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Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat by John Montalbano

Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat by John Montalbano

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For some, finding humor in war and combat might seem to make light of a very heavy situation. Some might even find it offensive. But those of us who have served in combat know that humor, even dark humor, is sometimes the only way to break the tension, ease the pain, and build the camaraderie that comes with fighting in a war.  John Montalbano, a retired Vietnam veteran who was drafted into the Army in 1967, would not only agree that humor is important, even in war, but he literally wrote a book about it. Montalbano would spend some thirty years after the war writing and rewriting the manuscript for his book, "Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat," which he finally published to great fanfare in 2024.  Montalbano served in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division and later during an extended tour of duty as a courier for the 93rd Military Police Battalion Headquarters. Today, he writes about his unit’s experiences in-country and has been featured in Vietnam...

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SSG Leonard Nimoy, U.S. Army Reserve (1953-1955)

SSG Leonard Nimoy, U.S. Army Reserve (1953-1955)

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Leonard Nimoy, best known for his iconic role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek franchise, had a fascinating journey that included service in the United States Army before he became a household name. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the United States Army as a Staff Sergeant in the Special Services, an entertainment branch of the military. Who would have imagined that a young man entertaining troops would one day entertain millions across the galaxy, armed not with a rifle, but with a raised eyebrow and the immortal phrase, "Live long and prosper"? His life was proof that true exploration isn't just about traveling through space, but about pushing the boundaries of human imagination. Leonard Nimoy’s Early Life and Enlistment Born on March 26, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts, Leonard Simon Nimoy was the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Max and Dora Nimoy. Max was a barber in Mattapan, and Dora a housewife, but the family grew up in a tenement on Boston’s West End. As a child, Leonard...

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MSgt Elliott Wayne Carmack, U.S. Air Force (1961-2003)

MSgt Elliott Wayne Carmack, U.S. Air Force (1961-2003)

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My decision to join the Air Force was influenced by the following:

FAMILY: My maternal uncle enlisted in the Army at Camp Blanding, Florida, in 1942, shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He was stationed at Keesler Army Airfield (Keesler Field), Mississippi, until his honorable discharge as a Sergeant the following year due to a service-connected injury sustained while working on military aircraft. My father was too old for military service, but worked in federal civil service at military bases during and following World War II, initially at Drew Field in Tampa, Florida during the war, and at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia after the war, a base I visited as a child.

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LCDR Montel Williams, US Navy and USMC (1974-1986)

LCDR Montel Williams, US Navy and USMC (1974-1986)

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Montel Williams is best known as the Emmy Award-winning host of The Montel Williams Show, which aired nationally for seventeen years. Montel Brian Anthony Williams, known to most as simply “Montel,” is also an actor and motivational speaker. But did you know that Montel Williams served in the military? His decorated military service spanned 22 years in two branches of the service—the United States Marines and the United States Navy. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1974 and later became the first black man to graduate from the Naval Academy in 1980. Today, along with being a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Montel is a passionate advocate for veterans.  Montel Williams’s Early Years Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 3, 1956, Montel was the youngest of four children born to Marjorie and Herman Williams. Montel's father was a firefighter who in 1992 became Baltimore's first African American Fire Chief. Williams was raised as a Roman Catholic and...

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Service Reflections of SP 5 Charles V. Rogers, Jr., U.S. Army (1971-1975)

Service Reflections of SP 5 Charles V. Rogers, Jr., U.S. Army (1971-1975)

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Several things made me choose my military service. I guess it’s the old cliche? I wanted to serve my country, mainly because my Dad did during WWII. It was my birthday in 1971 that I decided to enlist. My draft number was up, so it would only be a matter of time. I went to the recruiter and signed up for the US Army on the delayed entry program. I think it was September 30, 1971. I wanted to fly, but wearing glasses was going to prevent me from doing that. I picked the Army because my Dad had served, and I didn’t want to go into the Navy, Air Force, or Marines. The Army offered the best chance because they might have lifted the restriction on glasses if things hadn’t changed. While I was at the AFESS, and we were being processed, a Marine Sergeant came out and pointed to me and several others and said we were now Marines. I tried to object, and thankfully, an Army Sergeant came out and said no, can’t have him, he’s RA. I looked at the Army and Air Force, and it seemed my best chance to do what I wanted while serving was to join the Army. If I couldn’t be a pilot, I might still be able to fly as a crew member. I worked in a car dealership and had mechanics down pretty well, so I figured I had a little jump in the aviation maintenance department.

