One of 10 draftees still in Army retires

Charleston Daily Mail ^ | today | staff

[Rodney King]

One of 10 draftees still in Army retires by By The Associated Press Print Story Email Story FORT BLISS, Texas -- Robert Rangel was a college student trying to "fly below the radar" when his draft number came up in 1967.

"I got caught," he said with a wide smile.

Caught, as it turns out, for 40 years.

Chief Warrant Officer Rangel was one of just 10 draftees still in the Army when he retired Wednesday, according to Fort Bliss officials. It was unclear whether the other draftees have served as long as Rangel; the draft ended in 1973.

Rangel, of El Paso, said the prospect of being drafted was terrifying after watching numerous friends "coming home in coffins."

But he opted to stay well beyond the required two-year hitch because "I started enjoying my job and the people I worked with."

He's been deployed to nine combat zones, from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. Maj. Gen. Robert Lennox, the Fort Bliss commanding general, described Rangel as the "foremost expert" on air defense systems at the West Texas post, the current home of the Air Defense Artillery Center.

Michael Zaborowski, a retired lieutenant colonel who has known Rangel for more than a decade, said he has long been impressed by his dedication. "I did 20 years and I thought that was a lot," he said.

Rangel retired a few months before his 62nd birthday, when he would have been forced to do so under Army regulations.

His mother, who attended his retirement ceremony, was relieved the day had finally come. "That was a long time that I worried," Adelina Rangel said softly.

Rangel's years in the Army included more than 200 parachute jumps with a special forces unit in Vietnam and Cambodia, time in battle zones, a firsthand view of the crumbling of the Berlin Wall and a tour in the first Gulf War.

Now his priority is to take care of his mom and tackle some projects.

Tops on the list is restoring a 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury. He parked it in his mom's barn when he went off to basic training.

[cva66snipe]

What's the equivalent rank of a Chief Petty Officer?

E-7 Chief Petty Officer, E-8 Senior Chief Petty Officer, and E-9 Master Chief Petty Officer. BTW Navy NCO or Petty Officer rank starts at E-4. If you are E-4 you are a Petty Officer Third Class. E-5 Second Class, and E-6 First Class Petty Officer.

[Fiddlstix]

Also accept my lateness in replying, I had to shut down... We have had 4 to 5 inches of rain, booming thunder and lightning plus high winds to beat the band...

I've posted this to let all see what a horse's pa-toot I can be at times...

Actually Bender........

I'd format my HTML a tad different......

If'n ya'll know whut I mean.....

Lemme give ya'll a "fer instance.....

---

No...
he is a horse's ass at times!

Hey?
Bender...

Sit on it!

There.....

Ya See?........

Now. Cheer up.........

There.....

Yep... yup....

That shore 'nuff looks good.......

Just tryin' ta be helpful.......
Y'all understand......
J

[bad company]

You remember this guy? He was in alpha battery when you took over bravo battery. Skinny Puerto Rican guy. He was a cool guy. He got sent to the rear one time during a field problem and came back with about 100 McDonald cheeseburgers. A class act.

[gilor]

Cool story.

[leadpenny]

"discourse"

I think there was some other kind of 'course' in mind, but it took me a while to figure it out. Could have been some adult beverages involved too.

[napscoordinator]

Is that above an NCO?

Yes. It is between enlisted and regular officers.

[napscoordinator]

What's the equivalent rank of a Chief Petty Officer?

E-7 or Gunny in the Marines. Sargeant First Class in the Army and Master Sargeant in the Air Force. Not too shabby at all.

[leadpenny]

We make choices but we should have no regrets about them. Always, at the time, they were the right thing to do.

I enlisted in 61 and served exactly three years. Most of the guys I remember were draftees. They were the backbone of the Army, and many times, they seemed to be watching the rest of us grow up. Just as I was growing up my three year enlistment was up, and had not considered reenlisting. My commo platoon leader, a fine 1LT tried to talk me into applying for OCS. I declined.

I was out a little less than a year, working and taking some college courses. One day, my younger brother wanted me to accompany him to the recruiter's office in Jackson, MI. He wanted me there so he would get the straight skinny on enlisting and then going to OCS (as if I knew the straight skinny). While there, I asked the recruiter about Flight School for someone with prior service. He checked the regs and told me he'd give me a bus ticket to Detroit to take the test. If I was accepted I'd have to reenlist for two years. If I made it through flight school I'd owe them three years.

