What was you proudest moment in service. Also what was your proudest moment for a loved one who served.

prbaly my pass out parrade we spent weeks rehearsing it it was also the disbanding parade for the Regiment as well freezing cold on the 22nd of Feb 1992 reviewing officer was late by 1/2 hr arms were kiiling me with holding the SA80 in sholder arms by the time
Mjr/gen Mcdonald came to me I had this mass of snot running down my nose and onto my face needless to say he didnt stop to talk to me :-) even the regimental mascot behaved that day(later discharged from the army for conduct unbecomming an NCO)well he was a sheltand pony after all,
Only down side to it was that I had to stay behind for rear party because we were handing the camp over and had to to guard duty the night of my Pass out

My proudest moment was in Jan 1977 when my Basic Training Flight took Honor Flight at their Graduation. This was only my third flight that I had trained and I got my Blue rope to boot. Hey Gunnie remember Basic?

Yep!

Okay - I have a couple of proudest moments...

First, I graduated USAF Basic Training with Honors and we were an Honor Flight too back in 1986!
Second, my Senior Training Instructor (USMC Gunnery Sergeant) at the Security Police Academy pinned my Security Police Badge on me when I graduated the Security Police Academy.

See - I'm proud of those two because I have very bad knees. Getting through P/T in Basic was very painful. I even wrenched my knee during a run around Week 4 - it was close-order running and I got kicked by the guy in front of me. I kept going, but told the TI at the end of the run. There was no way I was going to allow myself to get recycled into another Training Flight - so I sucked it up and told the Doc that I could handle it. I ran under the posted time to make Honor Graduate when that time came, and I led my Training Flight through the Obstacle Course. I never missed Formation and never ducked out of a Run. My knee never healed correctly though.

Same thing with P/T in the SP Academy. I got thrown around by the other Marines in the Training Flight - and I learned to throw them around too. Nothing is more embarrassing that being tossed by a Woman Marine - we learned doubly fast! The Obstacle Course was still as painful as ever, but I completed it with a faster time than I did a month or two before in Basic. I held my place in Formation as we ran with the Marines - gritting my teeth all the way. I low crawled and took every training hill I was told to do. The Weapons Qualification was bad too - up, down prone, run in place, drop down on one knee (naturally the bad one), back up, run in place, etc. I made it through and qualified for my Expert Ribbon.

I'm proud of those accomplishments because I had to work extra hard just to earn the right to be there. When it came to the Technical Instruction - I aced it. The P/T was brutal on my knees though. I didn't quit.

Gunnie

Bravo Gunnie. The spirit is alive and well. Wish that we could have served together.

Me too - we would have been famous!

Likely, famously in trouble most of the time...

Gunnie

It wouldn't be the first time. and probaly not the last.

hi

The proudest day for my Farther was when he found out I was an Armoured Engineer and he took me to Bovington for my Tank Drivers course,
My Farther was a Assault Engineer with 557,82 Assault squadrons with 79 Div, stayed in till 1953.
He came with me to see the SSM when the OC came in behind us said hello to my dad & took him away for the rest of the day.

Yes all the passing out parades etc BUT

When did I feel great this was a real personal challenge and any body who has followed there father’s foots steps would understand.

When I took my driving test both road & cross country in a Centurion tank my OC was my Testing Officer.
He took me on different circuit to the others of which the next two to be tested were in the tank. At the end as we were coming over the Knife Edge he said don’t get me wet in the puddle at the bottom. Well he did not.
When I parked up & switched off I got out of the seat and he walked up to me and said . Your dad was a very good tank driver and I had passed my course and was a chip off the old block if not better,

that ment more to me than anything else to have him say that really boosted me.
ossie

