Re: CQ CQ CQ
By: Don Vally to DENNIS SCOTT on Thu Mar 16 2023 08:07 am

Your job sounds harder to me, you actually had to do some problem
solving! Just a quick aside, what was your MOS?

Well, the learning side was a little difficult I guess. I went to a year of tech school for electronics before cross training in the Air Force over to Communications. Then that course was another year and of course that's only the beginning as every assignment had new types of fixed and portable transmitter/receivers and ancillary equipment like consoles, ATIS, video and audio recorders, etc. But, none of it was hard, quite the opposite really. I enjoyed it, got to travel all over the world and even got a little bit of money each month for my troubles.

I had one assignment to Kelley AFB in Texas, at that time, headquarters for electronic security command - the super secret Air Force command for people sort of like what you did but by that time (1990's) it was mainly audio and data that they were listening to/monitored. I hated entering that complex as the security was unbelievable with multilevels of entry points, guards at all hallways and stairs, and even the cables had to run outside the walls in color coded conduit. No windows, etc. No, man, you can have that crap, I hated it, so I retired and resumed my next life.

In the Air Force, it was not a MOS, it was an AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code). I was a 30494, Two Way Communications Tech. The comparable MOS would probably be a depot level repair tech for field radios like VRC-46's, PRC-66's, or fixed base radios like KWM-2A's, etc, all of which I have repaired at some point in my career. I don't know if they still use AFSC's or not. Things have changed so much in the military now...

Anyhow, thanks for your service!! It was guys like you that kept us safe at night whether most people knew it or not.

Cheers,
Dennis

Quoting Dennis Scott to Don Vally <=-

hard, quite the opposite really. I enjoyed it, got to travel all over
the world and even got a little bit of money each month for my
troubles.

I did enjoy traveling while in the service. I was stationed in
Europe for 9 years. Travelled to Spain, Italy, England,
Switzerland and other places. Most people would take their leave
time and go back to the states. I thought, I'll never be here again
I should travel as much as I can. I don't regret the service or
time I spent in the military. I learned how to be an adult there.
It instills something in people that I don't see today.

headquarters for electronic security command - the super secret Air
Force command for people sort of like what you did but by that time (1990's) it was mainly audio and data that they were listening to/monitored.

We called them SCIF's in the Army (Secure Confidential Information Facilities).

Anyhow, thanks for your service!! It was guys like you that kept us
safe at night whether most people knew it or not.

I know it's cliche, but thank you for your service! It's strange,
my dad was in the Army and he was in a Nike-Ajax ADA unit. If you
look back on it now, all those people doing all those jobs that no
one ever thought about. Ever vigilant.

Thanks for the memories Dennis...

... Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

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Re: Military Radio
By: Don Vally to DENNIS SCOTT on Sun Mar 19 2023 08:59 am

time I spent in the military. I learned how to be an adult there.
It instills something in people that I don't see today.

It's a shame really that many young people don't desire to go into the military. I was 17 when I entered and exactly as you said, became an adult while in. I think we may get to the point that the draft needs to be implemented again. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

Cheers,
Dennis, KD4LLC
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Don,

I did enjoy traveling while in the service. I was stationed in
Europe for 9 years. Travelled to Spain, Italy, England,
Switzerland and other places. Most people would take their leave
time and go back to the states. I thought, I'll never be here again
I should travel as much as I can. I don't regret the service or
time I spent in the military. I learned how to be an adult there.

Thank you for your service.

My late father was in the US Submarine Service during World War II,
and he retired 20 years before his death as an E-9 Master Chief Petty
Officer.

I never would've passed the physical, due to extremely poor eyesight,
and I was born with no arches in my feet.

I had to have surgery when I was 11, then learn to walk, etc. all over again. Years later, I had to undergo bone spur (plantar fasciitis) surgery
in both feet...and wore special shoes for 6 weeks.

Then, the nearsightedness progressed to cataracts, and I had to have
surgery for that (I was unable to drive at night when I was only 35). While the cataracts have been taken care of, dry corneas causing blurred vision,
and leading to suspect glaucoma, made me give up all driving last summer.

I have the utmost respect for veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, etc.

However, for the politicians, it's utter contempt.

Daryl

... Sorry I didn't post in time. The dog ate my .REP packet.
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