23 years, some overseas stripes and MSG. I bet he had some great stories to tell.

Who else thinks those old asbestos and mold infested buildings are still used at Bragg today?

You stated it was his last day in uniform. Possible wearing the Pistol Belt as part of his Retirement Ceremony.

I can tell by looking at the picture:

Your Dad was a Master Sergeant (E8) assigned to a staff position. He served in Vietnam for 1 year, but not as an Infantryman. He was not presently assigned to an Infantry unit. He was not jump qualified. He was qualified EXPERT with at least 1 weapon. I do not believe he was assigned to either the 82d Airborne or the 18th Airborne Corps Headquarters due to the absence of the glider patch on his Garrison cap.



When I get the chance to view the photo on my computer, I may be able to tell you more.

On my last day in the Army nobody saw me going.

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:
On my last day in the Army nobody saw me going.

Yeah, nobody saw me going, either!

Can’t discuss the belt.
But sweet Van man!

quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:
He was under arms.
As example, Drill Sergeants wore belts so were considered under arms. That allowed them to keep their headgear on inside buildings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_arms
https://www.ar670.com/2018/12/...uired-or-prohibited/

That was my first thought, but it also could be every other suggestion in this thread. If he's airborne, he forgot to wear his wings.

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
If he's airborne, he forgot to wear his wings.

Not everyone assigned to the 82nd Airborne is Airborne. Just like not everyone assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment is a Ranger.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
If he's airborne, he forgot to wear his wings.

Not everyone assigned to the 82nd Airborne is Airborne. Just like not everyone assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment is a Ranger.

I've never met anyone who was assigned to the 75th Infantry who didn't call themselves a Ranger. That includes all the support troops. Some didn't earn their tab, but they all wore the scroll.

OP, do you know what your dad's MOS was?

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
I've never met anyone who was assigned to the 75th Infantry who didn't call themselves a Ranger. That includes all the support troops. Some didn't earn their tab, but they all wore the scroll.

Right. Like OP's Dad, they'd still wear the screaming eagle (or scroll), but they wouldn't have jump wings (or a tab).

One's a unit patch, while the other is a qualification award.

You can have the former without the latter, by virtue of assignment.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
I've never met anyone who was assigned to the 75th Infantry who didn't call themselves a Ranger. That includes all the support troops. Some didn't earn their tab, but they all wore the scroll.

Right. Like OP's Dad, they'd still wear the screaming eagle (or scroll), but they wouldn't have jump wings (or a tab).

One's a unit patch, while the other is a qualification award.

You can have the former without the latter, by virtue of assignment.

The 101 ABN still wears the airborne tab as part of it's SSI. They also wear jump boots with their ASU even though they are no longer an airborne division. The ariborne tab is not a qualification award, it's part of a unit's SSI. When a Soldier completes jump school they don't wear an airborne tab if they aren't in an airborne coded slot.

I think we're talking past each other. I was referring to the 75th Ranger Regiment scroll vs. Ranger tab, and the 82nd shoulder insignia vs. jump wings.

Unit insignia vs. qualification award.

You were wondering why he didn't have jump wings if he was airborne, and I was pointing out that he wasn't necessarily airborne qualified just because he was assigned to an Airborne Division. There are some positions within the division that are not on jump status, like in some of the support/sustainment units.

Back in 1980, there was only one place where the 82d was billeted which still had structures like what's in the picture. Those are known as "Temporary Buildings" and are WWII vintage.

Known as the "Old Division Area", it housed the Division's Armor assets (4th/68th Armor), its anti-aircraft units (3rd/4th Air Defense Artillery), a detachment of MP Investigators, and the 'Repple-Depple' (82d Replacement Co.), which was the first stop for everyone joining the Division.

I suppose its possible that a skilled personnel technician could have been assigned to the replacement co. to process incoming personnel, but that would be the only likely place. Otherwise, you weren't in the Division unless you could exit an aircraft while in flight. There were no support or sustainment units then - everyone was part of the Division, and was deployable. From the Finance and JAG officers, to the cooks and bakers, to the mechanics, the MP's, the supply clerks, and the chaplains assistants.

Outside of the Division area, there were still temporary buildings in use at Smoke Bomb Hill for some students at the JFK Center, and in the COSCOM (Consolidated Support Command) areas.

I'm thinking that COSCOM is the more likely unit Dad was assigned to.

Your dad looks STRAC!

Great photo, but your dad doesn't look 40 years old.

flashguy

Thanks, everyone for the replies. A lot of the observations are right on the mark. He retired as an E8 assigned to the 82nd Airborne. I believe he stated his position was "Operations Sergeant" whatever that means. He was not jump qualified as he spent most of his army career in the Signal Corps. His time in Vietnam (1969) was spent setting up/operating radio relay systems in remote locations, for which he earned a Bronze Star.

I was with the 101st in the 80’s and we blouses our trousers of class A’s as well but the only time you’d wear a web belt was for a certain ceremony or duty that required wearing of class A’s while wearing a pistol (1911 in my days up to 1997). Our uniform regs were the same as the 82nd. As JohnnyEagle mentioned, if he were permanently in the 101st or 82nd he’d have the Airborne/Glider patch. He was most likely attached.