I went to the dark side...

[SteelCitySooner]

I went and became ARMY...

After 16 years total as an Airman....ten years active duty enlisted and 6 years reserves as an officer....I took four years off because of civilain job committments.. I went IRR... Because of the economy and other reasons, I decided it was time to get back to the active reserves.. I only need four more years to earn a retirement..

The AF said I had to retake the GMAT, and board again for the MSC (medical service corp). The next board isn't until Jan 09... That was a huge dissappointment...so..

I talked to the Army recruiter. They had a position in Fort Meade MD, the XO position for the 47th CASH Headquarters Headquaters Division (whatever that means).. I put in my package....and was selected, out of 10 other applicatants for that position..

I keep my rank as Captain, and because of the constructive credit I've been given, I'll be a Major in a few months...

Last week, I took the oath. It's offishul. I'm in teh Army..... can't quite beleive it myself... This AF blue boy turned green..

Col Homey, afs, and Soonerstormchaser...don't give me too much ****.. :D

[SoonerStormchaser]

Goddammit...now I gotta call you "Sir" as well! :mad:

[OUHOMER]

Congrats,SteelCity. My son came home the other day, He is thinking about joining the Air National Guard. Dont know where he stands this week. I don't know where I stand on it either. At first the wife was all for it until i explained this ain't the boy scouts. Now his mother is not excited about it, when she found out there was always a possibility he would be put in harms way.

We will see what he decides, hes pretty sharp and I will support what ever he decides.

[Okla-homey]

GROOVY! and, FWIW, a CSH is a field hospital (combat support hospital). The term replaced Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH).

I hope you like doing your thing in a tent!:D

[olevetonahill]

GROOVY! and, FWIW, a CSH is a field hospital (combat support hospital). The term replaced Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH).

I hope you like doing your thing in a tent!:D

They Get a tent ?????? Thats got to Be better than a Poncho right .;)
Grats ya saw the Light .
Dont expect no flush toilets and A/c tho .:eek:

[olevetonahill]

Goddammit...now I gotta call you "Sir" as well! :mad:

You had to Call Him SIR before . Hell You Called ME sir and I was Only E-5 Till I cussed a captain out . :D

[olevetonahill]

I went and became ARMY...

After 16 years total as an Airman....ten years active duty enlisted and 6 years reserves as an officer....I took four years off because of civilain job committments.. I went IRR... Because of the economy and other reasons, I decided it was time to get back to the active reserves.. I only need four more years to earn a retirement..

The AF said I had to retake the GMAT, and board again for the MSC (medical service corp). The next board isn't until Jan 09... That was a huge dissappointment...so..

I talked to the Army recruiter. They had a position in Fort Meade MD, the XO position for the 47th CASH Headquarters Headquaters Division (whatever that means).. I put in my package....and was selected, out of 10 other applicatants for that position..

I keep my rank as Captain, and because of the constructive credit I've been given, I'll be a Major in a few months...

Last week, I took the oath. It's offishul. I'm in teh Army..... can't quite beleive it myself... This AF blue boy turned green..

Col Homey, afs, and Soonerstormchaser...don't give me too much ****.. :D

So yer saying Yer Frank Burns In a Mash ?:eek:

[frankensooner]

Frank Burns eats worms.





Oh, and congrats.

[C&CDean]

Over hill, over dale
We have hit the dusty trail,
And the Army goes marching along.
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about,
And the Army goes rolling along.

For it's hi! hi! hee!
In the field artillery,
Shout out your numbers loud and strong,
And where e'er you go,
You will always know
That the Army goes rolling along.


In the storm, in the night,
Action left or action right
See the Army go rolling along
Limber front, limber rear,
Prepare to mount your cannoneer
And the Army goes rolling along.


Was it high, was it low,
Where the hell did that one go?
As those Army goes rolling along
Was it left, was it right,
Now we won't get home tonight
And the Army goes rolling along.

[C&CDean]

"Prepare to mount your cannoneer???"

We never sung that **** when I was in.

[olevetonahill]

"Prepare to mount your cannoneer???"

We never sung that **** when I was in.

