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Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: Cornbread on Jan 01, 2019, 12:27 PM

Title: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 01, 2019, 12:27 PM
So rather than hijack the inline reel thread any further I figured we can start another one. If you served and are an ice shanty member post up your branch of service and MOS. Montana has one of the highest rates of enlistment in the US armed forces of any state in our great nation. Let us know who you are and where and how you served.

Continued from the other thread:
Semper Fi brothers!  0351 here, 1976-1979.  One year Oki, two at the Stumps!  Sorry for hi-jacking the post, couldn't resist.

What did 51s shoot in 76-79? When I was in they shot the SMAW and were used as breachers when we did house to house type work. I got out in 2002 and they still had 51s then, but I guess they don't anymore starting last year. I'm starting feel like a relic when I look at the Corps new weapons systems and the fact they don't use open sights to qualify anymore etc. Everything has changed so much in just a few years, mostly for the better though so that's a good thing :)
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 01, 2019, 12:32 PM
If I could get the Corps to implement one thing though I would get them to implement a dual rifle platform where all infantry have two uppers, one chambered in 358 win with 225 grain steel core bullets for room clearing, checkpoint and urban work and the other in 7mm-08 for distance work in places like Afghanistan etc. where we really need to be able to reach out and touch them with significant wallop at ranges over 400 meters. It will never happen but I think if they did that it would save a lot of lives and give us the fire power with the performance we need in the places we need it.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 01, 2019, 01:10 PM
Good idea. Thanks!

UASF.  MAC, SAC, ACC, AFSOC 1977-1992.

Gulf War, Panama, Cold War.

Altus OK (Only ice fisherman ever on Lake Tom Steed ::), Grand Forks ND (Devils Lake on weekends and C Squared :tipup:), Langley VA (very little ice),  Hurlburt Field Fla (no ice, ever).   ;D 

 E8
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: slickice on Jan 01, 2019, 01:43 PM
Grew up in Wisconsin and loved ice fishing.  US Army, 1969-1971.  Artillery Chief of Firing Battery.  Set the guns.  Volunteered for Nam.  Passenger in a car accident the day before deployment.  Fx back & neck.  Disabled vet but ambulatory.  Nothing but good things to say about those who've served this great nation.  "Rock on Vets".
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: hardwaternmyveins on Jan 01, 2019, 01:48 PM
USN  July 2001-2010 active and still in the Reserves.  In the 'Nav we don't have no MOS! ;D We have designators- 1310 and 1315- Translated=Naval Aviator
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 01, 2019, 03:02 PM
USN  July 2001-2010 active and still in the Reserves.  In the 'Nav we don't have no MOS! ;D We have designators- 1310 and 1315- Translated=Naval Aviator

What did you fly?

I loved working with navy guys. Did quite a bit of work with A7 and F14 guys at Fleet Ex’s and with SEAls at both Norfolk and Rosy Rhodes in PR.

Liked working with Marine F4 jocks as well.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: missoulafish on Jan 01, 2019, 05:31 PM
I dont care how old any of you guys are lol. I appreciate all of you!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Hammer1Down on Jan 01, 2019, 05:58 PM
US Army 2006-2013, started as a reservist supply guy then got tired of desk life and then spent the majority of the time as an Infantryman, quickly becoming a designated marksman.  Stationed Korea, Colorado and Afghanistan
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: pelter4 on Jan 01, 2019, 06:11 PM
Army 82nd Airborne 11B2P  [paratrooper-infantry] 1969-72
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Mizayikaa on Jan 01, 2019, 06:20 PM
I dont care how old any of you guys are lol. I appreciate all of you!
X2. Or how young. Thank you for your service.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: oldschoolben on Jan 01, 2019, 07:39 PM
11 bravo papa , stationed at Fort Irwin , later changed mos to ,  11 mike
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: gf hardwater guy on Jan 02, 2019, 09:58 AM
As Missoula Fish and Mizayikaa both said, no matter young or old, thank you for your service. My dad did his time in the infantry during the Korean Conflict. He was an avid outdoorsman. Dropped a vehicle into Canyon Ferry years ago back. Survived that too. Rest in Peace pops!!!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 02, 2019, 11:03 AM
I was an 0352 as my primary MOS but did 2 years in London England as an 8152 which is a secondary MOS. I'm not sure if other services have that or not? Basically you go do something other than your primary MOS for a few years and then go back to your primary MOS. The command in London no longer exists but other MCSF units still do. In my primary MOS I was with WPNSco 2/1 in a CAAT team platoon. I spent all but about 6 months of my entire service deployed overseas to various operation theaters. For 6 months between deployments I was in Camp Pendleton for training and we went to CAX in 29 Palms, we also did helo insertion training ops in Yuma, mountain warfare survival school up in Bridgeport, and spotting and reporting of illegals for the border patrol south of camp Morena. Prior to my first duty station I did bootcamp, and SOI on the west coast and security forces school in the great dismal swamp in Virginia. I wanted to be a Marine since I was in the 8th grade, and I wanted to be infantry so I got my wish and I had fun times and some really bad times but overall it was a good experience although not much translated to skills I could use as a civilian. I don't regret doing any of it.

