What is the scariest shit you’ve done in your career?

[Louie Detroit]

When I was at USMC ITS I rode on tanks on full speed and helicopters too.

In my MIS career I occasionally had to take a cherry picker up onto an overhead steel crane to maintain RF equipment or climb way up a ladder to assist telecom people on the roof of a steel plant. I hate heights.

What are your stories?

[Steve_R]

I’ve handled live nuclear warheads and been close to stuff so radioactive it would kill you in a few minutes if not handled correctly.

[Anjdog2003]

Back talked my step dad

[Vette40th]

I joined the Navy Submarine Force.. Do I win?

[Steve_R]

I joined the Navy Submarine Force.. Do I win?

That’s how my career started. :cert:

[Aerovette]

Messing with 4160v power. Running electric motors on a dyno.

[Wathen1955]

When I worked at General Dynamics in Pomona CA in the 80's, I inspected the Phalanx Gun used on Navy ships. It was an incredible system. The Phalanx is a six-barrelled, 20mm Gatling gun that can fire 75 armour-piercing rounds a second over a distance of 3+ miles.

When we had to test it on dry land, it was so load! Almost as load as being next to a funny car at the start line. Probably explains why I have shitty hearing now at 69 years.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

I’ve worked so many different jobs in my career it’s hard to say. Off the top of my head I’d want to say something in the nuclear power industry but nothing stands out in my mind.

If I had to pick I’d say it was a job I did at 3M replacing hydrofluoric acid tanks or ‘cells’ as they were called. Pretty stressful shit. We had to have training to even step foot in the room. We’d joke; it time to put on the gimp suit and go to work.

In the nuclear business, I suppose something where I was getting excess dose but again, nothing really stands out. Dose in itself isn’t particularly scary but getting a dose alarm can be a little unsettling.

[A/E]

Power Wash Junk Yard Dogs

Make Deliveries throughout ( at the time ) the Murder Capital of World

Cut Blocks of Dancing Slippery Dry Ice on a Band Saw as it Danced on the Stainless Steel Feed Table

Scape Toxic Sludge from Street Sweepers at the Hazardous Materials Dump Site

Collect Loan Payments in Hoods where I was a Distinct Minority with no Business being in those Hoods

And presently ~ Speak Openly and Candidly about Upper Management and Leadership to anyone who will listen ( and it aint a positive light )

[Bill]

Not terribly scary, but we worked in a plant that made phosgene gas. So at the guard shack, they issued everyone monitors in the form of badges that would turn color if you were exposed. I asked, what's the point? If you look down and see that your badge has turned, you're dead already, as you die from literally coughing out your burnt up lungs.

We did that job as quickly as possible and got out, although other than driving by the unit, we weren't really that close.

[vettemed]

I deal with the public in an ethnically diverse community. Do I win?

[coralbandit]

Changing the rope on a flag pole.
Took a 150 foot lift to reach top of pole.
Maybe not the scariest but up there on the pucker factor.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

Changing the rope on a flag pole.
Took a 150 foot lift to reach top of pole.
Maybe not the scariest but up there on the pucker factor.

I worked on a rigging crew at an oil refinery for about four months. Heights never really bothered me much in those days. Not sure how I’d feel about them these days.

[Jughead]

Mixing toxic chemotherapy meds for outpatients.

[lrobe22]

Back talked my step dad

At work?

[Louie Detroit]

I deal with the public in an ethnically diverse community. Do I win?

How often do you have to deal with a rabid animal?

[LATB]

I once worked on a crew replacing windows in a highrise building in downtown Baltimore. On one of those building hung scaffoldings that hang from the roof with cables. One minute on that floating death trap 20+ stories high and I was done. I did man up and make it through the day. But there was never going to be a day 2.

[Frankie the Fink]

Launched off an aircraft carrier as a GS-12, an insane experience...

Equally scary was being held at gunpoint on a bus in a small Turkish town in civilian clothes (with a Top Secret clearance) as an Army intelligence troop.

The guards demanded passports and we DID not have them and weren't allowed to. A 'stamped' copy of our orders was supposed to suffice - it didn't.

A crowd of locals gathered around the bus and harassed us for 2 hours. Did I mention how much Muslims don't like people from a Christian country ? US embassy finally straightened it out.

[Big bob]

Got a board with nails off a Clydesdale horses rear hoof. Couldn't find a vet to help. Picture added for visual aid.


121113

[Rodnok1]

Couple of things come to mind...

In a Blackhawk at 2am and listening to the pilots say I'm pretty sure we're not where we are supposed to be, isn't that the big church all lit up? We're way to far south as he's looking at a folded up map. My brain said good thing those towers have flashy lights on them.

Coming in for a landing in a C130 (sitting in cockpit) on a muddy and I mean muddy runway with such a crest in the middle no way I thought we'd stay on it. Pilot working the steering wheel like a mad man and when we stopped saying wow that was sketchy. I about had to cut the seat out of my ass.

[Louie Detroit]

I once worked on a crew replacing windows in a highrise building in downtown Baltimore. On one of those building hung scaffoldings that hang from the roof with cables. One minute on that floating death trap 20+ stories high and I was done. I did man up and make it through the day. But there was never going to be a day 2.

