I am following the instructions of introducing myself for a first post.
I retired from Active Duty in 2004. I was an Armor & Mech IN guy for a while, then left AD to go to Seminary and returned back to AD 4 years later (1980) as a Chaplain. I was the 1st Group Chaplain when they were first re-activated, (in the old WWII buildings of North Fort). I felt privileged to be in Group--those were Interesting days--like when the CSM for 3rd BN shot the Team Sgts dog in front of the formation. (a bunch of us were climbing Ranier on that day)
COL. B was good to me--I was pretty inexperienced to be the Group Chaplain--shoot--I was also the only Chaplain at the time. I hadn't quite learned yet to think "outside the box". Being in Group fixed that for me--but that "thinking outside the box" would go on to make me a PITA to my Bosses when I went back to the conventional Army........
I am here, now, because I just started (last week) the Laurel Reserve Police Academy (for our Sheriff's Dept). At 61
I'm the oldest guy in the class by about 15+ years. Our county is 1,800+ sq miles, with only a few Deputies. I don't expect to be kicking down doors anytime soon, but I may end up clearing buildings, checking alarms, etc, etc. So I will be coming back occasionally with questions about procedures, etc.
As to gear questions--when we graduate from the Academy in May, we get issued one uniform and a badge, and can used previously donated level IIIA vests--all the other gear, we buy ourselves. I figure I'll just use one of my Kimbers for a duty weapon, and I already have a Lewis Machine & Tool AR w/ Aimpoint T-1. I will be checking back in, looking for advice about tactical vests, rifle plates, lights for my AR etc.
Thanks for letting me pick your brains.........