WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:16.000 Welcome to Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in this edition is 2 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:21.039 retired US Air Force Master Sergeant Bernie Oder. He served twenty three years in 3 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:25.320 uniform, most of it as a combat controller, and much of that time 4 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:30.199 was spent with Air Force Special Operations Command. He played a major role in 5 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:35.119 planning and the seizure of the Riojato Airfield in Panama as part of Operation Just 6 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:40.280 Cause in nineteen eighty nine. He also served in Grenada, Desert Storm, 7 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:43.439 and Bosnia. And Bernie, thank you very much for being with us. 8 00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:47.840 Where were you born and raised? I was born in lowtown in Ohio called 9 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.840 Bellfountain or belly Fontaine. And was there a history of military service in your 10 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.679 family? My dad and my uncle's all served in the Second World War in 11 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:00.320 what branches? Marine, Corps and Navy? Why did you decide to join 12 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:04.159 the Air Force? In nineteen seventy two was the last year the draft, 13 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:10.840 and unfortunately Okaloosa County had to give up three bodies. My name was number 14 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.719 one in the list, so I had no choice. I had to go 15 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.079 into service. So that's when I went down to the Air Force recruiter and 16 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.959 said, can I join They said, sure, what did they do with 17 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:22.200 you? Then? Where'd you go for training? Well? I went to 18 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:29.680 went in became a supply clerk, went out to Texas in California for schooling, 19 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:34.400 Denver, Colorado also, and then was stationed at a variety of places, 20 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.040 mostly in the Philippines. And then during the end of Vietnam conflict, 21 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:42.640 how'd you make the shift from supply clerk to combat controller? When I was 22 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:47.000 in the Philippines, the combat controllers would come in and get supplies and quipping 23 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.519 and stuff. And I met a bunch of them, and they said, 24 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:52.560 you ought to look at join it, you know, And started doing pt 25 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:56.120 with them and started liking what they did, and I said, and then 26 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:57.439 the Air Force says, hey, you can cross train if you'd like, 27 00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:00.879 And I said, certainly, so they allowed me to cross treat. Explain 28 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.680 what a combat controller is. A combat controller is in the Air Force. 29 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.000 It's a licensed air traffic controller. You have to get through Air Traffic control 30 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:13.680 school first and then you get to go to jump school. And basically you're 31 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:19.080 a forward air controller. So whenever anyone needs an airplane or a helicopter or 32 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:23.680 whatever to talk to, they have us and we're licensed aircraft controllers. Same 33 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:29.360 way too with the humanitarian efforts. Whenever a hurricane or earthquake would happened, 34 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:31.719 we would go in and established clear the airfare to make sure it's safe and 35 00:02:31.719 --> 00:02:38.080 start landing, resupply your aircraft. And you mentioned parachuting, so what tell 36 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:40.520 me about that training. Well, you go through the Army Jump School Fort 37 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:45.080 Benning Static Lying School. I also went through the airport or the Army excuse 38 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:47.879 me, a halo school high altitude low opening, and then also went through 39 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:53.759 the dive school and was a dive supervisor so I could do it all that 40 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:58.479 come naturally to you. Well, it was always exciting, which again I 41 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.400 was like challenge and stuff like that. So yeah, to me, yeah, 42 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:06.039 I wanted to do something the average person didn't do or wouldn't want to 43 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:08.039 do, and most of my family thought I was crazy anyway, jump out 44 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:12.120 of a good airplane. So from the heights to the depths, you had 45 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.919 it covered. So let's discuss some of your missions now, beginning with Granada 46 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:22.319 an Operation Urgent Fury in nineteen eighty three, what was your role in planning 47 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.599 and executing that? We were again, I was signed at assoc haird corters 48 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:30.400 down here, and then also we worked a lot with the Joint Special Operations 49 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:35.840 Command Jaysock, and the call came down that we were to go in and 50 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:40.639 rescue the medical students. So I got deployed up to Fort Bragg Pope Air 51 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:45.039 Force Space, met up with the guys up there, divide up our role. 52 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.080 My job was on the air land I we brought in the communications vehicle, 53 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:53.000 which was basically a jeep, and so once they seized the airfield, 54 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:58.000 I landed me and then I pulled out the radios on the vehicle and we 55 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:01.439 started communicating that way. How did that unfold over the next few days? 56 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:04.479 Well, wait, very well, I mean it was very interesting to be 57 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:10.159 again working with all the other sister services, the Navy, the Marine Corps 58 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:12.960 and stuff like that. Some bumps in the road, we learned a lot 59 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:15.519 of facts. That's where they stood up us so calm and stuff like that 60 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.639 to make it more of a team concept, and also rehearse from practice together, 61 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:24.199 which a lot of times we didn't do that. So we'd be on 62 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:29.279 the radio trying to talk to Navy airplanes or Navy helicopters or Marine Corps helicopters, 63 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.879 and they wouldn't respond, so we had to learn to do that better. 