28. Secret Military History

1977-0121, UCMJ, President Carter Pardons all Draft Dodgers.
100,000 American men went abroad in the late 1960s and early 70s to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. Ninety percent went to Canada, where after some initial controversy they were eventually welcomed as immigrants. Still others hid inside the United States. In addition to those who avoided the draft, 1,000 deserters from the U.S. armed forces also headed to Canada. While the Canadian government technically reserved the right to prosecute deserters, in practice they left them alone, even instructing border guards not to ask too many questions.
For its part, the U.S. government continued to prosecute draft evaders after the Vietnam War ended. 209,517 men were formally accused of violating draft laws, while government officials estimate another 360,000 were never formally accused. If they returned home, those living in Canada or elsewhere faced prison sentences or forced military service. During his 1976 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter promised to pardon draft dodgers as a way of putting the war and the bitter divisions it caused firmly in the past. After winning the election, Carter wasted no time in making good on his word. Though many transplanted Americans returned home, an estimated 50,000 settled permanently in Canada.
Back in the U.S., Carter’s decision generated a good deal of controversy. Heavily criticized by veterans’ groups and others for allowing unpatriotic lawbreakers to get off scot-free, the pardon and companion relief plan came under fire from amnesty groups for not addressing deserters, soldiers who were dishonorably discharged or civilian anti-war demonstrators who had been prosecuted for their resistance.


1977-0710, Alcohol, Vets & Alcoholism
10 Percent of veterans are alcoholics compared to 9 percent of civilians.

1977-0715, Aviation, CH-47 Flies into North Korea, Three-killed.
Due to a navigational error, the Chinook accidentally flew over the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) into North Korea and landed the flyable aircraft after being fired on by the border guards to inspect the damage. When a truck with North Korean soldiers approached the helicopter, the pilot decided to take off and escape. The fleeing Chinook was shot down by ground fire and the three crewmen aboard (CWO Joseph A. Miles, SGT Robert C. Haynes, and SGT Ronald E. Wells) were killed in the subsequent crash. The co-pilot CWO Glenn M. Schwanke refused to take off in the flyable aircraft after seeing the truck full of North Korean soldiers coming, he survived and was taken prisoner, but was returned to US control three days after the incident.


1977-0720, Gender, First Day Care Center.
Army opens the first child day care center on post. Location not mentioned.

1977-0924, Military, Pay, Unions do Not Want Soldiers.
American Federation of Government Employees vote against Military membership in union by 4-to-1 margin.

1977-1015, Gender, First COED Basic Training.
The first COED Basic Training company formed as a test.


1977-1107, Military, the Army’s Skill Qualification Test (SQT) Begins and Ends.
The first unit to test the new Skill Qualification Test (SQT) was the 3d ACR because it was voted the best Brigade/Regiment in the US Army.
1986-0519, US Army, Skill Qualification Test (SQT) No longer used as a personnel management tool.
What killed the SQT? Equal opportunity, black soldiers were failing at a much higher rate than white Soldiers.

1977-1119, SF, Delta Force Activated.
The 1st SF Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), commonly referred to as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), "The Unit", Army Compartmented Element (ACE), or within JSOC as Task Force Green, is an elite special mission unit of the United States Army, under operational control of the Joint Special Operations Command. The unit is tasked with specialized missions primarily involving hostage rescue and counterterrorism, as well as direct action and special reconnaissance against high-value targets. They perform the most highly complex, classified, and dangerous missions in the U.S. military, as directed by the U.S. National Command Authority.
Most Delta Force operators come from the United States Army Special Operations Command's elite 75th Ranger Regiment and SF Groups, as well as from other special operations units of the military.
This was the 1st mention of a new unit at Ft Bragg, NC called Delta Force. 200 SF Soldiers transferred from an older unit called Blue Light. The post stockade was the new HQ. The prisoners were transferred to Cumberland County Corrections (CCC).

1977-1205, UCMJ, Arson.
34-foot wooden jump tower burns down at Ft Bragg, NC.

1977-1215, Gender, Army Wants to Restrict the Number of Female Soldiers
Army study called "Max WAC" to DOD recommends limiting female enlisted strength to 75,000 and closing 55 MOSs that are now open to female Soldiers. A maximum of 35 percent of non-combat units could be safely manned by women.