Good, anyone with a well developed sense of self preservation would do the same.

[99 pewtercoupe]

I worked for a company that made hydraulic shock absorbers for railway freight cars. They were positioned behind the coupler and to do an inspection you had to get underneath the car between the rails on your back.

Was at a rail yard doing this when the cars on the track right next to me started moving. Even though the track I was on was “locked” hearing that bang,bang,bang as the slack was run out of that consist of cars was enough to cause a pucker.

[coralbandit]

I once worked on a crew replacing windows in a highrise building in downtown Baltimore. On one of those building hung scaffoldings that hang from the roof with cables. One minute on that floating death trap 20+ stories high and I was done. I did man up and make it through the day. But there was never going to be a day 2.

Worked on that swinging scaffold back around 20 years ago.
Just one job that lasted about 4 months.
Highest I have ever been and definitely the scariest until you got your sea legs, and the view down stops messing with you.

The rigs we used took a man on each end to operate.
The longest set up was 70' long.
Building was 34 stories. Felt like a mile~!
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.a462c9a3eec911bf782393e5eccdc05e?rik=V%2bqPEQbkDcyhdA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fimages.skyscrapercenter.com%2fbuilding%2falsmith9a.jpg&ehk=6wLkjT4fBc9LaBRHWupuh53sEN9QicHApCcQhKG2%2f3I%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0
Second tallest building in Albany. A E Smith Building.
We lined the window wells with Lead Coated Copper sheets.
Would probably do it again.
I bought a double safety lanyard after the first day.
Kept thinking about the old Bell MC helmet add that said if you have a $10 head wear a $10 helmet.
Not one tool was dropped the entire job by our crew.

[Chiefttp]

Drop my Wife off at the mall with my credit card!😳
As an Air Force pilot for 28 years, plenty of scary moments, people shooting at you etc..but the times that really scare you usually occurred during close formation flying and Air-Refuelings. Often everything is controlled, but the slightest twitch of a hand, or inattention for a second can result in disaster. Many times we are totally stable, and for a millisecond either one of us makes a small vector towards each other, and if you don’t correct a millisecond later the shit hits the fan. Of course, you never tell anyone..you’re just as cool as a cucumber…the desire to panic and escape is overwhelming, but you dare not, unless it’s truly out of control. … This video may give you an idea.
https://youtu.be/YcLiAAVeYhk?si=UhM5DsByv8JKXkD4
Skip to 05:40 micro-seconds of panic, but you can’t panic…separates the wheat from the chaff for sure, add the fact that we were in training with inexperienced pilots who were not up to Blue Angel standards, for students the standard separation was 3 feet, so damn close at 500 knots plus airspeeds
https://youtu.be/Ynvoriv09Ks?si=_hcBShL93xJV_UcJ

[Don Rickles]

Getting caught boinken my bosses wife! She stole my Virginity! :yesnod:

[LATB]

Getting caught boinken my bosses wife! She stole my Virginity! :yesnod:

She a jew or gentile?

[Vandelay Industries]

She a jew or gentile?

I hear she had a little jew in her. :leaving:

[LATB]

I hear she had a little jew in her. :leaving:

I set that up and you jumped the gun on my punchline. :rofl:

[Vandelay Industries]

I set that up and you jumped the gun on my punchline. :rofl:

:funnier::cert:

[Chiefttp]

Don Rickles for the Win!

[vettemed]

How often do you have to deal with a rabid animal?

In 30+ years working with animals, never. Fortunately, in the developed world, mass vaccination limits the number of cases out there in companion animals. It's still out there, for sure, but it's mostly in wildlife. Even the shittiest owner has usually gotten their animal at least one rabies vaccine in its life, which is very effective in most cases.

A more legitimate risk is due to shitbag owners of German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois, sometimes others, who do nothing productive with the dog and it comes in here trying to eat everyone. Those dogs are far worse to deal with than the average Pit Bull.

[Frankie the Fink]

I completely forgot THIS incident:

Journeyman avionics tech working 12 hour days in an F-14 hangar rebuilding the fighters. Everyone ragged out from the hours - before they could bring the birds into the hangar they had to burn off excess fuel, so the plane captains would turn the planes up on the line FACING the hanger holding onto the toe brakes and with wooden chocks on the tires.

"Snag" an old time, tobacco chewing plane captain fell asleep during this process from pure fatique and came off the toe brakes, the plane jumped the chocks and came into the hangar, engines alight, knocking the huge hangar door down to lay across the cockpit and the plane just missed taking out the central wall of the hangar. "Snag" chopped throttle just in time.

I literally 'outran' an F-14 that day clearing the hell out. We were all wondering if the ejection seat guys had 'pinned off' the seat so poor Snag didn't get launched into the hangar roof. He couldn't be extracted until the hangar door was lifted off.

Anyway, everybody in the management chain got demoted a step and the whole incident was covered up (you won't find a record of it).

After that the "Alameda" chocks were brought in and no plane is going to jump out of those.

