re: #31 ckkatz

Oof, I heard it was a drunken Barrack’s fight. Even when I was in the AF back in the late 70’s/early 80’s, a DWI was an indication that you were incapable of self-control, got you dumped back down to E-2, and meant that you couldn’t re-up even if you wanted to. You were persona non grata and you were going to get separated.

It was worse than punching your sergeant, which in many cases, depending on your sergeant, was later ruled justifiable. This was how you weeded out toxic non-coms.

Fortunately, I was an officer and a gentleman, and only had to save my Boom Operator, a Tech Sergeant, from any Courts Martial when he got horribly drunk one night in Spain (Zaragoza) and offered to kick everyone’s ass in the NCO club (I was told his come on was “Big ones one at a time, little ones in a bunch.”

Informed of the situation, I skedaddled over to the NCO Club, gained entry, grabbed a large pitcher of water, and threw it in Terry’s face. He roared and charged me, recognized me and said “Co, what are you doing here?” I said, “Keeping your ass in the Air Force, you stupid pollack. Follow me or you are going to the brig.”

So he followed me, and I took him to transient housing. He broke down in tears. We had been in the UK for over a month, supporting the Falklands war, and he was just lonely and missed his wife. And he got drunk. And he was a really bad drunk.

We got him back to the States. He was a really, really good boom operator. Never ever made a mistake.