David Fetty, 17 years old, US Army Reception station, Ft Knox, KY, Mar, 1971
There is always a period in everyone's life that is a paradigm shift in how they view the world. Mine was the Military. I saw the world, and made friends I'll never forget. Some of them may not even know they were friends, but they've not been forgotten. Below are some of them, and hopefully, I'll set up some way for us to stay in touch, and find each other through these pages. You may just have to suffer through some of the stories to go along with the pics. :)
2/327th Infantry Batallion
1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Push ball Champs! 1975
Shown from left to right:
Sgt Wyman : Lt Robert Schwenne : Pv2 Vance : Sp4 "Wally" Wahlstrom : Cpl Combs : Pv2 Cannon : Sgt Moore : Sgt Rhone : Sp4 Moss : Pv2 Ramos : Sp4 Pearson
Cpl William Jacobs : Sp4 James Clemmons : Sp4 Harrel : PFC Campeau : Pv2 Smiley : Pv2 Welch : Sp4 Robert Weston : PFC Abner : Pv2 Matthew Kozatek : Sp4 Tikkannen : Sgt David Fetty
For those of you who don't know what push ball is, well, imagine a 6 ft ball, two teams, and the idea is for each team to push the ball through the goal of a football sized field. The rules are.... You push the ball thru the goal. No other rules. Penalties? PENALTIES? We don't need no steenking penalties.And yea, we had injuries. In fact, Push ball, and Combat football was banned not too much later because so many of us were getting hurt, we weren't totally mission capable. Combat football? Two team, two balls, about 100 people on the field, the rules? Same as push ball... You get the ball thru the goal, no huddles, no downs, no plays.
SP 4 (Now LTC ) Dale Fair with an MRAP in Iraq, 2008
Dale Fair was our company clerk for most of the mid '70s. A knowledgeable warrior with a drive and desire to always be the best. Clerk is not a good way to describe Dale, where else would you ever find a clerk who went to Sniper School, earned one of the first 500 sets of Air Assault wings ever awarded, and the desire to always be with the troops. Dale has continued in Military, and today is a well respected officer still protecting our liberties, and continuing the practice of being with the troops, not sitting in an office as a REMF.
SSGT Gary T. Williams, Sgt Richard Wahlstrom, PV2 Richard Rice, and SSGT David Fetty, completing a 12 K road march. Actual Date was Jan 23, 1976
The squad: From left: SSGT Gary Williams, PFC Thom Rodriguez, SGT Wahlstrom, PV2 Dave McKinley, PFC Moya, PV2 Rice, SP4 Matt Kozatek, SP4 Michael (Doc) Wright.
How cold was it? Left to right: Cpl Robert Weston, SSGT Dave Fetty PV2 Dave McKinley, PFC Thom Rodriguez
The pictures above are from an ARTEP that's fixed in everyone's mind who was present... At one point it was 20 below zero, the Bn Commander called for our bulldog to be brought indoors, it was too cold for him to remain outside, but the entire BN stayed in the field. The first two pictures are of a 12 K road march, with equipment, moving into a combined fire demonstration. Each unit was competing for best time. We took it, and set the new record. It was also during this ARTEP that I got hold of a faulty grenade simulator, was supposed to have a 5 second delay, and it had none. Yea, I do still have my hand, but just barely.
Our Company commander during this time was CPT Lance E (Skippy) Booth, who expected the best out of us, and got all we had to give, willingly. We would do a 4 mile run every morning, with rucks loaded with a minimum of 25 lbs, and in combat boots. At the time we didn't understand, but when it came to hard times, WE pulled thru, while the others suffered. CPT Booth was a real firebrand, and regardless of what he asked us to do, he COULD do it, and when you have someone of a lesser size than you, and missing a lung, well, what do YOU have to complain about? CPT Booth retired as a Full Colonel, and even today continues to train foreign SF troops as a contract employee.
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When a Veteran leaves the 'job' and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased, and others, who may have already retired, wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know.
1. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times.
2. We know in the Military life there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet.
3. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his life. We also know how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.
These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the Military world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing.
Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You are only escaping the 'job' and merely being allowed to leave 'active' duty.
So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.
NOW! Civilian Friends vs. Veteran Friends Comparisons
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a week.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will happily carry on the same conversation you were having the last time you met.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Have cried with you.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will kick the crowd's ass that left you behind.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Are for life.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences...
VETERAN FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no citizen could ever dream of...
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, 'You better drink the rest of that before you spill it!' Then carry you home safely and put you to bed...
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will knock them the hell out OF THEM...for using your name in vain.
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A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or reserve- is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The Government of the United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life'. . . and military wives are as much veterans as their
spouses.
From one Veteran to another, it's an honor to be in your company. Thank you Veterans.
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Comments Welcome! Looking for someone, put them here, found someone, add their e-mail so we can contact them. |
SSG Dave Fetty e-mail Buckneccid@Yahoo.com
SSG John R Thomas e-mail Thomas.JohnR@Yahoo.com
CPL Matt Kozatek e-mail kozzy75@verizon.net or matthew.kozatek@us.army.mil
SP4 Dale Fair e-mail dale.fair@us.army.mil