USMC as an 0351 Anti-Tank Assaultman/Missileman from 1992-1997. I served on both active duty and in the Select Marine Corps Reserve: as a Dragon gunner and section leader and as a SMAW gunner and section leader.

I've worked as an armed security officer, supervisor and operations manager since 1996. I seem to be a jack of all trades, but master of none.

I haven't really touched T2000 as a player in almost 20 years, but the genre, especially the original Cold-War timeline, has always intrigued me.

I was a history major in college, and collecting militaria and weapons is my primary hobby.

[kato13]

Welcome m47dragon. I think you will find quite a few people here with a similar story and even more with similar interests. Hope you find useful information, and in general just have a good time here.

[pmulcahy11b]

A fellow Dragon gunner! I think I was, until this point, the only Dragon-qualified gunner on the board!

[m47dragon]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A fellow Dragon gunner! I think I was, until this point, the only Dragon-qualified gunner on the board!

Yep, we're a dying breed. I was also SMAW qualified (unless one is a Marine or in the IDF, then one probably has never touched one of these) as well as a demolitions man.

I'm also a NRA Law Enforcement Pistol and Shotgun instructor and Remington 870 Field Armorer...if anyone needs information on those subjects I hope I can help.

[General Pain]

Originally Posted by m47dragon

Yep, we're a dying breed. I was also SMAW qualified (unless one is a Marine or in the IDF, then one probably has never touched one of these) as well as a demolitions man.

I'm also a NRA Law Enforcement Pistol and Shotgun instructor and Remington 870 Field Armorer...if anyone needs information on those subjects I hope I can help.

welcome aboard

[jester]

We don't need anymore 51's and certainly not those riff raff 52's! We do need more 41's they are just the coolest of them all

Welcome aboard ya rocket cowboy you!

[Targan]

Originally Posted by jester

We don't need anymore 51's and certainly not those riff raff 52's! We do need more 41's they are just the coolest of them all

Oh yeah? Well I need more 69ers. But not from you guys

[smokewolf]

Originally Posted by m47dragon

Yep, we're a dying breed. I was also SMAW qualified (unless one is a Marine or in the IDF, then one probably has never touched one of these) as well as a demolitions man.

I'm also a NRA Law Enforcement Pistol and Shotgun instructor and Remington 870 Field Armorer...if anyone needs information on those subjects I hope I can help.

Not to thread crap, but we could use your expertise over at T2K13 too. A lot of members pull double duty at both sites. But we've got lots of people who could use expertise such as yours.

[Packrat 172d LIB]

Well, let me say hello. I am the latest FNG. I enjoy T2k, but don't have a group to play it around where I live. In answer to the poll, I was in in the 80s and was attached to the 172d Light Infantry Brigade(Separate). And it is exactly right that Light Infantry AIN'T! We were the Arctic Speedbump. I was there when they stood up the 6th, but I didn't stick around long after that.

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I don't think I've ever jumped with zero wind!

LOL... I remember the one jump we did into Honduras in 1989. There ground controllers from what I heard gave the wind at just under what we were allowed to jump. Of course, the wind was much faster.

I remember enough jumps that happen at back at Bragg where it seemed the days when their was no wind or lot of wind gust, no was jumping. Yet, others when there was slight breeze at the barrack outside and you would see C130s and C141s take off with troops all day to make various jumps around the base.

I probably should of been rejected due to having asthma that was never diagnosed. That with seasonal allergies. After broken ankle on another jump, where the wind was marginal at Camp Blanding and getting two bolts in my ankle and still less than year in. No way I would get any training out of 11B MOS as E-2, and I was discharged. Oh well. Took 18 years to get the paper work to get the 30% disability, but a lot of that was my fault. Just glad I hadn't gotten right away, though, or the divorce from the 1st wife would of been nightmare.

Abbott

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

A fellow Dragon gunner! I think I was, until this point, the only Dragon-qualified gunner on the board!

Hell no Paul. Ironically before the jump when I broke my ankle, I just qualified to fire the dragon to the training. The unit was suppose to be already out in the field on Thursday, but it was push back a couple days, so I get back Friday after qualifying and 35 minutes to get ready to pack and ready for the jump. It was a Corps Ready Eval. Oh well.

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by Packrat 172d LIB

Well, let me say hello. I am the latest FNG. I enjoy T2k, but don't have a group to play it around where I live. In answer to the poll, I was in in the 80s and was attached to the 172d Light Infantry Brigade(Separate). And it is exactly right that Light Infantry AIN'T! We were the Arctic Speedbump. I was there when they stood up the 6th, but I didn't stick around long after that.

LOL. Yeah, it amazing that Light, Mountain, Airborne, and Air Assault the gear they carry with them, it boggles the mind. Nothing like carrying your own body weight in gear.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

I remember enough jumps that happen at back at Bragg where it seemed the days when their was no wind or lot of wind gust, no was jumping. Yet, others when there was slight breeze at the barrack outside and you would see C130s and C141s take off with troops all day to make various jumps around the base.