I served with guys from the Navy, trained with the Army, got my hand repaired by an air force surgeon, and got to do training on a joint USN and USCG base. Of all the services the USAF and USCG have by far and away the best chow halls. The USCG chow hall was like eating at a restaurant, it was that good. If I had it to do over again and hadn't been hurt I would have liked to have done a 3 year stint in the Army with one of the Airborne units right after I got out of the Marines, and then after that do a 2 - 3 year stint as a Corpsman in the Navy just to experience the other services first hand. Unfortunately that wasn't to be as my injuries made it so that I could not re-up into the other services as anything other than a hard core desk POG and that didn't appeal to me so I ended up going to college instead.

Snitch#8 that is cool you got to use that recoiless rifle, I have always wanted to see one in real life.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 02, 2019, 11:09 AM
11 bravo papa , stationed at Fort Irwin , later changed mos to ,  11 mike

11BP would have been the bomb to experience!

That is what my Grandfather did. His platoon was part of the 101st in Operation Market Garden during WWII, everybody in his platoon besides him and one other guy got killed there.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: pelter4 on Jan 02, 2019, 11:58 AM
11BP would have been the bomb to experience!

I was 11BP in Vietnam. You need to thank he Lord you NEVER had to experience being an Infantrymen. As far as recoiless rifles we had 106mm ( jeep mounted) and 90mm (shoulder fired) at our disposable but we rarely used them. Instead we carried LAWS. Very light and great for wasting bunkers and thoroughly messing up Charlies day! Plus, once used you just threw them away. Kind of a Mattel toy for big boys.:)
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 02, 2019, 01:06 PM
I was 11BP in Vietnam. You need to thank he Lord you NEVER had to experience being an Infantrymen. As far as recoiless rifles we had 106mm ( jeep mounted) and 90mm (shoulder fired) at our disposable but we rarely used them. Instead we carried LAWS. Very light and great for wasting bunkers and thoroughly messing up Charlies day! Plus, once used you just threw them away. Kind of a Mattel toy for big boys.:)

To clarify 0352 is infantry, all USMC MOSs starting with 03 are. 0352 is just usually mounted in Hummers and not airborne as in dropped by parachute, we did helo insertions insertions but usually with FAVs (tiny little dune Jeep looking things) they were replaced later in my service by IFAV which look like a tiny truck and after I got out those were replaced by ITV-LSV. Somewhere toward the end of my service they started replacing the helo born insertions with the Osprey based insertions but my unit wasn't one of the ones in the initial push to the Osprey so I got lucky. I saw enough fatal accidents in the helo insertions that made me glad I never had to fly in an Osprey.

I always wanted to experience jumping out of a plane en-mass like the Army does. Marine Corps jump wings are hard to come by and airborne insertion via jump is usually very small units e.g. 2 - 5 Marines for things like ANGLICO and recon. I wasn't in any elite units like that, I was just a regular grunt.

In the more recent war on terror we (0352s) got used as regular infantry (0311, 0331) because the enemy had no armor to speak of so I spent all but my first two years pounding the ground like a regular 0311. Those first two years was mostly CQB in urban environments, but when we got to do personal protection detail for brass traveling overseas it was a lot of fun, the rest of it not so much.

We had LAWs when I first joined, not sure what happened to them?

Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: pelter4 on Jan 02, 2019, 01:27 PM

I always wanted to experience jumping out of a plane en-mass like the Army does. Marine Corps jump wings are hard to come by and airborne insertion via jump is usually very small units e.g. 2 - 5 Marines for things like ANGLICO and recon. I wasn't in any elite units like that, I was just a regular grunt.