64 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:35.560 Is that a rough transition or well, it made it easier when they 65 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:41.079 stood up the different commands because now we all came under the same umbrella instead 66 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:45.480 of being the Blue Water Navy or the Marine Corps and the Air Force guys. 67 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:46.879 No, no, Now we were all a soa calm. So it 68 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:51.519 created a team concept. We started working with the other almost daily, if 69 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:55.839 not weekly, and so we got to know each other and what each show 70 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.319 was brought to the party and stuff. Well, let's move to Panama. 71 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:03.079 Now, before you were team leader in the airfield seizure at Riojato, you 72 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:09.560 were extraordinarily influential in the planning in terms of combat controllers and para rescuers. 73 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.839 We walk me through that. We were deployed working with the ranger battalions and 74 00:05:13.959 --> 00:05:17.600 I got called into the skiff the Crisis Action Office and said, we got 75 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:23.079 to start looking at this scenario. And that's when they started pulling out maps 76 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:29.000 and drawings and of Riojato and Teresta Kuma and t Squared we used to call 77 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.160 it, and some other places. So we started to divide him up, 78 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:35.279 Who's going to take which role, who's going to take which mission, who 79 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:39.519 needs support or whatever like that. So yeah, I'd planned it for quite 80 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.040 a while. A matter of fact, we had rehearsed it just prior. 81 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.560 I mean literally we were driving back from Fort Benning we got the call to 82 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:48.759 turn around and go back to Port Benning. We were going to do it 83 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:54.480 for real. But yeah, we had practiced it just literally days before we 84 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:58.519 actually went and did it. We just talked about the Joint Operations Now in 85 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:02.519 the better communication, when you're putting together a significant plan like this, how 86 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.040 does that communication work? Who do you report to? Who reports to you? 87 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:10.519 Well, again, we all fell under the Joint Special Operations Command, 88 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:14.759 so when they put us all together into skiffs, the Navy Seals would come 89 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.920 in, the rangers and stuff like. We'd all get together and start looking 90 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.040 at Okay, who's going to take which role, how do we want to 91 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:25.240 attack this, or how do we plan to attack this? Where the seals 92 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:28.920 wanted to go in by boat to Petia the airfield there and stuff like that. 93 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:30.800 So we had to put two controllers with that, and the other guys 94 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.199 were going to air jump in, and we said, okay, we'll take 95 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:38.959 over the guys at Chasak would take over Trista Kuman and the guys and Herbert 96 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.639 would take over Rio Hato. So we divided up that same way the range 97 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:46.000 of battalions. They split the range of battalions up so how many would need 98 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:48.360 it in each location and stuff like that. So it also depends too, 99 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:54.680 Like the eighty second airboard came in after a riot, I mean Trista Kuman 100 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:59.160 Rio Hata We stayed there for the first three days if I remember correctly, 101 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.920 because we did and get reinforced right away. Of course, that regather they 102 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.079 thought was going to be in Panama City, but we took over that when 103 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:09.279 just in case he got away. He wouldn't There was a big airfield there. 104 00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:12.519 They didn't want him to escape. Talk about the role of the para 105 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:16.000 rescue, right, they're they're the best combat medics out there as far as 106 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:20.800 we're concerned. Again, they go through some of the best trauma medicines they 107 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:25.680 get, and yeah, they become very valuable. Again, we had some 108 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.360 numerous guys got hit and hurt, Riohado and stuff, and the PJAS were 109 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:34.399 right there. We also air landed them what they had to can't remember the 110 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:38.720 name of the ram or. They had a rapid vehicle that they used lack 111 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:41.920 an ambulance, so they could pick guys up and move around. And when 112 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:45.199 we'd need more help than they'd come in and bring a hellic operating we'd load 113 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:46.879 them up and they could get out that way. It's talking a little more 114 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:53.879 detail now about the mission itself. How did you get in position? What 115 00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:57.839 was the what was the formation that you needed to Well, we we had 116 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:01.720 an airfield seizure team was on the lead aircraft. There, we have two 117 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:05.040 of them. There's a primary an alternative. I was on the lead aircraft. 