It took a while to figure out what you meant by Wichita in another post, apparently you have capabilities as a moderator to see where people post from at your convenience (BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!). But to make sure there isn't any confusion, and while I do appreciate your amateur sleuth efforts, I am currently using a VNC uplink for my internet connection.

The VNC runs through Skype to a connection in Kansas . It seems to work better for me than the standard service here in Germany . For your peace of mind, I will post from my local line here in Germany and let you know which IP address to practice your Sergeant Friday impersonation on.

Cordially,

Richard A. (I play well with others)

Enetophobic,

Where are you outside Baumholder? I lived in Birkenfeld for 3.5 years. Had a battery command in Baumholder. Hope you are enjoying the Rock!

Shawn Budke

Shawn,

The Rock is great, I actually live North of Baumholder a bit near another rock in Good old Idar-Oberstein. Small world.

Food here is great. They even put up a Coyote Ugly on Base!

Richard "RADAR" Andamyson

Every time I have trained in or passed through Germany it was often raining. That is probably why the vegetation is so green. As an M-Day Guardsman, I haven't been out on the town much although I did get a little R&R in Nurnburg, Regensburg, Munchen and Parsberg. Which was my favorite? I would have to say Munchen since it was the last day of October Fest and the first time that our command had lifted general order 1 in the first three months of our deployment. Two days later we were in Kosovo and it dried out again for the next nine months.

Stationed at Ayers Kaserne outside of Kirchgoens Germany from 90 to 93. I did enjoy the October Fest of 1993 and the little side trip to Berchtesgaden.I sure do miss the Imbiss stands and excellent food.
Do they still use Graff for gunnery? Stay safe and thank you for your service during these trying times.

Its funny how many people were stationed in Germany, and are now involved in wrestling here . I also was stationed in Baumholder from Jan 1993- Dec 1994.

And thank you for your service.

I watched a fourteen minute interview with SSG Sal Giunta (uncut version) yesterday. Other members of his unit were interviewed as well. I have always said that wrestling is the toughest sport a young athlete can be involved in. What SSG Giunta and his platoon members went through on 25 October 07, well, it kind of makes wrestling look a little more tame.

I am not sure if SSG Giunta wrestled growing up in Iowa, but it would not surprise me if he spent some time on the mat somewhere along the way.

First off.....thank all of you guys/gals for your service! It's an honor and privalege to know you and work with you. I think wrestling and military service go hand in hand for a couple of reasons.....

1. Discipline is very similar.
2. The concept of doing my best to help the team.
3. The idea of sacrifice and hard work....required in both wrestling and military.
4. Sacrifice
5. the bonds you make with wrestling teammates and military members because you go through tough times together in both.
6. Comradarie

those are just a few in my opinion.

Radar,

Had some great times in Idar. Easy time Christmas shopping for the wife with all the jewelry they had. Check out the wine fest at Bern Kastel Kreuz....great time. Take a wine river cruise on the Mosel....make sure you have a designated driver at the end...good times.

WrestlingAlum,

What unit were you in? I was in 4-29 FA (now 4-27 FA) from 92-Dec 95.

Smokey,

Thank you and your wife for raising a future officer. Can't wait to welcome him to the Army family. How's he holding up at USMA?

Shawn Budke

Thanks for your service guys!

Currently 935th Aviation Support Battalion, Springfield, MO.

"Enetophobic" - The word is not in my dictionary. Enlighten me please. And, good job "playing nicely with others!" That is what I stress/teach my elementary students! :-) That sure makes life a lot more enjoyable for 99.9% of us. I guess .1% just like to play mean for some reason. . .

To all who served:
Thanks for your service. I was blessed w/20+ years in the Army and my Germany time was 84-87 with 1-40th FA (MLRS) - composite 8" and MLRS battery. To the dust of Grafenwoehr and the snows of Reforgers past.
I was also able to come back to Leavenworth and helped with the kids program there and kept the Immaculata program alive for a couple of years.
Shawn - your post was right on. As a former OSUT commander and battery commander the stuff we did on the mat complements all aspects of service.
Endo - it's refreshing to see a gentleman's response. God bless. See you on the high ground.

Enetophobia is the fear of pins or needles.

Interesting. Thank you. After 12 years of allergy shots (once season as a kid, one season as an adult) thankfully I don't have that!

Detective Salyer,

Use your almighty position on the board to search this IP address. I use a Virtual Network Connection, so i won't be posting from here often.


Go play with others!


Richard "RADAR" Andamyson

To all you Vets who served in Germany. I was there in 79 and 80--EXO and Commandeded a 175mm Arty battalion at Rivers Barracks in Giessen (Giebben to a German)(40 mile north of Frankfurt). All of Germany was bad in the 70s. Drugs, low morale, especially bad facilities (old WWII German Army Kasernses). Not a joke, Rivers Barracks so bad, the tops of the security fences pointed in rather than out--several rapes and assaults on the German girls they let in the gate to go to the club--a Lieut. was thrown out of a third storey barracks window and killed. The town of Giessen was not friendly--Giessen had been a free bomb area in WW II-- if a plane had any bombs left over--pickle it at Giessen (no actual military targets of value at Giessen). Lots of bad stories about lots of bad bases, especially up in V Corps near Giessen--Baveria was supposedly a lot nicer.

Anywhere was a better training area than Graf.

Great beer and schnitzel wherever in Germany!! Pomme fritz with mayonaise--good, but almost an instant heart stopper.