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Service Reflections of SMSgt Michael Kiedrowski, U.S. Air Force (1969-1993)

Service Reflections of SMSgt Michael Kiedrowski, U.S. Air Force (1969-1993)

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I had known for a long time that I would serve in the Air Force but didn’t know when. The draft helped me decide when they sent me a letter that began with the word ‘Greetings”. I believe the fact that my dad served in the Air Force had a great deal of influence on my decision. He had some great stories, and I guess I felt that it was what I wanted to do as well. He was a Clerk/Typist.

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Service Reflections of Sgt Thomas Voss, U.S. Air Force (1975-1978)

Service Reflections of Sgt Thomas Voss, U.S. Air Force (1975-1978)

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My father was the primary reason I joined the USAF. He served during the Korean conflict from 1951-1954. Sadly, he passed away in August 2020. He didn’t leave any hard copy records behind to define his timeline. He spoke to me at length about his tour of duty in Hawaii, where he was a radio security specialist. His group monitored the communications between aircraft pilots and their contacts. They reported on any non-regulation exchanges on radio frequencies. After my original posting of this reflection, I have secured my dad’s military records and DD-214 from the National Archives. Now I have a much clearer picture of his military service, especially the ribbons and medals he was awarded. During his four-year tour in Hawaii, he was decorated with the following: Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the U.N. Service Medal.

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AFN George Carlin, U.S. Air Force (1954-1957)

AFN George Carlin, U.S. Air Force (1954-1957)

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George Denis Patrick Carlin, known for his sharp wit and incisive social commentary, remains one of the most influential comedians of all time. His career spanned decades, and his humor challenged societal norms, making him a voice for many who questioned authority and the status quo. However, before he became a household name, Carlin's life took a different path—one that led him to serve in the United States Air Force. While his military service may seem at odds with his later persona, it played a significant role in shaping the man he would become. George Carlin’s Early Life and Enlistment George Denis Patrick Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, in New York City to an Irish father, Patrick Carlin, and an Irish-American mother, Mary Bearey. Carlin grew up in a tough neighborhood and was known for his rebellious nature from an early age. He was raised on West 121st Street in a part of Upper Manhattan commonly known as “white Harlem.” By the time he was a teenager, Carlin had developed a...

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Targeted: Beirut by Jack Carr

Targeted: Beirut by Jack Carr

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If the name Jack Carr sounds familiar, that's because the former Navy SEAL and podcaster is also the author of "The Terminal List," a New York Times bestseller. The paperback thriller has been adapted into a hit television show on Amazon Prime Video, starring Chris Pratt as the main character, Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. James Reece. There is even a prequel series in the works at Amazon Studios starring Taylor Kitsch.  Targeted: Beirut Explores a Tragic Day in Marine Corps History Earlier in 2024, Carr released "Red Sky Mourning," the seventh book in the thrilling "Terminal List" series, but in September, he will offer fans something entirely different. His first nonfiction novel, "Targeted: Beirut: The 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing and the Untold Origin Story of the War on Terror." On Oct. 23, 1983, a 19-ton stake-bed truck laden with high explosives drove through the security perimeter of a building that served as the barracks for the 1st Battalion 8th Marines, deployed to Beirut as...

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Service Reflections of SSG Randy Cross U.S. Army (1980-1998)

Service Reflections of SSG Randy Cross U.S. Army (1980-1998)

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Initially, I had no intention of joining the military. However, right before I graduated High School, Lee Iacocca announced that Chrysler was bankrupt. There was no place in Michigan where the impact of this wasn’t felt. I lost my job in a furniture factory and was unable to find one, even at McDonalds. After a fruitless day of job hunting, an Army recruiter asked if he could talk to me. I signed up for the Army National Guard in hopes that after basic and AIT, the job market would become better. During my time in basic, I began to understand what the military was and how it served the nation. I fully intended to stay in the military, so after two months in the Guard, I enlisted to become active duty. It is a decision I have never regretted.

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