Except for one jump by the 173rd abn, there were no mass jumps in Nam. After Vietnam I was assigned the he 82nd abn in Ft. Bragg were I made 32 jumps out of a half dozen different types of aircraft. A few of the jumps we had a hundreds of troopers jumping together. I hated them because there was just to many bodies in the air at the same time. It made it hard to enjoy the ride :)  My favorite jumps were out of Huey's.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: pelter4 on Jan 02, 2019, 01:44 PM
To clarify 0352 is infantry, all USMC MOSs starting with 03 are.]

  Sorry, I didn't see you were in the USMC. My bad. I guess I need to read the whole thread before I say anything. Thank's for you service and now back to ice fishing :)
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: tbern on Jan 02, 2019, 02:19 PM
I would like to add my thanks and appreciation to all of you that served or might still be serving!!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 02, 2019, 02:24 PM
  Thank's for you service and now back to ice fishing :)

Thank you for your service as well!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Fortpeck1 on Jan 02, 2019, 08:26 PM
Thanks for your service, it means a lot.
There was an ad online from a woman at the VA in Helena[ activity director] asking for ice fishing combos, auger, basic tackle.
I talked to her a few times and sent her some gear.
She moved and nobody knows anything about the gear.[ not going to worry about it]
So I am still interested in taking a few vets or wounded warriors ice fishing,
 Anyone know who I should contact?.
I have enough gear for 15 guys.
Any thoughts?, I'm all ears.
Thanks Again
FP1 [Steve]
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: jclements7869 on Jan 03, 2019, 07:18 AM
USN here. 95-99 BM3 on the USS Normandy CG-60. Nothing like the calm of the ocean on a bad ass warship!!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 03, 2019, 08:51 AM
USN here. 95-99 BM3 on the USS Normandy CG-60. Nothing like the calm of the ocean on a bad ass warship!!

Were you on the Normandy when they launched the Tomahawks for Operation Deliberate Force? Going in on the ground after the ship and air strikes the damage was something to behold for sure. I imagine seeing the launches from the ship in person would have been intense.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 03, 2019, 09:07 AM
Thanks for your service, it means a lot.
There was an ad online from a woman at the VA in Helena[ activity director] asking for ice fishing combos, auger, basic tackle.
I talked to her a few times and sent her some gear.
She moved and nobody knows anything about the gear.[ not going to worry about it]
So I am still interested in taking a few vets or wounded warriors ice fishing,
 Anyone know who I should contact?.
I have enough gear for 15 guys.
Any thoughts?, I'm all ears.
Thanks Again
FP1 [Steve]

I'm not sure honestly who you would contact. In Sanders county we have a veteran's ride service, we have a VFW and there is a day in spring where there is a big function not associated with any specific group that I know of with a raffle and give away stuff and have booths with veteran's info, a BBQ etc. but I forget what it is called. You could probably advertise there for ice fishing trips for vets. One of my close friend's dad's is a Vietnam vet and he was the one who invited me to it originally. Let me get a hold of him and ask him if they are still doing those and if they are I will get you the contact info for whoever is in charge.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 03, 2019, 12:42 PM
Need to do a vet ice fishing trip. More bullcrapting than fishing I bet! ;D
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: stitch on Jan 03, 2019, 01:14 PM
Not a vet but want thank youguys .god bless.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: BK_Fisherman on Jan 03, 2019, 03:08 PM
Great thread Cornbread!

I appreciate the service of all those who came before me, and those currently serving.

As for me:

2005-2011
SGT/U.S.M.C.
5831 (Military Police Corrections)/ 8156 (Marine Security Guard/Embassy Duty)

I spent 3 years with the brightest and finest as a brig guard at Camp Pendleton Base Brig, decided to extend my contract in order to take a B-billet. The career planner said "Well you can be a recruiter, drill instructor, or Marine Security Guard." I told him I am not really that great at lying to people so I wouldn't be a good recruiter, didn't really want to go back and get hazed at D.I. school and permanently damage my vocal cords, so I will go with the MSG which was a great decision!

