How many of you have RL military experience?

[LoBlo]

I see a large percentage of posters here have done it in real life either army, navy, marines, or airforce. Either that or are working in the defense industries in some way. Makes me feel like the community really knows what's it talking about.

Post here if you have RL military or defense industry experience.

Personally I don't. I'm just a long time enthusiast since I played my first sub sim (688 Attack Sub) back on the old 386 when I was 9 years old. Good times. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/688_Attack_Sub After that I've been stuck on naval and flight sims for most of my life. I work in healthcare in RL.

Anyway, I'm just curious if you don't mind sharing.

lb

[Dysta]

I have no military experience at all, not even to join a summer camp of PLA Hong Kong Garrison Troops (it requires university level of education or above to apply). The best I have is only 4 years of Boy Scout experiences long ago.

Though I do have nearly a decade of realistic based military gamings (like JFC, Arma 2/3, and few other chess-based war games), and enthusiastic to Chinese military after the maiden flight of first J-20. I may be a typical fan boy of these, but not overzealous or over-nationalistic with it. I perfer peace than war if you ask me.

I am also an artist and computer technician, used to draw many sci-fi things and obviously relative to military. Just an average 'Joe' in Hong Kong.

[shaunchattey]

I'm a fairly unactive but long time matrix games fan, I think you are mistaking grognard level wargamers with ex-forces people. While I know there are a fair chunk of ex-forces people around here, I'd guess about 80% are just dedicated wargamers.

[wild_Willie2]

No experience myself, but my dad was a 40 year lifer and so I have been reading up on military hardware, strategy and tactics for the last thirty years. About thirty years ago, my preschool teacher (a declared pacifist) even send me home with a note saying that I wasn't allowed to draw tanks and planes in class anymore. By the age of ten I had learned myself to read English because the text in most my second hand books about WW2 where all in English. By the age of 11 I had decided to join the army but to become at least a colonel as I had surmised from my books that higher officers tended to get killed the least, but when I turned 18 I got rejected during my military physical because of asthma.
And I have also been an avid player of operational hex based and war-game simulators for the last 25 years, starting with the 1989 Microprose release of M1 Tank Platoon (see link). IRL, I just received my PhD degree in phytopathology...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Tank_Platoon

[Rory Noonan]

I was a medic in the Australian navy for 6 years. I used to go up to the ops room whenever I could to have a look and I think the kind of questions I was asking and the prior knowledge I had from playing Harpoon probably raised a few eyebrows haha.

[Sardaukar]

Yes, was active duty officer in Finnish Defence Forces (Land Forces)).

[dox44]

both--USMC

[Airborne Rifles]

Currently serving US Army infantry officer. That doesn't mean I know what I'm talking about when it comes to modern air/naval operations! [:)]

[ByronBond]

I have some Cold War experience. Annapolis grad, served as Communications officer and ASW Officer on a Spruance class in the 3rd and 7th fleet in the 80's. My old ship was sunk as a target and is now providing a pleasant home to many reef-dwellers, making me feel old! [:)]

[Mini_Von]

I was a USAF F-16 crew chief in the 90's.

[AlGrant]

Royal Navy for 23 years. Started off as a comms operator and changed to intel collection/analysis.

[FTBSS]

Fire Control Tech on a SSBN 9 years service, taught at Submarine school for US Navy. Probably some of my pupils still out there punching holes.

[OnFire]

I was in active service with the German Army Engineers (Bundeswehr).

[NakedWeasel]

Nuclear machinist mate 3rd class, USS Abraham Lincoln.

[.Sirius]

CT then

ORIGINAL: AlGrant


Royal Navy for 23 years. Started off as a comms operator and changed to intel collection/analysis.

[Sigma8510]

27 years - USN

Subs - STS
Surface- SWO

[airwinger63]

Afternoon,

23 years active duty U.S Navy aviation ordnance. 9 Med/IO cruises, 3 with VF-14 Tophatters
(F-14A Tomcat), Grenada, Beirut, Libyan's Line of Death, 3 with VA-35 Black Panthers
(A-6E TRAM/KA-6D Intruder) Libyan's Line of Death, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Turkish Missile
Shoot, 1 with VF-143 World Famous Puk'in Dogs (F-14B Tomcat/Bombcat) Persian Gulf. 5 year ordnance
related contractor, and going on 8 more as government service.

Airwinger63

[AlmightyTallest]

U.S. Defense industry, one of the largest contractors.

[harpoon731]

US Air Force - Aircraft Maintenance

[cf_dallas]

ORIGINAL: AlmightyTallest

U.S. Defense industry, one of the largest contractors.

US defense contractor, the largest.

Also on the largest, and probably most maligned, program in history.