Two tours in Vietnam and 18 years later I retired from the Army. I took a direct commission like a lot of warrant officer aviators did in the late sixties. Other than getting to command a basic training company, there were times I regretted taking a commission, but 'pushing troops' was more than enough to make it right.

Oh, my brother did go through basic and Armor OCS. He served two years and has always regretted getting out.

[silentreignofheroes]

I hope you do,,you're welcome here anytime.You know the area if you've been to Rucker..I'm still in their book.If you're real smart you can figure it out..

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

He went about as far as you can, in terms of rank, without becoming an officer. Generally, you can't transition from enlisted to officer (become a "Mustang") after about age 28 or so.

Warrant officers are "super sergeants". There are four warrant officer grades W1-W4, so there's room for advancement within the warrant ranks. Usually, they are former enlisted men with special technical skills.

When I was in ('74-76) we had a forty year WO who had been around for the Big One. Had to be a different perspective for him.

[Don Carlos]

IIRC, the USAF eliminated the Warrant Officer program when the grades E-8 Senior Master and E-9 Chief master were started. Believe 1958 was the last year that WO candidates were selected.

I had the pleasure to serve under two, a CWO-2 and A CWO-4. Two of the finest men I have met!

[Empireoftheatom48]

Yeah I remember him, he was a class act. Brings back a lot of memories.

[Arrowhead1952]

Warrant officers are "super sergeants". There are four warrant officer grades W1-W4, so there's room for advancement within the warrant ranks. Usually, they are former enlisted men with special technical skills.

There are five Warrant grades now. CW5 is usually called a Master Warrant or MW5. Those are usually the real experts and some of the older warrants. We have several who serve as technical advisors in the avation and maintenance fields. There are also a few MW5 in the mess halls.

[Night Hides Not]

You ask any SMA, CWO-5,or O-10 and you will get three answers, they all think they are god.

LOL!!! The most insufferable ranks to deal with were Warrant Officers. If asked, I'm sure WO's would say commissioned officers.

During my tour in Germany, I took on the role of Property Book Officer, after our CW2 was transferred to Korea, and his replacement was delayed in the states. The complexity of the job, in pre-computer days, was vastly overrated.

After I'd been in the job, I was inspected by Group HQ, at the request of my Battalion Cdr. As my inspectors were CW4s, I figured they'd come after me. They were more than fair, and they told my boss the books were the cleanest they'd ever seen.

From there, I transitioned into the S-4 slot (Battalion Supply Officer). Great job with quite a bit of autonomy, because everyone wanted no part of supply!

[leadpenny]

The seeds of the CW5, or MW5, grade were planted at the height of the Vietnam War. When I entered Flight School in Nov 65 a good percentage of the WO Candidates had graduated from HS earlier that year. They enlisted for Flight School and after Basic Training were at Ft. Wolters beginning flight school. I was sort of in the middle with three years prior service. We had one 1SGT begin with us but had to drop out. There were many SSGs and SFCs.

In 66 the TIG required for promotion from WO1 to CW2 was being lowered from 18 months to 12. As Vietnam wound down, W3s were coming up for W4 with 10 or so years in the Army. Had I stayed a Warrant I could have come up for W4 with 13 or 14 years in the Army. A guy wanting to stay for 30 could have spent over half his career as a CW4 had they not created the W5 grade.

[Arrowhead1952]

I stayed at the SFC level for seven years (NG) and finally made MSG in 1988. If I hadn't made MSG, I'd have gone the warrant route. Three years later, I made SGM and have been that ever since. There is no way I want a CSM postition, since it's the same pay and many more problems.

[leadpenny]

Good for you. I never made it to the top of anything.

E5, W2 and 04.

In the early sixties you needed a scorecard. There were still grandfathered NCOs. An SSG could have been an E5 or E6. SFC an E6 or E7. And a MSG an E7 or E8. Specialist grades went all the way to E9. I think I remember seeing one.

[go-dubya-04]

That's what jumped out at me, too! Almost no miles, probably with a Wedge engine. Nicely restored, could fetch around $50K.

[Arrowhead1952]

I'd forgotten all about those. I remember seeing several SP7's in the first unit I was in back in '72 and '73.

[windcliff]

ping