Hey Vets Do You Remember FIGMO?

Yea, good thread. I had forgotten how bitter I was regarding the army, starting at initial replacement center.
You remember? Ours was about ten days where your issued clothing, taking test, then available for
'details.' "Here's the shovels boys, that's the sewer line-dig..."
Go Potty,
Barracks-120 men, two, count'um two commodes, no partitions,
six urinals. The commodes were in the community bathroom (can't remember what we called it). Many of us has problem going # 2
in the full presences of others. As in all things army, you get used to it.

Field: In the field, the c-rations supplied enough toilet paper to wipe a flea's butt. Yea, I want'a re-up
Cuss 'um guys, but without the GI Bill I could have never gone to school, still the army of the sixties was filled with NCO's
that should have worked on the 'ignorant farms' far away from the public.
 
Sales of toilet paper, razor blades and men's white undershirts were "restricted" at the AFEX on our base in Turkey. The cashier had to make a notation in a book of your ID number when you purchased any of these. Buy "too many" and the serviceman was called in and had to "justify" the purchase. That happened a lot on the base as new dependents living out on "the economy" inevitably got "The Sultan's Revenge" and bought a LOT of toilet paper. I guess those items were hot on the black market then.....
 

I was stationed at Bethesda Naval Hospital, outside of DC in the late 60s. The full title of the place was the National Naval Medical Center. It was close to the end of the fiscal year, and we maxed out our toilet paper budget. Despite our fancy name, we were unable to order more. Not only us sailors were affected, but most of the military in the DC area. Sons & dads were calling home asking for toilet paper. Because of the shortage, local stores also ran out. Pretty soon, it was hard to find. Everybody had a roll hidden some place. There was talk of a special appropriation in Congress. But a new year came, and the TP god bestowed his wares. I could never figure out how you could run out of toilet paper for about a month.
 
I was on my own, I did't want to come back to the States, my wife and myself had plans to move, her mom had land in France, I was sent home from the Hospital for six months , the medical board made all the decisions for me. I was confused and messed up, took me two years to get to where I could work again. Time just stopped for me Vietnam 1968.
 

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john19485 said:
I was on my own, I did't want to come back to the States, my wife and myself had plans to move, her mom had land in France, I was sent home from the Hospital for six months , the medical board made all the decisions for me. I was confused and messed up, took me two years to get to where I could work again. Time just stopped for me Vietnam 1968.
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Welcome home Brother. (y)
 
I have to say one of the things that always bothered me was my last hour in the US Navy. We were told we could wear civies and to be a a window at 0900. Got to the window and a guy handed me a form, then closed the door. That was it ,I was discharged from the Navy. Didn't even know it. It took a while to find someone, who told a bunch of us that we could go. There was no little ceremony-nothing. Just someone handing you a form. After 4 years, and quite frankly, all the bull shit we had to put up with, not even a word of thanks. I felt hurt.
 
Heck, when I came home, I was plucked out of a fire-base, helicoptered to the airbase, set on a plane and away I went. Landed in Ca. and was never told anything. I just got walked over to another ticket spot and got on a plane and landed in NY. still in my jungle fatigues. (startled my buddy pounding on his door that rainy morning) Come to find out, I was supposed to check in and be de-briefed but nobody ever told me.
 


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