Re-Introduction

[Brodsky]

I signed onto this site back in 2012, but have been absent for a couple of years. Several replies asked for more background, and I didn't get around to that. So, if one of you who inquired sees this, my apology. Anyway, as I said then, I'm long retired from the Canadian Army (Airborne & straightleg inf). I earned "the tab" as an Allied Student (Dist Hon grad Ser 7/66. I still have a warm contact with my 1st phase (Camp Harmony, Benning) Ranger Buddy who went on for two Nam tours as a SF A Team and MACV advisor, and later back to the Ranger Trg Bde as instructor. I'd love to hear from any others of that mob. As for me, Reserves 1949 at age 15, Regular Army since '51. NATO West Germany 1959-62 as Rifle Pl Sgt (excuse if my abbreviations are Cdn military) & Sig Pl Sgt. Canadians were an Independent Bde as part of Br 4th Armd Div, BAOR. Our home base was near Soest, Westphalia. (We were on our own except for Brit hard rations in the field, which should have come with a medal if you could stomach them.) 1964-65: UN Peacekeeping, Cyprus (UNFICYP) as Bn Int Sgt. Occasional hairy wind-ups, when UN tps interposed between Gk-Cyps and Tk-Cyps, but mostly tedium. 1977-78: Kashmir, field station OIC (Maj) on the so-called Cease Fire Line separating the armies of India & Pakistan. It had its moments. Instructional postings before and after, until release 1983 with 32 years of mostly undetected crime. Now 80 years old and looking back, I have always viewed that Ranger trg as a great experience - squeezing water out of rock at Dahlonega and getting a tad moist in the ooze over by Santa Rosa Sound. I don't log on often, so please be patient, Rangers, if you don't get timely responses to your reply posts. My user name Brodsky lacks character. So, let's use (modestly of course), Last Man in the Bear Pit.

[Lefty]

Welcome to the site. I am impressed by your resume'.

There were a couple of Canadian officers in my SFOC course in 1969 who were generally great guys and outstanding soldiers. There were several Canadians in my RS class in 1970 who were also impressive, especially a Sergeant Major who looked like someone out of Central Casting for a movie stereotype, sounded like one, too.

About the only part of Canada I have seen is the Quetico around Atikokan. I have made a dozen or so trips there, about a half dozen canoe camping trips through the Quetico itself. Truly impressive country, a glimpse of what the continent may have looked like before colonization.

Hopefully some others will be along shortly to welcome you to our site.

[Jim]

Welcome back, Ranger!

[Brodsky]

Good to hear from you, ManchV. I've just left a post for Lefty and Jim, so you'll get a bit more there. I wonder how you found your Korea experience? Life must have still been tense along the DMZ (as it remains today, especially with Kim Il Jong on his throne in the north). In my early years of service many of my battalion chums were WW2 vets, more were Korean War vets, and many were both. The best known action for the Canucks and Aussies was the Battle of Kapyong. A battalion of each held blocking positions that halted a southward drive of a whole PRC army corps toward Seoul. There's a lot about that online. I had the honor of soldiering with a few Aussies years later in Kashmir. Fine soldiers.

[Lefty]

I received your PM.

Thank you for your insights. I will always remember the Canadians I trained with as outstanding soldiers.