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Old 06-05-2002, 07:52 PM
11echo 11echo is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 11
Default SP/4 Dave "Barney" Bartnez...

I was original assigned to 3rd Sqd 12th CAV "A" trp., by an error reading my MOS. My M.O.S. was 11E10R6 (the 11Echo is Tanker trained & the "R6" is Redeye missile trained... Problem is, I was alone in a sea of "R8"s ...Sheridan tank trained ...named on a list). I was assigned to "A" trp. and was put on the PLT Sgt. track (A15) OJT, I had never been on a Sheridan before so I was kind of anxious to learn about this "thing". Problem was there were no other crew men on this tank, other than the Plt. Sgt. and he was "busy" with other problems. This "crewless" situation was a normal situation thru out the Sqd., normally just a T.C. and the driver. So... I was told to look around and ask questions. I'm not the kind that likes to ask anything! But I started looking around and notice afew things that were the same as on the M60 tanks I did train on. One of these was the air indicator... and this one was in the red. This meant the filter need to be cleaned. I was just standing there with this dumb filter in my hand and probably looking pretty puzzled, because sp/4 Dave "Barney" Bartnez ask me if there was a problem? He was the driver in the next tank to me (A14). I told him and he proceeded to show me how to blow these filters out. And that was all it took, we became fast friends! We became a team on performing maintance on the tracks, and was always pulling jokes on the other guys, AND we shared tough personal problems that you normally kept to yourself. Being there at that time with Barney and the rest of the guys was one of the best times of my life!
But it was one of the saddest too. June 74 I was going home on leave. Barney was E.T.S.ing out. I joked "I'd beat him home"! And he'd joke "Yeah...But you got to come back"! A month later I was walking thru the front gate, and an SP I knew asking if I just got off leave? I don't know what gave it away? My new suit or a 3 week old beard!?? He turns serious, and asked if I knew about Barney? I said Yeah I knew he E.T.S. out. He then says "But Barney drown 2 weeks later"! I didn't want to believe it! But 2 days later the PLT Sgt. from A trp. stop me for a donation for flowers for Barney's family.
Barney is still with me to this day, as are all of the guys in the 12th CAV! Funny there were times I was bored to death and I hated it there! But at this time in my life I wish I was back!
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