Other than bringing my 11 folks home safely from combat in Iraq my other proudest moment was twofold. First, I graduated from Jump School after coming off of recruiting duty. I was sorely out of shape, but determined to make it through. After my fith and final jump on Fryer (sp?) DZ I actaully sat down and cried. It was overwhelming. It had taken me 11 years to get there and I had finally made it. The second part was graduating from Jumpmaster School at Ft. Bragg NC. An extremely difficult school to make it through. To give you and idea of what it required...You have three jumpers that you must inspect, what we call JMPI. One of the jumpers is in full combat equipment, heavy and cumbersome and not just for the jumper. The other two are Hollywood (Main chute and reserve) Its not hard, BUT...you have a whopping 5 minutes to do all three. There are "instructor induced" gigs in there as well. As you find them during your inspection, you must call them out correctly by nomenclature. If you miss 1 major or any 3 minors (might be 2 minors..its been awhile) you are a no go. Exceed your time and you are a nogo. Very stressfull, but very fulfilling when you get it right. My class started with 100 and graduated less than 80. JMPI wa just one part of the school. There is more stressful stuff in there as well......but JMPI is what gets most folks.

. "Q"

Well I have to say 1983 was special to me. I was one of five from my guard unit that was picked for Air Assault school at Ft. Cambell Kentucky. 13 hard days, yes sir. Well this Cadra NCO explained to me that I should be proud and wear my wings with pride, that not many reserve and guard soldiers make it though the course. Upon returning home, I had learned that I was nominated for Soldier Of The Year. Well I went onto a few review boards from a company level through the division and made it through. In the fall of 83 there was a military ball that I attended and I reseived the Soldier Of The Year award. Anyhow that was my proudest year in the military.

Way to go Joe. This is a BIG deal in any GI's book. You have every right to be proud. Bravo and three cheers!!!

There are many for me but...

Number 1 was attending my dad's retirement ceremony after nearly 40 years full-time Massachusetts National Guard and one of the original members of the Americal Division in WWII.

Number 2 was having my boss, who was an LTC (Battalion Cmdr) at the time pinning my rocker on me in a very uncommon and unofficial gathering in his office in front of other officers and very senior NCOs.

I guess that if there is to be a number 3, that would be graduating (survival) from my Advanced Infantry Training in August 1972 from Ft. Polk LA. Man was I happy/glad/proud to get out of there!

I would have to say my proudest moment was when my tank took the "Banner of the Jackal". I forget the name of the exercise we were in. It was pretty much like the Lanes Training that we were doing in the Guards. There were numerous tasks to do during the overall exercise.

Anyway, in this situation, there were four tanks vs. four tanks. In the middle of a large (very large.. we are talking Ft. Bliss desert) flat open area was a guidon. That was the "Banner of the Jackal". Both forces were equipped with MILES equipment- as usual. The "defensive" force had the benefit of starting out with some available cover. Our platoon was the agressor and were not as lucky.

The object of the exercise was for both sides to race up, get the guidon and get back to the starting points with out being "killed". Our platoon moved up, took position behind the start lines in the best spots we could find. We also had to cross a dried creek bed.

The start was given and within seconds three of our tanks were hit crossing the creek bed/ditch. My tank was not hit. Our gunner ( I was driver) took out one of theirs as we started to move. One of our other tanks had managed to take out one of the OPFOR before they were knocked out too. That left two for us to contend with yet. As moved along as fast as I could get that M1A1 going across the sand I had to try my best to keep it smooth and steady as we tried to engage the remaining tanks. We got one of them. Then, following my TC's directions, we finally came upon the "Banner of the Jackal". The loader had to jump down, grab it and get his bottom back on the tank ASAP. Somehow we escaped being hit on our pause. I had know idea where the opposing tank was because we had to drive buttoned up during any of these exercises and it can be difficult for the driver to see everything to say the least. Luckily the TC and loader could see it.

As the loader got on top the turret, the TC told me to move out. As I cracked the throttle, I heard a groan back in the turret. Had to be louder than a groan for me to hear it, but down in my hole it sounded like a muffled groan. That is when I realized we were moving before the loader got in the hatch. He was sore for a couple weeks. Picking up speed, we turned back and hit the smoke generators. Sagger - dancing like crazy, I tried not to be predictable with the zigs and zags. Then, after about a quarter mile, my TC had me go hard right. As the tank turned, I saw a knocked out OPFOR tank. The TC had me take a position using the "wreck" as cover. As I power slid the tank behind the "wreck", I cut the smoke generator. Seconds later, the OPFOR tank giving chase to us rolled into the clear and we had him, less than fifty yards away.

