During the Cold War units in Germany had a higher priority for manpower than units going to Vietnam.
So you ended up with MSG's and SGM's that did their whole service either state-side or in Europe and had never deployed to combat for the entire 10 years of the VN war.
I spent almost my entire career in SF (half my first team were multi-tour VN vets, and some of the guys in my unit were already legendary dudes) and it wasn't until I went to Ft. Knox in 1984 for BNCOC that I met a CSM, with 20 years TIS, that DIDN'T have a CIB, combat patch, any combat ribbons, or any overseas combat deployment ribbons.
So how stupid you are about some things depends a lot on just where you happen to be standing at the time. Thems what have seen, know. Thems what ain't, don't.
BulletStopper 0 points 1 month ago
During the Cold War units in Germany had a higher priority for manpower than units going to Vietnam.
So you ended up with MSG's and SGM's that did their whole service either state-side or in Europe and had never deployed to combat for the entire 10 years of the VN war.
I spent almost my entire career in SF (half my first team were multi-tour VN vets, and some of the guys in my unit were already legendary dudes) and it wasn't until I went to Ft. Knox in 1984 for BNCOC that I met a CSM, with 20 years TIS, that DIDN'T have a CIB, combat patch, any combat ribbons, or any overseas combat deployment ribbons.
So how stupid you are about some things depends a lot on just where you happen to be standing at the time.
Thems what have seen, know. Thems what ain't, don't.