2nd Steel Beach Picnic aboard the USS Kitty Hawk floating around in the Persian Gulf. Iraqi Freedom Cruise circa April 2003. Civvies were authorized but note the padeyes on the deck, sand haze in the air, and the couple dudes in coveralls and utilities. Somehow our squadron acquired a roll of the MWR beer tickets and we had more than 2 beers each that day. I have since become a contractor in aviation services and support but have continued to work and deploy with active duty for my entire career post service. USN E2C Avionics tech 2001-2005 VAW-115 2002-2005, NAF Atsugi Japan

I was enlisted in the Army Reserve as a PSYOP Specialist (37F so spent more time on active duty than reserve duty ironically) and later commissioned in the Active Army as a Signal Officer (25A). This is me with 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Airborne) at Camp Fallujah, Iraq in early 2007.

Hi all, 9 years British Royal Navy as a Weapons Engineer followed by 8.5 years with the Ministry of Defence as an Engineering Support Officer. From 1999 to 2007 in total. I do miss it if honest.

I'm a former PSYOPer as well (345th POC (TAC) (A) and 346th POC (TAC) (A)). And also went to the dark side and commissioned, I'm currently in the Army Reserves as a JAG Officer (27A). Former enlisted all-source intel analyst (96B and 35F) and PSYOP (37F2P). I was in Afghanistan in 2002 as a PSYOPer.

2nd Steel Beach Picnic aboard the USS Kitty Hawk floating around in the Persian Gulf. Iraqi Freedom Cruise circa April 2003. Civvies were authorized but note the padeyes on the deck, sand haze in the air, and the couple dudes in coveralls and utilities. Somehow our squadron acquired a roll of the MWR beer tickets and we had more than 2 beers each that day. I have since become a contractor in aviation services and support but have continued to work and deploy with active duty for my entire career post service. USN E2C Avionics tech 2001-2005 VAW-115 2002-2005, NAF Atsugi Japan

Served from 1994- 2010.

There i was knee deep in grenade pins…. Yo whatsup everyone. Retired Marine here. Jeez it’s been 5 years since I closed that chapter. Was fortunate enough to have served alongside some really cool folks. With all the bumps and brusies Ive picked up along the way…the only time I dont feel pain (mental/physical) is when I’m on the mats. It’s an amazing thing. Stay frosty gents.

Back right. 5 yrs Army MP 2007-2012 E4 mafia 1 deployment to El Salvador 2010

Army 11B

US Army Cryptolinguist (Korean) 1999-2004. Spent a couple years at the Defense Language School in Monterey, CA, AIT in Goodfellow AFB, then the rest of my time at Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea. Pictured: Urban Training Exercise @ the MOUT site at Fort Ord, 99-00ish

US Army SFC(R). Marine Corps Veteran as well.

Tahlil, Iraq 03/04

US Navy 1980, USS Kitty Hawk

what does "sound off boot" mean?

You read it correctly the first time Sound OFF Boot... The term was suggested originally to come from Vietnam war, meaning Boot- a person starting fresh in their tour of duty. In the military we typically use the phrase 'boot' to describe a new person right out of boot camp or their MOS school.

Neither Google, nor ChatGPT seem to know anything about this term. Google basically only finds this thread + a handful of random results. So maybe my OCD is still a bit triggered, after all 😂