Introduction

[Jumpin' Jack]

My name is Danny, I have been reading this forum for a few years and might like to paticipate in some of the discusions if that would be all right.

I am not a Ranger. I was prior military. I served from 09/Jun/79 to 09/Jun/82 in 1/17th Air Cavalry, C-Troop, Lift Platoon, 82nd ABN Division. My MOS's at that time were 67N and 67T. I did basic at Ft. McCellan, AIT at Ft. Rucker for 67N training. Ft. Benning for jump school and on to Ft. Bragg. I was on jump status until mid 1980. I was a crewchief on UH1H (Huey's) when I was switched to a flight status slot so I could continue to crew and get flight pay. I went back to school early 1980 at Ft. Eustis to get trained in the new UH60A (Blackhawks). My job in general was to DX the Vietnam era Huey's and become a crash-test dummy for the first generation 'hawks.

I was pretty psyched about getting chosen to pick up 7 numerically ordered 'hawks from the factory in Connecticutt and fly them down to Ft. Bragg. These were the first 'hawks at Bragg in a working/training environment. We were training typical Air Cav tactics while working with the factory reps to try and work the bugs out of the damn things. I continued to jump during this enlistment because the lift platoon crew chiefs were attached to the AARPs and went werever they went. I jumped into Gatun DZ Ft. Sherman for Jungle School in '81, Participated in the disastrous "Gallant Eagle" '82.

Me and a buddy joined after the failed attempt in Feb '79 of the takeover of the Iranian embassy. I took a leave of absence from my civil service job at the time. Reagan came in and the Iranians released the hostages from the Sep '79 takeover of the embassy. I continued training and when my enlistment was up it was dead space around the world, so my wife and I decided to take the window of opportunity to go back home, get back into my old job and start a family.

I was paralyzed on 12/Mar/88 on my '61 Panhead by a hit and run driver. In 1990 I got retrained in computer repair, program troubleshooting and computer graphics. I went back to work in a wheelchair with a military contractor doing work for mostly everyone on Ft. Bragg and anyone else my boss needed work for. I got too ill from complications of my paraplegia and had to retire in 2006. My wife and I are now raising my daughter's first two children from shortly after their birth til today when they are 7 and 9.

I hope that is a satifactory intro. I have been a member of "Armyparatrooper.org" for several years under the same name and I look forward to some conversation and opinions from the Ranger point of view.

JJ...

[Steadfast]

Welcome yumpin yak.

Thank you for your service to our country. You guys that flew them birds that aided our asses have been and will always be my hero's.
Many of our own Rangers went onto flying all assorted different birds after leaving Regiment and currently still fly.

It is a good thing that even after your disabling injuries you were able to go far with your life - these are the qualities we hope every young man coming here will realize there are always things we/you/they can overcome.

Keep it going yumpin yak! You make us all proud!

[GoldCoast]

Welcome to the site.

[Grifter]

welcome..

[Slowpoke]

Welcome...do you still have the Panhead?

[Jumpin' Jack]

Welcome yumpin yak.

I got your PM. The intro WAS a might long. I get wound up by the end of the day from all the painmeds I take and sometimes start to ramble. Reckon I wanted to get as much out in one fell swoop. I realize I am in your house and will act according to site SOP.

I live a stones throw from Bragg. My neighbors are mostly Airborne of some sort. A lot of SF either ranger tabbed or having served in a BATT. Thank God I have not lost one yet. But I can't wait to see them come home from one delployment or another and fill me in on the nitty gritty.

The closest I came to training with you big dogs was a 3 week traning trip down at Camp Blanding, FL. My Platoon leader and pilot, a hardcore Ranger tabbed Lt. told me to fill up a box with as much fruit and chocolate bars as I could and get the aircraft ready to go ASAP. We had a flight in the air, headed south of Blanding into a swampy PZ and picked up a squad of tired, wet troops who devoured as much as they could and stuffed the rest in their pockets and packs. We dropped them off as ordered and the Lt. now had time to explain that they were in some phase or other of Ranger training. Perhaps you guys would know more about that.

There I go ramblin' again. "Steadfast" and the others who offered a welcome, thanks. To all, thank you for laying your lives on the line to protect me and my family.

Regards,
JJ...

[Jumpin' Jack]

Welcome...

Thanks.

...do you still have the Panhead?

Nope, sold it for parts after I got out of the hospitals. I got some pics but I'm not sure where or if I can post them.

JJ...

[CharlieRanger1FFV]

Welcome to the site, Jumpin' Jack.


RLTW!!!

[Furious George]

Jumping Jack,

I was just telling an acquaintance of mine (he was a Navy search and rescue crew chief) about how we loved getting picked up by the birds in mountain phase in RS! We got PB and J's and some fruit, inflight. For a famished, disoriented and deranged Ranger student, you guys were an absolute dream come true!!! Thank you for your service, brother.

[Ranger Ron]

Welcome to ArmyRanger.com and thanks for your service to our great country!