How many of the players have done military service

czerpak · Post by **czerpak** » Mon May 20, 2002 1:53 pm

All ex-comunist countries still with drafts. In Poland we have 2 or 3 profi units like GROM (considered one of the best special force in Europe, we only lack cargo planes to transport them, last time we had to borrow Antonow from Ukraine LOL ) and our version of Navy Seals.
But every year they increase number of volunteers in the army - simple reason, they are cheaper.

Sardaukar · Post by **Sardaukar** » Mon May 20, 2002 10:35 pm

Originally posted by Ed Cogburn

Question from an ignorant American: How many European armies still rely on a draft system? Which countries have gone to an all-volunteer force?

Finland has the mandatory service for all males (almost 90 % serve). Females can volunteer.

Cheers,

M.S.

Chairman · Post by **Chairman** » Mon May 20, 2002 11:59 pm

Sweden
In theory all males from 18-20 do their military sevice, a lot dont do it anymore due to money problems. Many of those that do it will not get enough training to stay alive during a war, their is a proposal to shorten the training to 6 month and put them into the "hemvärnet" = homeguard, the only part of the Royal Swedish army that are in a good shape would be the Navy and airforce, even those feel the money problems.

Josans · Post by **Josans** » Tue May 21, 2002 1:00 am

Originally posted by Ed Cogburn

Question from an ignorant American: How many European armies still rely on a draft system? Which countries have gone to an all-volunteer force?

In Spain the draft system have finished this year. A profesional army we have now that includes a mechanized brigade to join the fast response Army from EU.

Stefdragon · Post by **Stefdragon** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 8:25 pm

I've never been in uniform but...
My parents were American Diplomats of Slavic descent (Croat/Pol, Pittsburgh, PA), stationed in the Embassy in Trieste, Italy. Back then in '52, it was an Open City (given to Italy in 1954), divided into American, French, and British Sectors, just like West Berlin.
I was born at the Army Hospital in the American Sector. The Doctor who delivered and subsequently "slapped" me, was a U.S. Army Major. I was indignant. I was naked, wet, upside down, and assaulted by an officer, but all I could do was.....cry.
Apparently an officer named George something during WWII had slapped a soldier, and was severely reprimanded. But heck, I wasn't a soldier, I wasn't even wearing clothes. I was the only boy in the Army nursery with six girls! (The rest my friends is history.) We even got a write-up in that week's regional edition of "Stars and Stripes". After six months in Trieste we were off to the Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia for eighteen months, then to Manhattan as civilians, where I've been ever since.
In 1980 I received a letter from the U.S. State Department with a health questionaire, informing me that as a resident of an American Embassy in a Soviet controlled country in the 1950's, I had been microwaved on a number of occasions. I wrote back and said I had no medical problems, but that I often wondered why in my personal relationships, I always felt like I was... leftovers. Also when my friends would feel hot in the Sun, I always felt...reheated. All this before I was two! Do I qualify?

MB00 · Post by **MB00** » Wed Aug 14, 2002 4:17 pm

Somehow, i managed to skip by the enlistment desks....
to an office job in Fed Govt of Canada.

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Thu Aug 15, 2002 11:40 am

Luftwaffen Sicherungskompanie 143 F
+ 14. TSLW / der Luftwaffe2
+ Flugabwehr Raketengruppe 38 (Hawk)

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Thu Aug 15, 2002 11:50 am

thinking of the poor tank crews in the russian winters
or at the snowy ardennes......

Originally posted by LargeSlowTarget

One last anecdote: I served on a tank with no heating (for lack of spare parts) and of course we went on an exercise in a pretty cold January week. We had to use 'my' tank because of my company's 13 tanks 7 (!) were disabled with engine/tracks/electronics trouble (and waiting for spare parts). Imagine how cold it gets inside a steel hull after a few hours below zero degrees celsius. Soon my comrades & me were known as the 'Born to freeze'-crew . The gunner was lucky though - the gunner's seat is next to the hydraulics for the gun, so it was less cold (can't call it warmth) down there. Well, in the end it turned out to be a great exercise - after two days my platoon leader dedided to have the crews of my platoon change the tanks, so each crew had to spend some time on 'my' Leo without heating. Within each crew the turret guys (commander, gunner, loader) took turns on the gunner's position, so from time to time 'my' tank had a staff sergeant as gunner and a private as commander. Great way to improve flexibility, so we kept shuffling positions in later exercises. All gunners /loaders in my platoon eventually passed qualifications for both positions. More time and we might have learned to drive a tank as well .

LST

Frank W. · Post by **Frank W.** » Thu Aug 15, 2002 11:59 am

10 or even 12 months are in fact not long enough to
get good enough training. so i would say we should
skip the conscription system.

and: i´m not shure why should germany soething of
a global player in military sights. it seems we slowly
lose our global player role in industry,trade and economic
role so we should concentrate on these topics.

to the leo1: as far as i know the leo 1 a4 + a5 is in
germany only serving in the reserve (heimat schutz)
but was sold in large numbers to much european countries
from which some of them are beginning to sell them
themselfes..... i think it´s no bad tank, only the protection
to weak. somewhat better than M60 in any case i would say.