MSG EMBASSY POSTS:

Ljubljana, Slovenia
Kampala, Uganda
Tallinn, Estonia

Between leave and special visits I had the opportunity to explore 20+ foreign countries, but at the end of the day I realized just how good I had it being able to grow up in Kalispell and wanted to come back here more than anything, but it took leaving to put everything in perspective! Like many, it's been a struggle trying to find that same sense of purpose and meaning in the civilian sector, but it's definitely been the biggest challenge and most meaningful experience I will ever have, NO REGRETS!

~Semper Fidelis~
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: BK_Fisherman on Jan 03, 2019, 03:22 PM
Fortpeck1,

Steve, I know of at least two non-profits who would love to talk to you and could set set you up with some disabled vets or wounded warriors to take ice fishing. It's great to see people like you who are willing to do this and it certainly makes a difference to a lot of these veterans. I will post the websites below:

https://montanawoundedwarriors.org/ (https://montanawoundedwarriors.org/)
http://www.montanawarriorsonthewater.com/ (http://www.montanawarriorsonthewater.com/)
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 03, 2019, 04:51 PM
BK_Fisherman,

Did you know a Master Sergeant Matt Fiske at the Camp Pendleton brig by any chance? I served with him when he was a corporal and I was a pfc on my first tour.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: jclements7869 on Jan 03, 2019, 05:38 PM
Cornbread I was not. I got to her shortly after that happened. I served with everyone that was and I have saw all the footage of the launch. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that launch. I was on her in the gulf the next go round. I saw plenty of shots taken off her SAM, STS, 5 inch, torpedo as well as the little hell bringing R2D2 looking Phalanx system.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: HookSet_J on Jan 03, 2019, 09:33 PM
Howdy all -

I'm new to the site, but been ice fishing all my life. 

This thread is great!  According to the US census bureau, over 12% of the Montana population is veterans (second only to AK, and not by much).  Good to hear from and about you guys, and grateful thanks to all for your service.

I was a SGT and US Army paratrooper in the 70's, filling a now long-defunct medic/intelligence slot.  Later added the 11B infantry MOS, mostly as a formality because we were all armed all the time, anyway. Made appearances in nine countries, having parachuted into five of those.  We always jumped in (weather permitting), and jumped back into our home base on the return leg.  Exited about every aircraft imaginable during my time in.

And I wonder why I limp now...

Take care of yourselves, and rip some lips!

~De Oppresso Liber~


Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Mizayikaa on Jan 03, 2019, 09:42 PM
That was without a doubt the best first post that I have seen. Welcome HookSet and thank you for your service. Good luck on the ice.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: missoulafish on Jan 04, 2019, 12:24 AM
Welcome HookSet_j  👍👍👍
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: oldschoolben on Jan 04, 2019, 11:11 AM
Its cool so many vets are on here, Montana is a great place
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 04, 2019, 11:35 AM
I only get around outdoors on track chair and has totally changed my outlook on life. I was lucky enough to be able to afford it but most disabled vets can’t.  This thread started me thinking that ice fishermen are the sort that would help putt together a tourney or some other event to raise the funds to provide at least another MT vet with same opportunity I am lucky enough to have.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CzZ21XhV/9-B0-D5703-AAD5-48-BD-ACF9-DEDAC3-D7-C116.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CzZ21XhV)

Anyway this what the chair looks like and goes about five miles on the flat, about three elk hinting

If anyone has any ideas I am open to giving it a try!
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 04, 2019, 11:41 AM
And if anyone knows of a vet who would benefit from having one perhaps putting a name to the deal would be cool?
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Quantoson on Jan 04, 2019, 01:19 PM
I only get around outdoors on track chair and has totally changed my outlook on life. I was lucky enough to be able to afford it but most disabled vets can’t.  This thread started me thinking that ice fishermen are the sort that would help putt together a tourney or some other event to raise the funds to provide at least another MT vet with same opportunity I am lucky enough to have.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CzZ21XhV/9-B0-D5703-AAD5-48-BD-ACF9-DEDAC3-D7-C116.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CzZ21XhV)

Anyway this what the chair looks like and goes about five miles on the flat, about three elk hinting

If anyone has any ideas I am open to giving it a try!

