I can't forget the Carter years; a Vance/Christopher State Department (many stories about that fiasco, right 3/7 guys from that era?). Also, as a Company Commander in the 101st in '77, I pulled up to the post (AAFES) gas station and paid cash to fill up in my jeep. I had troops in the field and couldn't get fuel.

Carter Years
 

Jumps on Ft Bragg were at the near DZs because no fuel for transport.

DZ Party Jeep, Med Jeep and the Chute truck w/trailer. Jumpers walked back to save money.

Ahhh...the Carter years. I was in 1/10th and 1/7th during those years. The 1/10th was 'locked in' as the only game in town for USAREUR and the 7th--thanks to the initiatives of GEN Abrams and COL Healey--was supposed to disappear during that time. However, some very clever and future minded GOs (Vessey and Meyer)--combined with the core of senior SF-oriented leadership (Lutz and Norton and Cincotti)--managed to keep it by playing a funding/manning "shell game" until events overcame the desire of many to see it go away.

One thing during those times, we became very 'tight' in a clannish 'us against the world' way and very good at creative 'alternative funding' to support our training/mission needs. ;)

Richard's $.02 :munchin

I still have the blisters.

I didn't mind no fuel, or training funds, or missions, I minded the spineless way in which the carter administration handeled state sponsored terrorism.

I minded the United States of America looking like a country of cowards and our people held by the iranians for 444 days.

The thought of it just makes me want to puke. blowjob bill clinton was no better, any one of us in uniform would have faced severe punishment for what he did in the oval office. I didn't mind him being an idiot, I minded him being a national/international disgrace. He should have been thrown from the office and jailed.

Team Sergeant