Members of the Military

latinmajorac · 09-02-2006, 12:42 PM

this may be a weird questoin but i have often wondered about it.

when you serve in the US military during (?) or just after the Cold War, is there any stigma for collecting the enemy's awards?

do other country's militaries collect US awards? does anyone know if there was some private in the soviet army posted in siberia eagerly awaiting the bronze medal he bought on Ebay to arrive?

again, weird questions i know, but i am curious

PaulR · 09-02-2006, 01:12 PM

I was in the Marines from 1990-1992. I joined the Coast Guard in 1992 and am still in the service.

I collected Soviet Awards from 1992-1995.

Now the story:

I was living in the barracks as I was single at the time. We lived in two man rooms. I had my collection set up and displayed on my dresser. Part of Barracks life is the weekly inspection to check for cleanliness and ect. Well, one of the Chiefs noted my Soviet collection and notified CGI(Same as NIS- Naval Investigative Service). Well, in 1994, I found myself in front of FBI and CGI agents who grilled me for an hour.

They asked me the same questions over and over, for about an hour and a half... Had I been in contact with anyone from the Russian Govt and ect. I was totally freaked out about the whole deal. Finally, after answering the same questions over and over again, I offered to let them into my room and look around. I was told that this would not be needed. This ended the inquiry. At the end of the interview, I asked them who reported me and why. I was informed that they were not able to tell me specifics, yet a concerned party felt it deemed reporting.

Well, we all know the outcome... I was not deemed to be a threat to National Security and I was left to go about my business. The suspicion level must not have been too high, as I applied for and received a high level security clearance a few years later.

The reason I was so confused is that I thought that the Cold War was officially over.

roy · 09-02-2006, 01:52 PM

I enlisted in the Army in 1992. I've never had any problems with collecting Soviet awards, but having said that, at that time, the collection was pretty small.

Dave · 09-03-2006, 08:24 AM

There's a paragraph in my article on Soviet awards to Americans about the American military recipients wearing their awards while on active duty during the Cold War. But, you'll just have to get a copy of the January JOMSA to see the article.

I was in the military when I started collecting Soviet awards and never heard anything bad or good about it. Most of my peers and superiors knew about my collection, and it was never a big deal. Now the fact that I formerly worked for the Russian government.... that makes life interesting sometimes.

Dave

PaulR · 09-03-2006, 10:48 AM

I wonder why my Chief had such a problem?

***desantnik*** · 09-03-2006, 09:08 PM

Paul, you're talking to a bunch of like-minded individuals here who enjoy the hobby. Probably not one of them desires to recreate a Soviet Union or sell secrets to the Russians, however there ARE people who do.

If, as a senior servicemember (I assume you have some rank if you've been in the CG since 1992) you were inspecting a subordinate's room and and found a poster of Osama, green posters with Arabic script and a picture of Mecca, an Afghan "war rug" with depictions of AK47s, etc. would you not be remiss to at least look into it?

Learn from his mistake and start at questioning the individual BEFORE calling in the FBI "big guns".

PaulR · 09-04-2006, 01:35 PM

I do see your point there.

All he had to do was to ask me... it is not like I had any of Lenin's speeches around.

Dat Nguyen · 09-04-2006, 03:20 PM

Hello to All,

For many years I would have friends come over too look at my "russian room" which had three large glass display cases full of russian stuff. They all thought I was nuts for spending all my extra money to stuff purchased at flea markets all over Germany. Most folks like my collections. Some even offer to buy some of my stuff.

One year I wore a Soviet naval outfit complete with a dress dagger to a BN Halloween party. I modified a russian tanker helmet with stereo headphones too keep my head warm and to entertain myself in the winter time when I shovel snow off my sidewalk. Recently I just modified a russian leather flight helmet with avionics that I can use with our radios. I tried to stay "true" and experimented with several throat microphones, but none is clear enough so I had to attach a boom microphone. I even have a russian built gyro-stabilized scope that I used when I was flying helicopter. Although the scope was big and bulky, it worked great in flight. As with all of the russian made items, I had to tinker with it in someway to make it work, but that in itself is half of the fun.

I personally think that all soldiers going back to the first battle have collected something from the defeated foes. To show off their accomplishments, to brag over a beer or two, to each his own. I personally like the history of the items in my collection and hopefully I get to research some of them one day.

Dave · 09-04-2006, 03:56 PM

Thinking of Dat's example of Halloween, my last command had a huge Halloween costume party every year (yes, this is the military...) Anyway, the last party that I attended I dressed up as a Soviet General of the Army with the complete uniform. There were a lot of people giving me looks, but considering that I was the only senior person there in costume, everyone loved it. Now, I do think that the attractive female who dressed up as an Austin Power's fembot got a little more attention than me and my uniform...

willie777 · 06-14-2007, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulR

I was in the Marines from 1990-1992. I joined the Coast Guard in 1992 and am still in the service.

I collected Soviet Awards from 1992-1995.

Now the story:

I was living in the barracks as I was single at the time. We lived in two man rooms. I had my collection set up and displayed on my dresser. Part of Barracks life is the weekly inspection to check for cleanliness and ect. Well, one of the Chiefs noted my Soviet collection and notified CGI(Same as NIS- Naval Investigative Service). Well, in 1994, I found myself in front of FBI and CGI agents who grilled me for an hour.

They asked me the same questions over and over, for about an hour and a half... Had I been in contact with anyone from the Russian Govt and ect. I was totally freaked out about the whole deal. Finally, after answering the same questions over and over again, I offered to let them into my room and look around. I was told that this would not be needed. This ended the inquiry. At the end of the interview, I asked them who reported me and why. I was informed that they were not able to tell me specifics, yet a concerned party felt it deemed reporting.