SOME INTERESTING ASIDES:

Earlier that day a pilot brought his family on a tour through the hangar (it was frowned upon but happened occasionally) and they had been in the very spot where the plane came in just a few hours later.

"Snag" was suspended as plane captain for 180 days. Well they brought in a P-2 WW-II bird for rework a month later and he was the only one that knew how to turn it up. So they had a pilot sit beside him as a CYA as he did. I got to sit in the back during this working the primitive avionics.

A black co-worker (and former Vietnam LRRP) blasted off like a rocket when the plane came in and he was holding the hand of the little black gal that worked in Production Control. She tripped and fell and he didn't miss a step shouting "Baby, you gotta run!" and left her laying there. I laugh about that to this day.

Gads, I hadn't thought about this incident for years...

[04 commemorative]

I always worked late so.....walking past Bryant Park on 40th street late at night or 42nd street (had more lights) .....had a lot of pucker moments,saw some muggings and was almost myself.

[zeek]

Hmmmm.....let me think....Hmmmm???....:eek:

[LATB]

I always worked late so.....walking past Bryant Park on 40th street late at night or 42nd street (had more lights) .....a lot of pucker moments.

I worked in the Baltimore slums. Gunshots all day were normal. Winos drinking MD while eating pigeons cooked over a barrel while they pissed where they stood.

Has knives pulled on me. Guns brandished. Tools stolen. One ni@@er stole half of a sandwich from me.

My wife (then GF) worked in the better part of the city but was mugged twice. Once she probably would have been raped and murdered if not for her coworker who had mace.

And the thing is, that was 40 years ago. It has only gotten worse and it has spread out to the suburbs. :ack:

[DJ_Critterus]

Had to tell the smugnorrant boss he was dead ass wrong concerning a computer lifecycle refresh project. Dickhead yelled, screamed, threatened to shit can me, ended up over budget by 400K, and now out of the two of us, I still kept my job.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

I worked in the Baltimore slums. Gunshots all day were normal. Winos drinking MD while eating pigeons cooked over a barrel while they pissed where they stood.

Has knives pulled on me. Guns brandished. Tools stolen. One ni@@er stole half of a sandwich from me.

My wife (then GF) worked in the better part of the city but was mugged twice. Once she probably would have been raped and murdered if not for her coworker who had mace.

And the thing is, that was 40 years ago. It has only gotten worse and it has spread out to the suburbs. :ack:
Are you familiar with Bayonne Ave? Good area? Bad?

[Frankie the Fink]

I worked in the Baltimore slums. Gunshots all day were normal. Winos drinking MD while eating pigeons cooked over a barrel while they pissed where they stood.

Has knives pulled on me. Guns brandished. Tools stolen. One ni@@er stole half of a sandwich from me.

My wife (then GF) worked in the better part of the city but was mugged twice. Once she probably would have been raped and murdered if not for her coworker who had mace.

And the thing is, that was 40 years ago. It has only gotten worse and it has spread out to the suburbs. :ack:
Bad areas are nothing new, I was night manager at a Be-Los supermarket in the dark part of Norfolk earning college money in the 70s, a cop was killed down the street and I had a knife pulled on me at checkout for refusing to honor a bad check and I had to punch the guy out. People were being robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot. Day manager got pistol-whipped and robbed walking to work. Crazed "Sterno bums" were in vogue. A 5 cent pack of Kool Aid and melt a 19 cent can of Sterno into the mix and you got high for a quarter. Users of that denatured alcohol got sores, smelled like donkey ass and were mean sunuvabitches...

After a year, the girlfriend (now wife) figured she would shop in the store to get a feel for my work environment. I was told in no uncertain terms to quit the next day and I did. Guess i just got used to the stress, tension and violence and belligerence and it took an outsider to open my eyes.

[Datawiz]

Messing with 4160v power. Running electric motors on a dyno.

Given your unique expertise, I can see what this would be scary. :lol:

[6spdC6]

Over the course of time I have had a lot of interesting situations!

Working in Atomic facilities and chemical plants. One of those plants made a couple of the components that made up Agent Orange.

Working high on those plants, I have bosun chair time and much being brought to the top of "cracking towers'' by crane basket to change out items. Note, its fun to be up there and watch the bids fly many feet below the height you are on!

After I had a nasty 22' fall with plenty of hospital time I still climbed but reserved the right not to. My bosses were understanding and on a few jobs I was now the ground guy instead of the high guy. My philosophy was not how high the job was, it was how comfortable I was depending on circumstances. That fall had a lot to do with me taking early retirement at 55 instead of 62 as getting older more things hurt.

[LATB]

Are you familiar with Bayonne Ave? Good area? Bad?

Yes.
That's Hamilton near Walther Ave just west of Belair Ave.
Used to be a pretty nice area. Now almost all black and not so nice.
Morgan State University is near there. As is Double Rock Park.
Many memories in that area. Hamilton, Overlea, Rosedale, Herring Run...

I grew up not far from there in Parkville.

[Louie Detroit]

In 30+ years working with animals, never. Fortunately, in the developed world, mass vaccination limits the number of cases out there in companion animals. It's still out there, for sure, but it's mostly in wildlife. Even the shittiest owner has usually gotten their animal at least one rabies vaccine in its life, which is very effective in most cases.

