I'm tired and about to go to bed. Then it hit me. What is a Tower Rat and how many people know the term?
A Tower Rat is a member of the United States Military who protects with their life a post where sensitive items are placed.
They can be Army (hooah), Air Force, Navy, Marine or Coast Guard. In my case it was the Army (hooah. Get used to that term if you plan on spending time here). We guarded sensitive items during the cold war, we were the smallest NATO site in Europe and we were the only MP company rated to blow our own site.
We were misfits, drinkers, fighters, arrogant (but we damned well earned it), lovers, poets, realists, short timers, Christians, non Christians, crazy and not so crazy, adventurer's and barracks rats and lifers. We may not have always liked each other, but we learned to respect each other, back each other and even now, twenty five years later welcome each other with a hug and the word "brother" or "sister". We faced the prospect of the soviet and east german armies coming over the line and each time somone brought that up we said "bring em'". We were that confident, that proficient. The 981st MP Company never failed an inspection, never faced a closure until we were declassed by the government and forced to close, the only time we failed is when we lost one of our own due to a training accident.
Even to this day we honor our fallen. Cpl Russell "Ordinary" Smith. He was ours and we still mourn him. If you don't remember where you came from, how the heck do you decide where you're going?
I recall a night on CQ (charge of quarters), your basic fireguard and general dogsbody, checking things downstairs...low lights, turning away from the arms room door and walking the hallway...I had a soldier walk up to me and slightly pass me...I said ...hey...he nodded...and walked away...I'm thinking 'he's working late'. Twenty four years later on a company facebook site I see my first picture of "Ordinary" Smith. I nearly fell off my seat. The same soldier who nodded at me...a year and nearly half after he had died. The 981st still loves Ordinary. We still honor him. I saw him and have shared this with my 981st mates. They actually believe me. Tower Rats have seen a lot of shite, and sometimes the things we have seen would boggle the mind.
A Tower Rat is a member of the United States Military who protects with their life a post where sensitive items are placed.
They can be Army (hooah), Air Force, Navy, Marine or Coast Guard. In my case it was the Army (hooah. Get used to that term if you plan on spending time here). We guarded sensitive items during the cold war, we were the smallest NATO site in Europe and we were the only MP company rated to blow our own site.
We were misfits, drinkers, fighters, arrogant (but we damned well earned it), lovers, poets, realists, short timers, Christians, non Christians, crazy and not so crazy, adventurer's and barracks rats and lifers. We may not have always liked each other, but we learned to respect each other, back each other and even now, twenty five years later welcome each other with a hug and the word "brother" or "sister". We faced the prospect of the soviet and east german armies coming over the line and each time somone brought that up we said "bring em'". We were that confident, that proficient. The 981st MP Company never failed an inspection, never faced a closure until we were declassed by the government and forced to close, the only time we failed is when we lost one of our own due to a training accident.
Even to this day we honor our fallen. Cpl Russell "Ordinary" Smith. He was ours and we still mourn him. If you don't remember where you came from, how the heck do you decide where you're going?
I recall a night on CQ (charge of quarters), your basic fireguard and general dogsbody, checking things downstairs...low lights, turning away from the arms room door and walking the hallway...I had a soldier walk up to me and slightly pass me...I said ...hey...he nodded...and walked away...I'm thinking 'he's working late'. Twenty four years later on a company facebook site I see my first picture of "Ordinary" Smith. I nearly fell off my seat. The same soldier who nodded at me...a year and nearly half after he had died. The 981st still loves Ordinary. We still honor him. I saw him and have shared this with my 981st mates. They actually believe me. Tower Rats have seen a lot of shite, and sometimes the things we have seen would boggle the mind.
As a member of the 981st at NATO 35 and in Schwienfurt. This brings back great memory's. Tower Rat forever. SSG Shawn Reis
ReplyDeleteBrother 981st Tower Rat. I'm slow. What can I say?
DeleteThere were a lot of us 11b tower rats 56th FA Bde
ReplyDeleteAnd we 95B's thank you for having our six.
DeleteInteresting the things you can find on the internet. Served 1980-1983 as a COR, SOG, and NRAS qualified SCA. SSG Tallent
ReplyDeleteHooah. Tower rat first and last.
DeleteI was with you during the same time! Rick Perry. I was with, SSG Bowers, Sgt. Compton, Banfield, Hawthorne, Weller, Polanco, and Heller. Had a good time at NS35..
Delete👍😎
Deleteyea im 59 years old and im still dealing with shit that happen
ReplyDeleteRoger that one Frank. I still hear the alarm in my head when I dream. The things we saw, the things we trained for and the things we feared.
Delete95 B NATO III
ReplyDelete👍😎 I'm seriously slow.
ReplyDeleteYou should see me..lol
ReplyDelete