I would gladly put in $$ for any event for this cause.  It doesn't even have to be an event, if their is a donation fund set up, send me the info.  I broke a vertebrate in 2006 and got lucky a year later with a doctor who actually used a bunch of titanium so I could walk and have a normal life again.  For a year I was immobile.  I will never forget my despair. 
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 04, 2019, 01:29 PM
Those chairs are awesome! They run over $11K per chair so I can see why it would be hard for someone to afford one. I don't know any disabled vets personally that are disabled in such a way that they could use one but I would bet it wouldn't be super hard to find a vet who is. I would put money toward it as well if there was a fund set up to get a specific vet one of those so they can hunt and fish again. You could probably go through one of the places already linked on this thread to ask them if they know of a vet who could use one, from that point on it would just be setting up the charitable fund and donation place like GoFundMe or something like that and then see if you could generate enough revenue in donation to buy the vet one. I would suggest setting the fund up as a charitable one so that people can write off their donation on their taxes. You would probably get more donations that way.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: oldschoolben on Jan 06, 2019, 08:00 AM
I would donate as well
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Wenger on Jan 06, 2019, 11:45 AM
Those chairs are awesome! They run over $11K per chair so I can see why it would be hard for someone to afford one. I don't know any disabled vets personally that are disabled in such a way that they could use one but I would bet it wouldn't be super hard to find a vet who is. I would put money toward it as well if there was a fund set up to get a specific vet one of those so they can hunt and fish again. You could probably go through one of the places already linked on this thread to ask them if they know of a vet who could use one, from that point on it would just be setting up the charitable fund and donation place like GoFundMe or something like that and then see if you could generate enough revenue in donation to buy the vet one. I would suggest setting the fund up as a charitable one so that people can write off their donation on their taxes. You would probably get more donations that way.

Great input, thanks. I think if we had vet picked out it would be very doable. I will ask at the VA too.

Yup, they run about 12k delivered and twice that for the model that stands you up. I can still walk a bit so the basic model works great. I can bird hunt, deer and elk hunt within reason and fly fish and ice fish as long as I have six inches or so. It is also not considered a vehicle so I am legal on state and federal lands, even wilderness areas.

I really appreciate fellow MT vets and the support we get from those who did not serve.  It's no wonder we have the highest % of vets of any state.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: icing_perch on Jan 07, 2019, 02:08 PM
USAF 1991-2014.   55151 then it changed to 3E2X1. Pavements maintenance and heavy equipment specialist.  England AFB Louisiana, Columbus AFB Mississippi, Fairchild AFB Washington, Kunsan AB South Korea, Eieleson AFB Alaska, Hill AFB Utah, and Finally Malmstrom AFb Montana 819 RED HORSE.  4 trips to the Middle East.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: SidFishes on Jan 07, 2019, 02:51 PM
Avid all year Fisherman - Winter Kokanee enthusiast!

US Army, Active duty 1985-1999 first half - Field Artillery 13F (Fire Support Specialist - translates to Forward Observer for Artillery, Close Air Support, Naval Gunfire etc) / Second Half 91E (Dental Specialist)
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: BK_Fisherman on Jan 08, 2019, 05:39 PM
Cornbread,

Oh man it’s a small world after all! Yes, he was GySgt Fiske when I was at CPBB. He was a great guy, I stil remember his Maine east coast accent, and he was always a straight shooter. He was the Duty Brig Supervisor on many of my 24 hour shifts.

One exchange I can still remember was when I asked him in Special Quarters 1 one day when he came for a morning prisoner count, I said  “Gunny, I feel motivated today, but I think it’s fake motivation...”

He smiled and let out his raspy laugh and looked at me and says “Is there any other kind DOG!” and it was on with the morning count. He was notorious for the “gunny roll” sleeves that were loosely rolled just past his forearms.

It’s amazing how small this world can be and what you remember like it was yesterday! I imagine he retired as a MSgt and went back to Maine?
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 08, 2019, 06:08 PM
Cornbread,

Oh man it’s a small world after all! Yes, he was GySgt Fiske when I was at CPBB. He was a great guy, I stil remember his Maine east coast accent, and he was always a straight shooter. He was the Duty Brig Supervisor on many of my 24 hour shifts.

One exchange I can still remember was when I asked him in Special Quarters 1 one day when he came for a morning prisoner count, I said  “Gunny, I feel motivated today, but I think it’s fake motivation...”

He smiled and let out his raspy laugh and looked at me and says “Is there any other kind DOG!” and it was on with the morning count. He was notorious for the “gunny roll” sleeves that were loosely rolled just past his forearms.

It’s amazing how small this world can be and what you remember like it was yesterday! I imagine he retired as a MSgt and went back to Maine?