Originally posted by LargeSlowTarget
.

The draft in Germany is now down to 10 months (due to costs and general downsizing), and some politicians want to reduce it further. Nonsense, IMO, the weapon systems become more and more complicated but the conscripts have less and less time to learn how to use them - one point for a volunteer army.

LST

WarLover · Post by **WarLover** » Fri Aug 30, 2002 10:42 pm

Stats:

Approx.
0.5 yrs, Training
3.5 yrs, 3rd Infantry Division, 2/15th
1.0 yrs, 7th Infantry Divison, 3/32nd0.5 yrs, Korea JSF
1.5 yrs, Letterman Hospital
Discharge, Sgt. w/ Spinal Cord injury
M60 gunner/Radio operator/Mech Infantry crew member/ All round Dogface
Infantry Squad Leader
Scout Team Leader

Once a MarneMan,
Always a MarneMan.
(3rd Infantry for those that don't know)

I Salute All Who Served!!!

pasternakski · Post by **pasternakski** » Sat Aug 31, 2002 12:15 am

US Air Farce, 68-74.

Kraut · Post by **Kraut** » Sat Aug 31, 2002 3:05 am

Fifteen months in the late 80's, in a Anti-Aircraft regiment. Due to bad eye-sight I spent my time behind a desk. I was very often on guard duty, though.

I sat only once in a Gepard-Panzer; it was very cramped, and the huge seargent in the seat next to mine diidn't help.

MrPlow · Post by **MrPlow** » Sun Sep 01, 2002 5:46 am

USAF SS 1970-1974
RC-135 (Gorbonosni Samolyot)

BvB · Post by **BvB** » Sun Sep 01, 2002 7:42 pm

Retired army, now postal worker. Did time in just about every echelon you can think of: Tank battalion in Korea with M48 A/5's (and I recall a vehicle(M577) with no heat in freezing winter I put a broom under my feet while standing in the tc hatch to keep me from touching metal!) In Korea some tanks had split crews of two american and two KATUSA's (korean soldiers). Was in a mech inf brigade in desert storm shortly before retiring - not many folks know that one of 1st Armd Div's brigades was actually from 3d ID, so we could wear either patch - go Marnemen! (that was 6months of no beer!) Was in 9th ID G2 back around 1981. V Corps HQ(SSO & 302d ASA) back in the later 70's.(terrorists bombed our bldg in 72 & 76, known as the IG Farben and in 1975 renamed the Abrams Bldg). 1st Army HQ down at Ft Meade as my final assignment. I was supposed to go to 10th Mtn and weasled out of it luckily as the inf brigade I was to go to went to Somalia shortly after. JCS/Pentagon & ASA back in the late 70's. First assignment was in a civie clothes intel unit in Frankfurt back when 'Nam was slowing down. I recall us keeping a sitmap similar to wargames with the evaluated strengths of ARVN units for briefings. Plus various other assignments such as DLI, and instructor at the intel school in AZ, etc. Overall its "remember the good, forget the bad (as much as possible anyway)". Quite a few world wide party stories experienced in all those years!

Electricity · Post by **Electricity** » Sun Sep 01, 2002 9:53 pm

USMC 89-93. 1/9 Marines. Scout/Sniper platoons during Desert Storm.

Rokondo · Post by **Rokondo** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 1:12 am

Israeli Army (Air-Force but not pilot)

Excellent troop of Air-force year 1997

Gruvan · Post by **Gruvan** » Thu Sep 12, 2002 9:17 pm

Hi,

French army, "Sous-lieutenant" in North Est Territory Head-quarter, for one year. Was in 1992. I was behind the desk, after military officier school of course;) working on press check up for officiers, daily. Was interesting to see the both side of military information : the one in news papers and the one I heard from people who made it. This was UN in Yugoslavia.

Sorry about my english, not very good in this langage

Gruvan

Rex Scaniae · Post by **Rex Scaniae** » Thu Sep 19, 2002 9:10 pm

I spent 7½ months in the Swedish 'Luftvärn' AA-service, learning to handle a 40mm Bofors-gun back in '88-'89. Don't remember much about it now though...

wg2829210 · Post by **wg2829210** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 6:30 am

Four Years in United States Air Force. I served as a aircraft electrician. First on F-4Ds then F-15s, F-111s and KC-135s. Today I'm a civilian aircraft electricain working at Tinker AFB on B-1Bs.

ccoul · Post by **ccoul** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:43 am

20yrs 6 months USAF Security Police

How many of the players have done military service

Do I qualify?

Canadian

InfantryScout

3 Years

Re: How many of the players have done military service