Do sound Kinda Chuck dont it ? :eek:

[SteelCitySooner]

Congrats,SteelCity. My son came home the other day, He is thinking about joining the Air National Guard. Dont know where he stands this week. I don't know where I stand on it either. At first the wife was all for it until i explained this ain't the boy scouts. Now his mother is not excited about it, when she found out there was always a possibility he would be put in harms way.

We will see what he decides, hes pretty sharp and I will support what ever he decides.


I have one son in the Air Force now stationed at Goodfellow, and another graduating high school this year that's already pre-enlisted into the AF. For anybody just beginning their military career, the AF is definitely the way to go... As far as him being him harms way, much of that depends on his job.. My oldest is in public health, so the chances of him being in harms way are slim to none.

[SteelCitySooner]

GROOVY! and, FWIW, a CSH is a field hospital (combat support hospital). The term replaced Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH).

I hope you like doing your thing in a tent!:D

heh, i knew what a CSH was but the whole 'headquarters headquarters' thing sounded kinda redundant to me. ;)

[SteelCitySooner]

The new Army uniforms (ACU's) rock! I went and picked up a few new sets yesterday. Everything is ready-to-wear.. Velcroe everything...name tags, ranks, patches... Nothing gets sewn on. The only thing I had to get 'made' was my name tags. A whole lot different from the BDU's, or even further dating myself, those pukey olive green things we wore when I first went in..

[Okla-homey]

heh, i knew what a CSH was but the whole 'headquarters headquarters' thing sounded kinda redundant to me. ;)

Here's a tip (I learned to speak Army when I spent a year attending their staff college at Leavneworth). USAF squadron = USA battalion.

AF squadron's have a "command section." Battalions typically have a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) in addition to the three or more companies that actually accomplish the mission. E.g., an Infantry battlion has an HHC and three or more rifle companies filled with trigger-pullers and mortar toters.

The CSH is a battalion-sized unit. Thus, it has a HHC where the CO, XO, CSM and all the administrative and personnel troopies hang out. Additionally, it'll have companies and/or sections composed of the various hospital specialties like anesthesia, med-surg, lab, pharmacy, dietary and food prep., maintenance, etc.

[soonerboomer93]

"Prepare to mount your cannoneer???"

We never sung that **** when I was in.

ssc sings that every night, only he says "prepare to mount your the hawt cannoneer"

[olevetonahill]

Here's a tip (I learned to speak Army when I spent a year attending their staff college at Leavneworth). USAF squadron = USA battalion.
I was Nevar sent To Leavenworth, Almost got to Visit LBJ once tho .:eek:

[SteelCitySooner]

Here's a tip (I learned to speak Army when I spent a year attending their staff college at Leavneworth). USAF squadron = USA battalion.

AF squadron's have a "command section." Battalions typically have a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) in addition to the three or more companies that actually accomplish the mission. E.g., an Infantry battlion has an HHC and three or more rifle companies filled with trigger-pullers and mortar toters.

The CSH is a battalion-sized unit. Thus, it has a HHC where the CO, XO, CSM and all the administrative and personnel troopies hang out. Additionally, it'll have companies and/or sections composed of the various hospital specialties like anesthesia, med-surg, lab, pharmacy, dietary and food prep., maintenance, etc.


Ahhhh.. Makes sense now. I am assigned to the HHC, which would make sense for an XO. So if Battalion = Squadron, does company = flight?

Watch out, I'll be fluent in Army before you know it.

[Okla-homey]

Ahhhh.. Makes sense now. I am assigned to the HHC, which would make sense for an XO. So if Battalion = Squadron, does company = flight?

Watch out, I'll be fluent in Army before you know it.

technically yes, but in reality, an Army company can have up to and even over 100 troopies. As you know, a flight hardly ever has that many d00ds.

I'm here for ya. Just ask if you have questions about blue to green. While I never left the USAF, I had enough Joint tours that I think I can provide useful insight into Army culture and organization.

Here's another tip: ask to go to jump school at Ft. Benning as soon as feasible. I went at age 40 and it wasn't bad if you're in shape. Those jump wings give muey street cred to "AF weenies" in Army circles. Trust me.