118 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:07.879 I was the fifth guy out the right door of the airplane. By 119 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:11.120 the way, that airplane sitting in at the air park at Hurlbert Field now 120 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.519 it's a museum piece. But then there was four of my guys on that 121 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:18.600 first airplane. The second airplane had four guys as backup, so that way, 122 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:22.480 again something would happen and then we'd brought in. We also had guys 123 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:28.360 with command and controls the very different battalions, ranger battalion commanders and vice commanders, 124 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:31.879 and also the close air support, the gun ships and the attack helicopters 125 00:08:31.879 --> 00:08:35.919 were also there. We also provided that information, but we jumped in like 126 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:41.360 that. That night was interesting. When we left Fort Benning it was snowing, 127 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:45.559 and yet eighteen hours later we're jumping into the Jungles and Panama, so 128 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:48.559 which quite a transition going from snow to cold, but we did it. 129 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:52.840 But it went really well, I mean a real quick story. My first 130 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:56.039 guy out. We had motorcycles. They call them bike chasers, so they 131 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:01.039 push the motorcycle out. My guy goes out. Okay, everything goes out. 132 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:05.399 I go out. The next guy, the second guy by chaser goes 133 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.039 out. He calls on the radio. He's got a broken leg. I 134 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:11.840 said, okay, fine, and I'm still trying to reach my first guy 135 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:16.519 and he doesn't answer. So I'm assuming the worse and so my back third, 136 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:20.600 backup role. I had to physically run the runway with full combat here 137 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:24.720 to make sure there was no booby traps, which there were. There was 138 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.480 a deuce and a half park there to make sure we couldn't take the airfield 139 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:31.799 that way airplane run into it. Of course, between the rangers of myself 140 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.600 we were able to get it moved and hot wired and get it out of 141 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.759 the way. Make a long story short we got the one guy broken leg. 142 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:41.799 He was he was the PJA. He was fixing guys crawling around and 143 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:45.039 we got him. Mad A backed out and the next morning was his son 144 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:48.559 came up. I called my other guy. I said one more time and 145 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:52.399 I called him. He's operating isscues echo golf that you know, this is 146 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:56.480 Oscar Romeo. If you can hear me, key the radio twice and all 147 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:01.399 of a sudden click click what it was when he jumped in, he landed 148 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:05.679 in a tree and it snapped off his communications. He could he could hear 149 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:09.440 us, but he couldn't transmit. So I'm thinking he's dead or whatever. 150 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:15.120 And besides it, he's hanging ninety feet in a tree and the Panamanians a 151 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.159 runnerneath them, so it didn't quite want to engage him by himself. But 152 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.320 yeah, that was an interesting He finally showed up the next morning. The 153 00:10:20.360 --> 00:10:26.000 sun was coming up and he showed up all smiles and stuff. So yeah, 154 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.080 it was. It was a lot of good time. Nobody on our 155 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:31.000 team got seriously hurt. Yeah, we had the one PJA Brokey's legs. 156 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.440 Some of the rangers weren't so fortunate. We did have three Kia's there and 157 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:39.360 stuff. So just the story of the PJA with a broken leg crawling to 158 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:45.679 render eight is just such a perfect encapsulation of devotion to duty. Yep. 159 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:50.960 And he also be honest with and he wasn't really excited about when they got 160 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.799 him back to the Howard Air Force Base at the hospital there and they came 161 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:56.759 in to give him purple heart. He wasn't really excited about, Well, 162 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.440 it was an accident, a parachute jump, but still qualified. You did 163 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:03.360 her and he did her into purple heart for that. So when you've planned 164 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:07.320 an operations as much as you did in this situation and then you're leading it 165 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:13.159 and you're about to jump, are you just focused on execution? Are you 166 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:18.960 thinking about anything that scenario that you hadn't game planned for? What's well? 167 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:22.000 Yeah, I mean we again, we had just rehearsed it here and a 168 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:24.320 matter of fact, we did it out here at Eglin and stuff and everything. 169 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:28.840 Were it smoothinge Both my bike chasers were got the bikes, parachute got 170 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:33.440 on and right away we all rallied up, you know, not not one 171 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:37.039 single glitch. And so I'm thinking, Okay, we've just rehearsed this. 172 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:39.360 Everything went well, we're going to do it now for real, no big 173 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.879 deal, just like any other football team. Okay, we've practiced this, 174 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:48.120 weear we could do this. And then within the first five minutes of getting 175 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:50.399 on the ground, I went, wait a minute. Two of the guys 176 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:54.639 who were here before I can't you know, one's doubt a broken leg, 177 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:58.399 and one I can't talk to. This is not the scenario practice, I 178 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.799 said. Okay again, because we always do what if? What if these 179 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:05.919 two guys did. My third role besides team leader an air traff controller, 180 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:11.399 was to clear the runway. So yeah, but yeah, maybe it goes 181 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:13.799 through your mind you think, well, this is not the way we rehearsed 182 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:16.600 it. But you can't call time out. It's not like the NFL or 183 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:18.960 Oh, time out, let's take a break and