Yesterday was Veterans Day and it got me to thinking about my past.  Before I was a Michigan Realtor I spent 4 years in the military.  I didn't always live in the City of Livonia.

Before I became a Plymouth MI realtor I wandered around the country and ended up in the military.  I jined up and started out at Ft. Benning Georgia as a (infantry man "grunt"  I went through jump school there too.  But when I went to Ft. Bragg North Carolina they were looking for volunteers to become parachute packers.  They always say to never volunteer for anything in the military but I did.

I got lucky and I was sent to Parachute packing school in Ft. Lee Virginia for 3 or 4 months.  We had a great time there as it was the supply chain school.  There were more women there than I had seen in the first 6 months in the Army.  After infantry basic training it was a breeze.

After that I was shipped back to Ft. Bragg to work at the Special Forces Training School.  We packed parachutes for the school.  What was nice about it was that it was a 9 to 5 job and it was like we weren't part of theArmy.  We had the easy life.  The company did not even do PT.  But I was into running at the time.  I ran a lot of 5 and 10k RUNS.  I even ran the Ft. Bragg marathon one.  We got to jump out of helicopters and all sorts of small aircraft with the special forces trainees.  The one I liked to jump out of was the C-141 jet.  It was a huge jet.  We you jumped out of the aircraft it was like being sucked out by a vacuum. 

I guess I liked it because when I jumped out of the helicopter I had the fear of hitting the landing bar or the rotor.  There wasn't much chance of that happening.  At least I never heard of anybody hitting them but you know how some things get stuck in your head.

Over the years I slowly earned my three stripes worked my way up to Sargent.  Military life wasn't for me but I took advantage of everything the military had to offer.  I finished my last two years of college while I was in the military.  The military also had a beautiful wood shop.  They had every tool you could think of.    Shapers, lathes, table saws, planers.    They had retired Military personnel that had tremendous knowledge of woodworking.  I made all sorts of tables, furniture, kids toys, and knic knacs.  And all it cost was 25 cent an hour.  That even included sandpaper, though you had to pay for the wood.

Eventually the good life ended and I was transferred to 82nd Airborne.  But once again I got lucky.  They were looking for somebody that could type.  I became an aide to the Bridgade commander.  They had just returned from Grennade a few months before I got there.

It was the real military there but somehow I was always selected to stay back at headquarters when the brigade went to the field.  And I didn't even volunteer to stay back.  They told me I had to!  So I never went to the field with the 82nd.  But I did have to get back into PT and marching. 

I am glad I went through it.  If I could do it anybody can.  I am not the best with absolute authority but I made four years without losing any stripes or getting into major trouble.  I wonder where some of my army buddies have ended up. 

So looking back from my office in Plymouth MI it seems ages ago.  I thank all of the past and present soldiers for what they have done for our country.  And for those that gave their life I wish that their families find peace and have the ability to carry on.  Those soldiers would want them to carry on.  

How about you did you spend some time in the military?  I am glad to say I supported my country even if it was in peace time.  May we bring our boys home soon and bring them back safe.