OCS Archives - TogetherWeServed Blog

Service Reflections of SSGT Robert Floyd Jones, U.S. Air Force (1966-1976)

After one semester in our local “community college” (Edison Junior College), my grades were below the minimum to avoid the draft. Shortly after that, I received a draft notice. Having had relatives in the military, I was resigned to the fact I would have to serve, and I wanted to select a “specialty” that would help me after I had served my country. There was nothing in the Army I wanted to pursue, and I visited my Air Force Recruiter for his input.

Service Reflections of QM2 Grady Bullington, U.S. Coast Guard (1965-1969)

Coast Guard Reflections, Vietnam War

I received a Draft Notice and decided that traveling on the water was better than traveling on my feet in the mud.

Service Reflections of CAPT LaVerne Arndt, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-1969)

Marine Reflections, Vietnam War

Military draft at age 22 into the Army. Enlisted in the USMC after talking with the Navy and AF recruiters. Fast-talking USMC Gunny Sgt. Culp, who was my girlfriend’s brother-in-law.

I wanted to get toughened up as an individual man, and the Marines were my best choice.

The Marine training at Parris Island and later at Quantico provided me with confidence in my abilities. I was very successful at PI, winning almost every award a recruit could win, including the American Spirit of Honor Medal: Leatherneck award, PFC, and rifle expert out of boot camp. I extended a year at boot camp to get Sea Duty because I wanted to travel. After two years of Sea Duty, I was selected meritoriously for OCS. At Quantico, I also did very well and finished 19th out of a class of 541 Officers. I selected the 0302 Infantry Officer MOS.

Service Reflections of 1LT Jack Downing, U.S. Army (1968-1973)

Army Reflections, Vietnam War

PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents 1LT Jack Downing's legacy of his military service from 1968 to 1973. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to...

The Boys on Cherry Street by Ron Boehm

Military Book Reviews, Vietnam War

Tens of thousands of books have been written on the Vietnam War. Thousands more are in the process of being written, and thousands more are being considered by other veterans. Such books inevitably deal with heroic actions and stories of courage and sacrifice. Boehm brilliant book also includes stories about heroes and their courage, but he wrote the book to be a different kind of book on Vietnam. He was highly successful. It is a collection of the experiences of Boehm and his friends doing a...

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