I love reading about and hearing people's military stories.  I think other people do, too.  That is why I created this website.  For people to share their little stories, memories and anecdotes of military service, and allow people from all over to read them and comment.

A little background on me.  I joined the Ohio Army National Guard in April 1993.  I went to boot camp at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, and Army medic (91B) school at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.  My unit was an Air Defense battalion, and I did a variety of things as a medic in that unit supporting the headquarters battery and three line batteries.  I was in this unit for nine years and made many friends I still keep in contact with today.   For a change of pace, I transferred to the Air National Guard and attended their Personnel Management School at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.  In my Air Guard unit I performed all kinds of personnel functions like making dog tags and filing papers.  For family reasons, I left the Air Guard just under a year and a half later.

My military experiences have always stuck with me and as many others would say of their own experience, became part of me.  I am currently a middle school Social Studies teacher in Ohio, and it is neat to use some of my military stories or knowledge in class to enlighten the kids.   My husband Dale and I are active in the local AMVETS, American Legion, and our county's Military Family Support Group. Not only is Dale a retired Army First Sergeant, but he is also our county's director of the Veterans Service Office.  I have a step-son and a step-daughter in the Army who have both been deployed to Iraq.  I guess you could say I am out of the military, but still within its influence.

You'll be seeing some of my stories on this site.  I hope you decide to share some of yours.

-Claudia Bartow