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Military Veterans Who Collect Watches

  1. pseikotick Mar 14, 2020

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    There doesn't seem to be a thread for military service veterans, only one for military service watches. This forum must have a diverse group of servicemen (and women?) from many countries around the world. Please share whatever you are comfortable sharing. Reservists, too, of course.

    Me: United States Air Force during the 1980s. Most of my time was in very quiet, often poorly ventilated spaces trying to stay alert during hundreds of hours of calm occasionally punctuated by a few seconds of organized chaos.

    Sgt, USAF
    Permanent stations: Lackland AFB and Goodfellow AFB, TX --- Clark Air Base, Philippines --- US Central Command, MacDill AFB, FL
    Temporary Duty Stations: Alice Springs, Aus --- Fort Bragg, NC --- March AFB, CA --- Jordan --- Egypt --- Bahrain --- Qatar (a few others for a couple of weeks at a time)
    IMG_0001 - Copy.JPG
    Note the early 80s Hamilton. I don't know the model but still have it.
    hamilton chocos.jpg
     
    Edited Mar 15, 2020
  2. Lovewatches2 Mar 14, 2020

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    Thank you much for your services to our country.
    Cheers!
     
  3. KeithS Mar 14, 2020

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    I was an 11A for fours years. I did my platoon leader time with 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment. Here is a picture of me with my platoon:
    me.png

    This is the watch that I wore:
    army watch2.png
     
  4. janice&fred Mar 14, 2020

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    Oh boy did we ever get some good stuff up in Angeles City. Loads of nice vintage watches up there! That's where my wife found our Rolex Commando. At that time there were 4 known legitimate examples. Ours became #5. :D
     
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  5. T4Rdooh Mar 14, 2020

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    Here’s a photo of me with my platoon in Alaska. Wore my Gshock and Seiko Urchin
     
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  6. pseikotick Mar 14, 2020

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    Looks like I'm the old man here. Thank you younger vets for your service, especially those who joined knowing they could be asked to be in harm's way. My most dangerous assignment was avoiding the clap in Angeles City and the rather large "firecrackers" (star-shaped paper things filled with black powder) the locals liked to set off at the new year on Field's Ave. Oh, and the brief time they let a Navy CPO run the chow hall on Centcom deployments. Say what you like about the USAF, but we knew how to eat in the field. MREs for a day or two then hot chow for the duration.

    Any vets from countries other than the US?

    When OF's Mad Dog shows up, he'll be the oldest. I think he has a few weeks on me. 1964 was a good year.
     
  7. Jonathan40 Mar 14, 2020

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    Yes indeed there are and I’m sure I won’t be the last.
    Ex Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer, spent 21 years serving, only really came in harms way during the Balkans war with Yugoslavian gun boats locking missile systems on us. Lynx helicopter soon sorted that out.
    And that bad night in Kowloon back in 1998 :)
    Spent the last 13 years of service with the special comms unit doing some good for the world in various guises.
    Especially as we had lots of reciprocal arrangements with various US agencies so have loads of good memories working on joint ops and spending some down time in the US.
    Loved every minute but it was time to leave with a young son when the government conducted a SDSR in 2011 and as a result left on redundancy in 2012. It was nice being a pensioner at 41 mind you.
    First posh watch was the Seamaster blue wave mid size bought in 2001 when I was promoted to SNCO.
    Great idea for a link and I say thank you to each and every one who has sacrificed for their country and the greater good of the world.
     
  8. verithingeoff Mar 14, 2020

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    Royal Air Force vet, joined in January 1962 as an apprentice, served all over the place left in 1972
    One of my toys, 75 ft long 25 ft high 25 ft deep, weighed over 20 tons
    type80.jpg

    Me nearest the camera at my passing out parade in December 1964
    J798x504-88393 copy.jpg
     
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  9. Lostpuppy116 Mar 14, 2020

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    Marines 1992-1998. I only had Timexes with plastic bodies and frequently either ripped the plastic body or the strap so the watch was basically trash when I was done. Lost a couple too. I only fixed helicopters but it was rough on watches it seemed. Maybe I was rough on watches as I had a Gruen two tone that I thought was nice, but I broke the crystal on it and the hands went soon after, so no more Gruen... but now I have some nice watches (2 Speedys, 1 Grand Seiko and others) with metal bracelets that do not RIP so easily.
     
  10. Kraut783 Mar 14, 2020

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    Did my time and retired in 2015 finishing up in the USAR with a few MOS's over the years. Mainly did G-Shocks and Seiko Diver's over the years...Afghanistan 2002 and Iraq 2007. Been through some watches, but currently liking the Tudor Pelagos ETA and Tudor GMT. Here's a pic in A-stan, going on a night patrol.

    Allen02.jpg
     
  11. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Mar 14, 2020

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    Not quite.
    Royal Australian Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Naval Aircraft Mechanic (Airframes/Engines) 1st Class - 1964 to 1969.
    Royal Australian Air Force, Weapons Systems Technician - 1969 to 1993.

    In the RAAF I did everything from Small Arms Maintenance to Guided Missile Systems with a stint in Ordnance Clearance and IED Response.
    My final post was engineering authority as a Master Aircraft Stores Compatibility Technician for all ADF aircraft.

    Here's me at my last assignment with my Subbie.

    MeSubbie.jpg

    And here's "military me" today, with the Subbie that replaced the original.

