Com-Central.net

Just found this photo in the 'Dust Bowl' at NTC, in July 1993. During Tank turn in, a "young, hard working" E-5, found out he had made E-6 promotion.

Remarks to the photographer, as a cheesie pose is struck,..."Hurry up and take the da** picture,.....I'm busy!!"

Can anyone pick out some quite interesting items in the photograph?

Explaination to follow....

The three tone camo on the M1s? The track block between the 2nd & 3rd rear road wheels? The rear road whee jacked off the track? I have no idea what the two racks are for over the guy's right shoulder.

Oh, and most important of all, he doesn't appear to be wearing his wedding ring and his wife will kill him when she see the picture.

Is that what you were looking for?

Paul

- tankmodeler

The three tone camo on the M1s? The track block between the 2nd & 3rd rear road wheels? The rear road whee jacked off the track? I have no idea what the two racks are for over the guy's right shoulder.

Oh, and most important of all, he doesn't appear to be wearing his wedding ring and his wife will kill him when she see the picture.

Is that what you were looking for?

Paul

HAHAHA...

Good observations:

Actually I didn't get remarried till a year later (1st divorce was in the works at the time...)

I never wore rings while 'on the job'. Its a good way to have fingers 'pulled off'.

The tanks are the old standard M1A1 draw tanks. The raised roadwheel was to replace it. Using a 'dogbone' to 'lift' the arm for removal.

Is the engine grill hatch thingy (please excuse me for not knowing its proper name) open? Is the engine being serviced?

(I also noticed that the tanker in the photo is out in broad daylight and casts a shadow, indicating he is probably not a vampire.)

- Jinx

Is the engine grill hatch thingy (please excuse me for not knowing its proper name) open? Is the engine being serviced?

(I also noticed that the tanker in the photo is out in broad daylight and casts a shadow, indicating he is probably not a vampire.)

I AM NOT A VAMPIRE!!!

Actually the rear grill is open to facilitate one of the many turn-in inspections one must go thru to turn in the issued 'loaner' tank.

All of the work is compounded by the fact one can't go home until the tanks are turned in, so ones motivation is of 'legandary' status.

"I never wore rings while 'on the job'. Its a good way to have fingers 'pulled off'."

Same rule on the Flightline. In fact we were not supposed to wear wristwatches (Electrical safety hazard), same with metal frame glasses. So we all had standard GI plastic frame glasses we wore at work.

To this day I still don't wear rings or wristwatches

- Dontos

[
I never wore rings while 'on the job'. Its a good way to have fingers 'pulled off'.

I see you viewed the same gruesome films and pics of avulsed fingers that I did...

No prohibition against wearing a codpiece though, apparently, as seems to be in evidence in the pic!

I also noticed that the tanker in the photo is out in broad daylight and casts a shadow, indicating he is probably not a vampire.

Probably "Photoshopped" in...., or could be a "daywalker"

- Doug_Kibbey

- Dontos

[
I never wore rings while 'on the job'. Its a good way to have fingers 'pulled off'.

I see you viewed the same gruesome films and pics of avulsed fingers that I did...

No prohibition against wearing a codpiece though, apparently, as seems to be in evidence in the pic!

I also noticed that the tanker in the photo is out in broad daylight and casts a shadow, indicating he is probably not a vampire.

Probably "Photoshopped" in...., or could be a "daywalker"

...Codpiece...?? whats that?

No photoshop here....Just sun, fun, and a whole lot of dust... There are a few on this site who may also have been on this rotation with 3/8 CAV, 1st Cav Div in June/July 1993.

This rotation was also one of 'armor developmental' note....anyone??

- tankmodeler

I have no idea what the two racks are for over the guy's right shoulder.

Thats what I was eluding to, Good catch Paul!!

That's a system using blank shot gun shells in a box, which are remotely detonated when a vehicle is in an Artillery impact area.

A warning 'whistle' goes off and then one of the flash charges detonates.

Someones bright idea. We knew it as 'Cat Eyes'.

- Dontos

- Jinx

Is the engine grill hatch thingy (please excuse me for not knowing its proper name) open? Is the engine being serviced?

