After serving 26 years in the United States Army and traveling all around the world, so to speak, and visiting 16 different foreign countries both work-related and for R&R, as well as traveling to and thru 40 or more of the States in the United States to include Hawaii and Alaska, I decided it was time to hang up my guns and retire.
My last job assignment in the Army was at Fort Ord, CA (February 1990 until May 1991) as Senior Career Counselor (00R50) for Headquarters, 1st Aviation Brigade.
During the last year of my long Army career and after submitting for retirement, I worked part-time at a local Radio Shack in Marina, CA outside of Fort Ord. At the end of May 1991, after my retirement ceremony, buying a new truck, and loading up my worldy goods, I left Fort Ord around 4 a.m. on a Friday morning loaded with bottles of water and snacks in an Ice Chest, a Thermos of Coffee on the front seat, a pack of No-Doze Tables, the Pacific Ocean and California in my rear-view mirrow. I headed East towards Hampton Roads and the warm beaches on the Alantic Ocean side of Virginia. (Here's the crazy part) With only a few days rest along the way while visiting family members in Indiana and Ohio, I made the coast to coast journey in less than a week (Never again!).
After retiring from the Army in May of 1991 and moving back to Virginia, I again worked part-time at a Radio Shack located in the Hampton Mall in Hampton Roads, VA. After about nineteen months in Virginia and getting a good Tan, I got homesick for Tennessee, so in February 1993, I moved from Virginia to Gatlinburg, TN, (Closer to home) and lived and worked for about six months for a Chalet Company, making Reservations. Around June 1993, I moved from Gatlinburg to Cookeville, TN, and worked part-time at a Walmart store, then enrolled in, and graduated from, an Architectural Drafting School in Livingston TN and then moved to Dale Hollow Lake in Pickett County TN where for about ten years I ran my own Professional Photography business and also worked part-time at a local Funeral Home.
In 2004, my wife and I moved back to Scott County Tennessee where I was born and raised, and for two or three years I worked part-time for FOUR OAKS FUNERAL HOME before finally retiring for good.
This ribbon will display Multiple Award devices automatically based on the total number of awards listed
Details Behind Award
Not sure of my exact award date, but it was awarded and it is authorized because I meet the award criteria: The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is an award of the United States Armed Forces established in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. I served two tours of duty in Vietnam; January 1969 to January 1970, and again from January 1971 to January 1972.
I have the Vietnam Service Medal with 1 silver service star, and 2 bronze service stars. Bronze and silver service stars are used to indicate additional awards. The service ribbon itself indicates the first award, with a bronze service star being added to indicate the second award. If applicable, a silver service star is worn in lieu of five bronze stars.
Bronze and silver stars are authorized to signify participation in any of the 17 designated campaigns during the inclusive period.
The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the armed forces, who served in Vietnam, its contiguous waters, or airspace, between 15 March 1962 and 28 March 1973. Personnel serving in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia, in direct support of operations in Vietnam, during this period, are also eligible for the medal. To qualify for award of the Vietnam Service Medal an individual must have met one of the following qualifications: - Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting or aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations. - Actually participate as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights into airspace above Vietnam and contiguous waters directly supporting military operations. - Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, except that the time limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations. NOTE Medal and 1 bronze star with first award. Additional bronze stars awarded for each subsequent period of service. A silver star is used in place of five (5) bronze stars.