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The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

HMC Clifford Schmidt, U.S. Navy (1975-1996)

HMC Clifford Schmidt, U.S. Navy (1975-1996)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

It was in the year 1986. This young First-Class Hospital Corpsman (HM1), attending Independent Duty Hospital Corps School in Portsmouth, VA, who just happened to be part of a football team that won a game. To celebrate, he and his teammates went to celebrate at Doc’s Inn (the base club). They all sat together celebrating their victory! A couple of the team members saw a cute young lady sitting off to the side studying. So, they invited her to celebrate with them. She politely refused, but when they threatened to pick her up in her chair, she begrudgingly obliged.

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SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

In early 1978, during my assignment to West Point, I began dating a fellow enlisted soldier, Rodney Helmers, whom I met while I was serving as Charge of Quarters (CQ) one evening. I had never had someone of Rod’s personality and temperament in my life. He was like a breath of fresh air. To this day, I can honestly say that his kindness, generosity and work ethic were above and beyond any expectations I’d ever had of any man. There was nothing that he would not do for anyone, if it were within his power. Rod’s laid-back, even-tempered and compassionate characteristics set him apart.

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HM1 Laura Schmidt, U.S. Navy (1980-1992)

HM1 Laura Schmidt, U.S. Navy (1980-1992)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

Once upon a time… That’s how all love stories begin, isn’t it? Laura Grunst, a young servicewoman, was attending the Naval School of Health Sciences in Portsmouth, Virginia. She would spend her time studying with her classmate Angela at the base club. The bartender would let the two study in a private, quiet area with their books sprawled out on the table and pitchers of soda to keep them going.

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AGCS(NAWS) Terry L. Latham, U.S. Navy (1964-1992)

AGCS(NAWS) Terry L. Latham, U.S. Navy (1964-1992)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

It was only 9pm but I was in bed as my 12 hour watch started at 0800 and that meant a 6am getup and hour commute to downtown London on the tube. A knock on my door woke me up. I shuffled in my robe downstairs to the door and opened it up to find two blokes who I had met at the local pub standing there. “We pulled a couple of dolly birds in from the pub and told them this Yank had a party going on so they followed us here…can we bring them in?” I have to get up early….but they insisted…so…I left the door open and went back into my bedroom cautioning them …”Don’t leave a mess…don’t drink up all my booze.” About 30 minutes later I hear yelling and doors slamming and I get up…throw my robe on and go out into the hallway. The two blokes are in the hallway knocking on the closed bathroom door…and I could hear the sound of a female crying from inside the bathroom.

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Sgt Jeff Welch, U.S. Air Force (1986-1990)

Sgt Jeff Welch, U.S. Air Force (1986-1990)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

After Tech School, I went to Beale AFB to work on the SR-71 Blackbird. My first day at Beale, the Deputy Base Commander was speaking at a newcomers’ briefing and asked if anyone liked to sing. I raised my hand. He “ordered” me to come the following week to the “all ranks” choir practice. I showed up, and while singing, I spotted a beautiful 2nd Lieutenant, Sandee, on the other side of the choir. She came over to welcome me to the choir at the end. Over the next months, we talked after each practice. In the spring, we had a cookout for the choir, where I spent most of the time talking to her (we were not in uniform like we were at practices or events). We were together so much that day that the Base Commander (invited by his deputy) mistook us as “a couple.” Nobody there wanted to tell him that I was enlisted; he thought I was an officer. After that, I asked her out… “I mean, why not?” I said, “The Base Commander already thinks we are dating!” Very reluctantly, due to strict fraternization rules back then, she agreed we could meet at her apartment (off base) to talk more freely. I left the next morning as a contestant with my quartet, working our way up to the Air Force Worldwide Talent contest and trying out for the Air Force’s Tops In Blue entertainment showcase. We won 1st Place Vocal Group, and I was also selected to go on the 1987 tour of Tops In Blue!

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CPT Timothy Ford, U.S. Army (1982-1999)

CPT Timothy Ford, U.S. Army (1982-1999)

Did You Meet Your Spouse while Serving? How Did Your Story Begin, and What Challenges Did You Have to Overcome in Adjusting to Married Life in the Military?:

How a Disco, a Sergeant, and a Misaddressed Letter Got Me Married. I met my wife, Gerda, in the fall of 1985 while serving my first duty assignment with Delta Company, 2‑36 Infantry, 3rd Armored Division. I was a young private, still figuring out Army life, when I tagged along with my squad leader, Sergeant Dave, and a squad mate, Mike, to a Disco Tek in Wetzlar, Germany. I thought I was escaping the barracks for a night. What I didn’t know was that I had walked straight into what was meant to be a double date: Mike with Julie, and Dave with a young woman named Gerda.