listen. No, no, 184 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.440 it's sorry. You know, we've got to just keep going and do 185 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:24.240 what we got to do. Then, in terms of actually controlling the air 186 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.559 traffic once you've seized it, how does that go? Well, we again, 187 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.759 it's up to the ranger commander. It's hib because he's the one who's 188 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:33.200 control of fight and stuff like that. So that's where we have a guy 189 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:37.799 one of our guys with him as a as a communications guy and who whenever 190 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:41.559 the commander says okay it's safe, you can bring airplanes in, then we 191 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:46.440 bring We'll call the airplane and say okay, you're clear to land. How 192 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.960 long did it take this operation? Not normally a normally air field sisure we 193 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:54.639 used to practice. We wanted to be able once we lay out the airplane 194 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:58.600 within thirty minutes to be able to land the first airplane. Now Rio Hato 195 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.919 didn't go that well because again there was a lot more fighting going on. 196 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:07.639 So yeah, the scenario it turned into being closer to an hour before the 197 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:09.840 commander, the ranger commander said okay you can land the first airplane. Because 198 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:13.559 and then again the reason bringing more airplanes is you bring in more beans, 199 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:16.679 bullets and band aids. You've got vehicles, you've got guys with more guns 200 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:20.120 and ammunition. Also, it gives you a chance to get anybody that's hurt 201 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.639 or wounded. We could load them up and get them out of there and 202 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:28.120 stuff like that. Also, we understand when we say run clearly, it's 203 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:31.559 invisible lighting. Unless you've got night vision on, you can't see the lights. 204 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.200 So it's not like the bad guys, Oh, you're lighting this up 205 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:39.720 like you see in an international run with no no, it's all pure black 206 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:43.440 and unless you got night vision you can't see the lights and stuff. So 207 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:48.559 so once that hour is over and you've succeeded in your endeavors, what are 208 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:52.200 you focused on at that point? Well, again, it's again, we 209 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:56.120 can bring in more airplanes or helicopters, or if we need more, you 210 00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:00.000 know, if the rangers say we need more forty milliman mike mike grenade, 211 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.120 we want more plasma or what do you whatever they need, we would call 212 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:07.320 and say, hey, bring this to us. Also during the night, 213 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:11.279 and actually even through the next day, we were still getting randomly attacked. 214 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:15.799 We'd be gun fights that Panamanians would come back, or a couple of times 215 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.919 they'd launched mortars. We had an airplane on the ground and all of a 216 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:22.120 sudden mortar hit nearby, and when we got him out of there right away, 217 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.840 and of course and the rangers went and found the mortar guy. But 218 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.679 yeah, so there's things was happening and stuff like that. Wounded. Also, 219 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:31.879 we had some civilians showed up accidentally. There was a road that we 220 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:35.399 cut across this runway and why they would choose to come down there when they're 221 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.399 all this gunfighting going on. But we stopped him, got him out of 222 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:41.840 there, and turned around and said, you know, go away. You 223 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:45.799 know you don't want to be hearing stuff now. Because you were successful. 224 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:50.559 You prevented I believe a number of units of the Panamanian Defense Forces from really 225 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:54.080 effectively engaging in the fight. How significant was that in the larger plan of 226 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:58.360 just cause? Well, exactly because we want to do we want to do 227 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:03.080 is minimum damage and collateral damage. We didn't We didn't want to level the 228 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.600 city. We didn't. This was the Barracks training base, one of their 229 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.600 special forces bases. We didn't want to go in there and level the place 230 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:13.759 because we wanted them Hopefully once we got Noriego go, they would say, 231 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:16.320 okay, yeah, we understand, we work with the Americans, we like 232 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.720 Americans, stuff like that. So, yeah, we try to as much 233 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:24.480 as possible out Sometimes that all didn't always work. If you're taking fire from 234 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:28.480 guys inside of the building or an airplane hangar or whatever, well okay we 235 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:33.159 can, We're allowed to defend ourselves and stuff like that. So so this 236 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:37.279 is a number of days that this operation plays out. Eventually Noriega's taken into 237 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:41.759 custody. How did the Panamanian Defense forces react at that point, Well, 238 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:46.080 they did, they realized what was going on and stuff like that, and 239 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.919 also they had lost the fight. We had taken over everything and we'd shut 240 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:54.600 everything down. Or there's also we understand we also took over that international airport, 241 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:58.200 so our guys time at rollers. There's commercial airlines coming in. Well, 242 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:02.480 so we had to get on the radios and talk to the headquarters there 243 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.039 and tell them, you don't want