[badger]

I thought this was a confession thread for sitting among Pokes and Ducks last night at the Holiday Bowl with a giant "BOOMER SOONER" banner. Really, whoever did that needs to fess up so we can give him a big hug of green :)

[SteelCitySooner]

technically yes, but in reality, an Army company can have up to and even over 100 troopies. As you know, a flight hardly ever has that many d00ds.

I'm here for ya. Just ask if you have questions about blue to green. While I never left the USAF, I had enough Joint tours that I think I can provide useful insight into Army culture and organization.

Here's another tip: ask to go to jump school at Ft. Benning as soon as feasible. I went at age 40 and it wasn't bad if you're in shape. Those jump wings give muey street cred to "AF weenies" in Army circles. Trust me.

Then a battalion can be a hell of a lot bigger than a typical squadron right? Like Group or Wing size..? Organizational structure is definitely something I need to get caught up on.

This is going to be a hell of a culture shock. I was in the medical field for most of my AF career, although the last four years before I went IRR I moved over to the line as a com officer, working as an exec for a Mission Support Group. I thought that was a culture shock. :)

Do they let anyone do that jumpschool thing? I'd love to do that!

[Okla-homey]

Then a battalion can be a hell of a lot bigger than a typical squadron right? Like Group or Wing size..? Organizational structure is definitely something I need to get caught up on.

This is going to be a hell of a culture shock. I was in the medical field for most of my AF career, although the last four years before I went IRR I moved over to the line as a com officer, working as an exec for a Mission Support Group. I thought that was a culture shock. :)

Do they let anyone do that jumpschool thing? I'd love to do that!

Battalions can easily run to 500 soldiers. Two or more battalions normally compose a brigade. Brigades are commanded by 0-6's, -- not brigadier generals as one might think. Brigades are generally analogous to an AF wing and can easily have 3000 soldiers. The Army doesn't have that "group"-level intermediate organization. The next organization up is a division, commanded by a major general, made up of at least two but usually three line brigades, plus the logistics piece that is at least brigade-sized itself. The largest division in the Army is the 101st, which has five brigades (three infantry, one artillery, one aviation) plus a military intelligence (MI), signal (comm), cavalry, and MP battalion and the enormous logistics piece (maintenance, supply and medical collectively called the DISCOM) to support them all -- approximately 18,000 soldiers in all.

When I was a company-grade USAF officer, we had air divisions, made up of two or more wings, but the AF canned them because they didn't really add much except an additional layer of bureacracy. Not so in the Army. The division is the basic warfighting element and the first level you'll find a hospital. A brigade can be deployed separately, but it can't function without an attached battalion-sized support (logistics) piece that supplies beans and bullets -- which is cut loose and sent by the division.

Next up is the corps, commanded by a lieutenant general, made up of at least two, but usually four divisions and another layer of logistics stuff. If memory serves, the CSH is normally a corps-level asset assigned to serve more than one division on the battlefield. Get used to the notion of the various command echelons above. There are med people assigned at every level down to battalion, but a battalion aid station is normally only 20 or so med troops led by a battalion surgeon and assigned to the battalion headquarters.

As far as jump school goes, your commander can get you a slot, as long as he's willing to pay for the three-week TDY to lovely Ft Benning in Columbus GA which is about an hour south of ATL.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Mmmmmm...Benning, about as luxurious a destination as lovely Maxwell AFB is to us ossifers in blues.

[afs]

Uncheck from Buddy List - new name to Ignore.

done.

[MarylandGator]

I went and became ARMY...

After 16 years total as an Airman....ten years active duty enlisted and 6 years reserves as an officer....I took four years off because of civilain job committments.. I went IRR... Because of the economy and other reasons, I decided it was time to get back to the active reserves.. I only need four more years to earn a retirement..

The AF said I had to retake the GMAT, and board again for the MSC (medical service corp). The next board isn't until Jan 09... That was a huge dissappointment...so..

I talked to the Army recruiter. They had a position in Fort Meade MD, the XO position for the 47th CASH Headquarters Headquaters Division (whatever that means).. I put in my package....and was selected, out of 10 other applicatants for that position..

