Dorm Bust (Read 2,120 times)

When I was a young airman & sgt living in the barracks I owned a 300 weatherby rifle. I had to store it in the base armory. When I went hunting or target shooting I had to check it out and when done check it back in.
Because we could not have items like oil, gas, or solvents in the barracks and the base armory did not have room to store personal cleaning supplies I used to go and clean my rifle every other month. Being single, away from home, and plenty of time to waste away - I found ways to occupy my time.
One was to clean my rife and as I wasn't allowed to have a cleaning kit in the barracks the armory's security police let me use their supplies. Which was nice of them.
I did go through several barracks shake-downs. I always looked out the window and watched people throw out crap they were not supposed to have in the barracks. Usually a NCO was outside the barracks with a clip board trying to catch the rooms that tossed out stuff.
I never heard of anyone getting busted.

There was a time many years later after I ws married and had kids living in Base Housing when the Security Police SWAT Team raided my quarters. Scared the $hit out of the whole family and i figured my career was over.
It's late and I'll save that story for another day if anyone is interested. It will take some time to tell as you need backup to understand why the SWAT team was called.

15 Dec 1975, (15 days TIG as a SMSgt)23:00 hrs, call from 82nd Flying Training DCM (Williams AFB,Az) to meet him at the mess hall.......When I got there I found 8 other Chiefs and Srs, along with a bunch skycop NCOs..... After we had midnight chow, we went to the 2 OMS dorms, (not barracks, they had hollywood beds and closets) and proceeded to shakedown the rooms................. We found one room was growing "weed",(I had never seen the stuff- to my knowledge- not even in Nam), so dumbass me I asked what to hell kind of horiculture was he practicing........... We found not only weapons, but a Chevy big block getting a valve job, waterpipes- the smoking kind, radio control model planes with all the dope and fuel - this was a B-17 with 6ft wingspan and 4 McCullough small chainsaw egines................ The best was yet to come, I found our maint. officer's 17 yr old daughter hiding in this guys closet............. I had the dubious honor of calling him at home to tell him that the Col wanted him to come down the Oms dorms....I finally had to tell him about his daughter to get him to believe me that old man wanted to see him.......................... The FMS dorm was right behind OMS, you could see a lot of activity in the rooms and the parking lot, after we got done with OMS, we went and hit parking lot while the skycops run every body out of the barracks and made them unlock their cars for us..... More dope, illegal beer and booze, aircraft parts and tools marked with FMS CTK numbers................... Because the 2 sqdns were the DCM's responsibility, he climbed all over the 2 cmdrs and the 1st Sgt's ass......... This generated into what use to be open bay barracks inspections- IE the old white collar made bed, and it made no difference what shift you were on..................... Even later had a junk on the bunk clothing inspection, you lived off base, you brought your stuff to your hangar.......... Boy, did clothing sales store do a big business.........A lot of people couldn't fit into their blouses and some didn't even have a pair of low quarter shoes..........
I did 3 more of these shakedowns before I retired.......................... The Old Sarge

Quote by Jim:

OK, here it be.


SWAT Story
The place: McChord AFB Housing
The year: Fall of 1984
The time: About 2200 hrs.

My wife and I had been suffering problems, troubles, and harassment from her ex-husband for months. I had sole custody of my two natural children from a previous marriage and my wife had sole custody of her son from previous marriage.
My ex-wife had deserted my children and I back in 1980 while I was stationed at Sembach Air Base in West Germany. My divorce was granted in December 22, 1982 at McChord AFB, WA. Belinda and I met at a kids Christmas party that Christmas and her divorce was granted in January 1983 a month later. We started dating and married June 17th six months later. It must have been right as we have been together almost 27 years now.
We never heard from my ex-wife, but Belinda’s ex-husband was constantly harassing us with legal papers and often not returning her son on time after weekend visitations. These legal papers he almost always had delivered and served on, or the day before valentines’ day, her birthday, Christmas day, or when he knew we were getting ready to go on vacation. So, you can see and understand what we had to deal with month after month. We also had to pay a lawyer to deal will all these bullshit legal papers.