to come here. We're in the middle 244 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.919 of some things going on. You we don't need a seven thirty seven or 245 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:12.279 seven forties landing in the middle of the even bara daylight there. The terminals 246 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.679 not operational where there's things going on and stuff like that. So it was 247 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:19.360 interesting that way. Also chasing Noriega, we chased him around. I say 248 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:22.919 we my I didn't, but some of my guys helped do that. Yeah, 249 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:26.399 chased him around until we finally caught him. Yeah. How many days 250 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:32.759 later was that? I want? It was about He held up for a 251 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:36.600 while with the bishop there and stuff, and we had him surrounded and he 252 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:41.960 lasted a couple more days before they he finally we we enticed him between loud 253 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:47.159 music and a lot of lights. He couldn't sleep and he couldn't you know, 254 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:49.039 so he finally, Okay, I'm not getting away with this, so 255 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:52.639 he finally I want to say, this was about four or five days later. 256 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.759 How long did you stay there? How long did we stay? I 257 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:59.559 was there for about the full five days and stuff. Now we got pulled 258 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:03.679 out of Hatto would take him back to Howard for a restued creviation, also 259 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.319 rearming in case they needed to go somewhere else. It was nice because a 260 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:11.279 couple of the guys we had were great cooks. So they went into the 261 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:15.000 commissary and they put us up in billeting and they went into this one base 262 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:19.200 housing and they cooked us all Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Earth Christmas turkeys, 263 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:22.640 bashemtise. We had to. We fed all of us like of course we 264 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:26.160 were all missing it because we were there, but stuff. But yeah, 265 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:29.119 it was very fun and interesting to do that. What we come back. 266 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:33.720 Master Sergeant Odor is off to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Storm and later 267 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:38.759 to Bosnia. Our guest has retired US Air Force Master Sergeant Bernie Odor. 268 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:45.680 I'm Greg Corumbas and this is Veterans Chronicles. This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm 269 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:51.240 Greg Corumbas. Our guest in this edition has retired US Air Force Master Sergeant 270 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:56.279 Bernie Odor. We've heard about his service and planning and executing military operations in 271 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:02.599 Granada and especially during Operation Just Cause Panama. Now we move ahead a few 272 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:06.960 months to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Master Sergeant Odor is off to the 273 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:11.559 Persian Gulf, and this time his job brings some new wrinkles. Thanks to 274 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:17.759 a massive coalition built up to evict Saddam Hussang Riohato or Panama was strictly an 275 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:22.240 Americans forces. When we went to the Desert Storm, we all of a 276 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:29.200 sudden, now we're working with French, British, Dutch, English or England. 277 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.880 You know. So I had worked previously with all these different countries. 278 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:34.759 So again when it came time to okay, I need to put one or 279 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:40.519 two guys with the Sas and British ass guys, or a couple of guys 280 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:45.960 with the Egyptians who were a couple of guys with the Dutch had been Dani 281 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:48.640 should setting people and stuff like that, and the other thing advantages because we 282 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:53.119 speak airmanship. We can talk to airplanes where a lot of other guys don't 283 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:57.160 do that. So if they need anything beans, bullets or band aids, 284 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.400 they turn around and look one of our guys and say, hey, go 285 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.680 get me I need some more of this or that, and yeah, they 286 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:07.160 would make the call on the radio and next thing you know, it would 287 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.640 be air dropped or air landed or helicoptered in or whatever they needed. So 288 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.720 it was very interesting and ad aspect of it, dirking with the all the 289 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.519 four nationals and stuff, especially at headquarters there the air operations that are. 290 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:23.400 I saw the British guys walk in and they knew me and I knew them. 291 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:26.960 And then next thing you know that I get called over and they said, 292 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.799 hey, they want you by name. I said, yeah, I 293 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:32.240 worked with these guys before. Well some of the colonels I work. They 294 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:36.200 said, who are these guys because they didn't wear name tags and stuff like 295 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:37.319 I saw. There's some of the guys I've worked with. It's no big 296 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:41.480 deal and stuff. So but it's a smaller community in the special ops like 297 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:45.480 that that we all work together and done things together, so we knew each 298 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:48.799 other. So now combat controller and pair of rescue. Is these are elite 299 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:55.599 positions and is it unique to our Air Force that these other countries didn't have 300 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:57.920 those roles? Well, yes it is. It was. And now although 301 00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:03.599 a lot of the four countries are starting to develop their own version of combat 302 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:07.559 control and a pair of rescue because they see what the advantage of having