Richard Haley Translator & Det Clerk
My name is Richard Haley and I served at Schleswig from July 1974 - January 1976 as the Detachment's German translator and "company clerk." My MOS had nothing to do with direction finding or admin, but they desperately needed someone fluent in German and they offered me the job by creating a position of company clerk. While I did do admin stuff I also spent a lot of time getting people out of trouble, negotiating with local businesses, helping the folks with rental/landlord issues etc.
The det commander at the time was a 1st Lieut. named Frankie Browning who was only the second (and I believe final) commissioned officer to serve as commander. The NCOIC, SFC Gary Howorth became detachement commander when Browning was reassigned back to Augsburg.
It was during my time there that we began the regular softball "league" with a few other American units in the general geographic area. We also talked a local school into letting us use their gym for basketball games.I have mostly fond memories of those times and I've got a lot of good stories to tell if any one would care to know them (names will be changed to protect the innocent!).
When I left the army I took my language training and ability back to school for an undergraduate degree in German language and literature, but went in an entirely different direction vocationally - I am an ordained Baptist minister now serving a church in Massachusetts, my home state. Im glad to see this site back up and running.
Peace,Dick Haley
Note: Hopefully more to come .......