SGT John Ibriks NAM January-December 1970 I am very proud to have done my duty even though I was born in Austria in 1947 and came to the US in 1956.....Declared a naturalized citizen in 1963....I always wanted to serve my adopted country to my best abilities...this country has given the best opportunities to those who worked and never had a dole out like we have today....Back then you had to have a sponsor getting you a job and a place to live.....How things have changed..... We came to this country with my family in 1956 and most of our relatives and friends came around that time....Some went to Chicago and Milwaukee....some went to Australia and some went to Canada and some went to Brazil....Everyone wanted a better life to get ahead....Everyone was a hard worker from the old country where they had to farm and grow their own food....this was the greatest gamble of their lives..... After what they endured after WW2, this was nothing for them....Everyone of them prospered and lived the good life....No welfare, no food stamps, NOTHING!!!!!!! I was naturalized a citizen with my parents in 1963....Got drafted on Dec 23,1968 and inducted in the Army on Jan 21,1969, the same day Nixon was sworn into office.....had basic at FT. Gordon, AIT at Ft McClellan in Alabama. Went to Shake and Bake at Benning, and was E-5 the first week of Sept.....Graduated 10th out of 160... The rest is history.... |
