THE EXTRA LINEFEED |
| WELCOME HOME |
Summer, 1996 |
1st Edition |
It seems like forever since this journey began with my first contact with those I hadn't spoke with in years. It was pleasant as well as emotionally rewarding to say the least. What am I trying to do? Prove something, sell something, be someooe, change something? No. My goal has exclusively been from the beginaing, one of only hoping that we would not lose track of one another again. Since friendships are important, it would be a sad note if we didn't make an effort to put us all in contact with one another. Communication technology has created an excellent opportunity for us to preserve an experience in friendship and camaraderie that can't be recreated. We were part of history and the pioneers of some of this new technology. We deserve to be congratulated, even if it's by our own. To me it would be a travesty if we didn't take advantage of the resources and put them to our good use to reach each other.
DEDICATION
We are not getting any younger. I'm sure one of the reasons I'm not locating everyone I would like is that they may be in the Com Center heaven. At this time I would like to dedicate this newsletter to the first three 509th members who I tried to contact but who have died. May they rest in peace. This was another reason I felt compelled to take on this activity. The longer we wait, the less knowledge and wisdom we can share. Again, my heart and prayers to out to the fiunilies, friends and fellow veterans of Edgar Cooper, James Worth, and Marion Ostrosky.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Bless me father for I have ~ ... I must acirnit I am NOT a net head or computer nut like most. But, I will volunteer to continue the effort of locating more folks. Many of you have provided names and addressees and they have helped contmue to expand our group search. I will ask one favor of you. That is to go to your attic, garage, grarnina's house, or wherever and see if you have in your records, names of others that you were in the 509th with. 1 don't think we have to go as ~r as putting the folks we can't find on a milk container, but I would like to go that extra mile here, whatever it might be. Of course, if there are other special buds you were stationed with and you would like me to pursue, I will of course do my best. If you're worked for (or know people that work for) the agencies or departments that have some insight on other ways to contact these folks, please leave that information on the attached sheet. Please remember that the correct spelling is of the utmost importance.
I m hoping someone has that 'Roseseta Stone' discovery that will provide us with a complete list all individuals that served in RRCUV during a one or two year period. However, remember even short lists are helpfkil. It may be that one lone individual on that list is the one holding our 'stone'. If you have pictures or other items you would like to see in this newsletter I will make every effort to include them in the next newsletter. Any items sent to me that you would like returned, should be marked as such.
REUNION?
If you have experience with reunions, I encourage you to be a part of a planning group. Obviously, there will be a billion pros and cons of each site. Please indicate your preferences on the form provided. Because of geography and work (what's that) many have expressed a need of having annual state or regional reunions. Hey, whatever works! I'd just like to see us celebrate our work and the good times we shared. This was our experience, and no one can take this away from us. We should not ignore or deny the success we created. Truly, no one will or can appreciate more of what we did than ourselves. Let's do it!!
AGENT ORANGE
Were we part of the great experiment? I don't know. I've seen some maps that say we were part of the spraying area and some that say we weren't. However, if you haven't had the VA exanlination, I think you owe it to yourself and &mily to have it done. I can tell you the exam does not take long and is not pairihal. Call your local VA office for an appomtment. If you would like a form to request your military records contact me and I'll send you one in the next 'nailing. It's a good idea to always have a copy of that record. You never know when you might need it.
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DAVID MESSAGEMEN'S TOP TEN LIST
Why The Vietnam Tour Was One Year
10. (Convenience) Military accepts the fact it can't add, subtract, multiply or divide
9. Takes that long to see the complete Davis Station Club film collection you saw before you left the states
8. After 12 months you start playing Monopoly with MPC but really can't tell the difference or care
7~ ft takes 6 months to pickup empty cans in your cubical left from the first 6 months there
6. Somewhere it is written that every 72B must hear the greatest hits from The Four Tops on tape 10 million times in 365 days
5. After a year, 01's start fantasizing about toothless housemaids
4. Helped ensure most mail beats us home
3. Any longer and you start dreaming of dong cart driving careers back in the world
2. Any more and a hearing loss will oceur. . not from the war, but from RRCUV's 9,999 individual stereo systems or the constant verbal warnings not to go downtown
1. Took that long to get regular
GOT A STORY?
