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russn · 06-12-2019, 15:21

I graduated from SFTG in 1968.

Before that I spent three years majoring in electrical engineering and working offshore in the summers before dropping out and joining the Army. My father’s oilfield work moved us around a lot and along the way I’d learned to speak some Spanish.

I was recruited on graduation from basic at Ft. Polk, did 12B AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood followed by jump school at Benning and then SFTG as an 05B. I can still copy CW, though a lot more slowly than back then, and I still remember the GRC109 as well as how much that damned generator weighed in the field.

Then it was TDY to DLIEC at Ft. Myer where I improved my Spanish followed by assignment to the 8th Group at Gulick. Graduated from AFTSS there, along with the NCO Academy.

Looking back I have no idea why, but I volunteered for Nam and requested assignment to the 5th group. When I got to Bien Hoa the Army had other ideas. They assigned me to Co F, 75th Rangers as a LRRP team leader. Being smart people, the Rangers sent me to Recondo School in Nha Trang before they’d trust me with a team – a good thing.

After graduating from Recondo school I ran LRRP operations out of Cu Chi until ETS in 1970. I intended to go back to school when I got out, but college life looked like a bad fit so I went back to work offshore, another good thing.

When I came back to school a year later I had a better attitude and a very committed approach as well as a wife and the GI Bill. I worked part time while earning a BS in marketing and used the rest of the GI Bill to get my MBA.

I was a graduate assistant for a marketing professor while working on my masters, and the two of us started a Midwestern B to B ad agency & direct mail firm when I got out of school. Seventeen years later I sold out and returned to Louisiana where I started another ad agency, this time with a more industrial focus, and today I’m semi-retired, staying in decent shape for an old man and enjoying life.

I’m here to listen and learn about how much things have changed in the last 50 years, and to continue to be amazed at how much better trained, better equipped and more fit you all are than I was.

Thanks for reading this.

De Oppresso Liber

06-12-2019, 15:21	#2523
russn Asset Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 9	Introduction I graduated from SFTG in 1968. Before that I spent three years majoring in electrical engineering and working offshore in the summers before dropping out and joining the Army. My father’s oilfield work moved us around a lot and along the way I’d learned to speak some Spanish. I was recruited on graduation from basic at Ft. Polk, did 12B AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood followed by jump school at Benning and then SFTG as an 05B. I can still copy CW, though a lot more slowly than back then, and I still remember the GRC109 as well as how much that damned generator weighed in the field. Then it was TDY to DLIEC at Ft. Myer where I improved my Spanish followed by assignment to the 8th Group at Gulick. Graduated from AFTSS there, along with the NCO Academy. Looking back I have no idea why, but I volunteered for Nam and requested assignment to the 5th group. When I got to Bien Hoa the Army had other ideas. They assigned me to Co F, 75th Rangers as a LRRP team leader. Being smart people, the Rangers sent me to Recondo School in Nha Trang before they’d trust me with a team – a good thing. After graduating from Recondo school I ran LRRP operations out of Cu Chi until ETS in 1970. I intended to go back to school when I got out, but college life looked like a bad fit so I went back to work offshore, another good thing. When I came back to school a year later I had a better attitude and a very committed approach as well as a wife and the GI Bill. I worked part time while earning a BS in marketing and used the rest of the GI Bill to get my MBA. I was a graduate assistant for a marketing professor while working on my masters, and the two of us started a Midwestern B to B ad agency & direct mail firm when I got out of school. Seventeen years later I sold out and returned to Louisiana where I started another ad agency, this time with a more industrial focus, and today I’m semi-retired, staying in decent shape for an old man and enjoying life. I’m here to listen and learn about how much things have changed in the last 50 years, and to continue to be amazed at how much better trained, better equipped and more fit you all are than I was. Thanks for reading this. De Oppresso Liber
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