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SGT Robert D. Pryor, U.S. Army (1967-1969)

SGT Robert D. Pryor, U.S. Army (1967-1969)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

As an advisor to Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) detachment A-344 at Bunard, Việt Nam, I witnessed unimaginable bravery and devotion to duty in the early morning darkness of 20 June 1969 from my US and CIDG comrades-in-arms. Việt Cong were overrunning our camp, intending to kill everyone, women and children included. To rescue them, I searched the spider holes where civilians hid, taking our CIDG interpreter along. As we approached the kill zone, he suggested trading places. After switching, a mortar round blew him apart.

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SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

In November 1976, I entered my first reenlistment after a year at Fort Dix and almost two in Hawaii. I chose West Point, NY because my family lived close by and my sister was stationed there as the first female MP assigned to West Point. Debi had entered the military in early 1973 as a way to “follow” our brother, who was then stationed in Germany. She and Bill were very close. I was the eldest, Bill second and Debi was the youngest; there were two years between each of us.

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CSM Michael H. Sweeney, U.S. Army (1969-1999)

CSM Michael H. Sweeney, U.S. Army (1969-1999)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

Choosing a single act of devotion or bravery from a nearly thirty-year peacetime career is difficult—there were so many. I could tell of a Criminal Investigation Division agent who, on my birthday in 1993, lay prone beside me while a distraught soldier fired through his barracks door with intent to kill. A bullet passed dangerously close; the agent shielded me and took minor wounds. He shrugged it off as another day’s duty. But for my purposes I want to tell a different story—one that illustrates sustained, quiet leadership and extraordinary devotion to soldiers’ welfare.

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TSgt Anne Arens, U.S. Air Force (1981-1993)

TSgt Anne Arens, U.S. Air Force (1981-1993)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

It’s not a story of horrific heroism, but one of quiet noble kindness. Basic training, Lackland AFB, 1980. Cheryl Deer was a runner, befitting her name. Judy Stingfield was not — she had asthma. We had to run a mile and a half within a specified amount of time and our TI had promised a reward for the airman with the fastest time. Cheryl was clearly the best in our flight. Cheryl sprinted past Judy, another basic buddy, Jodi, and me. As she did so, she saw that Judy was really struggling to breathe and beginning to fade. It was obvious Jodi and I were concerned about her as we encouraged her to take a break and rest. Cheryl could have kept going and beat everyone’s time by a long shot. Instead, Cheryl hung back and started coaching Judy how to breathe properly to relax her bronchial airways, allowing air to get into her lungs. Her encouragement got all of us to the finish line within the limit.

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SFC Elajiah Lynn Oyaski, U.S. Army (1994-2013)

SFC Elajiah Lynn Oyaski, U.S. Army (1994-2013)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

It was a week day in Iraq and our unit had only been in country for about 2 weeks. It was early, about 0330, when the first mortar came in. My 1SG blew her whistle as we all ran for the bunkers. All of us within the company made it to the bunkers except the 1SG and company commander for they were making sure we Soldiers were all in. I was in the middle of the bunker when I heard my company commander’s voice. I looked up to answer his roll call and immediately starting laughing. He asked what I was laughing at and I said, “sir! Did u forget something?” He answered yes as I asked, “where are your pants sir?” Then the other Soldiers looked up and some laughed but some were too shaken up to do so.

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AC2 Cedric Jr. McCoy, U.S. Navy (2000-2010)

AC2 Cedric Jr. McCoy, U.S. Navy (2000-2010)

Is There a Particular Incident You Can Recall Where a Person You Served with Demonstrated Extraordinary Devotion to Duty or Bravery? Please Describe What Happened and How This Impacted You:

I was temporarily assigned to the Honor Guard out of NAS Point Mugu, performing multiple funerals for our honorable veterans — but this one hit home. After folding the flag with a tender heart, I looked to my left following the rifle salute, and there he was — a decorated Vietnam veteran, walking slowly toward me. He took my hand firmly, looked me in the eyes, and said, “Thank you for burying my son with honor. Now I can die peacefully, knowing he was held high by our country.”

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