War Stories 4

[ikar]

After turning in our weapons and looking for a ride back our a jeep pulls up and we're told to go back and get our rifles, there's a riot at our barracks.

We looked at each other and ran back to the window, cutting off the on-going A.B.D. Flight.

Now rearmed we hopped into waiting jeeps for a fast trip to our barracks. When we got there we joined a force of two Q.R.T. armored vehicles, and several trucks and jeeps to break up a crowd in the middle of the street with the two opposing sides, K-9 and who ever was inside against one of the ammo squadrons that lived across from us.

I saw a couple K-9 guys telling a very large handler that he should just go upstairs and it would be handled later when things calmed down.

It seems that when this particular handler was dropped off by his people and was walking up the incline to ward the barracks, the ammo guys started to harass his about what he did for a job and what he did out in the base jungle with his dog. This isn't the first time cops would get hasseled by another squadron, very few people liked us anyway. What was different was someone threw a bottle at him and almost hit him. Alcohol involved, who would have thought?

Later that night I and a friend were carefully getting a can of soda from the machine on the ground level when we heard a whooshing sound. As I looked to see where it came from a rocket from a slap flare hit the ammo barracks. Several more followed from the third floor. They ripped through the screen doors and bounced off the walls, sometimes breaking a few lattice window slats.

All we could do was drink our soda and marvel at the light show.

Things remained pretty calm after that and I never heard of anyone being punished for the flare demo.

[Ryan Hothersall]

Getting the impression that Military Police are mutually despised by all.

[ikar]

In the Air Force the Security Police normally got along fairly well with the Fire Department and the medical squadron.

Most of the rest of the base population wouldn't sit at the same table with us in a crowded dining hall or anywhere else.

[Drifterdon]

Was still the same in the 80's and 90's. We had our own area in the chow hall in Alaska and you didn't dare sit in it if you weren't a cop. If I recall, even the Fire Department hated us up there. The Air Force Academy was different though. We got along with the Fire Dept and hospital crowd. In fact, the hospital ER folks helped up perpetrate some pretty fun pranks for the newbies.

Great stories ikar, keep em coming!

[ikar]

We didn't mind if they sat with us, they wouldn't

We did, on rare occasions, get with them to have a little fun with one of our jeeps, also know as rookies, or F.N.G.s.

One time at Dover, they sent a rookie down to the flight line to get some evidence called an alternating skyhook from the aircraft maint. guys. As soon as he was on his way, the L.E. desk called ahead and they were more than happy to sent him to another location. Each time he hit the new spot he got an excuse on why it was moved. One time they even told him that their 1st Sgt had it moved for security purposes because they found out that an important part had been removed and found in another location. They called the desk and the great hunt was called off. The jeep was called and told to disregard because the skyhook had been brought in.

The rookie arrived and wanted to see the evidence that he had traveled all over the live for and was told it was secured in a cell in the back.

He went back there and found, laying on a cot, a pair of handcuffs and a broken pencil.

Not a happy guy for a while.

[Hajo L.]

A classic rookie prank!

HAJO

[Drifterdon]

We did, on rare occasions, get with them to have a little fun with one of our jeeps, also know as rookies, or F.N.G.s.

I totally forgot about jeeps! We used that term as well. Just Enough Education to Pass - JEEP

[majortomski]

I was a USAF civilian Aerospace Engineer from 81 to 88. (Also a AFRES Officer at the same time). I have only two short exposures to the USAF security forces. My favorite:

I was once called from the OC-ALC depot to the 552 AWACS flight line @ Tinker AFB to look at an in-flight vibration problem on the original KC-135, then EC-135C, 55-3118 (now a gate guard at McConnell AFB KS). They had installed a replacement leading edge airfoil on an inboard flap, and at approach speeds the airfoil would vibrate so fast it would disappear. Ended up the old #1 tanker needed its own special parts, and if they’d of followed the cautions in the-4 the vibrations wouldn’t have been there at all. As I was leaving the AWACs ramp for the 4th time that day, the new guy after shift change, did politely ask me to assume the position face down on the ramp. Really? I asked, “really” he said. Why? I asked. You’re on a secure ramp, without proper ID and without escort. OK, I’ll play the game by the rules, but…before I do that let me offer you something to consider; Your NCO or Officer is going to have to come out here and follow up on me being on the ground. I will tell him that I was invited out here by the Chief of Maintenance, and that your predecessors at this post have been letting me on and off the ramp all day, without proper ID and without an escort. So the maintenance troops are going to be in trouble, your coworkers are going to be in trouble, you’re going to have paperwork until the middle of the night, and you’re going to have to work with your co-workers. And I’ll still be home 30 minutes after your NCO/Officer shows up. “Have a nice evening Mr. Solinski, please, next time, follow procedures” Thank you Sergeant!