Nope. I just about flunked out of my first semester of college. I was this close to joining something, and thought, "hey, why not the Coast Guard?" I went to the recruiting station, and they were having a birthday party for someone, so they asked me to come back tomorrow. I gave it some thought, and decided to give college another try. I graduated with a BA in Geography, and became a professional cartographer, making maps for such interesting organizations as the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Army Center for Military History.

I also briefly flirted with the idea of joining the NOAA Corps, but I felt like I wouldn't qualify so I never bothered.

Yes 22 years in the Royal Navy working my way up to my natural level of incompetence from Ordinary Seaman to Lieutenant.

Before that as a kid I spent 3 years part time in the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve, attached to the Royal Regiment of Wales, now the Royal Welch, then the Wessex Regiment, now the Rifles...

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'By the grace of God, and the kindness of Her Majesty, former Lieutenant Royal Navy'

'I cannot comment on this Officer's work, since he has not done any. He has the manners of an organ grinder and the morals of his monkey...'

11 years in uniform and all of it on jump status. Anyway prior mos's include Light Infantry, Mortarman and SOF Medic. (173rd,82nd & 75th)

RLTW! / Airborne!

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"The soldier knows little of philosophers but in him and in his deeds life expresses itself more profoundly than any book can"
- Ernst Junger

11D/19D from '74-78, including driving scout jeeps in Korea, flying as observer in scout helicopters and serving as a Redeye gunner. Re-upped in '78 for 71M (now 56M) chaplain assistant. Was one of the few with some field skills for the first few years, then the MOS became more soldier and less clerk/typist. Retired in '95 as the instructor of military history at the Army chaplain school. My son, also a gamer, is a Navy Chief Petty Officer in submarines.

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Tom Oxley
OD Green Old Fart
FoF: RtB, EF, AV, CWGH, DotR, BW, DMA, Fal, C-SOM, SOG

Did not serve but mad respect for all who did and still do. My dad bring a big history buff got me first interested in war-games.

I'm just a 30 something plumber who likes toy soldiers too much

Just passed 10 years as an Infantryman in the US Army last October. Airborne for the first 5 (1st deployment, Iraq), a year in recruiting, 2 in a Stryker Brigade (2nd deployment, Iraq) and another 2 as a CGs/VIP driver. I had to much fun with my current assignment, so big Army decided to send me to El Paso as my next assignment.

The one base that was at the top of my "Places I Never Want to be Assigned" list...

Man the only place i ever wanted to go was Hawaii...Never got closer then a few thousand miles ...every crap hole the army could think of but not there ....I even tried reverse psychology and asked for NTC ....well FT Hood is close Branch said .....Mikey

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"All Men for the rights of Every man, every man for the rights of all Men"

That's funny because I asked for every duty station EXCEPT Hawaii and I ended up at Schofield Barracks! I served as a grunt(11B) in 2nd Stryker Brigade, 25th ID from '05-'09 with an OIF tour 07-09. I got to see a lot of Oahu but unfortunately only made it to the other islands on training ops and funeral details for old G.I.'s. Being enlisted, it was pretty easy to blow your paycheck in Honolulu in a single weekend, luckily I always had a chowhall to eat at during the week.

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Strike like tropic lightning.

Does paintball count?

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Nick Johnson, Treasurer of the League of Extraordinary Gamers, Colorado USA
http://www.hmgsrm.org/forum/index.php

My Blog!
http://littlenickysgameroom.blogspot.com/

Reserve Infantry in the CF for the last 4 and change...

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My Blog - The Bent Bristle

I am a mixed bag I was in the U.S Army from 1987 -2010 (16 years active duty rest reserve or guard)
I was a police officer for 3 years and a correctional officer for 1 year
I was also a Paramedic/fire fighter for 12 years vol/pro

Ive had a busy life now I am totally retired due to my last combat tour in 2007/8 in Iraq so I cant work going nuts

5 years Australian Army.

12 months as infantry - blown out ACL got me transferred to support/logistics so I could finish my time over taking the medical discharge. Never saw combat - but was sent to a couple of "local" crap-holes.
Gained a few mates through Q-ies (it's only support, but if you piss them off, your ration of bog-roll or beer gets redeployed to someone else - by accident) and still have a couple of them.

Belgian Air Force 1970-1977 -Yes, I'm that old!

Sniper/recon stationed for most of the time in Germany, but also went on missions to 'sunnier places'
Later went into the Civil Service from which I retired recently after 34 years.
Still teach basic and advanced shooting techniques at the Army range in Antwerp.

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Gotcha!

I notice we are ready for a scenario book on (e.g. Ivory Coast) or similar democracies, as the poll tally reached 101%.

We have compulsary military service here in Austria so 8 months and 20 years in the reserve. Meanwhile I'm done. When drafted I was asked if I wanted to become trained to an officer but I politely declined...

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Austria - usually we don't have kangaroos...