Any U.S. Veterans on this forum?

[Zak Sparrow]

I thought I would start this and inquire as to how many veterans there are on this forum? I have met several while visiting the phils and know the veteran community in the phils faces a unique set of circumstances living there. I would be interested in sharing these experiences, if anyone else is? looking forward to your replies.

[Ronin]

USMC from 82-89 - peacetime Marine here.

I did spend 4 years in Iraq an Afghanistan as a civilian contractor working with Army HQ units dealing with knowledge management from an IT perspective.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

I'm retired USAFR and Civil Service combined. I had 12 yrs active duty and 18 yrs Reserves/Civil Service time, which combined gave me a total of 30 yrs service 1967 - 1997 under the Air Reserve Technician Program (ART) under the Civil Service Commission. 
I've been stationed all over the place stateside and overseas as a C-141 & C-5 aircraft cargo jet mechanic. My longest place stateside I was stationed at was at Travis AFB, Ca for 18 yrs, Luke AFB, Az 4 yrs and overseas at Clark AB 4 yrs and U-Tapao AB Thailand 2 yrs.
As a Reservist I did short duty tours (TDYs) of 2 weeks in Alaska, Washington State, Texas, S. Korea, Guam, Hawaii, Philippines, Thailand, Japan and Okinawa.   
I've been married to a Filipina for 28 yrs now and we have retired and lived in the Philippines NCR of Luzon going on 18 yrs.   

[jjcabgou]

Retired AF here

[cvgtpc1]

Ten years USAF active duty myself.

Got out 21 years ago, never regretted it till now.

[Zak Sparrow]

Hi great meeting all of you guys....I am former U.S. navy hull technician 1st class E-6 11 yrs active duty. 1982-1993 My 1st duty station was USS Knox ff1052 which was home ported in Yokosuka Japan, I spent 1 yr TAD to Subic Bay  SRF before heading to the USS Proteus stationed in Guam. I spent more time in the Philippines than anywhere else in my 7 years in the So. pacific and Asia. I was transferred to Trident Refit Facility Bangor Wa. for 3 years and my last duty got orders to desert shield desert storm ASU Bahrain and then aboard USS McKee AS-41. I've been returning to the phils every winter since 2007, still looking for a place to hang my hat. It's getting crowded in the phils and have to find a place where I don't hear a damn karaoke machine, I just can't tolerate the noise....lol

[bigrod]

Retired USAF 1966-1988. Overseas: Vietnam, Germany, England, Greece and Spain.  CONUS: Texas(2),Oklahoma(2), Montana, Nebraska and Alabama.

Chuck

[coleman2347]

Retired Marine..67-70/ 78-95

[jjcabgou]

Most of my time in the AF was spent on Okinawa with many many many TDY's to Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Malaysia etc.
6 years doing army support: Ft Campbell and Ft Belvoir
Spent a year in Saudi/Iraq with the 101st out of Campbell.  I retired in 2002 and have been living in Tagaytay Philippines for 13 months now.

[Abnfuels]

Retired US Army 1981-2007, DOD Civ 2007-until now, moving to Pampanga--- :)July 2015

[BudM]

USNR (72) USN (73-79) USNR (83-86) DoD Civ (85-13)  Military was all aviation except '72.  Was sitting on my butt for that that one waiting.  No pay anyway.

[M.C.A.]

Retired US Navy.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

USNR (72) USN (73-79) USNR (83-86) DoD Civ (85-13)  Military was all aviation except '72.  Was sitting on my butt for that that one waiting. No pay anyway.

You have your DD214s? File a claim with the VA for sleep apnea and ED, if you have it and you'll get paid for it! You'll never know what you'll get until you file a VA claim. It was a routine exam by the VA when I got out of active duty after serving 12 yrs and the VA gave me 20% for a bladder cancer operation back in the late 70s when I was still in active duty, but I'm refiling to have it adjusted/increased due to a new ruling concerning agent orange associated with my diabetes type II and it's after effects over time when I was stationed in U-Tapao AB, Thailand in the mid 70s, that was just recently added in 2010 to the VA's list known as presumptive conditions I just found out about it a few years ago just by browsing the VA website and from what I read on other forums. 

http://goo.gl/lmPqct

http://goo.gl/FvDL0Q

http://goo.gl/vK5rt0

[BudM]

USNR (72) USN (73-79) USNR (83-86) DoD Civ (85-13)  Military was all aviation except '72.  Was sitting on my butt for that that one waiting. No pay anyway.

You have your DD214s? File a claim with the VA for sleep apnea and ED, if you have it and you'll get paid for it! You'll never know what you'll get until you file a VA claim. It was a routine exam by the VA when I got out of active duty after serving 12 yrs and the VA gave me 20% for a bladder cancer operation back in the late 70s when I was still in active duty, but I'm refiling to have it adjusted/increased due to a new ruling concerning agent orange associated with my diabetes type II and it's after effects over time when I was stationed in U-Tapao AB, Thailand in the mid 70s, that was just recently added in 2010 to the VA's list known as presumptive conditions I just found out about it a few years ago just by browsing the VA website and from what I read on other forums. 

http://goo.gl/lmPqct

http://goo.gl/FvDL0Q

http://goo.gl/vK5rt0

Nah, I don't have anything Art.  I didn't even know what ED was until I clicked on that link.  My eight month old boy could have answered that one.  My first and final.  As far as the agent orange, I never made it to Viet Nam.  I got locked in to and wound up in the Navy so that I would not have to go in the Army.  The closest I would probably would have been was off the coast.  So, I can't even use the VA clinic.  Thanks for the info though.

[blindman]

US Navy 1971-1975.  E5