Well, speaking of being reunited with your military past...

I was sitting on the "Up Desk" doing time as the floor Realtor (4 hour shifts, everyone rotates through to get walk ins and calls) at my Coldwell Banker office last Thursday.  Who comes to my office with his wife looking to move to the Grass Valley, CA, but my drill Sgt. from Fort Ord  in 1974! OMG, my DI, Sgt. Joe Prater! He actually recognized me, as I was one of the few that was 22 years old. married, and had a kid already.  I was his assistant Platoon Guide for  our cycle.  "B63 all the way, Drill Sgt.!"  More details later.  

He was the one who taught me how to shoot the beloved retro M16A1!

Awesome.  Can't wait to hear more.

did you drop and give him 20?

Small world huh?!

I'm picturing this interaction as something along the lines of:


DI: "PRIVATE! DO YOU HAVE ANY 3 BED 2 BATH LISTINGS IN GRASS VALLEY IN THE $280,000 RANGE?!"
Imarangemaster: "YES, DRILL SERGEANT!"

Ha-ha Pretty close!!!!  When I get a chance, I'll give the whole story.. She who must be obeyed is being particularly demanding of my time.

Epic.

That is  cool on so many levels..

Be sure and update us.

Here we go:  Long version.

As a Realtor, you are assigned "Floor Time" on the "Up Desk" in blocks of 4 hours, about every 3rd to 5th day.  That means that you get all "walk in" clients looking for real estate to buy, etc.  You also field any calls that are not directed to a specific agent, just random questions about parcels, etc.  I am a new agent (just licensed 3 or 4 months), si I like floor time to build my client base. Last week  (Monday, as it turns out, checking back) I was on the "Up Desk".

A woman about my age (I'm 63) walks in, looking for horse property in our county.  She says they are moving here.  I asked her if she had time to sit and give me some specifics, and she said not too much, as her disabled vet husband is in the truck, and not doing too well, as he is succumbing to his agent orange exposure.  I had her fill out a client info sheet, so I could open them a client portal on the web, where I set up a specific search, and they get notifications of properties in their specification by email.  She fills it out hands it to me, thanks me, and walks out the door.

I pick up the sheet and see "Geri and Joe Prater".  I run outside to the truck, and there he is, an older DI Prater!  I ask him, "Sir, you wouldn't be Drill Sgt. Prater, from Fort Ord 1974?"

He said, "I am!"

I responded "B63, All the Way, Drill Sgt!"  I introduced myself to him again.  He remembered me, because I was married, 22, and had a kid when I was in  basic, and there were only two of us in the platoon that were older and married.  One was Gig perez, 26 (who had been a Canadian pro Football player) who was his platoon guide,  and myself, who was his assistant platoon guide. HE was only there one cycl;e, and then went back to Vietnam in Oct, 1974.  I also had actually run into him in 1978 in Truckee, CA where I was a deputy, and he was a truck driver who stopped at the SO to ask road conditions.  

Well, that is toooo weird!  what are the odds that 41 years later, my drill sgt, who is not from the area (in fact when I joined the Army, I wasn't from Grass Valley area, either), would walk into my realty office and look for property on the one in 20 chance I was on duty at that time and day!

Anyway, I am looking for his perfect "Warrior's rest Ranch" as I call it.  We are back in touch, and catching up on the last 41 years.  I was saddened to hear that tmy other Drill sgt. SFC Gallagher, was Killed in about 1977 in a car accident.

Both these guys were tough as nails, harder than heck, but FAIR, and had nothing but the best interest of making us soldiers.

Take him out for a retro range day.

Hell, I might be convinced to drive up from San Jose for that.

Damn sorry to hear about his Agent Orange issues.  Hope you can find him that rest ranch soon.
Very cool, though, that you guys made contact.  The years, they sure as hell fly by!

I believe you two are back together for a reason.

Yep, I think there is a reason...  Joe told me I am the only recruit he trained that he has encountered after basic training.  Consider that I have encountered him TWICE in that 41 years (once in 1978 and then 37 years later - last week)There has to be some reason for it.

Great story!

DI Prater and his wife stopped by my office again today.  we did some proper catch up!  My wife has extended an invitation to dinner to them, even if he is the mean DI she remembers not letting me hug her on family day 41 years ago! LOL!

That is outstanding! You should definitely take him for a retro range day or something.

You totally have to get a pic together now, 41 years later!

DS Prater giving the knife hand, PVT imarangemaster doing pushups.







 

Indeed!



 

No one our age should be doing push ups, lol....

My wife Debbie and I just met up for an afternoon with Sgt. Joe and his wife, Geri.  Reconnected after all these years.  Not only did we discover they are our neighbors, they are now new friends...

Today



1974:





And me, as assistant Platoon Guide, tallying scores at the M16A1 range:

How cool is that.  After all these years, and friends to boot!  Good deal.

That is so cool,

Now I got to ask, I was in H-6-3 in Feb of '74, what month did you get there?

He was the BEST!  He was, and still is almost fanatical about fairness and honor.  I think that is why I was drawn to him back then as a role model.

I got there 15 April, 1974.  Were you "up on the hill" in the new barracks, or down in the wood ones by the reception station?

This is cool....

Outstanding, Bernie.  

Are you smoking a pipe in that range picture?  We had a strict no tobacco policy...of course that was in the 1990's not the 1970's.  Different world back then....doesn't seem to be changing for the better either.

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em"  was the order when we took 5.  We were even issued cigarettes in our C rations.  I was the only one who smoked a pipe in the whole company, but I was "gramps" to the young 17 and 18 year olds.  I was 22 and had a wife and a kid when I was in basic.

This is such a cool story.  Glad you guys were able to remeet.

I was 24 years old when I finally enlisted. The 18-19 year olds in AIT told me, "Damn, your old." with one breath and "Hey, you can buy beer!!" with the other.  

Spent about 5 days in a 2-story wood job then we moved into a 3-story concrete barracks.
Sounds like you arrived just as I was headed to USAOC&S for AIT.