I've never jumped with no wind, but it must happen -- they gave us a quick blurb on what to do if there's no wind in Jump School. (Basically, Sergeant Airborne just said, "Pick a direction to roll.")

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

LOL. Yeah, it amazing that Light, Mountain, Airborne, and Air Assault the gear they carry with them, it boggles the mind. Nothing like carrying your own body weight in gear.

Well, I'm guessing that the most I ever humped was in 120-130-pound range (vs. my 145-pound body weight at the time), but I once had to do a 100-yard dash, with a 230-pound guy in a fireman's carry on my shoulders. All that work, and I only came in 4th out of ten...

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I've never jumped with no wind, but it must happen -- they gave us a quick blurb on what to do if there's no wind in Jump School. (Basically, Sergeant Airborne just said, "Pick a direction to roll.")

Yeah but Paul remember Division Barracks were protected a bit compare to the actual wind/breeze may find on any of the drop zones...lol

There were times where you wouldn't thing there was any breeze while at Division area, main post, or at Pope but take a little flight and you jump with plenty of wind... Funny how a couple miles and various elevation changes the breeze.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

Yeah but Paul remember Division Barracks were protected a bit compare to the actual wind/breeze may find on any of the drop zones...lol

There were times where you wouldn't thing there was any breeze while at Division area, main post, or at Pope but take a little flight and you jump with plenty of wind... Funny how a couple miles and various elevation changes the breeze.

Like Sicily DZ -- always a lot of wind there.

In jump school, the zoomies screwed up, turned on the green light at the wrong time, and overrode the objections of the jumpmaster. A stick got dropped into the wood at the edge of the DZ. They looked like a drawer of knives fell on them. But they were all back the next day to jump.

I had a lot of fun during jump week. I had gotten hemorrhoids the weekend before, and they were with me all week. Every opening shock...OUCH!

[Targan]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I had a lot of fun during jump week. I had gotten hemorrhoids the weekend before, and they were with me all week. Every opening shock...OUCH!

The OTHER kind of "roid rage".

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Targan

The OTHER kind of "roid rage".

Yep...Preparation-H doesn't work as fast as they advertise...

[Kellhound]

Hello to everybody.
I have already met some of you in the others T2K forums and newsgroups in these last years, but since I don't post too much (I'm very lazy in front of a keyboard ) I'll introduce myself again.

My name is Jose Antonio, I'm from Spain and entered the Spanish army mountain infantry back in 95.
Since then I have been an MP, and spent the last few years behind a desk most of the time (my wife doesn't let me go again on missions to the Balkans or Afghanistan anymore ).

[Marc]

Bona tarda!

I'm glad to have a fellow countryman here! I'm back after my summer holidays and this is a very pleasant surprise. I'm sure you will find a very friendly community here, Kellhound. I hope to read you soon.

BTW, I don't know if you are in any active Twilight roleplaying group, but given our geographical closeness, don't hesitate to contact me if you want to play with us. I know that Twilight:2000 groups are nearly non-existent. Our two playing groups have people from Hospitalet, Manresa, Barcelona and Sant SadurnÃ*.

Again, welcome.

[Kellhound]

Sadly, not many people knew (or knows now) about this game.
I used it mostly for one shots, since most of my players didn't like it too much, or campaigns grinded to a halt due to some players actions.
I had more luck with Merc:2000, directing a couple campaigns, and even joining players of two different game groups a couple of times.

[blaki974]

I went through a selection camp when I was 18, where they determine where you are best put to use. I scored high on intellectual and strength, so they placed me at the worst possible place: squadleader. The one who takes sh-t from above as well as below.

Squadleader: I got my first stripe after a month, at an unofficial meeting. We got the second stripe at a more official gathering, just before "our" soldiers came. We trained them in such basic skills as marching, making one's bed, saluting and using the correct terms for things. Things like "the business end of an AK-5" is called "mynning" and nothing else. and it doesn't use "bullits". It uses 5.56 mm ammunition. And you are NOT allowed to smoke if you are sitting on an ammo crate.

Our third stripe came after passing a few tests roughly about half way through our training. I was doing 10 months only, since it is (was) a concsript army. The soldiers did 7.5 months. The platoon leaders did 12 months and the company leaders did 15 months. I ended up driving a truck, and acting as a mini-supply for the entire company. I had everything on it. Tape, duct tape, pencils, compasses, T-röd, wicks for burners and so forth. All dispensed properly and in order after doing the paperwork.

We were told we would be sergeants when we got called for our first repetition, but evidently, they managed without us. I got a letter stating I had been put in the "utbildningsreserven" ("reserve"), so we never had any repetitions.

[akula_au]

Hey guys long time no see. How's everyone doing?

Cheers
Ad

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by akula_au

Hey guys long time no see. How's everyone doing?

Cheers
Ad

Do I know you?

[Targan]

Originally Posted by akula_au

Hey guys long time no see. How's everyone doing?

Well thanks. I got engaged on Monday. How are you?

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Targan

Well thanks. I got engaged on Monday. How are you?

Congratulations and next step is: la corde au cou (I let you find out what it means).