A more legitimate risk is due to shitbag owners of German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois, sometimes others, who do nothing productive with the dog and it comes in here trying to eat everyone. Those dogs are far worse to deal with than the average Pit Bull.

Is it true veterinarian's get rabies vaccinations?

[Joey777]

I flew the KC-135A and we would occasionally practice 4 ship MITO (minimum interval takeoffs).Each aircraft would begin its t/o roll 5 seconds behind the previous one. Being #4 was no fun at all. The wake turbulence from the planes ahead of you would bounce you around so much you could barely focus on the instruments. Fun times for sure.

[Force-1]

The only time in my 22-year USAF career I thought I was going to die.

In June 1993 I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, CA. I went up to north Vandenberg with my Commander and Ops Officer to watch a Minuteman missile launch. We parked on a large concrete pad that had nothing on it but a pole with a phone attached. There were a few other vehicles there, with other observers.

The missile launched and we watched as it went up, then instead of heading west over the Pacific it started to head inland east. This caused controllers to initiate self-destruct, which caused large chunks of burning fuel and missile to rain down on us. We had nowhere to go except crawl under the Chevy Blazer we arrived in. I could hear many thumps and booms as burning chunks landed around us. There was smoke everywhere, and grass fires started all around us. I really thought I was going to die.

After a short while we all crawled out, jumped in the Blazer, and hauled ass. There were a few times we had to drive through burning grass, but we managed to get out safely. The other vehicles followed us out. Amazing none of us were hurt or killed.

Two your Airmen filming the launch were separated from their vehicle by fire, screaming for help on the radio. An E-3 Security Police Airman drove out to them and brought them to safety. His 4x4 vehicle tires were on fire when he exited ground zero. He was awarded the Airman’s Medal.

I went out the next day on an ATV with the base game warden. About 500 acres had burned. Saw dead charred snakes and lizards. The fire caused the evacuation of the small town of Casmalia, which sits on the east border of the base.

https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/1993/06/01/air-force-missile-blown-up/42464333007/

[vettemed]

Is it true veterinarian's get rabies vaccinations?

Generally, yes. My entire class received a series of 3 doses over a month.

[Force-1]

Is it true veterinarian's get rabies vaccinations?

When I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, CA the USAF Security Police had a special "Critter Control" response post. In order to be assigned to this post one had to receive rabies vaccination. The USAF base game wardens also received the vaccination.

[Vandelay Industries]

Messing with 4160v power. Running electric motors on a dyno.

Given your unique expertise, I can see what this would be scary. :lol:

Even more so for those in the immediate vicinity. :willy:

[04 commemorative]

How long do the rabies vaccinations last ? Many years ago I had to get 14 rabies shots in my stomach :willy:

[Onebadcad]

From age 14 - 17 I sold subscriptions for the local newspaper.
Did it after schoolday ended, had an older crew leader who would pick us up at home, and then drop us off for about 3 hours.
Many times I was dropped in sketchy hoods, why, because you would re-write the same people you wrote 6 months ago, carrier never delivered paper, as knew likelihood of payment was low.
I did the re-writes as I was paid based on new customers, not if paper was delivered, or if route carrier was paid.

Damn tough hoods, almost lost a few pairs of Air Jordans, but I could run, faster than ALL, I kinda liked the adventure, probably because I always got away.

The job was good, sent me on 10+ Disney World trip long weekends, I made 3X of those my age with reqular jobs.

I occasionaly drive thru, or near, some of those hoods today, I would not go in there with anything less than a SWAT Truck.

[Louie Detroit]

Generally, yes. My entire class received a series of 3 doses over a month.

Are they lifetime shots then? Why aren't rabies shots for humans a public concern?

[vettemed]

How long do the rabies vaccinations last ? Many years ago I had to get 14 rabies shots in my stomach :willy:

it varies. I haven't had my titers checked in many years. 10 years I think is what they recommend for boosters, but I have not done so. I'm now 23 years post-vaccination.

[Olustee bus]

I guess it was when I operated a calculator in a cold storage facility. I had to take my gloves off. Terrifying I tell ya!

[Vette40th]

I guess it was when I operated a calculator in a cold storage facility. I had to take my gloves off. Terrifying I tell ya!

Workmans comp right there. Did your fingers change color and you had to go to ER. That is scary sheit

[dwjz06]

Commercial window washing. Downtown Washington DC, and a 16 floor Reston, VA hotel. Some scary chit.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

Yes.
That's Hamilton near Walther Ave just west of Belair Ave.
Used to be a pretty nice area. Now almost all black and not so nice.
Morgan State University is near there. As is Double Rock Park.
Many memories in that area. Hamilton, Overlea, Rosedale, Herring Run...

I grew up not far from there in Parkville.

Going back 83 years - 🤣

My mom’s side of the family is from the Baltimore area. It goes like this - my great grandmother was from Baltimore. My grandmother was born there along with her two siblings. My grandmother’s family then came to MN in a Model T of all things

When the war broke out, my grandmother returned to Baltimore and lived at the Beyonne address. 2706 to be precise. My mom was a little girl at this time. The reason she went back to B was her husband -my grandfather- was at Pearl. (After the bombs fell) The whole thing was arranged through the church, and my grandmother was able to get a job there.

