** This giveaway has ended, but be sure to check the Inside Gun Digest Books blog for more chances to win great Gun Digest books.**
Since the book blog began, many of you have mentioned military service. Just last week, “jarhead” talked about his “all-expense-paid trip to Vietnam.” Last month, in our discussion of combat handguns, “chet” fondly remembered the Mauser 1910-34 auto-loading pistol his grandfather (a POW) brought back from Germany, and “hardcase” talked about the 1911 he carried in the Navy.
To recognize (in a small, but sincere, way) the time so many of us spent in military service, this week one lucky winner will get two books: the recently-released 6th edition of the Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, edited by Phillip Peterson, and Tactical Pistol Shooting by Erik Lawrence.
To enter the random drawing, post a comment below telling us how many years you spent in military service, and/or the time spent by family members – fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children. It'll be interesting to see how many total years we'll have in our blog group.
Or, as always, you can just say you'd like to win the books.
Entries will be accepted until midnight Sunday (Oct. 9), and we’ll announce the winner on Monday (Oct. 10).
Good luck in the drawing, and thank you.
THE RULES
One entry per person, please.
Entries accepted until 11:59 pm Central Time Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011.
Winner will be selected at random and announced Monday, Oct. 10, 2011.
F+W MEDIA/ GUN DIGEST Book Giveaway OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
OFFERED ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (“U.S.”), AGED 18 YEARS OR OLDER.
1. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older. Employees, officers and directors of F+W Media, Inc. (“Sponsor”), its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and
My father served 32 years, I served 13 years with a disability, my oldest son retired after 22 years, my middle son has 13 years in with plans to retire at 24, my youngest son has 5 years and is looking to retire at 23
When I got my retirement out of the Naval Reserves I had a total of just shy of 24 years Active and Reserve time. Put 14 years in the cockpit, mostly in SH-3D and some P-3A/B time. Got to fly into Hyphong Harbor on my first operational flight and ended up in the Sandbox in Dessert Storm as OIC of a detachment in Saudi supporting the P-3’s.
U.S. Air Force, 6 years, 2001-2007
I served from 9/81 to 9/85, U.S.Army. Did a tour in Germany and Ft Campbell KY.Was National Guard prior to U.S.Army 10/79 to 7/81.
My father served during WW2 in a quartermaster/graves registration unit in the Europe theater of operations.My son Caleb is now serving in Afghanistan as an Army M.p. For my self i three brothers who in the military also. One Air force,one Navy and the other brother Army.
US Navy July 14 1968 to July 14 1972 {active duty} plus 2 years inactive reserve
March 1970 to April 30, 1972 Navy. Became an “O-Boat” sailor and Cam Rahn Bay vet of the ingenious “Operation Market Time”; which was short for being slow-moving targets for the RVN PTFs 3 times a day (nerve racking)!!
My father spent at least 2 years in the Pacific courtesy of the US Army on Kwajalene, Eniwetok, and Saipan finishing-out as a Staff Seargent in the Quartermasters. Never would talk about it much. His brother, Uncle Hank, was a Staff Seargent when he landed with the Occupation Forces near Tokyo. His sister’s husband, Uncle Ed, was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne on D-Day June 6, 1944. He’d say, “Little did we understand that when we jumped that day, we were jumping into Pure Hell on earth!!” Another uncle, Earl, served in the Navy on convoy duty in the Atlantic. My step-father landed in North Africa and survived all the way to the Occupation of Germany. He stayed in the reserves and National Guard to retirement. Achieving the rank of Command Seargent Major; a singular individual who gained your respect without trying!!
USAF 20 yr 4mo 14 days starting 2/64
4 years for me in the Army (2 Deployements)
4 years for my brother in the Army (1 Deployment)
4 years for my dad in the Navy
USMC 70-71.