    MeSubbie2.JPG
     
    Edited Mar 14, 2020
  12. jburson250 Mar 14, 2020

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    US Navy, 1/1966 to 1/1974. When I enlisted, my folks gave me a Submariner 5512.
    After several schools I became an Electricians Mate, then a Nuclear Propulsion Plant Electrical Operator.
    I served in the USS Enterprise from '67 - '70. This photo shows her at Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines.
    The ship was on a break from duty on Yankee Station, off North Vietnam.
    Big E '68 Subic.jpg

    Here I am, an EM3 a few miles from the ship at Naval Station, Subic Bay. I'm wearing the 5512.

    Me EM3 Subic.jpg

    In late '70, I transferred to Instructor duty at a shore based nuclear plant training facility near Saratoga Springs, NY.
    I was assigned to the USS Long Beach in November, 1972. The ship operated in the western Pacific, i.e. Vietnam.
    A friend shot this photo of me while we transited the Pacific, east bound on the way home to California in December, 1973. I was a First Class Electricians Mate. The 5512 is covered by my left sleeve.

    Me EM1 1973.jpg

    The 5512 took a terrific beating during my Navy years. It was serviced several times, but I retired it to a drawer sometime in the '90's, during my 38 years in the nuclear industry. I had it restored in 2006, at RSC, Dallas.
    Here's my 5512, as it appears today. It's many service parts are evident, though the case, case back, bezel (not the insert) and movement are original.

    5512.JPG

    We've been together fifty-four years.
     
  13. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Mar 15, 2020

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    Former U.S. Navy, active duty 1986 to 1992, Naval Air Reserve and/or IRR from 1992 to 1998, commissioned through Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS), final rank of LT/O3.

    1315 designator (aka “Nasal Radiator”), flew SH-60B Seahawk helos in the fleet as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander/Airborne Tactical Officer with primary missions of anti-submarine warfare and anti-ship surveillance and targeting.

    Aircraft flown included T-34C Mentor, TH-57B/C Sea Ranger and SH-60B Seahawk.

    Duty stations included NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field, NAS North Island and NAF Atsugi Japan. Squadrons included VT-2, HT-8, HSL-41 and HSL-45.

    Deployed on USS Vincennes, USS Fletcher, USS Independence and USS R.M. Davis.
    _______________________________________________

    Some pics...

    Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) class pic from NOV86 at NAS Pensacola. The dude sporting the yellow talk bubble (“Killer Miller”) knocked me out during AOCS boxing training. I’m the dude sporting the blue talk bubble...

    088FADE6-F61C-47F9-8FE0-83EA6B56DCBA.jpeg

    Naval Aviator winging 03JUN88 at NAS Whiting Field...blood wings from Dad...Mom was not very happy about the blood wings...

    959F51B9-F2A6-456E-A0E4-5ACC427E8C00.jpeg

    Flying off some boat which was floating around in some water somewhere...

    C7B1E5B8-4DC6-4084-9457-34E0EE442B6C.jpeg

    During my time in the Navy, I wore my beloved Seiko 6309-7049 automatic which I purchased new at the NAS Whiting Field NEX in 1987 during Navy primary pilot training. I still have my beloved 6309-7049 (as well as its original b&p) and wear it fairly often...it’s my most sentimental watch...

    A9CFE03D-FEBA-4166-9C00-91321BC8F439.jpeg
     
    Edited Mar 15, 2020
  14. Radiozoop Mar 15, 2020

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    I was USAF, 2011-2019. Duty stations included Lackland AFB, TX; Keesler AFB, MS; and Scott AFB, IL/MO. I worked as a ground rat at first, then our AFSC was merged with SATCOM and I became a SATCOM operator, spending countless nights babysitting a ground station passing messages along to HQ AMC. I worked along side the intel guys fixing their equipment, so that was kind of cool.

    Anyways, I went through my time in the service with a few watches. The first is a watch a received from my late grandfather, unfortunately I don't have any pictures actually wearing on duty. The second and third are pieces I collected throughout my time on an Airman's pay:

    IMG_8751.jpg
    IMG_1370.jpg IMG_2919.jpg

    Me with a giant M16 training rifle we had lying around our shop. Not sure why we had it but I hung it above my desk:

    12243305_1536962216593875_4272350936547307397_n.jpg

    And then here are the watches I've collected since leaving the service. I'm now at the tail end of my civil engineering degree (thanks G.I. Bill!):

    86224632_2325458634410892_4302604946148163584_o.jpg

    IMG_7664.jpg IMG_5435.jpg
    IMG_1983.jpg

    I have quite a few others, but these are the ones that mean the most to me.

    Anyways, cheers to the other servicemembers on OF, and thank you for your service. I unfortunately had an injury that prevented me from deploying, so overall I was very safe during my time (other than the perpetual night shifts for about 2 years straight!).
     
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  15. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Mar 15, 2020

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    OK...gotta ask...you jokers had hot cocoa with petite marshmallows, right? :D

     
  16. Radiozoop Mar 15, 2020

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    Only the best five star service in the Air Force!
     
  17. Radiozoop Mar 15, 2020

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    You’re a Marine, right? Have you done your prepping for the coronavirus hysteria? :D:D::stirthepot::
    Edit: After looking at your picture, looks like you’re Army. Oh well, I’ll leave the post up for laughs and posterity, of course! :)
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    Edited Mar 15, 2020
  18. GordonL Mar 15, 2020

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    I have great respect for anyone who has served their country.
     
  19. T4Rdooh Mar 15, 2020

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    Haha i was actually an 11B in the army and this was a field problem where we were in tents in -10 to -25 degree weather for 3 weeks.
     
  20. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Mar 15, 2020

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    Huh! Not always!

    I had to do a field ex once and the nearest motel was 90 kilometres away and in those days they didn't even have wifi.

    It was a long drive every morning and back again at night but lucky they had room service out of hours so brekky and dinner were covered.