There came a weekend in the late fall or winter of about 1984. We received a phone call from him saying he was on his way over the mountains to pick up his son for the scheduled weekend visitation. I informed him that his son was very sick and had been to the doctors. The boy had a very bad virus and fever and the doctor prescribed medications and bed rest.

I told him that his son was in no shape to travel let along leave the house. I told him not to drive over the mountain pass in such bad weather as there would be no visitation because of his son’s medical condition. His mother (Belinda) was a state licensed nurse and would be caring for him. I told him that the following weekend was a 3-day weekend and he could have him then instead. This way they would have extra time together, and he would be felling better then.

He told me that he was leaving and would be at our house in a few hours to pick-up his son. I firmly told him he was wasting his time and gasoline as his son’s health would not allow visitation to take place this weekend. I again offered the following 3-day weekend. He said he was coming now and to have his son ready to go and hung up.

He arrived about 3 hours later and demanded his son. Mom and I refused, due to the boy’s health condition. I said sorry and good night. He responded with, you will be sorry and added a few choice curse words and departed.

Just about an hour later there was a loud knocking at our door. I opened the door and was pushed back by armed security police dressed in SWAT gear. They handcuff me and said I was under arrest. I asked on what charge and they said assault. They asked where my weapons were and I told them. They searched the house and took all my firearms and my friends firearms.

The base SWAT team then pulled me out of the house with my wife and kids terrified. Once out in the yard my next door neighbor asked, “What’s going on and why are you taking him away?” You see my neighbor was an agent with the base’s Air Force Office Of Special Investigations Detachment ( AFOSI) and we knew each other’s families.
They said that I was under arrest for assault on a civilian a little over an hour prior. That the civilian was injured with a bump on his head from where I struck him with the stock of my hunting rifle and then chased him down the street. They had his signed sworn statement.

My neighbor kicked himself into the OSI mode and started asking questions.
First, he asked, was this guy about this age, weight, height, & dressed in these clothes?
SWAT answered, why yes!
Next, he asked, did he drive this make of car and color?
SWAT answered, yes!
He then asked, you have a sworn statement that he was hit in the head with a weapon and chased down the street?
SWAT again answered, yes!

He then said, you better release him (referring to me) as you have been given a false statement. I was emptying our garbage and watched him pull up in his car. I was aware of all the trouble and harassment he had caused that family (referring to my family) in the past so I just stood in the dark shadows and listened and watched in case I needed to call for help.

He got out of his car and walked up to the door. Both talked through the screen door and then he walked back to his car and drove away. There was no assault and no one left the house. You better release him.

They release me. Not one of them said they were sorry. I then asked for my guns back. They informed me that my guns were likely in the base armory by now and secured. I would not be getting them back until all this was sorted out.

A month or more passed and I did not hear anything. I asked my shop chief to check with our 1st Sgt and find out what was going on and what was going to happen to this guy for making false statements against me under oath , and where my guns were. A few days later I was inform nothing was going to happen to him as he was a civilian. My guns would be kept in the base armory.

My reply was, “OK, you inform our 1st Sgt and commander that if I do not get my guns back by the end of the week I will be visiting Congressman Norm Dick’s office on Pacific Avenue and making a complaint that my 2nd Amendment Rights are being violated. I have the right to keep and bear arms – I have done nothing wrong or illegal under the UCMJ or State laws, and after that I will be calling my Senator’s office in D.C. – the base can then deal with a congressional and senatorial investigation.”

A few days later I was told to go pick up my weapons at the base armory. My first thought was, “No, I did not take them out of the house to the base armory the base security police did, so they should bring them all back.” I then figured I’d better not press my luck anymore. I went and picked up my guns myself.

I learned that all that ever happened to him was the base sent him a letter saying he could never again enter base property.
The harassment continued and in a few years the court terminated his visitation rights.