My mom and my grandmother held the family that took them in, in high regard. They were wonderful people apparently.

Can you even IMAGINE a situation like this in 2025? Packing up your toddler and hitting the road to another state to live with a family you didn’t know? At ALL? People did what needed to be done in those days. They didn’t piss and ****in’ moan like a bunch of spoiled brats.

[Don Rickles]

Are they lifetime shots then? Why aren't rabies shots for humans a public concern?

My Vet doesn't bite.

[Louie Detroit]

My Vet doesn't bite.

Bats do, along with a few other rabies carrying critters.

[Don Rickles]

Bats do, along with a few other rabies carrying critters.

You have a pet Bat that you take to the Vets? What was wrong with it?

[vettemed]

Are they lifetime shots then? Why aren't rabies shots for humans a public concern?

Because the incidence is not high enough for the general pop.

Our [vaccinated] pets provide us a barrier effect against wildlife transmitting rabies to humans. If the pets are vaccinated, us humans are by extension adequately protected, epidemiologically speaking.

[Louie Detroit]

You have a pet Bat that you take to the Vets? What was wrong with it?

In my lifetime I'm been closely exposed to bats, skunks and a fox.

[GTOguy]

My first real job, 1979. I was delivering auto parts in Oakland, CA, in one of our Ford Courier pickups. I took a wrong turn and ended up in a cul-de-sac in a bad area. Four or 5 black guys in their 20's came out of nowhere with baseball bats and surrounded my truck, telling me to 'get out da truck, white boy!'

I had already backed the truck so I could exit the dead end when they surrounded me, so I didn't hesitate. I knew it was them or me. I revved the engine and popped the clutch and floored it and drove through them, as they scattered like bowling pins. I didn't hit any of them. I didn't try not to. They simply had quick reflexes.

As a kid growing up in Oakland in the '60's and '70's, I had been 'jumped' before by groups of blacks, so I knew what was in store had I complied.

Years later I got involved with law enforcement and went on a few ride-alongs in Oakland, and got into a police chase. That was exciting. Of course, the perps were black.

[VatorMan]

Right after I got out of the USN I worked for a crane company inspecting tower cranes. Riding the hook trolley out to inspect the end sheeve with no harness-yeah that was thrilling. Especially at 400 ft.
In the USN I was the guy that always volunteered to go up the mast or out on the yardarms while underway.

[PLRX]

Ramadi 2004.

The day I was driving across the country, I stopped eating in Missouri, and the tornado horn went off. Everybody took off, and there I was with no place to go. I knew no one, but taking off was not the right thing to do.



121146

[04 commemorative]

My first real job, 1979. I was delivering auto parts in Oakland, CA, in one of our Ford Courier pickups. I took a wrong turn and ended up in a cul-de-sac in a bad area. Four or 5 black guys in their 20's came out of nowhere with baseball bats and surrounded my truck, telling me to 'get out da truck, white boy!'

I had already backed the truck so I could exit the dead end when they surrounded me, so I didn't hesitate. I knew it was them or me. I revved the engine and popped the clutch and floored it and drove through them, as they scattered like bowling pins. I didn't hit any of them. I didn't try not to. They simply had quick reflexes.

As a kid growing up in Oakland in the '60's and '70's, I had been 'jumped' before by groups of blacks, so I knew what was in store had I complied.


Years later I got involved with law enforcement and went on a few ride-alongs in Oakland, and got into a police chase. That was exciting. Of course, the perps were black.

:lol::lol:

[GTOguy]

:lol::lol:

That's not racist. It's realist. :)

In Oakland, if you are white, you will be targeted by blacks. Then and now.

Not single blacks. Young black men in group of 3 or more. It's what they do. They're basically feral animals.

[6spdC6]

My first real job, 1979. I was delivering auto parts in Oakland, CA, in one of our Ford Courier pickups. I took a wrong turn and ended up in a cul-de-sac in a bad area. Four or 5 black guys in their 20's came out of nowhere with baseball bats and surrounded my truck, telling me to 'get out da truck, white boy!'

I had already backed the truck so I could exit the dead end when they surrounded me, so I didn't hesitate. I knew it was them or me. I revved the engine and popped the clutch and floored it and drove through them, as they scattered like bowling pins. I didn't hit any of them. I didn't try not to. They simply had quick reflexes.

As a kid growing up in Oakland in the '60's and '70's, I had been 'jumped' before by groups of blacks, so I knew what was in store had I complied.

Years later I got involved with law enforcement and went on a few ride-alongs in Oakland, and got into a police chase. That was exciting. Of course, the perps were black.

There definitely is a preponderance of effort from the 13% to excel in criminality!

[Unsuspicious]

Going over to the boss' house knowing she was single and lonely. Dear penthouse, etc.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

See that’s the thing with being a LEO. Unpredictably. Hanging off a building doing windows or making weld on a reactor head may be a little spooky but it’s relatively predictable per se.