Please, please don't be shy. You don't want me to come up with each article, do you? what have you done for the past 28+ years? I'd like to feature as many of you over the next few years, and also I'm confident there's some good talent and Vietnam stories that your friends would like to hear (again). I encourage any interest and efforts. I hope to continue sending you updates of this unofficial newsletter. At least until my wife discovers some of the stamps are missing.
ENCRYPTION ARTICLE
I saw this article last week in the Los Angeles Daily News and thought it might be of some interest to you.
COMPUTER ENCRYPTION SPARKS PRIVACY
DEBATE
There's hacker philosophy and hacker reality. And that's where the rub is.
"Information should be free," said Panther, 24, a hacker from Los Angeles. "But I want to keep some things private ... I know it's hypocritical."
And to keep his electronic messages and computer software programs under wraps, Panther like many hackers, uses encryption. It's a process of scrambling sensitive data and messages through mathematical codes. But, the Clinton administration and U.S. intelligence agencies are pushing to require the users of powefflil encryption to entrust code keys to unlock, or decode, the data and messages in the hands of government approved third party. This third party would make the key available to domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies with a court order.
The key, in essence, would be held in escrow - a practice used by some companies on a voluntary basis with their own designated third parties.
The government is looking for ways to quickly access encrypted data, as encryption software and devices have become more powerfial and sophisticated and the computer
boom has accelerated the volume of data and electronic messages traveling through cyberspace.
But the adrdinistration is facing opposition from computer software companies that develop encryption, corporations that want to maintain tight security on sensitive data and hackers who favor encryption.
Matters could come to a head soon. A new encryption policy may be sent to the President for his review by September.
[tickers are concerned the government would have too ~asy access to their data if the Clinton proposal goes through. "I don't want the government to do surveillance on me," said Trippy, a 17-year old Riverside Country hacker. "If people don't encrypt their stuf{ it's like they're saying they don't care if people read it."
Three bills are moving through Congress to ease restrictions on the export of encryption software and devices. And one of them would prohibit mandatory codekey escrows.
The bills are supported by hackers, who say they want powerhil encryption available to anyone who wants to protect sensitive information. And they also feel companies should be allowed to export the software and devices freely to other countries.
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POP~oes the weaZZel OUIZ
1) what was "AMASS?"
A) what your cubical looked like after three days off
B) A religious service
C) The center section of a popular magazine
2) In the Com Center, what did the letters R 0 stand for?
A) Race Out - to the breakroom the midaight 7th Air bennie run had returned
B) Runaing Out - of patience with the NUG on the transmit aisle
C) Relitona Opticanola - a common, but emotional trama brought on by the past 36 hours of deferring sleep with the realization you have just started another 12 hour shift, which triggers a real fear you will never see your bunk again
3) what was the key role of the benjo ditches?
A) Provided water directly to the mess hall
B) Emergencylatrine
C) A place where you could find the phantom looking for this dentures
4) whatwasaZBM2?
A) An enemy agent deployed to count 7th Air movie goers
B) The football gameplay Alfa trick used to defeat Charlie trick in 67
C) A popular AFVN 72B sitcom
5) Why were we located next to the flight line?
A) So we could take that underground tunnel from the Com Center directly to our waiting plane if we had to evacuate
B) Made it easier for some of us to get to our second job parking planes
C) Gave us a track to run our Friday night cyclco time trails
For those of you with fading memories: Answers 1) Automated Multiple Address Selection System 2)Read Our Area located in the monitor area of the relay 3) Waste Water "System" 4) Incompetent operator 5) Hell if I know!
APOLOGY
I'm sorry that I couldn't spend more time with each of you on the phone as I would have preferred. I plan to make it up to you down the road. I hope you will understand. Please keep me aware of address, phone, fax number changes.
CUL
Ed Perhay Eflie Weazel), P.O. Box 191073, Sacramento, CA 95819-1073
916/278-7839 (The best time to reach me is 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. M-F Pacific Time)
916/278-7842 FAX
perhaye~csus.edu (internet address)
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