SFC Michael J. Ramsey
2/102nd ACR

I started out at the age of 17 by joining the US Army as an armor crewman in 1977.  I completed basic training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. I was awarded with the 11E10 MOS and assigned to Fort Stewart, Georgia to C Co. 2/70th Armor Battalion.  I was assigned as the loader on a M60A1 Medium battle tank. (C66) It was the Commanding Officers tank assigned to the headquarters section. It wasn’t long before I knew that I wanted to be the driver.  At the time C66 was driven by a former T72 crewman who defected to the US. He trained me on the side as the driver and to this day I have never met anyone that could drive a tank as well as he did.  After a short while he retired and I got my chance. I put a lot of time in as the driver and never looked back.  In 1979 I was reassigned to B Co. 3/35th Armor. This unit had the responsibility of patrolling the Russian Border. I was again assigned as the loader to B22 (M60A1) but the army changed the armor MOS to the 19E series.  I knew a friend in the admin section who informed me of a branch of the MOS called 19H (track driver). He changed my MOS and after a very short while I made the driver of B22 (the former driver sucked).  As a track driver you were assigned additional duties and I was also moved to HQ’s and spend a little time on the Armored Vehicle Launching Bridge (AVLB) and the alert driver for a M577 support vehicle.  After many border patrols, tank gunnery’s and field exercises I decided to get out and did so in 1981.

While standing in the unemployment line in New Jersey a guy in front of me was wearing a filed jacket with the 50th Armored Division on his shoulder. When questioned he told me that he was a National Guard Tanker located in a town not to far from were I lived. I ended up going there and was taken back by all the M48A5 tanks they had. The armor bug came back and I signed up. I was now a member of B Co. 2/102nd Armor Battalion (Essex Troop).  This turned out to be my best assignment. My MOS was changed back to 19E40. Everyone in the unit was family. I became the first National Guard tank commander to qualify Tank Table Eight as “Top Gun” in 1984, a feat the regular army said couldn’t be done in an M48A5.  I stay an E5 tank commander for a long time as I did not want to be re-assigned to staff with an E6 promotion.  In 1989 a friend of mine (Master Gunner Hritz) asked me to help him out with an armor class he was running and it meant putting me on active duty orders. I was only supposed to stay there 2 weeks and it ended up being 7 years with a promotion to E6 (SSG). 



I was finally awarded orders to full time active duty and did a quick stint as not only an armor instructor but maintenance also.  From here my career went fast track.  I attend the bitch of all schools called Reserve Component Tank Commander’s Course (RCTCC). There motto was “If someone accused you of being a great tank commander, would there be enough evidence to convict you”. This course was the best training I ever received.  They set there own standards above the army’s. As my career progressed and newer equipment became available (M60A3, M1IP), I would attend this school and ended up graduating from 5 of there courses.  In 1989 B Co. 2/102 was sent to Boise Idaho to qualify on the M1IP.  My MOS changed to 19K30.  I was totally amazed at this new tank and really got into learning its systems. Ended up qualifying “Top Gun” again.  I returned to the High Technology Training Center (HTTC) as a full time armor instructor.  In 1995 I was promoted to E7 (SFC) and reassigned as the 19K40H8 Armor Battalion Course manager 1/254th Battalion. I signed for 28 M1 tanks, had 34 instructors, battalion maintenance team, and supply section. This was a sergeant major position but the structure of the battalion did not allow for promotion. Still I loved the position and stayed there until 2002 were I retired. I was knighted with the order of Saint George (proudest moment).  In 2007 I brought back in to fight the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and assigned to the 424th Military Police Battalion. I attended school to become an MP. After 4 months of training, I was sent to Baghdad Iraq. I conducted multiple combat missions as the “Combat Sergeant Major” (no promotion still in an E7 Slot). Mostly providing MP support to external convoy operations and Theater Internment Facility Operations sergeant. While there, I received the Bronze Star (second proudest moment).  Returned to the US in March of 2009 were I am attempting to retire again for good.

MILITARY TRAINING

1. 2007 – 2008 31B40H8 Military Police Officer MOSQ, Dayton, Ohio.

2. 1998-1999 63H,S, Y, T Track Vehicle Recovery Specialist, Military Additional   Skill Qualification, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
3. 1997-1998 63Y10 Track Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
4. 1997-1998 63Y10 Track Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
5. 1996-1997 63H10 Track Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
6. 1995-1996 63T10 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.


7. 1994-1995 63S10 Heavy Wheel Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
8. 1994-1995 63B10 Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanic, Military Occupational Skill
9. Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
10. 1994-1994 11B10 Artillery Crewman Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
11. 1993-1993 54B30 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Basic Non-commissioned Officers Course Phase 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
12. 1992-1992 54B10 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Military Occupational Skill Qualification Phase 1 & 2, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
13. 1991-1992 Advanced Non-commissioned Officers Course Phase 2 (19K), Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.
14. 1990-1991 Advanced Non-commissioned Officers Course Phase 1, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.
15. 1989-1989 Basic Non-commissioned Officers Course Phase 2 (19K), Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.
16. 1988-1989 19E 30 (M60A3 Tank) Reserve Component Tank Commanders Course, Gowen Field.
17. 1988-1988 Basic Non-commissioned Officers Course Fort Indiantown Cap, Pennsylvania
18. 1985-1985 Primary Leadership Development Course, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

 Below Bus Escort

 Dust Storm

 Down Town

 Driver Gonzo

 Watching of IED's

One of my favorite shots of SFC ***********.  This was part of the M1IP drivers course,

F**** hit the obsticle so hard that a huge wave covered the tank and the stink water

was sucked into the air intake. Thats like throwing a brick at the compressor fins. 

This tank was history and it took 2 M88A1's to get her out.

Below are some more great shots Mike sent me !

Some British 

Below .50 cal 

SNIPER !!! 

Below are some of the items That Mike sent to me for my collection :