Leaderboard

I read that the Air Force officially retired the BDU uniform that I wore during my time on the flightline, and I started thinking what else has changed since then... My recruiter's office has closed and moved as has the MEPS station in Syracuse. My basic training squadron from Lackland AFB, the 3707th, is gone. My tech school squadron, the 3778th is gone as well. In Basic we were amongst the last flights to be issued the old green fatigues. Hated them and switched to BDU's as soon as we could. They've retired the then current dress uniform a couple of times, so that's out as well. I was assigned to the now disestablished Tactical Air Command, at MacDill AFB, which was "realigned" after our 56th TTW was moved to Luke AFB. Within the 56th though I was assigned to the 63rd TFTS which was deactivated. I worked on the flightline on our now retired F-16A/B aircraft that were built by General Dynamics who sold their aircraft division to Lockheed (which was renamed to Lockheed Martin). On my one TDY for a hurricane, we deployed to the now closed Dobbins AFB on a now retired (and scrapped) C-141 Starlifter. We shared the ramp with the Georgia ANG's F-15A Eagles and a Navy squadron, also evacuated, made up of A-4's, A-7's and A-3's, all of which have been retired... After I left Florida, I flew to my new assignment in Spain on Trans World Airlines, which no longer exists, to my new assignment at the now closed Torrejon AB where I was assigned to the now disestablished 401st TFW and the 613th and 614th TFS's that are also gone. The 401st, by the way, was the sole flying wing in the 16th Air Force which is gone as well. I deployed with the 401st TFW(P) to a provisional airbase at the Doha International Airport in Qatar where our address was APO New York 09869. The unit and the APO address shut down when we left, and I believe the airbase and the airport have since. During my time there I carried my trusty M16A1 (triangle handguard, full auto, no three round burst, 1968 build date) and steel helmet while wearing my "chocolate chip" pattern BDU's and black jungle boots. Was happy to get back from the Gulf, so I took some leave. Flew to the UK on British Caledonian Airlines, which like TWA, no longer exists and watched the Concorde launch each day out over London. Traveled to France on the now retired Hoverspeed hovercraft (cool ride) and spent a lot of Francs (along with all of the Lira in Italy and the Pesetas in Spain). The Paris Air Show was the European debut of the "new" F-117 Stealth fighter... Although I enjoyed my time in the Air Force along with my job as an AFSC 431X1 (which they got rid of) and then a 452X4 (which went soon after the 431...), I made the decision to move on, and I left the USAF as an E-4 Non Commissioned Officer (which now requires E-5). Yes, I was a "Buck" Sergeant, a rank which, you guessed it, no longer exists. Any wonder I feel old sometimes?

What were the breakdowns by command (or is there a link to this information)?