us 303 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:11.319 around. And then and they started this even dirt back into Vietnam, the 304 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.519 ties and stuff like that, realized what a combat controller or a pair of 305 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:18.480 rescuing could do. So they started modeling some of their guys and which a 306 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:22.359 matter of fact, they come out here to some of our schools and stuff 307 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.960 like that. In the same way as South America when we were doing the 308 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:29.759 drug interdictions and stuff like that, because of the guns and ships and satellite 309 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:32.680 infantry and stuff like that, we were intel wise, they would come over 310 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:36.440 here and learned how to do all that with us. I've certainly spoken to 311 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:40.200 some people who don't like the idea of Americans serving under foreign commands. So 312 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.640 did that come up and how did you deal with it? Well, yeah, 313 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:45.640 I mean it's always one of those you know. And well, in 314 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:48.200 the same way with our own command whenever other guys would come in and ask 315 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.000 for certain one of us by name, and who are those guys, and 316 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:55.480 well you don't need to know who they are, and so so yeah, 317 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:00.000 you can get a little tricky sometimes. I had a base commander out here 318 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:03.680 one and well, we came back from crenative and we got called in to 319 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.480 get our medals and he said, I didn't know you guys were gone. 320 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:11.000 Yes, sir, you didn't. He's, well, I need to know 321 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:15.279 that. Well, okay, it's not my part of the chain of command 322 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:18.720 to inform you. I get a phone call from you know people, and 323 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:22.000 I we go do things, same way with working foreign nationals, yes, 324 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.680 to say, hopefully the right guys have your back and stuff. So but 325 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:30.440 yeah, it could be interesting sometimes dealing with Also, sometimes you go with 326 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:36.359 places and you're not you know, you can't really say who you are and 327 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:40.200 what you're doing there and stuff. More than a few times I wore surveying 328 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:44.680 clothes and did things and stuff. So now in desert store and formerly began, 329 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.119 did you take on a different role and if so, what did you 330 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:51.359 do that role there? Because of my planning and interface time, they left 331 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:53.960 me at the headquarters the whole time, so I had to interface with all 332 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:59.279 the foreign nationals to make sure you know. And then another scenario, I'll 333 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:03.960 give you another scample. We had some guys went with the British guys on 334 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:11.039 a British helicopter and flew into Iraq. Well, they don't have the friend 335 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:15.160 or foe information on their helicopter. So my job besides being so when they 336 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.079 F fifteen slow down and wanted to shoot it, I said, no, 337 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:22.799 no, that's I know who that is. Don't shoot that helicopter down. 338 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:25.920 Well we need to know, you don't need to know, just don't shoot 339 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.480 that when I know who that is, leave it alone and stuff. So 340 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.720 it made it very interesting because again, not everybody needs to know what you're 341 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:33.920 doing and where you're doing or where you're doing stuff like that. And then 342 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:38.680 the same issue happened in Bosnia. I assume when you're working with the UN 343 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:44.119 Tornado, same type of challenge, that it play out much differently than it 344 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:47.839 in the desert. No, not really. I mean, well it was 345 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:51.839 interesting could working with the Canadians and the French and stuff like that. So 346 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.359 yeah, it made it different. Each of them have a little different philosophy 347 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:59.720 on how they do things, and also also their own rules of engagement. 348 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:04.480 One group I was with, whenever the first shot was fired, I turned 349 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:08.519 around to see where it was going on, and I couldn't find them. 350 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:12.240 They had left. Well, their rules were if the shots fired, they 351 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:15.799 had they went down in the basement. Well I said, okay, that's 352 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:19.680 not the peacekeeping role. I'm here to provide. I'm here too, So 353 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:22.440 I called back to headquarters and say, okay, we're you know, getting 354 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:26.119 shot at Da da da da. So, yeah, it made it interesting 355 00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:29.359 to deal with these different ones. So the different rules of engagement. So, 356 00:23:29.640 --> 00:23:32.559 but you got to adjust. I mean you just okay, let's I'll 357 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:33.759 do what I have to do it. Fortunately, again, we have great 358 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.160 communications, satellite communication. I could call back and say, okay, hey, 359 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:41.119 I'm at the corner and so and so and so and so, and 360 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:44.519 we just got shot at and you know, it's no big deal. It 361 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:48.519 wasn't even that close around. I mean, so it was. But their 362 00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.440 rules were they heard a gunshot, they had to get to the basement. 