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Baron J. Ginnetti — US Army I received my commission from the Pennsylvania State University ROTC program. Upon entering active duty as an Air Defense Officer, I served in El Paso, Texas, training a unit with a new air defense system which we deployed to Germany. After three years of active duty, I joined the Army Reserves. I had a variety of unit assignments — Maintenance Brigade, US Army Reserve School, and Civil Affairs Brigade. In the early 1980s, the reserves were aligned and integrated to function with active-duty units to provide greater coordination and continuity when a situation arose. As a result, my 20 years in the Civil Affairs arena provided many real-world assignments. Our unit reported to the Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Command (CINCLANT) with operational responsibility for the Caribbean Islands, Iceland, and the Azores. One of my memorable assignments was the developing of our support plan to include prioritizing projects and allocating teams to implement the work that we would coordinate with the State Department. During the Haiti Operation, my unit was responsible for supporting the government ministries prior to the UN personnel deployment to Haiti. My assignment involved leading a team to support the Minister of Economics and Tourism. Essentially, we had to assist the Ministry to organize and begin to function as a government entity. My final assignment before retiring as a Colonel in the Army Reserves was as the Deputy Brigade Commander for the Civil Affairs Brigade. In their own words… Jerry Monahan — US Air Force I was only 17 years old when I entered the United States Air Force on Oct. 20, 1961, and served until October 1965. I received Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas. As I recall, I spent two months at Lackland before receiving orders to travel to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. It was the first time I had ever been away from home and now I was headed overseas. When I arrived in the Philippines I was surprised with the openness and greenery and lack of crowded conditions on base. Outside the base was a city — I think it was called Angeles City, Pampanga Province — which was crowded with lots of traffic. I grew up in The Bronx, New York, so I was used to crowded conditions, but the base atmosphere was like being on an extended vacation on a tropical island. I was sent to the Philippines without going to technical school so I learned my Air Force Specialty Code 291 on the job. I learned how to type and use various equipment that included crypto equipment and eventually I carried a Top Secret Crypto Communications Security (COMSEC) clearance. In the 18 months I served in the Philippines, I handled communications/messages up to and including Top Secret COMSEC. I enjoyed sending messages to many other bases in different parts of the world often speaking with communications operators like myself on telephones clarifying issues. After my overseas assignment, I received orders to finish out my four-year enlistment at March AFB near Riverside, Calif. I had hoped to be assigned on the East Coast in New Jersey at McGuire AFB or Griffith AFB in New York, but no such luck. I spent two years at March, and was discharged from there. The most interesting assignment I had was my job at the Communications Center at Clark. It was where I learned my job assignment, and where I had the most contact with other similar groups throughout the Air Force's communication network. I especially enjoyed the friendly people I met while assigned there and I have fond memories of the areas I visited and the friendships I made with the Filipino people. Maria Ginnetti pins on Barry's Colonel rank during a promotion ceremony Jerry Monahan on base FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2021 13

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