Chasing some POS hood rat through a dark alley at 2 AM is another matter. Who knows what that asshole is leading you into or when he’s gonna decide he’s ran far enough and starts shooting at you? People are unpredictable. Tall buildings are not.

[LATB]

See that’s the thing with being a LEO. Unpredictably. Hanging off a building doing windows or making weld on a reactor head may be a little spooky but it’s relatively predictable per se.

Chasing some POS hood rat through a dark alley at 2 AM is another matter. Who knows what that asshole is leading you into or when he’s gonna decide he’s ran far enough and starts shooting at you? People are unpredictable. Tall buildings are not.

100% :seasix:

[Craig]

I joined the Navy Submarine Force.. Do I win?

BTDT...but I was more worried about dying of boredom than anything war related.

MM1(SS)

[Bill]

BTDT...but I was more worried about dying of boredom than anything war related.

MM1(SS)

Probably stupid questions, but do our subs carry conventional, not nuke tipped warheads as well as the more potent nuclear kind? What I'm asking is, do our modern subs participate in attacking land targets with conventional cruise missiles? Do they still have torpedoes, and if so have we used them to go after enemy ships and merchant shipping?

Or are they more or less like our missile men, working in silos preparing to launch missiles that we hope to never have to use?

[Torqaholic]

Scariest things have been on the highway. Lots of those. Couple examples -

Had a water tanker go out of control after the road dipped on a curve. It got sideways several times because of water sloshing back and forth. Shoulder was deep sand, would have rolled if I left the road :yesnod:

Coming back from a concert in Traverse City with both my sons late one night. Lake effect snow so heavy I couldn't see anything through the windshield. Wouldn't have mattered, no road to see. Drove looking out of the side window by estimating the distance to the ditch and prayed for no curve when there was oncoming traffic.

Towing a heavy load with a 3/4 ton truck. Began picking up speed on a long downgrade so I feathered off the gas and the trailer started pushing the ass end of the truck side to side. Used every inch of that pavement but finally got it going straight again. There was 4 of us in the front seat.

Never a good thing when you hear me say "hang on" when driving. I'm sure there are people who still hear that in their nightmares :rofl:

[VatorMan]

BTDT...but I was more worried about dying of boredom than anything war related.

MM1(SS)

Yep-just like surface. Every day was the same. Eat, sleep, stand watch, work. You lose track of days. You could tell Sundays because they wouldn’t whistle reveille.

[Vince Clortho]

My first real job, 1979. I was delivering auto parts in Oakland, CA, in one of our Ford Courier pickups. I took a wrong turn and ended up in a cul-de-sac in a bad area. Four or 5 black guys in their 20's came out of nowhere with baseball bats and surrounded my truck, telling me to 'get out da truck, white boy!'

I had already backed the truck so I could exit the dead end when they surrounded me, so I didn't hesitate. I knew it was them or me.

I threw them a basketball and left.
Fixed

[DDSLT5]

I’ve handled live nuclear warheads and been close to stuff so radioactive it would kill you in a few minutes if not handled correctly.

I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express a few weeks ago! Not joking! :cheers:

[DDSLT5]

I deal with the public in an ethnically diverse community. Do I win?

Holy SHIT!! I do that!!!! LOL


Alls ya had to say was that you are in healthcare. Mic drop. The level of patience required today is about 1000X more than 25 years ago when I started. The guy I bought out said the same thing when he retired. Guess I'm getting close to hanging up my hat!

[GTOguy]

When I was at USMC ITS I rode on tanks on full speed and helicopters too.

In my MIS career I occasionally had to take a cherry picker up onto an overhead steel crane to maintain RF equipment or climb way up a ladder to assist telecom people on the roof of a steel plant. I hate heights.

What are your stories?

I always assumed you worked a long career in the AC Delco radio plant in Kokomo, Indiana, soldering circuit boards. :)

[Torqaholic]

That's not racist. It's realist. :)

In Oakland, if you are white, you will be targeted by blacks. Then and now.

Not single blacks. Young black men in group of 3 or more. It's what they do. They're basically feral animals.

:yesnod:

It was 4 that surrounded me. An old black guy holding a putter distracted them long enough for me to get away.

[zeek]

See that’s the thing with being a LEO. Unpredictably. Hanging off a building doing windows or making weld on a reactor head may be a little spooky but it’s relatively predictable per se.

Chasing some POS hood rat through a dark alley at 2 AM is another matter. Who knows what that asshole is leading you into or when he’s gonna decide he’s ran far enough and starts shooting at you? People are unpredictable. Tall buildings are not.

This...^^^^^^^:yesnod:

[Jeff78]

Interesting thread, makes my growing up and working in a small central Wisconsin community that was very white and conservative sound boring.

[Craig]

Probably stupid questions, but do our subs carry conventional, not nuke tipped warheads as well as the more potent nuclear kind? What I'm asking is, do our modern subs participate in attacking land targets with conventional cruise missiles? Do they still have torpedoes, and if so have we used them to go after enemy ships and merchant shipping?

Or are they more or less like our missile men, working in silos preparing to launch missiles that we hope to never have to use?

First: I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard US Naval warships.

