Joined the AF in '67 (I thought it was better than being drafted) as a maintenance tech. First duty station after tech school was with the 4531st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead AFB, FL with an F-4 fighter wing. In '68 we were ready to deploy to Phu Cat airbase. I mean really ready. All of our gear was already loaded on C-141's on the ground at the base. I had sent my car and personal belongings home to my folks and we were supposed to take off the next morning for Phu Cat when the USS Pueblo spy ship was captured by the North Koreans. All deployments were put on hold, we unloaded all of our gear, and went back to normal operations at Homestead, awaiting instructions from higher-ups. Fortunately for me, I later rotated out of TAC without getting deployed to Vietnam. I lost several high school friends who weren't so lucky. I salute all those who served both in Vietnam and the neighboring Asian countries that were just as nasty as Vietnam (but without combat pay), as well as our current members of the military
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In spite of all of the political crap going on today, I find it refreshing that people and companies are now recognizing active and veteran military members for their contributions to our country. That never happened when I was in the Air Force in the '60's and '70's. When I served during (not "in") Vietnam, things were much different. We were told not to wear our uniforms off base (this was in the U.S.A.) because people would attack us for being in the military and supporting the Vietnam war. We were young men and women that were doing our duty and serving our country. We didn't pick where we went or who we fought-that was done by Washington, but we were the visible symbol of that political activity. Times have changed, and I am glad.
Sorry for the soapbox.
John