(I also noticed that the tanker in the photo is out in broad daylight and casts a shadow, indicating he is probably not a vampire.)

I AM NOT A VAMPIRE!!!

This is good news.

Hey, look! Free honey-garlic sausages! Let's go get some!

(Aside to moderator: this is a trick question. Don't tell him.)

Actually the rear grill is open to facilitate one of the many turn-in inspections one must go thru to turn in the issued 'loaner' tank.

All of the work is compounded by the fact one can't go home until the tanks are turned in, so ones motivation is of 'legandary' status.

Soooo.....did you get your deposit back?

What unit were you with at the time. Summer of 93 I was at the NTC as well with 24th ID, 2-7 Inf. I remember the tri-colored NTC "loaner" vehicles. Those Mortar tracks were some of the rattiest tracks I had ever TC'd. During turn-in I became verbally abusive to one of the civilian mechanics. A Major that was passing by actually got between us because I was calling him a "liar" about the vehicles dead-lines that he said we had to fix. I had listed them as dead-lines when we drew the vehicle and he said they were'nt at that time. But when we went to turn them in, suddenly they were deadlines. Being that I never lost the original 2404, (5988's were'nt used yet) I was right, he was wrong, and they had to take the vehicle. If I remember correctly, my driver and I found some 70 or so faults, with over 50 being dead-lines when we drew the vehicle. Now that so many units "home vehicles" are equiped with computers and other high-tech gear, loaner armor is basically non-existant. Now its all trailers and wheeled vehicles that are mainly loaned. That area of the dust-bowl is now all paved with bright lighting for 24hr ops during turn-in. Quite a change from just 12 years ago.
BTW, you do cut a quite dashing pose!haha.

- SFC_Jeff_Button

What unit were you with at the time.

I was in 3/8 CAV, 1st CAV at the time.

I was on the last manifested flight out, voluntarily, to assist in the turn-in of tanks. One of those, run from the RUFMA to the MCC, change into clean uniform, spray paint the trashed boots, and get on the bus type of deals.

The pose is caused by sleep deprivation, and exposure to the sun... (thats my story,...and I'm sticking to it)

If I remember correctly 24th ID along with 101st AB were rotating in for the next cycle, to do a Heavy / Light rotation.

I heard they 'lost' a Bradly to a 'wadi' roll over.

- Doug_Kibbey

- Dontos

[
I never wore rings while 'on the job'. Its a good way to have fingers 'pulled off'.

I see you viewed the same gruesome films and pics of avulsed fingers that I did...

It wasn't always just films or pics. During my C-130 days we had a crew chief lose his ring finger that way. He put out his hand to steady himself as he jumped down off the cargo ramp. His wedding ring snagged a static line clip and his finger gave before the rivets did. Also had a coworker in my shop have a finger amputated while working in a main landing gear wheelwell. The plane was on jacks with the gear lowered. He put his hand in the wrong place when hydraulic pressure was released on the system and the gear dropped a couple of inches to the stops, slicing off his finger in the process.

David

- Dontos

I was in 3/8 CAV, 1st CAV at the time.

We definitely were suffering under the same sun in TX. I was the BMO for 3-32 AR when we became 1-12 CAV and eventually commanded a tank company there too. I eventually became the HHC Cdr for 215th in 95-96. I think I did 4 NTC rotations in 4 years, 2 as BMO, 1 as line co cdr, 1 as HHC cdr.

- Sabot

We definitely were suffering under the same sun in TX. I was the BMO for 3-32 AR when we became 1-12 CAV and eventually commanded a tank company there too. I eventually became the HHC Cdr for 215th in 95-96. I think I did 4 NTC rotations in 4 years, 2 as BMO, 1 as line co cdr, 1 as HHC cdr.

I've done time in all 3 Bdes of 1st Cav, in my time:

1st Bde, 2/5 CAV: 85-86 (COHORT)
3rd Bde, 3/8 CAV: 92-94
2nd Bde, 2/12 CAV: 98-01

Guess I couldn't be anything else but CAV. My Dad served in 1st Cav in Vietnam 65-66.

"Living the Legend"