I keep my rank as Captain, and because of the constructive credit I've been given, I'll be a Major in a few months...

Last week, I took the oath. It's offishul. I'm in teh Army..... can't quite beleive it myself... This AF blue boy turned green..

Col Homey, afs, and Soonerstormchaser...don't give me too much ****.. :D

its a great area. a lot of things to do. great places to see. central to a lot of interesting cities.

[StoopTroup]

I had a Friend that was a Lt. in the Navy and stationed in Washington for a time. He and his Wife (also in the Navy) regretted that they didn't tkae the time to visit the Smithsonian and the other sites and Memorials more while they were there.

MarylandGator is absolutely right about the location. I'd like to take my Kids there when they are a little bit older. It's to bad more Schools don't offer trips to DC as an incentive to good Students. It's a place you'll never forget once you've been there. At least it was for me.

[MarylandGator]

I had a Friend that was a Lt. in the Navy and stationed in Washington for a time. He and his Wife (also in the Navy) regretted that they didn't tkae the time to visit the Smithsonian and the other sites and Memorials more while they were there.

MarylandGator is absolutely right about the location. I'd like to take my Kids there when they are a little bit older. It's to bad more Schools don't offer trips to DC as an incentive to good Students. It's a place you'll never forget once you've been there. At least it was for me.

agreed. aside from the obvious things to do, there are a lot of great parks as well. blue ridge mountains are amazing.

[SteelCitySooner]

agreed. aside from the obvious things to do, there are a lot of great parks as well. blue ridge mountains are amazing.

I'm in DC all the time for my civilian job; so I am somewhat familiar with that. That part of MD isn't familiar to me though so I look forward to exploring the area..

[SteelCitySooner]

Mmmmmm...Benning, about as luxurious a destination as lovely Maxwell AFB is to us ossifers in blues.

uhhh..i know exactly what you're talking about. I spent 8 weeks at Maxwell (Gunter Annex) a few years back.

[afs]

Congrats on joining back up. How long until you get sent overseas?

[Okla-homey]

I'm in DC all the time for my civilian job; so I am somewhat familiar with that. That part of MD isn't familiar to me though so I look forward to exploring the area..

If you dig Civil War history, you will be at its epicenter and within a couple hours drives tops of every major battlefield in the eastern theater of the war.

You could take them in chronological order by starting with First Bull Run/Manassas (now basically a suburb of Washington) and go from there.

That would be good for a lot of wonderful Saturdays over the next couple years if the family is game.

[SteelCitySooner]

Congrats on joining back up. How long until you get sent overseas?

heh... who knows.. I haven't even been to the new unit yet. I should be getting my orders in the next week or so..delay during the holidays I guess. But I'm expecting to do my first weekend sometime in Feb.

I did here that the unit just came off their deployment, so they should be good for a few years at least.

[SteelCitySooner]

If you dig Civil War history, you will be at its epicenter and within a couple hours drives tops of every major battlefield in the eastern theater of the war.

You could take them in chronological order by starting with First Bull Run/Manassas (now basically a suburb of Washington) and go from there.

That would be good for a lot of wonderful Saturdays over the next couple years if the family is game.

Yeah I do. I really enjoyed checking out Gettysburg a while back.. Spent two days there and still felt the need to go back and see/learn more of what happened that weekend. There's nothing like standing in the actual ground, seeing what they saw during those incredible battles.

[StoopTroup]

My Dad and I are going to Pennsylvania sometime this year. I've got some Family up there and they have been a part of reenactments for years. Dad loves that stuff and wants to share it with me.

I'm looking forward to it.

[SteelCitySooner]

My Dad and I are going to Pennsylvania sometime this year. I've got some Family up there and they have been a part of reenactments for years. Dad loves that stuff and wants to share it with me.

I'm looking forward to it.

That would be a great trip with your Dad. It's quite amazing looking down that hill at treeline where Picketts Charge began. You are on sacrad ground and you profoundly feel it..

[Rogue]

So, you decided to join the military this time? :D