| Don't know why, but I never took many pictures while in the Army Reserve. At the time I signed up with Uncle Sam, the duty commitment was eight years, two to six active duty, and the balance reserve. Reserve duty could be active or inactive (Individual Ready Reserve). I was active reserve. Because my Airborne unit had a defense mission not related to the Persian Gulf, I wasn't sent there. But I was in Airborne school during the heat of the build-up. Here's just three pictures from then (December 1990), at another base straddling the state line of two states — |
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| Here we are loading onto the C-130, I believe, (a standard Airborne
plane). This is maybe my third time. On the first flight, I had been
toward the middle of the second stick, which got cut off, and we had to
make a full new pass. So on my first jump, I was In The Door
looking at all the small cars, roads, trees, and just in there . . . in
that door . . . waiting. A sergeant like myself was expected to perform,
so I had to keep steeled-up in what seemed like an eternal wait. Go! (Voom!) The horizon tilts, it seemed, 45 degrees or more sideways. Then quiet. Think! Check risers, et cetera. Then comes the ground. PLF (balls of the feet—calve—thigh—butt—side—shoulder {repeat, if necessary} ). My first landing, "Welcome to the Ground" was more like (Wham !) feet-ass-head (Awwww!). Not the greatest, but I made it! It was way easier the second time around. Always that thump, though. |
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| Here I am parachuting to the ground. We land in Alabama. Unfortunately I had accidentally driven into Alabama by mistake on a weekend jaunt; otherwise I might have been able to say the first time I arrived in Alabama was by parachute. Because of weather delays, I had to spend Christmas at Fort Benning. Another soldier, Ellis (from Pennsy, can you believe it?), and I drove to Atlanta to chill out on Christmas eve. I was always trying to keep him out of trouble. He made it too. Sergeant's mission successful. |
Wings, Finally.Of Course, That's Nothing compared to what our military is doing in Afghanistan & Iraq today.SALUTE ! ! ! |
