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OverEasy wrote:US Navy, AIMD Rota Spain, 70, 71, 72. I was an E5 and I couldn't spend all my money between pay days. I lived in an apartment off base and we had a maid to clean up and do the laundry. Wine, from the bodega, down the street was 7 CENTS a liter. We had a jug in a wicker basket that we let float in the swimming pool with us. We shared a pool with 7 other apartments. Fine dinning was only a couple of bucks a meal. Oh, and sangria by the pitcher. Barber shaves with a straight razor after the hot towel. Tailor made slacks, sport coats and suits. We weren't allowed to wear our uniforms off base.
That experience taught me how the 1% live. I have never been able reach that standard of living again.
I would make the sacrifice all over again, if I had to............, OE

I'm not a veteran, but Dad was A D-Day veteran and then retired out of the AirForce in 1964.
In 1958 he was transferred to Zaragoza for 3 years. I was just a kid, but we did live well for a TSgt with 4 kids. 5-room new home, new car, a maid, and everything was dirt cheap. This was back when Americans were Kings - and big black American cars were held in awe. Best years of my childhood. Plan to visit there soon as possible.

7th INF DIV, Fort Ord CA.. 1988-1993..... Not only the best duty station, best unit, best location ... but I met and married my wife there.....in down town Monterrey California.

Second best would be Alaska, 1-17 IN, then 501st PIR. 1993-2002

I'm not a veteran (and THANK YOU! to those of you who serve(d)!
I was robbed of my Texas citizenship because my dad got drafted and was in basic training
at Fort Ord, Ca. My mom (already pregnant with me) went and I was born there.
We all moved back here to Dallas after dad was discharged... I guess I was a little over
a year old.

I did get the chance to visit in the late 80's - after the base was closed. The only time I've
had the opportunity to go back to that area.

We always had problems with making our meager pay last for 30 days, and especially near the end of the month. While in Korea, we would constantly end up at the KATUSA snack bar. Excellent Ramen. The real deal…… Oh and don’t forget ohm rice.

USS Zellars DD-777, 1967 - 1970 3 years, 25 days, 16 hours, and 37 minutes log book on to log book off. Best duty was reserve training in Brooklyn NY.

Reserve161 wrote: I did get the chance to visit in the late 80's - after the base was closed. The only time I've
had the opportunity to go back to that area.

You must be confused on your dates, as the Base realignment commission did not even make the recommendation to close Fort Ord till 1991.. And I can assure you 7TH ID and FORT ORD were alive, and at full capacity until the first unit in the division started the move to Fort Lewis April 1993 .

If you visited in the late 1980's, You visited at the height of activity at Fort Ord.

Fort Ord was officially closed in 1994.

2d ID, Camp Casey, Korea, 2d Medical Btn. Was there in '88 during the Olympics. Although the students were rioting I did take my mid-tour leave and stayed in country to watch as much of the Olympics as I could. That memory will last a lifetime.

Good times, yeah verily, good times indeed!

Best was a TDY to Tyndall AFB (Panama City Beach, Florida) during spring break of 2002. Billets were full, as were most of the hotels in and around base. The only spot was a condo on the beach. Yep, the beach during spring break. :) For a month!

I was single, 23, and didn't have a care in the world. A magazine owned by Hugh Heffner had a photo shoot right outside our room (on the beach) when we got back one particular day, and we were still in uniform. It worked to our advantage, and we were able to hang out at the hot tub with them later on that night. Fun times for a 23 year old single guy.

Of course, I later had to "pay" for it with 12 hour rotations watching the runways while sitting in an old mid-80's conversion van by myself...6pm to 6am. Some folks were jealous. Including my first shirt.

bronco78 wrote:

Reserve161 wrote: I did get the chance to visit in the late 80's - after the base was closed. The only time I've
had the opportunity to go back to that area.

You must be confused on your dates, as the Base realignment commission did not even make the recommendation to close Fort Ord till 1991.. And I can assure you 7TH ID and FORT ORD were alive, and at full capacity until the first unit in the division started the move to Fort Lewis April 1993 .

If you visited in the late 1980's, You visited at the height of activity at Fort Ord.

Fort Ord was officially closed in 1994.

Yes, I indeed did get my dates wrong. I'm sure it was the late 90's - not 80's. That was a lifetime ago working at a different job so the chronology escapes me. :-)

Adak, Alaska

Loved the people and the weather

Embassy Duty, American Embassy Bonn, Germany. Marine Security Guard Battalion, Company A. 1974 -1976.

This was a great place to be for 2 years.

I spent six years in the Navy, and the last 4 and a half were wonderful. 2 and a half in Cape Hatteras, NC (surfing, blues fishing, fresh water fishing, beautiful women - one that I married 40 years ago) and 2 years in Newfoundland, CA (salmon fishing, ptarmigan hunting, moose hunting, cod fishing, and on and on and on.) Thank you, Uncle Sam.

Best-Florida.
Worst-Iceland.

Korea, Western Corridor 1978-79, 1988-1990. Really loved the soldier's life in Korea. If any B-2-E: Your Mama's a Beast!!!

Shore duty in Coronado in the middle of the VN war, as a brand new Ensign, Chairman of the Officer's Club Board, buying drinks for nurses. It was my duty, and I did the best I could.