1978-0101, Quartermaster, Equipment, BDUs the Beginning.
ACOS approves the wear of the new Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) to replace the olive-drab fatigues.

1978-0108, Gender, Female Pilot Sues the Army.
1LT Daphne Pratt sues the Army for $100,000 (463,941-2022) for not flying her as often as male pilots.

1978-0115, Military, Pay Not Enough? ETS.
The executive director of the Presidents Commission on Military Compensation, Reginald J. Brown suggests Soldiers who feel underpaid should vote with their feet and leave the Army.


1978-0115, UCMJ, Assignment Manager Sells Assignments
SSG Richard C. Kulp Jr., convicted by general court-martial of selling assignments for $150 (647-2022.)

1978-0115, Military, Contract Marriage to Get Out of the Barracks.
Soldiers are entering into contract marriages with female Soldiers to escape barracks life. Soldiers make an average of $700 (3,018-2022) per month more just by showing the personnel office a marriage license with raised notary seal. “Till ETS do us part,” marriages are common in the Military.

1978-0120, Religion, Request for Muslim Chaplain.
DoD receives its first request for a Muslim chaplain from the Islamic community in Germany, no indication if the request was filled.

1978-0121, Gender, First Women in Combat Units.
SECA Clifford L. Alexander Jr., O.k.’s assignment of women in Brigade HQ companies of combat units.

1978-0215, Barracks, Substandard Barracks
Cheap barracks is a Military necessity; SGT and SSG who live in substandard barracks, many of them sharing a 220 square foot room must remain there because of "Military necessity”. Despite a new DOD policy to give them the option of off-post living. This is a money saving option by the Army. When a single SGT or SSG moves off post the Army must pay them a “without-dependent” rate of approximately $500 (2,156-2022) per month. The Army wants to save the money by having SGT and SSGs share a room. The AF is currently complying with the DOD directive by moving all NCOs off post.

1978-0410, Accident, Do Not Play with Rockets
A SSG, Soldier living in a trailer park off the ranges at Ft Riley, KS finds a 2.75-inch rocket on the side of the road. He thinks it would be interesting to use a hacksaw and open it, result: 5-dead, 20-wounded.


1978-0430, Gender, Female Soldiers treated more-favorably
Army personnel study says Commanders and NCOs are causing morale problems with male Soldiers by giving preferential treatment to female Soldiers.

1978-0515, Gender, Female Soldiers Avoid Non-Traditional Jobs.
Female recruits favor traditional jobs and openly resist going to traditionally male MOS that opened to women in recent years.

1978-0515, Gender, Women Allowed to Play with Men.
An addition to AR 28-1, the Army Sports Program, allows Commanders to set up separate athletic programs for men and women. Commanders may par any person that may present an undue risk to injury. Female participation in sports such as boxing, wrestling and football is up to the unit Commander.

1978-0515, Gender, Army Worried About the Future.
An Army study finds fraternization, mainly male officers and NCOs dating and marrying enlisted women has become a potentially dangerous problem for the future of the Army.


1978-0615, Gender, Female Boots Are Dangerous.
The Army stops issue and sale of the female’s combat boot and substitute men's combat boot after widespread complaints the women ' boot is a health and safety hazard. The female’s boot was like a high-toped low-quarter dress shoe.

1978-0615, UCMJ, Scandal Results in 417 Recruiters Fired, 12,700 Active-Duty Soldiers Drummed Out.
24 Recruiters in Charlotte, NCO charged with coaching enlistees, so they could pass entrance tests.
1978-1215, UCMJ, Huge Scandal, Recruits Cheat on Test.
Army investigators begin checking allegations that recruiters in five cities coached enlistees to pass the entrance exams. Big trouble, fraudulent enlistees could get away with murder; Army tells Congress that certain enlistees, those who were enlisted fraudulently are not subject to UCMJ.
1979-1022, 393 Army recruiters fired. In a widespread recruiter fraud investigation. 13-recruiter districts were involved. In FY 1979, the Army was short 16,380 recruits.
1979-1203, 12,700 unqualified Soldiers are all involuntarily discharged from the Army as part of the ongoing Recruiter scandal investigation. All the Soldiers were on Active-Duty and had between 4-months and 2-years’ time in service.