Barracks life...

mojaveman · 01-04-2010, 02:17

Are there any members reading this who were living in the 5th Group barracks on Gruber Rd. back in the mid 80s?

One hot July Saturday afternoon some young SF soldiers were on the roof of the barracks wearing swimming trunks, sunning themselves, and drinking a few six packs of beer. Well, it just so happened on that particular afternoon that the Post Commander came flying by in an OH-58 at relatively low altitude. I guess the passengers in the helicopter saw the sunbathers and decided to circle a few times to get a better look. In a mad scramble the violators left the roof and went down and hid in someone's room. It was merely a short time later that the Military Police and the 5th Group duty officer showed up to investigate. A new lock was installed on the roof access door and stern warnings were later issued by Company Sergeants Major about tresspassing on the barracks roof. I thought the entire affair was rather amusing.

Unlike conventional units it seemed that personnel in the elite units could always get away with more. I can remember a number of guys living in the barracks who kept privately owned weapons in their wall lockers. One of my close friends in Group bought a SPAS-12 tactical shotgun and was showing it to me in his room onetime. I guess he wasn't entirely familiar with it and accidently fired it. The blast blew a good sized hole in the ceiling panel so we immediately replaced it with an extra one from a utility closet. I sometimes miss those days...

Does anyone have any funny (and clean) barracks stories they would like to share? I have a few more actually.

Dozer523 · 01-04-2010, 06:38

There was a guy on my Team at Campbell who kept his Harley in his room. (That's sorta what I heard . . . maybe)

Richard · 01-04-2010, 07:44

We had four men to a room in the 7th SFG barracks and music was sometimes a problem - CW v Rock and the volume of some stereo systems...especially when the various 'hooch bars' in a couple of our rooms were open for business. Being a medic and working shifts at the WAH ER during a support cycle could also be an issue when it came to music being played too loudly and trying to get some sleep at odd times of the day. My solution was to go out and get an 8 track tape of Native American chants - I'd put it in my stereo and turn up the volume, leave the room and lock the door, leave the barracks and return about a half hour later. The barracks would then be deserted, I'd turn off the tape and go to sleep.

If you've never heard such chants at full volume, you're in for a real auricular stimulating treat.

Richard

Ret10Echo · 01-04-2010, 07:56

Mentioning P.O.W.s in the barracks always brings back memories of the health and welfare inspection that was held one early Saturday. Everything opened, ceiling tiles removed...etc...etc... As one of the senior NCO inspectors yanked open a wall locker in our room (4-man brick city rooms) the pistol in the shoulder rig (that was hung inside the door of the locker) swung out and almost hit the SGM in the head. He didn't notice. We were all trying not to laugh out loud since it almost smacked him again when he slung the door shut.....

They did find the bottle of bourbon in the golf bag though.

greenberetTFS · 01-04-2010, 09:44

Did any of you guys ever lived in the old wooden barracks at ft. bragg when they put about 30 guys on the first floor and about that same amount upstairs.........

Very little privacy then...............

Big Teddy

**The Reaper** · 01-04-2010, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Did any of you guys ever lived in the old wooden barracks at ft. bragg when they put about 30 guys on the first floor and about that same amount upstairs.........

Very little privacy then...............

Big Teddy

Yes, I did.

Nothing like sitting on the shitter with no privacy beside four other guys doing the same thing, or standing in a 10'x10' shower with them.

Makes for interesting conversations.

TR

**Peregrino** · 01-04-2010, 10:25

I lived in those barracks from May 78 until Mar 83. That included several years of pulling CQ/runner. No, I'm not contributing.

Some things don't have a statute of limitations and a few of the perpetrators are still alive/friends.

01-04-2010, 10:28

Are the old barracks near COSCOM still around? There was a small PX, a good sized PT field and quick access to miles and miles of dirt roads.

**The Reaper** · 01-04-2010, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by wet dog

Are the old barracks near COSCOM still around? There was a small XP, a good sized PT field and quick access to miles and miles of dirt roads.

Gone.

The last ones I know of are the ones off Butner Rd., near Pope.

Our 4th Battalion were working out of them just recently.

TR

Ret10Echo · 01-04-2010, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Did any of you guys ever lived in the old wooden barracks at ft. bragg when they put about 30 guys on the first floor and about that same amount upstairs.........

Very little privacy then...............

Big Teddy

Lived in the one's behind Shakey Jake's barber shop by the NCO academy for a little bit.

You got used to the C-130's taking off...but the C-5's took some getting used to.

mojaveman · 01-04-2010, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Gone.

The last ones I know of are the ones off Butner Rd., near Pope.

Our 4th Battalion were working out of them just recently.

TR

I'll have to come and see them before they're gone. That's the area where the old 5th Group compound was back in '84-'87.

Richard · 01-04-2010, 11:38

Had the wooden WW2 barracks in BCT, AIT, BAC and 300F-1. I knew I had made the right decision to go SF when I got to Bragg and SFTG/6th SFG/7th SFG barracks were red brick.

Classrooms and A/B Team buildings were still the old wooden buildings.

Richard's $.02

**The Reaper** · 01-04-2010, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojaveman

I'll have to come and see them before they're gone. That's the area where the old 5th Group compound was back in '84-'87.

Further West on Pratt St. than the 5th Group buildings, these are just up the street from Pike Field.

Come by anytime. Most of our buildings are inside chain link though.

TR

**Pete** · 01-04-2010, 12:05

5th Gp Barracks Rats lived in three different 3 story brick barracks over by the JFK Chapel between 1974 and 1980. The one next to the old mess hall and fronting the Gruber Rd parking lot was the last one. Moved in there somewhere around the summer of 77.

But around 76ish we all lived over in the COSCOM area in the wood barracks while the brick ones were updated. Each Company had a floor, single stacked bunks and I'd guess maybe 12 or so barracks rats per company.

That was another CQ detail while it lasted.

As for the original question - I ain't talkin'.

Stras · 01-04-2010, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

We had four men to a room in the 7th SFG barracks and music was sometimes a problem - CW v Rock and the volume of some stereo systems...especially when the various 'hooch bars' in a couple of our rooms were open for business. Being a medic and working shifts at the WAH ER during a support cycle could also be an issue when it came to music being played too loudly and trying to get some sleep at odd times of the day. My solution was to go out and get an 8 track tape of Native American chants - I'd put it in my stereo and turn up the volume, leave the room and lock the door, leave the barracks and return about a half hour later. The barracks would then be deserted, I'd turn off the tape and go to sleep.

If you've never heard such chants at full volume, you're in for a real auricular stimulating treat.

Richard

I had an issue with this at Ft Lewis... I found that my CD of Whale sounds quieted down the jungle boots on medium heat in a dryer when left on all weekend long......