Carlson, Sam, CPT

I retired from the Army (again) in late March 2010 and from Lockheed Martin effective 1 July 2010. 

I'm currently enrolled in school at Kennesaw State University drawing down my Post 9/11 GI Bill in order to take fun and interesting courses.  I was only able to  use 6 months of my Vietnam GI Bill before I received my MS degree and the Vietnam GI Bill expired in 1989.  The VA subtracted those six months from my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  This means I can be a professional student for 3 1/2 years!

I almost feel like Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School".

I am the third generation of five generations of US Army.
 
1.  Grandfather, PFC Charles A. Carlson, a Scandinavian immigrant, served from 1917 to 1919 in the Army's Air Service (23rd Balloon Company) in France during WWI.  His TWS memorial profile is located at http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/280259

2.  Father, LTC Carsten Carlson served from 1937 to 1963... WWII in the Pacific ('41-'42) and Europe '44 -'45) & Korea (1950) plus the Vietnam era.  His TWS memorial profile page is at http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/388780

3.  I served in the Regular Army from 1967 to 1987; in the TX Guard from 1992 to 1995; and again in the Regular Army from 2005 to 2010 as a recalled retiree.
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4.  My son, 1SG Sam Carlson, was active duty starting in 1984, served as a tank commander with the 2d ACR during the first Gulf War and was the 1SG of the Laghman PRT in Afghanistan at about the same time as I was there with the 3d IBCT, 10th Mtn Div (LI) during my 2009 - 2010 deployment  He retired with over 26 years AFS effective September 2010.

5.  Grandson, SGT David Carlson, was also on active duty and recently returned from a deployment to Iraq where he was an Army UAV Pilot.  His TWS Profile is at http://army.togetherweserved.com/Profile/88564

Uncle, Vernon L. Carlson, USMC, served from 1940 to 1946 with combat service at Pearl Harbor, Midway, Guam, Okinawa and as a China Marine.  See his proile on the Marine TWS site at http://marines.togetherweserved.com/profile/219359

Brother, Carsten D. Carlson, LTC, USA (Ret), served in combat with C Co, 2d Bn 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam from approximately January 1968 to August 1968 when he was medically evacuated with serious wounds.  He enlisted in the USAR in 1962 and was commissioned in about 1966.  He later went on active duty, retiring as a Regular Army officer with 20 years of active service.    

Uncle Charles R. Carlson, SGM, USA (Ret) /  CPT, AUS (Ret),  served from 1947 to 1968 with combat service in Korea and Vietnam.  See his profile at the Army TWS site at http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/87789

In addition to my time with the US Army, I served in the Texas Guard from 1992 to 1995.   I served as the XO of the 502d Military Police Battalion and later as Commander, 2d Bn, 4th Bde from 1993 to 1995.  I entered the Guard as a Captain and was soon promoted to Major by the State AG..  I left the Guard in 1995 as a Lt Colonel.

Other members of my famly have served, particularly on my father's mother's side of the family, with Union forces in the Civil War, the War of 1812, the American Revolution, French & Indian Wars.... and others, going back to my 10th Great Grandparents who came over on the Mayflower in 1620.  Their daughter (my 9th Great Grandmother), Rebecca Towne, was hanged as a witch during the time of the Salem witch trials.  She was later found not guilty, but that verdict came a little late.  Another ancestor from that side of the family participated in the Norman Invasion of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings.  That side of the family has aslo been traced back to ancient royals of the House of Wessex as well as other French and English Royalty, including ancient  French, Scandinavian and Germanic Kings.