Depends on the class and mission of the ship. Strategic missile boats go to sea to deter a WW3 type of attack. Other subs carry tomahawks missiles that are launched submerged. All subs carry torpedoes for offensive and defensive purposes.

[Frankie the Fink]

Probably stupid questions, but do our subs carry conventional, not nuke tipped warheads as well as the more potent nuclear kind? What I'm asking is, do our modern subs participate in attacking land targets with conventional cruise missiles? Do they still have torpedoes, and if so have we used them to go after enemy ships and merchant shipping?

Or are they more or less like our missile men, working in silos preparing to launch missiles that we hope to never have to use?

A lot of them are mainly doing surveillance, I did ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) analysis on many mission our subs conducted doing cold war ops against Russia in the Barents Sea. I have never heard of a modern sub attacking merchant shipping or even 'enemy' ships and certainly no land targets.

[04 commemorative]

That's not racist. It's realist. :)

In Oakland, if you are white, you will be targeted by blacks. Then and now.

Not single blacks. Young black men in group of 3 or more. It's what they do. They're basically feral animals.

You do know I was joking right :confused5::seasix:

[MadInNc]

I worked on a rigging crew at an oil refinery for about four months. Heights never really bothered me much in those days. Not sure how I’d feel about them these days.

Worked offshore oil. Still have all appendages so I won and got out

[GTOguy]

You do know I was joking right :confused5::seasix:

Of course! :seasix:

[GTOguy]

Interesting thread, makes my growing up and working in a small central Wisconsin community that was very white and conservative sound boring.
And safe. And able to concentrate on your education instead of your survival.

Boring has its perks.

Oakland taught me a lot about human nature. It also taught me that there are morally and ethically bankrupt people out there that don't see the world through the same lens as us civilized folk. You can comply all you want and roll with the punches, but a lot of times, they won't reason. They respond well to violence, though. That's the only thing that worked for me. They don't like getting hit in the face, and they don't like dogs.

[Craig]

That’s how my career started. :cert:

Did you get out after your six years and go straight into a civilian nuke gig?

[Budman]

Messing with 4160v power. Running electric motors on a dyno.

Racking in a 4160v breaker and had a cable short out. :eek:

Thank God for flash suits!

[Steve_R]

Did you get out after your six years and go straight into a civilian nuke gig?

Yup. I was an ELT, and nuke plants were paying 3-4x what the Navy paid for nukes with ELT quals. And I chose where to live and not leave the family for months at a time.

[Big bob]

121201

[chevyman_ky]

Late 70’ working in a underground coal mine. About 34 inch coal. Running the bridge on a wilcox miner. Cut into old works and hit black damp( bad air). Saw many roof cave ins from 20-40 away from me

[Yadkin]

Can't compare with you military guys- I salute you.

Scariest thing I did was doing a pre-survey for a pipeline job in rural NC. Was driving my company's 4WD Dodge over the route, planning erosion control at stream crossings. One was surrounded by swamp so I left the truck about 100 yards from my destination, walked on to take basic notes.

After about ten minutes I noticed two rednecks in an old Toyota pickup orbiting my location. The passenger yelling out the window "whoop", about twice/ minute. I pretended to ignore them as I pretended to take notes while taking a meandering path closer to my truck. When they got 180 degrees from my truck I bolted to it and got the **** out of there.

Since then I started to carry when going to any remote situation.

[jw38]

It wasn't really scary at first, but while searching for IED boobytraps in Kuwait City after we pushed Saddam out in 1991, I was assigned as squad leader with another Air Force Security Policeman and 2 Marine Corps EOD techs. It got REALLY scary when I went to open a large metal door in a stairway and I saw the wire used to detonate the IED. It was already too late to stop it, so I instinctively turned and pushed the Marines away, just before the IED went off. The next thing I remembered was waking up in a mobile hospital with a crushed spine and total hearing loss after 9 hours of surgery. My hearing returned, sort of, after about a week and after many more spinal surgeries over the next 25 years, my spine looks like this. Good times!
121209

[Craig]

Yup. I was an ELT, and nuke plants were paying 3-4x what the Navy paid for nukes with ELT quals. And I chose where to live and not leave the family for months at a time.

I didn’t explore a career in the nuke power industry mainly because all the plants seemed to be in the middle of nowhere; was that your experience? I didn’t stay in touch with anyone that ended up working in the industry, so I’m curious about the experience.

[Steve_R]

I didn’t explore a career in the nuke power industry mainly because all the plants seemed to be in the middle of nowhere; was that your experience? I didn’t stay in touch with anyone that ended up working in the industry, so I’m curious about the experience.

I worked at Ft. Calhoun (eastern Nebraska), Ft. St. Vrain (Denver) and Crystal River (just north of Tampa). Pay was great, lots of OT during outages, rotating shifts. I got out of that when TMI happened and got into the decommissioning and remediation business, which took me all over the world. It’s been a fascinating career, and I’ve made a lot of money, but I’m retiring April 1.

