Sheryl Daymon:  

Pay is great which makes it impossible to leave. Working for the money afterall! If I won the lottery - I'd be out of here in a heart beat. Military Joined the Army in 1980. I was a Tactical Communication Systems Operator Mechanic. Sound fancy - don't be impressed - basically working on radio's - pulling out batteries, replacing cables, etc. I was stationed in Friedberg, Germany. Same base as Elvis Presley was stationed at. Really old barracks and when they wanted to have fun with us we would run the extra distance past the Elvis Presley Memorial Chow Hall to the back 40 where the limo. would drop him off in the morning. Being a female they quickly moved me into a secretarial role. Of course I didn't get the cushy secretary job for the MSG - I got stuck working for a Major who was a "lifer". First ones in and last out. Sometimes we would go to the field for training exercises 60 days at a time. Freezing beyond belief for a So. Cal. native. You had to walk slow so your eyes didn't freeze. When we were out there we had to sleep in tents over cement slabs. This Major would work about 20 hours a day. Sometimes I would have to drive him around in a jeep with no doors. I would see him starting to fall asleep - look for the biggest pothole and aim right for it. Had to have my laughs when his pencil neck and head with his helmut would go slamming around. I had married another soldier I met in training. Things were really bad physical abuse and all. I got pregnant - hence the 23 year old daughter. Divorced him when she was 6 weeks old, got out of the service. Started dating Michael (Carlita Daymon's younger brother)and we had a son and have been married for 23 years this summer. Even though my times were tough in the Army, I can't say I regret it. It made me who I am today. My husband and I both now have lots of military stories to share not only amongst ourselves, but with both of our fathers and now our son.