Vining, Mike, SGM

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.
When I was a child I liked to read military history stories. During this time the country was remembering the 100th anniversary of the American Civil War, so I would read a lot about the Civil War. I also had the Alamo and Civil War toy sets and would reenact battles. In my senior year of high school the 1968 Tet Offensive occurred. I knew I wanted to serve my country in Vietnam to see for myself as to why we were fighting there.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
I would have liked to been in a ski and mountaineering outfit like the 10th Mountain Division, a division that operated during WWII, but the Army had eliminated that specialty. My next choice was the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) field. After finishing Ammunition Renovation Advance Individual Training (AIT), I attended EOD School at Fort McClellan, Alabama and Indian Head Naval Ordnance Station, Maryland. I served in conventional EOD units from 1969 to 1978.

In 1978, I decided I wanted something more challenging, so I volunteered to join a new unit that was forming up at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They wanted people with an EOD background. The unit was 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta (Airborne). I spent the next 21 years in Delta and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), except for a year in a EOD unit in Alaska. In 1988, I transferred from EOD to Infantry. I figured I stood a better chance making Sergeant Major in Infantry, which worked out for me.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
I spent a year in Vietnam with the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) out of Phuoc Vinh, from 26 February 1970 to 29 January 1999. In April of 1980, I participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the Iran Hostage Rescue Attempt. I was aboard the EC-130E Bladder Bird #4 at Desert One when we were hit by RH-53D helicopter #3. During Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada, I was on the Richmond Hill Prison assault. In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, I was stationed at Ar'ar, Saudi Arabia. In 1994, I was the Senior Enlisted Adviser for Joint Task Force 188 (JTF-188) on board the aircraft carrier USS AMERICA (CV-66) during Operation Uphold Democracy.

My most significant action in my career was the destruction of a cache found in Cambodia called "Rock Island East." The cache yielded 327 tons of ammunition and supplies, including 932 individual weapons, 85 crew-served weapons, 7,079,694 small arms and machine gun rounds. The cache contained 999 rounds of 85mm artillery shells which are used for the D-44 howitzer as well as the T-34 tank. I was part of a seven-man EOD team that destroyed the cache on 16 May 1970.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
I would say that it is two duty stations/assignments that I have my fondest memories of. Although all of my stations/assignments were a very positive experience and made many new friends. But it was my tour in Vietnam with the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) and my tour with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment, Delta at Fort Bragg, North Carolina stands out the most. Both of those assignments involved combat duty.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
I would say our attempt to rescue the 53 Americans being held in Iran (1979-1981). In Delta this was the exact type of mission that we had trained for since the unit was first formed in November 1977. The only problem was that no other organization was training to support this kind of mission. The supporting units were put together ad hoc and had to quickly train for the mission. The helicopters were always a weak link in the mission. I believe that had we gotten to the American Embassy in Tehran, we would have been able to rescue the 53 Americans being held hostage. We trained very hard for that mission and I wish that it would have succeeded.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
I received Army Commendation for heroism while assigned as Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist, 63d Ordnance Detachment (EOD), Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, during a series of terrorist bombings at Quincy, Illinois on 27 - 28 September 1976. SGM Kenneth Foster was killed when one of the bombs detonated.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
I would say it was the Legion of Merit medal that I was awarded when I retired in January of 1999. It was a final recognition of what I had accomplished in my last ten years of service in the Army.

For badges, I would say it is between the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) I earned in Grenada and the Master EOD badge. I think that ultimately it would be the Master EOD badge. EOD school is one of the hardest academic schools in the military. EOD is a small elite group that performs a dangerous job in the hope that it will save lives. The best part of EOD is the camaraderie and the life long bonds that are formed.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
SGM Richard M. "Mike" Land was the person who had the biggest impact on my military career. He was my senior supervisor in the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) in Vietnam. He took me under his wing and we went on many EOD missions together. I learned a lot about EOD and leadership from him.

LIST THE NAMES OF OLD FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATIONS, AND RECOUNT WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH AND THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH.
From Basic/Surface Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) School, Indian Head, Maryland it would be Chuck Watson and Mike Campbell. I am in contact with both of them today.

From Technical Escort, Edgewood, Maryland, it would be Steve Taylor and Mike Campbell. I am in contact with both of them today. Two that have passed away were my commander COL Dean Dickey and CPT Frederick "Fred" Smith. I have set up an ATWS remembrance profile for both of them.

From Vietnam it would be Richard "Mike" Land and Jim Ferris.

From 63rd Ordnance Detachment (EOD), Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, it would be Jim Smith. Two that have since passed away were SGM Ken Foster and SFC Charlie Stevens. I have set up an ATWS remembrance profile for both of them.

From 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it would be Dennis Wolf, Irvin Banta, Steve Dawson, Paul Geoly, to name a few names. I have set up an ATWS remembrance profile for my commander COL Charlie Beckwith, MSG Charles "Chuck" Chase, and MSG Tim Martin.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
It would be SFC Donald L. "Don" Briere. At times he reminded me of the cartoon character Wiley Coyote. We were in New Zealand in 1980 on a joint-country special operations exercise. We were on a recon mission to scout out a target site. It was just Don and I on the recon team. We had a tall steep muddy embankment that we needed to negotiate. I looked at it and thought no way. Don thought we could do it. As he moved across it, you could see his hands and feet sliding down. He clawed up and slide down some more. Finally he slid all the way down the slope into the water. I was rolling with laughter and said, "You want me to follow you?" I found another way around the obstacle.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
I am fully retired and travel half the year with my wife Donna Ikenberry. Donna is a freelance photojournalist and I get to travel with her. I am the Army historian for the EOD Memorial. I collect and write about military, naval, polar expedition, and mountaineering postal history. We hike, backpack, rock climb, mountain climb, mountain bike, downhill ski and back-country ski.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I am a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the National EOD Association (NATEODA), and Vietnam EOD Veterans Chapter.

The benefits I get from those organizations is the networking it provides me with individuals who have had the same military experiences.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
Military service has given me the opportunity to do all the things I like to do: Work with explosives and climb mountains. I have gotten a chance to work with some of the finest people in the military.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
Stay in and make the military a career. The job is rewarding and the benefits after retiring are great. The military takes care of their own.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
Together We Served (TWS) has been a great networking site for me. I've been able to stay in contact with the people who served our country and with those who are still serving. I have been able to set up remembrance profiles for my fellow servicemen that have fallen in combat or have passed away.

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