[higgyburners]

It wasn't really scary at first, but while searching for IED boobytraps in Kuwait City after we pushed Saddam out in 1991, I was assigned as squad leader with another Air Force Security Policeman and 2 Marine Corps EOD techs. It got REALLY scary when I went to open a large metal door in a stairway and I saw the wire used to detonate the IED. It was already too late to stop it, so I instinctively turned and pushed the Marines away, just before the IED went off. The next thing I remembered was waking up in a mobile hospital with a crushed spine and total hearing loss after 9 hours of surgery. My hearing returned, sort of, after about a week and after many more spinal surgeries over the next 25 years, my spine looks like this. Good times!
121209

How soon people forget the real Heroes...A Sincere thank you for risking your life and taking the damage for us and our country. :USA:

[Burro (He/Haw)]

A more legitimate risk is due to shitbag owners of German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois, sometimes others, who do nothing productive with the dog and it comes in here trying to eat everyone. Those dogs are far worse to deal with than the average Pit Bull.

For what it’s worth, I always took my dogs to my Vet for visits. Just visits. Have a few treats and hang with the staff for a short bit. I’m convinced this took some of the stress of a Vet visit away.

It also got my pictures on the walls in the exam rooms. 🤣

[Chiefttp]

Respect to all policemen and Firefighters. As you mentioned, we usually know what to expect as we engage in a dangerous situation. They don’t. I agree the unpredictability is way more dangerous.

[vettemed]

For what it’s worth, I always took my dogs to my Vet for visits. Just visits. Have a few treats and hang with the staff for a short bit. I’m convinced this took some of the stress of a Vet visit away.

It also got my pictures on the walls in the exam rooms. 🤣

Yes, I ALWAYS recommend this approach for fearful or timid patients, it can make a world of difference by putting "good thoughts" in the dog's head, so not every visit is geting poked and prodded.

For the fear aggressive ones, it can help. For the true assholes, they just need hardcore training, which rarely gets done.

Sadly, <5% of the clients to whom I recommend this, actually do it.

Stuff like this contributes to the high suicide rate in the profession, without a doubt.

[Burro (He/Haw)]

For the fear aggressive ones, it can help. For the true assholes, they just need hardcore training, which rarely gets done.

In addition to the conformation class I ran I also had a beginner obedience class. These were basically pet owners.

I did this for 20 years. Lemme tell you I saw everything. 🤣 The worst were the jackasses that couldn’t wait to tell you ‘Rover knows all this.’ First of all, if he knows everything why are you here for 10 weeks. Second, this isn’t your back yard. This is a dedicated training facility with three big rings operating at the same time.

Big place and a LOT of activity on any given night.

[TheHammer]

Several chemical plants, Hydrofluoric, Sulfuric for years. Several Government locations, munitions disposal, radioactive waste sites.

A few trips into Mexico that placed me seconds from jail.

[Don Rickles]

In addition to the conformation class I ran I also had a beginner obedience class. These were basically pet owners.

I did this for 20 years. Lemme tell you I saw everything. 🤣 The worst were the jackasses that couldn’t wait to tell you ‘Rover knows all this.’ First of all, if he knows everything why are you here for 10 weeks. Second, this isn’t your back yard. This is a dedicated training facility with three big rings operating at the same time.

Big place and a LOT of activity on any given night.

Classes such as these, along with the socialization that occurs is THE best thing for everyone, owners, dogs and the general public. My Marlo excelled!

[ricks327]

Twice in 30 years suspects bailed out of their vehicle and when I started in the foot chase a fellow LEO fired shots at them while I was in between them and down range. I was not a happy camper afterwards.

[Don Rickles]

West Philly framing houses. Learned what a bullet whizzing by your head sounds like. Not something on my bucket list.......

An armed robbery had officers shooting at the perp, while I was standing just down the street. Bullets were flying! I dove into a dumpster, ping ,pang, ping off the container....

Cliffs; they let him bleed out. Took the abmalance like an hour to arrive and the station was right there. :yesnod:

[roadpilot]

I was a Independent Trucker (I was the Boss) I traveled the US,Canada
and Mexico. I saved lives by my actions, I tore my body apart working.
I hauled pretty much everything, I was explosive hauler as well as a Federal
permitted hauler. I carried a weapon that I needed sometimes. I had fed
escorts in the truck and escorted close by. I had Fed clearances to top
secret facility's. I had a big reputation and never looked for loads, folks
were calling me to haul their freight. I always said My shippers wanted to put
their dirty freight in my pretty clean truck. I had plenty of close calls .
Some over the road and some attempted high jackings.
I always gave everyone respect and I expected the same. I never took
shit off of anybody. I always gave anyone a helping hand, I lived a
exciting but dangerous life. Many trucker friends died over the road.
I was a Independent Trucker.

[donuts]

VB could have its own nuclear defense division with all you pilots and nuclear experience .. damn

[Steve_R]

VB could have its own nuclear defense division with all you pilots and nuclear experience .. damn


We already do. But it’s super secret. Don’t piss us off.

[KenHorse]

Well, not really my career but the scariest time I've ever gone through was when I was on short final into Molokai Airport, flying a Grumman AA5, with no constant speed prop and the engine started spitting and missing really badly.

(The Grumman has a glide ratio of a brick and landing short of that particular runway is not an option)