363 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:55.519 And you retired in nineteen ninety five, So the conflict in the Balkans was 364 00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:59.400 still going on at that point. And that's about twelve years after Granada, 365 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:04.359 which kind of triggered the US Special Ops Command. In that twelve years, 366 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:11.400 how much improvement and refinement. Oh, it was immense. I mean we 367 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:15.440 grew by leaps and bounds and the other thing. What was nice about it? 368 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:22.000 Again, one of my many many rules I had was also a logistics 369 00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:25.960 supply guy. Well, when so Calm stood up, they got their own 370 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:30.599 checkbook. So if the Air Force wouldn't buy us something, we could go 371 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:33.839 to so Calm and they say, yeah, we'll buy those for you. 372 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:37.880 Also, they standardized it. It wouldn't be well, you're going to carry 373 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:40.720 a thirty eight, No, you're going to carry forty five. The pistols 374 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:44.519 that is, you know, their air Force wanted thirty eight, The Army 375 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:48.720 likes the forty fives. The Marines wanted to nine millimeter. No, no, 376 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:52.680 we're going to standardize this. That way we go. We all have 377 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.519 the same weapon, we all have the same AMMO. There is this, 378 00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:59.519 you know the same way through radio communications, you know, they everybody wanted 379 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:02.599 their own. No, we're going to standardize this so we can. Now 380 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:06.119 you may have your own frequency, your encryption, but still we're going to 381 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:08.640 standardize it. Where my battery work in your radio, and your radio would 382 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:12.000 work in my battery. So yeah, so that leaps a bound. It 383 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:15.960 helps us. There also a major again we started training all the time together. 384 00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:21.279 Instead of being isolated once in a blue moon, it was almost monthly 385 00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:25.640 we were training with these guys. So it's obviously this cross branch cooperation and 386 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:30.279 has been now for forty years. But it feels like just from a cultural 387 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:33.720 perspective that people are aware of the Seals, they're aware of Delta Force and 388 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:37.920 Green Berets and so forth. Air Force Special Ops doesn't seem to get as 389 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:41.000 much attention. So what do people need to know about the legacy and the 390 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:45.200 ongoing excellent Well, and you're right. Part of one of the schoolhouses we 391 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:49.759 have here is the Special Tactics Training Squadron and that's where the young guys come 392 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:52.240 in and they spent a full year out here and get there what they call 393 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:56.279 their five levels that are being printing out their operators. Well, we go 394 00:25:56.359 --> 00:26:00.119 out there at every graduation a half four year and these guys don't realize the 395 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:06.119 Combat Control has been around for seventy years. Were at we're celebrating our seven 396 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:11.240 anniversity as combat Control most people don't, which is fine. It was there's 397 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.319 not like three hundred of us in the world, so yeah, there's not 398 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:17.440 like we're thousands, you know, and so and again, a lot of 399 00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:21.200 time we don't need to know. Like say, I'm most time. My 400 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:26.079 standard cover story on anything. We were on a training mission in Georgia when 401 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:30.160 everybody come back from somewhere my parents or somebody, my wife, no, 402 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:32.920 no training mission, and all of a sudden the medals would come down and 403 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:37.960 you were there. No, I was on, So it's you know, 404 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:41.640 it's so you know, it's not one of we're not big high profile guys, 405 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:45.359 although I say that tongue in cheek. There is rumors of a movie 406 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:52.079 going to be made about Masters and John Chapman an Afghanistan who got the Medal 407 00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:55.759 of Honor. So yeah, that that should be good a movie coming out. 408 00:26:55.880 --> 00:27:00.000 What did you do after your retirement? Well, because I knew communications, 409 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:04.000 I got hired on with Motorola then General Dynamics to sell the same radios 410 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:08.839 and newer versions of the radios. And because I knew what a J six 411 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.599 was or at O six, or a captain in the Navy compared to a 412 00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:17.319 captain in the Air Force. It made logical that, hey, okay, 413 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:19.960 I know these guys. And then also internationally, I mean, grat there's 414 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:25.160 some restrictions here, but a lot of the eye there, five eyes were 415 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.279 allowed a lot of the same equipment. So I got to go around and 416 00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:30.680 the British and SAS and those guys, and you know, so, hey, 417 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:34.680 listen here there's a new our newer, upgraded G version or the radio. 418 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:37.240 And you know so that that's what I did. I mean, and 419 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:41.359 here, twenty three years in the service, you put together an incredible skill 420 00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:45.799 set. You are now a city councilman in Mary Esther, Florida. In 421 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:51.119 terms of the skills you developed for planning and executing plans. How is that 422 00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:53.799 translated to? Well, it's been. It was funny. I finally retired, 423 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:59.759 retired the second time from the Motorola General Dynamics here and selling communications. 424 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:03.720 Also do the FAA air trap control radios. And I was out walking one 425 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:06.160 day and saw they were going to have a council meeting. So I stopped. 