One of the strangest things we ever found in one of our Airman's room was an aircraft, oxygen "walk-around" bottle. He was a crew chief and had heard that sucking oxygen helped with hangovers, so he snatched one off a KC-135 one day, hid it in his backpack, and threw it in his dorm locker! He didn't have a mask so he just used the nipple on the regulator! It had been in his room for a couple months -- empty -- because he was afraid to bring it back to work and recharge it. That was a slam-dunk Article 15!

Mark

When I returned to Williams AFB (pilot trng) from a tour with the ROKAF 10th ftrwing at Suwon, AB, Korea, I was assigned to OMS as Periodic Inspection branch chief for the T 38 and F5......... When the troops fell out for roll call, I heard one of the young buck Sgts say "holy crap, Gier is back here. This ought to be interesting!!!!!!!!!" I said you are right, I'm back, and so is military courtesy and 35-10 enforcement will be rigidily enforced and you dock chiefs will answer for your people........Some of you may have heard that when I run the unscheduled maint section that I was a son of a bitch, well it is no rumor, BUT it is up to you as to how bad I get, and BTW, I have no problem with non judicial reformation of your character." Well about 2 months later I was be harped at by the first shirt (aTSgt) about my guys reading the bullutin board, so I fell them out and marched them about a 1000 feet to the orderly room.......... Well the 1st Sgt and the exec officer wanted to know what in hell 40 people were doing in the oderly room at one time, all I said was "reading your posted info" as required by SOP............ About that time the CO, Major Groush, who spoke with a German accent barked at me, "Gier get in my office now". Well I heard some one laugh and I said "Major Groush, Msgt Gier is my title and you do not have my permission to address me by my last name" I went into his office and gave him probably the best military reporting that he had ever seen - without clicking my heels (Iwas tempted)Took about a half hour to get him to support me in trying to return some semblence of military bearing back into the squadron - at least my part of it anyways...........As a parting remark I said, "Major, your 1st Sgt needs a haircut and he should have put on clean 1505s this morning" and saluted him as I left .Needless to say there was change in attitude in my branch........... At roll call every once in a while I would ask
"How often does a good Airman have to be told to get a haircut?" The reply was "A good Airman never needs to be told, Sgt".. After noon chow most of those that were borderline had gotten haircuts..........Dorm busts and their necessity, is nothing more than NCOs not exercising their authority, AND the officer corps not backing them up........... Perhaps they need to get rid of the requirement that ALL officers have to have a degree and direct commision good NCOs to captain............ The best officers don't come from the academys.........As my friend "Thud" says Nuff said." The Old Sarge, just finshed polishing my bugle, so I thought I would test toot my horn.........................

My last fighter squadron assignment was working Maintenance Control in the 22 TRS at Mt. Home. I got there in October 1969. The below took place in the Summer of 1970.

One day the buzzer on the control room door buzzed and I hit the opener. I looked at the plexiglass panel in front of me to see who I had let in. When I saw him, I spun around in my chair and took a second look.

A young man stood by the door, looking more like an ad for what an airman should never look like, than what a real airman should look like.

He had hair to his collar. His shoes, not brogans, shoes, were filthy. He was not wearing a fatigue shirt, only a T-shirt. I was not impressed.

I asked him who he was, where he worked and who his NCOIC was. He told me that and gave me a work order request.

He was from the Photo Shop. We were an RF4C, Photo Recon Squadron and had a mammoth photo shop and lab.

I told him to stand where he was and called his NCOIC, asking him to come to the control room to talk about the young man he had sent to see me.

Next through the door is another shaggy haired young man, also with no fatigue shirt on, who claimed to be the NCOIC of the other young man. He looked just as bad as the other one, only he did have jungle boots on, albeit quite grungy.

In questioning him, I found out he was a SSgt section chief and the other one was a two striper. I also found out who the immediate OIC was.

I told them both to stand where they were and called their OIC.

Well, now, when he came in, all blustery about what the problem was, I took one look and excused myself for a moment. I turned back to the console, picked up the phone and called the major across the hall, the maintenance officer. I asked him if he would come in to the control room and turn left, as I had something to show him.

