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Destiny Wins Out
Sometimes
destiny plays itself out over several years and events that happen
years before the final outcome can come into play,and thus have a
positive outcome to what could have been an unpleasant experience.
Such was the case with my military experience during the Vietnam conflict during the 1960s. Graduating from high school in 1962, I was a prime candidate for military service when the Vietnam War started in 1963. I would be the first in my immediate family to serve in the military, my grandfather was on a train headed for basic training when World War 1 ended, and my dad was deferred during WW2 because of his bad knees.
I really had no issues with serving my country during this time, and even though there was much opposition to this war, I decided that if needed I would serve. I could see where possibly our actions there could benefit the citizens of that tiny country, which in time, even though the outcome was less than desired, the Vietnamese people did ultimately benefit from our involvement.
The time was 1963, the war was heating up and the draft numbers were increasing, since I had no desire to attend college and no plans to get married, I was a prime candidate for the draft. Thinking it over, I realized there was something about sleeping in a fox hole in the jungle that I just didn’t think I could handle. I would have fared much better in Iraq where there are no jungles.
Not wanting to shirk my duty, I thought about my options. At about the same time I discovered an Air Force Reserve base about 40 miles from my home. This seemed like a good option, the Air Force is all about service and support, something I could believe in.
As fate would have it, several of my friends had the same idea and as a result about twenty of us all joined the Air Force, and off we all went to basic training, spread over about 3 months. I was ecstatic, I had been assigned to Load Master school and would be on the flight crew of a C-119. This wing had a habit of being called to active duty during times of need, as it had been activated during the Korean Conflict and again during the Cuban Missile Crisis. but that didn’t bother me, at least I wasn’t sleeping in a foxhole.
During basic training, my flight was located next to the Officers Training barracks and I even contemplated going regular Air Force and trying to get into flight school. However the idea soon vanished and I returned to my original plan.
Soon after that, I received new orders, I would be attending supply school in Amarillo Texas instead of Load Master School at Shepard AFB. What’s up with this? Instead of flying every week end, I’m handling out T-Shirts to flight crews. Oh Well.
I have to admit , I did kind of pout about it for four years.
1968 was beginning and life was changing, having decided to get married in July, and with only a year and a half left of military duty, we purchased a house and was ready to settle down. At the same time the war in Vietnam was heating up, and the Tet Offensive in high gear, my Wing was activated for active duty scheduled to deploy the first Monday in May.
It probably couldn’t have come at a worse time, contemplating what to do we decided rather than postpone everything, we opted to get married before I left.We had already bought a house and made all the plans, all we needed to do was move everything forward about three months.
Everything worked out perfectly, despite the fact we were getting married in the spring, the height of the wedding season, the church, reception hall, and photographers were all available. The wedding went off without a hitch.
I had taken a leave of absence from work so I had a couple of weeks before I left for Nam. Everything was going as scheduled, but things were about to change.
The Friday morning previous to when I was scheduled to leave, the phone rang about 7 AM. It was my mom inquiring as to whether I was still going to Vietnam, she had heard on the radio that my squadron had been de-activated. I didn’t realize she knew what squadron I was in, calling immediately it was confirmed that indeed, I no longer was scheduled for active duty, they were only taking the airmen on flying status.
Then it hit me! If my orders hadn’t been changed 4 years previous, I would have been spending a year in the jungle. I spent about fifteen minutes being depressed about not having to leave, then began planning my new life. I can only assume my family has served enough in previous existences that our karma has been fulfilled.
Gary's EBooks.
Interesting? Follow me on Kindle.
Such was the case with my military experience during the Vietnam conflict during the 1960s. Graduating from high school in 1962, I was a prime candidate for military service when the Vietnam War started in 1963. I would be the first in my immediate family to serve in the military, my grandfather was on a train headed for basic training when World War 1 ended, and my dad was deferred during WW2 because of his bad knees.
I really had no issues with serving my country during this time, and even though there was much opposition to this war, I decided that if needed I would serve. I could see where possibly our actions there could benefit the citizens of that tiny country, which in time, even though the outcome was less than desired, the Vietnamese people did ultimately benefit from our involvement.
The time was 1963, the war was heating up and the draft numbers were increasing, since I had no desire to attend college and no plans to get married, I was a prime candidate for the draft. Thinking it over, I realized there was something about sleeping in a fox hole in the jungle that I just didn’t think I could handle. I would have fared much better in Iraq where there are no jungles.
Not wanting to shirk my duty, I thought about my options. At about the same time I discovered an Air Force Reserve base about 40 miles from my home. This seemed like a good option, the Air Force is all about service and support, something I could believe in.
As fate would have it, several of my friends had the same idea and as a result about twenty of us all joined the Air Force, and off we all went to basic training, spread over about 3 months. I was ecstatic, I had been assigned to Load Master school and would be on the flight crew of a C-119. This wing had a habit of being called to active duty during times of need, as it had been activated during the Korean Conflict and again during the Cuban Missile Crisis. but that didn’t bother me, at least I wasn’t sleeping in a foxhole.
During basic training, my flight was located next to the Officers Training barracks and I even contemplated going regular Air Force and trying to get into flight school. However the idea soon vanished and I returned to my original plan.
Soon after that, I received new orders, I would be attending supply school in Amarillo Texas instead of Load Master School at Shepard AFB. What’s up with this? Instead of flying every week end, I’m handling out T-Shirts to flight crews. Oh Well.
I have to admit , I did kind of pout about it for four years.
1968 was beginning and life was changing, having decided to get married in July, and with only a year and a half left of military duty, we purchased a house and was ready to settle down. At the same time the war in Vietnam was heating up, and the Tet Offensive in high gear, my Wing was activated for active duty scheduled to deploy the first Monday in May.
It probably couldn’t have come at a worse time, contemplating what to do we decided rather than postpone everything, we opted to get married before I left.We had already bought a house and made all the plans, all we needed to do was move everything forward about three months.
Everything worked out perfectly, despite the fact we were getting married in the spring, the height of the wedding season, the church, reception hall, and photographers were all available. The wedding went off without a hitch.
I had taken a leave of absence from work so I had a couple of weeks before I left for Nam. Everything was going as scheduled, but things were about to change.
The Friday morning previous to when I was scheduled to leave, the phone rang about 7 AM. It was my mom inquiring as to whether I was still going to Vietnam, she had heard on the radio that my squadron had been de-activated. I didn’t realize she knew what squadron I was in, calling immediately it was confirmed that indeed, I no longer was scheduled for active duty, they were only taking the airmen on flying status.
Then it hit me! If my orders hadn’t been changed 4 years previous, I would have been spending a year in the jungle. I spent about fifteen minutes being depressed about not having to leave, then began planning my new life. I can only assume my family has served enough in previous existences that our karma has been fulfilled.
Gary's EBooks.
Interesting? Follow me on Kindle.
Posted by The Florida Hoosier at 12/9/2011 7:18 AM 
Categories: Destiny
Tags: self discovery divine plan
Categories: Destiny
Tags: self discovery divine plan
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