Yes, last I knew he went back to Maine and was working for the county sheriff's dept as a deputy in the jail at whichever town he landed in. When I first served with him he had just come from being in tanks and was doing the NCO in security forces thing as a B-billet for 3 years. He was a Cpl then but he made Sgt just before he went to Camp Pendleton. When I changed units for my second tour he was a SSGT there at the brig. I had made Sgt then and I was back in the infantry and one of the guys who had been in my unit was doing brig time for dealing drugs in the barracks and he had to get picked up and taken to surgery and then returned to the brig. Even though I didn't know the guy as he had got busted before I rotated in, as section leader for the half of my platoon that he used to be in I got assigned "take sh!tbird to surgery" duty. Boy was I surprised to run into Fiske when I showed up out there to pick that guy up. I deployed again shortly after that so I didn't really ever get a chance to catch up with him that tour and then Afghanistan happened so my unit ended up there and shortly after that I believe Fiske ended up in Iraq, which(I think) is where he got hurt. When I knew him first he was very heavily muscled and probably weighed close to 200lbs, after he got hurt it really robbed him of his strength and he was a pretty skinny guy when I last talked to him. Still in good health but with his injuries he couldn't do the kind of exercises that kept him bulked up anymore so he ran more and lifted less. After that he went back to the brig at Camp Pendleton until his retirement, if I am remembering what he told me correctly. I haven't heard from him in several years now but last I knew he had retired at just over 20 years in and gone on to be a deputy sheriff. I don't know if his daughter moved with him or staid in CA? I was with him the night he found out his then GF, later wife, later ex-wife, was pregnant with his daughter. He was over the moon, I guess he had always wanted kids really bad. He had a pretty hot temper back then. He once challenged four guys to a bar fight so I could get the number of the girl that was with them, while he trounced on them, so I could ask her on a date. He did a pretty good job cleaning the floor with them, LOL! he was a character for sure.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Mtwolfer on Jan 09, 2019, 08:15 AM
20year retired Army Vet here, 1977-1997 in at 17 retired at 37 . Airborne ,Ranger, Jumpmaster, 11B4v,12B4v, 12E
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: salmonator on Jan 09, 2019, 02:41 PM
Usmc 1998-2002 infantry
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 09, 2019, 02:48 PM
Usmc 1998-2002 infantry

You were in for part of the time I was in. What unit, and MOS? Maybe we ran into each other at some point? The Corps is a really small world sometimes.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Navy Snipe on Jan 11, 2019, 10:22 PM
 Navy 30 years 1974-2004 ENCM(SW)  Grew up around Newburgh, New York. Did a lot of ice fishing as kid, mostly perch and pickerel with live bait. Folks moved to Helena after I joined the Navy in 74. Didn't start ice fishing until i moved here 11 years ago. Catch mostly trout and some ling, would like to get after some pike and perch someday.
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Cornbread on Jan 16, 2019, 04:18 PM
Have any of you guys seen this? This is pretty awesome and right after I watched it, I thought of at least two guys I served with who could really use going through this program: https://vimeo.com/242337463

There is more on it here:
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: MontanaBob1 on Jan 17, 2019, 11:48 AM
My bother and I did Nam 66-67. He was Army, me Navy.... His son just retired from Army CSM.....
Title: Re: Prior service Montana ice fisherman :)
Post by: Shalkhan on Mar 20, 2019, 06:18 PM
What's up my fellow brothers and sisters,

First post here on the site, was looking for a good thread to "break the ice" in 🤣

SGT US Army 14E from 2002-2010 down in good old Fort Bliss TX. Thought I was going to be a lifer but the DR's said otherwise after they patched me all back up. I had my warrant office packet ready to drop too when I got the news I was getting med boarded.

Grew up in Michigan fishing year round. Moved up to missoula after I got out to attend UofM. Finally found a good group of friends who enjoy hard water fishing as much as I do after 8 years of living here. Spent quite a few days this season chasing pike and perch on salmon and seeley. Landed a nice 22" brownie on salmon 2 weekends ago.

Now that springs here I'm getting amped to wet some flies on the rivers. Might play hooky this Friday and hit the early skwala hatch on the B'root.

If any of y'all out here in W. Montana want to meet up for some fishing and beers let me know! Even if they aren't bitting we can still catch a buzz!!