The major, who looked like Mr. Clean, walked across the hall, steps in to the control room, turns left and let out an expletive or two. Then he asked me what was going on. I explained as best I could.

Then he told me to call the Shirt and let him know I was sending the two enlisted men to see him. Then he ordered them to immediately report to the First Sergeant.

Next he told the captain, that, it turned out was his rank, it was hard to tell, seeing he was wearing a civilian shirt with summer uniform trousers, to go get a haircut and change in to a proper uniform and report back to him in one hour. The captain started to argue and the major asked him if he would rather they went to see the CO. He said, no, and turned to leave. The major then called him back and told him he had forgotten to salute.

Once the captain was gone, the major went and got us both a cup of coffee and then we sat and laughed out loud.

The major waited in the control room until the captain came back. Took one look at him and asked where he got his hair cut. He told him the exchange. So, the major picked up the phone, called the barber shop and asked for the barber who cut the captain's hair. He told the barber he was sending him back and he was to give him a military haircut. Yep, the captain paid for two haircuts that day, and probably didn't tip either time.

A couple days later there was an unannounced inspection of the photo shop and lab. That brought more than a few trips to the barber shop, clothing sales and the cleaners.

The Shirt and the CO, along with the major, did the inspection.

After that I never saw a photo shop type inside my door. Wonder why?

It was about that time that I decided I was going to get out when my 20 were up. The Air Force had changed. I hadn't.

I was at Griffiss AFB (SAC) about 1974/75 and I recall one of my co-workers ( : ) was sporting long hair under his hat.
We worked flightline engine dispatch at the time with me.

One day the shop chief ( : ) noticed his hair and had him take off his hat. The shop chief told him to go get a proper military hair cut.

The : told the shop chief that he was getting married in two weeks and his girl & he wanted his hair long for the wedding pictures.
The shop chief though it over for a bit and said OK but stay out of sight till after his wedding.

I was thinking to myself, "That is mission impossible - only trouble will follow from this."

The next week while I was crossing the BX parking lot I noticed the : had been stopped by a LTC.
As I neared and slowed down I overheard the one-sided discussion from the LTC concerning the : long hair.
The LTC had on his flightsuit, 49th FIS patches (ADC).
The discussion went something like, Sgt your hair covers your ears, how long have you had it like that and what is your duty section?" He was getting pounded -

As I walked past the LTC's back was to me and my co-worker (friend) and I made eye contact. I just could not help myself and smiled as I held back a laugh. I also gave him a for support but it made him smile a little & smirk.

This did not set well with the (ADC) LTC. As I hurried into the BX I overheard the LTC raise his voice and say, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK IS FUNNY ABOUT THIS?"

I did not hear his reply as my feet quickly carried me away. I did not want any part of that verbal conflict.

Next after lunch when I returned to the shop my friend showed up with a super short hair cut like a US Marine.
There was also a message for him and the shop chief to report to the (SAC) Field Maintenance Sq. Commander (Our CO)

For several days both were pretty depressed and quiet. So I guess the ass chewing was pretty bad.

We started having shop 35-10 hair cut checks every Monday.

Very enjoyable stories guys, brought back some memories, especially the dippidy do and hiding the hair under the hats. I recall one funny story regarding 35-10. There was a guy named Nate, a two striper in the Hydraulic shop who was quite a hell raiser and I think actually tried to get discharged. He always pushed the line with sideburns and mustaches. He continually caught grief and rightfully so from several of the Shop chiefs.

There used to be 35-10 Standards posters at a few locations in the hangar. One day, Nate had enough and cut his own hair in the dorm. Then he took a sharp pointed black magic marker and drew the same dotted lines at the bottom of his sideburns up around his ears. To top it off he drew dotted lines on his face at the corners of his mouth where his mustache was trimmed and came to work. Word spread fast and it got laughs for about a year. But Nate's career was short lived and he got busted for pot downtown along with one of our Electric shop guys. Both were discharged early out.

But I still remember those dotted lines on his face and ears.