I served 3 years in the Army from Sept 1963 – Sept 1966. My father served with the Army during World War II and was with the troops that first entered Japan after the surrender. Dad stated that they went into training camps and took guns away from Japanese troops who did not know the war was over.
5 years in the Navy
I did not serve, but thanks to everyone that has and will serve this country!
In the Navy from Jan 76- Mar 85 and two more years in the reserves.
My dad was in the Marines in WWII. Not sure of the years but was in in Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. I’m guessing 2 years.
Uncle Sam’s canoe club ’75-’79.
I served 4 years in the Air Force, ’71 to ’75. My father served 20+ years in the Air Force from WWII to early ’60s.
7 years 3 months USAF ’83-’90
Father Served 3 years Philippines and Mainland Japan WWII USA 1st Cav.
Me – Master Sergeant,USAF(Ret)1983-2004
Step-Dad – US Army, late 1960s
Uncle – USAF Reserve late 1960s
Uncle – US Army, Korea 1960s,
Uncle – US Army, Berlin Brigade, 1950s
Served 20 in the USN @ Grenada, Lebannon, Desert Shield/Storm in Amphibs, Destroyers and CVN.
One Uncle in USN and Merchant Marine (Murmask runs) in WWII.
One Uncle in USMC ITinian) in WWII.
Two Uncles in Army in Burma during WWII.
Two cousins in USN, four years each in 50’s.
Father-in-law 32 years USN.
Brother-in-law USA 20 years.
27 years Navy. Vietnam-era, Japan, Philippines, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, USA. Cold War, Germany, Mediterranean, UK.
I only spent a short time in the navy but my mother & father met in the air force and I was born at Beal AFB in California.
Served 6 years in Vietnam (USMC), including 5 1/2 years in Hanoi Hilton.
Served 3 years, 11 months During Korean Conflict.
Served in US Army 20 years, 3 months five days…1963-1983….served in Turkey, Vietnam, Germany, Korea and various posts around the United States.
Grandfather WWII 1939-1945 US Merchant Marines
Uncle #1 WWII 1942-1946 US Army
Uncle #2 WWII 1941-1945 US Navy
Father 28 Years Korea-Veitnam 1949-1976 USMC Sgt/Maj.
Brother USMC 1982-1988 Sgt
I enlisted in the Marines initially in 1972 to 1978 as a SSGT. Re-enlisted in the US Army in 1984 until 1993 as a SSG and was medically retired for I was hurt during Operation Desert Shield/Storm 35 miles inside Iraq as a UH-60 Blackhawk crewmember looking for downed colition pilots getting shotdown ourselves.
Father 20 Years 1949-1969 US Army
GrandFather US Navy WWII
I enlisted in 1974 retired 2002 STILL SERVING!
2 years ARADCOM Nike Hercules Missile Base, CONUS, 14 years
Army National Guard, 1963- 1977
Served 20 years U.S.Air Force 1976-1996.Loved it all and wish I was still there sometimes.
2yrs 70 to 72 army and 2yrs army national guard
Chuck32571
CWO4 USN August 1960 to October 1990
30 years 26 days
US Navy 1984 – 1997 13.5 years…
I had 6 years USAF – 1966-1972 SEA
My uncle had 5 years marines – 1941-1946 Pacific Theater
My grandfather 4 years Royal Air Force – 1915-1919 France
My earliest US ancestors Hessians 1776-1783
It is interesting that both sides of my family – Irish and German were impressed into the British army, one in 1775 and the other in 1915.
Me, 1986-1996, US Navy (STG1(SW))
Dad, 1950-1954, US Navy (AE3)
Grandpa, 1936-1945, US Army (M/Sgt, LT)
Great, great grandpa, 1863-1865, 27th Michigan (Sgt)
Father served for about 5 years most of those as a POW in Japan
Seven years USArmy, 1985-1992.
Father six years USArmy, 1961-1967
Grandfather USNavy WWII.
We’ve been around some….
4 years USAF 66-70