We were the first and only agressor force to take the banner. That was some great fun. We were congratulated at our tank by some Brass that was observing. We even got a Certificate of Achievement out of it. That was probably the MOST fun I ever had driving my tank. That was the type of driving and "gunning" I joined the Army for! We were dirty, tired and wishing we were back in garrison when the day started, but my friends, we were certainly proud of ourselves when the day was done. The last exercise of a long field problem, and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. We had a really good crew, great guys.

Sorry it got so long.

What regiment did you serve in mikeli125, wouldnt happen to be the Queens or Royal Hampshires would it as theye were dispanded in 1992? just cant remeber the exact date

Graduating Honorman of Platoon 3020 at Parris Island, MCRD, in 1982. And graduating the USMC Drill Instructor Course in 1985 at Parris Island, the island I swore I would never return to! Thanks for asking...

I think one of my proudest moments was when I was asked to be the driver for then BG Barry McCaffrey...once our countries Drug Czar...it was an honor...the man had two Distinguished Services Crosses from Vietnam where he was a company commander...one of those DSC's was bumped down from a Medal of Honor Recommendation...

...the job lasted for about a month and the only reason I didn't keep it was due the very long hours, which the family didn't appreciate, and the fact that his aide (a 1st LT) was one of the biggest %$#@! I had ever met...made the job absolutely miserable! It was interesting seeing a "Full Bird" come out of the Generals office with his tail between his legs once...

I guess mine was graduating from 19K ANCOC and having my Father a WW2 vet there to see me.

I have two. The first would be the day I became a 20 year old brand new US Army Second Lieutenant of Infantry in 1965. The other would be 24 Nov 04 when my son graduated from USMC boot camp at Parris Island. Now he's not only my son, but my comrade in arms.

I think that would have to be my Dad having a school named after him and his mate in Normandy during the 60th Anniversery,my dad fought around the town after D-Day he and his mate forged strong links between the school and the school in their home town in Wales and the kids visit each other..he is very proud but sad as he said to me their are many names that should be on the school sadley they are on white headstones in the huge cemetarys just down the road
Chris tango 20

None of them It was the Junior Leader Regt RCT/RAOC we were disbanded on the final passout parade

My proudest moment would have to have been the last ANZAC parade that I marched in when I was still in the Army (2nd/14th LHR QMI ) 2001. It was also the first time the unit colours had been on horse back in 50 years. And our unit was leading the march. The Army at this time was very popular with the country due to our involvement with East Timor. The crowd here in Brisbane was huge. We all had a hard time hearing the Cpt call the orders out. A few peace protestors tried to make thier pressance known but the crowd woul not let them any where near the march. But it all went off without a hitch. Exept when the RAAF F111's did thier fly over and one of the horses in the colour party decided to dump one of the Light Horse troop on to the road and break his arm.

Cheers Jason

well let me see,

when i was in the reserve training unit, i think the time when i rescued a few bunch of jungle trackers who got lost was my proudest moment...

When I finished Recon Training School and thety pinned those wings on me .... I bled for a week and couldn't walk for two. LOL

Dave

Had to be graduating number 1 from my Combat Leader's Course and immediately getting my M/Cpl promotion (appointment).

I can think of several. One was during an Annual Training at Fort AP Hill, VA. I was the Commander of the 785th MP battalion, and my parents drove up for the day to visit. My dad was a retired Army CPT and it was great being able to show him around my unit and seeing him talk about the "old Army" with my soldiers.

The second was at the Dining Out when I retired, and was able to have a picture taken with my father and my son, all three of us in Mess Dress. I had made my dad get his out of the closet, and had it fixed up for him. It was a great moment, especially given that he died just 4 months later.

And the third would probably be the three times I have "sworn in" my son into the military. First when he enlisted in the Navy, second when he enlisted in the National Guard, and third when he accepted a commission to become a Navy Doctor. Only thing that would be sweeter would be if he makes good on his "threat" to make me call him "sir" and pinning stars on.

Tom Hathaway