Well, we all know the outcome... I was not deemed to be a threat to National Security and I was left to go about my business. The suspicion level must not have been too high, as I applied for and received a high level security clearance a few years later.

The reason I was so confused is that I thought that the Cold War was officially over.

Seriously? I find it very strange. The Coast Guard Academy even posts a picture of a cadet with a Soviet beskozirka on this site: United States Coast Guard Academy - Cadet Life: Advanced Degree Programs

09-02-2006, 12:42 PM	#1
latinmajorac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Bloomfield MI Age: 36 Posts: 146	Members of the Military this may be a weird questoin but i have often wondered about it. when you serve in the US military during (?) or just after the Cold War, is there any stigma for collecting the enemy's awards? do other country's militaries collect US awards? does anyone know if there was some private in the soviet army posted in siberia eagerly awaiting the bronze medal he bought on Ebay to arrive? again, weird questions i know, but i am curious __________________ Money for College $0 Money for text books $0 Money for Food $0 Somehow finding money for my next medal purchase? Priceless starving college kid: will do calculus for Medals Newly promoted to the Deputy Kapusta Commander position

09-02-2006, 01:12 PM	#2
PaulR Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Age: 52 Posts: 405	I was in the Marines from 1990-1992. I joined the Coast Guard in 1992 and am still in the service. I collected Soviet Awards from 1992-1995. Now the story: I was living in the barracks as I was single at the time. We lived in two man rooms. I had my collection set up and displayed on my dresser. Part of Barracks life is the weekly inspection to check for cleanliness and ect. Well, one of the Chiefs noted my Soviet collection and notified CGI(Same as NIS- Naval Investigative Service). Well, in 1994, I found myself in front of FBI and CGI agents who grilled me for an hour. They asked me the same questions over and over, for about an hour and a half... Had I been in contact with anyone from the Russian Govt and ect. I was totally freaked out about the whole deal. Finally, after answering the same questions over and over again, I offered to let them into my room and look around. I was told that this would not be needed. This ended the inquiry. At the end of the interview, I asked them who reported me and why. I was informed that they were not able to tell me specifics, yet a concerned party felt it deemed reporting. Well, we all know the outcome... I was not deemed to be a threat to National Security and I was left to go about my business. The suspicion level must not have been too high, as I applied for and received a high level security clearance a few years later. The reason I was so confused is that I thought that the Cold War was officially over. Last edited by PaulR; 09-02-2006 at 01:17 PM.

09-04-2006, 03:20 PM	#8
Dat Nguyen Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: San Antonio, Texas Age: 58 Posts: 216	Strange looks Hello to All, For many years I would have friends come over too look at my "russian room" which had three large glass display cases full of russian stuff. They all thought I was nuts for spending all my extra money to stuff purchased at flea markets all over Germany. Most folks like my collections. Some even offer to buy some of my stuff. One year I wore a Soviet naval outfit complete with a dress dagger to a BN Halloween party. I modified a russian tanker helmet with stereo headphones too keep my head warm and to entertain myself in the winter time when I shovel snow off my sidewalk. Recently I just modified a russian leather flight helmet with avionics that I can use with our radios. I tried to stay "true" and experimented with several throat microphones, but none is clear enough so I had to attach a boom microphone. I even have a russian built gyro-stabilized scope that I used when I was flying helicopter. Although the scope was big and bulky, it worked great in flight. As with all of the russian made items, I had to tinker with it in someway to make it work, but that in itself is half of the fun. I personally think that all soldiers going back to the first battle have collected something from the defeated foes. To show off their accomplishments, to brag over a beer or two, to each his own. I personally like the history of the items in my collection and hopefully I get to research some of them one day.

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09-02-2006, 01:52 PM	#3
roy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Benton, Tennessee Age: 51 Posts: 99	I enlisted in the Army in 1992. I've never had any problems with collecting Soviet awards, but having said that, at that time, the collection was pretty small.

09-03-2006, 08:24 AM	#4
Dave Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 700	There's a paragraph in my article on Soviet awards to Americans about the American military recipients wearing their awards while on active duty during the Cold War. But, you'll just have to get a copy of the January JOMSA to see the article. I was in the military when I started collecting Soviet awards and never heard anything bad or good about it. Most of my peers and superiors knew about my collection, and it was never a big deal. Now the fact that I formerly worked for the Russian government.... that makes life interesting sometimes. Dave

09-03-2006, 10:48 AM	#5
PaulR Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Age: 52 Posts: 405	I wonder why my Chief had such a problem?

09-03-2006, 09:08 PM	#6
*desantnik* Forum Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eurasia Posts: 2,339	Paul, you're talking to a bunch of like-minded individuals here who enjoy the hobby. Probably not one of them desires to recreate a Soviet Union or sell secrets to the Russians, however there ARE people who do. If, as a senior servicemember (I assume you have some rank if you've been in the CG since 1992) you were inspecting a subordinate's room and and found a poster of Osama, green posters with Arabic script and a picture of Mecca, an Afghan "war rug" with depictions of AK47s, etc. would you not be remiss to at least look into it? Learn from his mistake and start at questioning the individual BEFORE calling in the FBI "big guns".

09-04-2006, 01:35 PM	#7
PaulR Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Age: 52 Posts: 405	I do see your point there. All he had to do was to ask me... it is not like I had any of Lenin's speeches around.

09-04-2006, 03:56 PM	#9
Dave Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 700	Thinking of Dat's example of Halloween, my last command had a huge Halloween costume party every year (yes, this is the military...) Anyway, the last party that I attended I dressed up as a Soviet General of the Army with the complete uniform. There were a lot of people giving me looks, but considering that I was the only senior person there in costume, everyone loved it. Now, I do think that the attractive female who dressed up as an Austin Power's fembot got a little more attention than me and my uniform...

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