Dennis Winegar:  

Life as it be: Well before graduation from high school I joined the Virginia Army Nation Guard, the 1033rd Trans Company out of Gate City Virginia in January of 1985. That summer I went to basic training at Fort Dix New Jersey where I completed Basic Training from B Company 4th Battalion 5th Training Brigade. I graduated Gate City High School in June of 1986 and that summer I went Fort Dix, New Jersey for my AIT in C Company 36th Transportation Battalion for 64C (now 88M Motor Transport Operator) we were double clutch truckers, I graduated 2nd in my class. In the fall of 86 I was hired by J.P. Stevens and worked there until March of 88. I joined the U.S. Army and went to Fort Lee, Virginia for AIT and became a 92F Petroleum Supply Specialist, graduating 3rd in my class. In June of 88 I went to Fort Dix, NJ again to take the H7 Course to become a Petroleum Vehicle Operator and was the Distinguished Honor Grad. From there I reported to Fort Benning, GA for Airborne School, then in August of 1988 I reported to West Germany to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Nurnberg. I was there for the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. I was also the last Soldier to leave Camp Mays (a border camp on the Cezh border). In August of 1990 I left Germany and reported to Fort Campbell, KY. Home of the most powerful division in the world. I was stateside 64 days and was headed to Operation Desert Shield / Operation Desert Storm. I returned from there in late April 1991. That summer I made my fastest time on the 2 mile run in 12 min 31 sec. I also was the first from the company to graduate the United States Army Air Assault School at Fort Campbell with completeing my 12 mile road march in 2 hrs 14 minutes af...Expand for more