426 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:07.920 I said, you know, I've lived here twenty years. I had 427 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.839 to go to one of those. And next thing I know, after about 428 00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:12.279 ten months, they asked me they had an opening. They said, hey, 429 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:15.960 you need to apply and come in and I said, okay, I'm 430 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.480 not sure. I'll let me go home. Talk to my wife and she 431 00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:21.319 goes, yeah, I get you out of the house. Gives you something 432 00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:25.279 to do. So and it does. And a lot of the same budgets 433 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:27.039 where you know, every year we have to have a balanced budget. We're 434 00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:32.519 not all do deficit fending. You know, nobody likes paying taxes, but 435 00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:36.880 then again, everybody likes to have drinking water and be able to flush the 436 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:40.799 toilets. And I want five foot sidewalks and not three foot sidewalks. Well, 437 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:44.480 and some of the pipes are in the ground or seventy years old. 438 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:48.200 We need to upgrade. I mean you look around the world here. Yeah, 439 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:52.079 clean drinking water is priceless. So yeah, we're tackling so yeah, 440 00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:56.160 it's very similar to what I did in military. Working together, what's the 441 00:28:56.200 --> 00:29:00.079 best options? Looking at all the different options, what do we want to 442 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:03.519 do? What how do we get out there is to the average citizen. 443 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:07.400 Does realize we're just not going to spend thirty million dollars. No, No, 444 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:10.839 we need to address this issue and make sure we do it right and 445 00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:14.039 make it last for the next one hundred years. And that's the type of 446 00:29:14.039 --> 00:29:17.519 thing that might not make a lot of sexy headlines, but it's going to 447 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:21.599 be well, you're right time until the water doesn't, you know, is 448 00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:23.920 not drinkable, then that's the headline we don't want. And that's why I 449 00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:27.079 said, we need to attack this, you know, and okay, let's 450 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:30.640 get it planned together, because yeah, we don't want to be on the 451 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:37.480 news that or a sewage spill into the sound. No, we don't. 452 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:41.359 We don't want that kind of headline. Would rather let's be proactive and everybody 453 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:45.119 can still drink the water. Yes, last couple of questions here, Bernie, 454 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:49.680 what are you most proud of from your time in the service? Oh? 455 00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:53.880 Well, probably the most proudest was when we were actually back to Grenado, 456 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:57.599 when we went down there and rescued all those medical students that was also 457 00:29:57.640 --> 00:30:02.359 a medical school, so they we had a we all got a copy of 458 00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:07.960 a letter signed by all the different professors and moms and dads and and some 459 00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:11.480 was young as six years old thanking us for come rescuing them. That says 460 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:17.359 it all right there. And why would you describe the camaraderie within the special 461 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:21.079 opps community and within the Air Force especially, And that's the one thing everybody 462 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:23.400 asked me if I miss being gone all the time, And it didn't miss 463 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:27.000 all the deployments and the short notice, you know, and just the pager 464 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:30.680 backdown pagers or the phone go off and wife, when are you going to? 465 00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:33.559 When are you coming back? Might be three days, might be three 466 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:37.039 hours, might be there. I don't know. I don't even know where 467 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:40.319 I'm going yet, you know. So, but it's it's with the team, 468 00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:44.400 guys, being with the guys and now girls for that matter. That 469 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:48.000 that camaraderie that you can't like. I say, that was another big adjustment 470 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:53.359 from leaving the military. We would get paid thousands of dollars before we deploy. 471 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:59.839 Well I could leave it laying on a table with and no come back 472 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:02.359 to three days later. You're still every penny it would be laying here, 473 00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:07.799 which in the Savellan world you really can't leave twenty five hundred dollars laying on 474 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:11.799 a table and come back three lads that you know. So that was an 475 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:15.079 adjustment that, oh, okay, we're not all into this for everybody. 476 00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:18.839 So Bernie, it's been a pleasure talking to you today. What does it 477 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:22.200 mean to you to have the American Veterans Center hear your story and those of 478 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:26.000 other veterans. I'm all for it. I mean I can remember when the 479 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:30.799 guys come back from Vietnam and how they were so disrespected and stuff like that, 480 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:36.359 and am fortunate Americans. We've had it way too good for way too 481 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:38.599 I know you have a very short memory. Yeah, some of us have 482 00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:41.599 paid the price. Well, sir, We thank you very much for your 483 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:45.440 service to our country. We thank you for your time today, but most 484 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.680 of all those many years of excellent service to our country. We appreciate it. 485 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:52.839 Thank you very much. Retired at US Air Force, Master Sergeant Bernie 486 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:56.839 Oder served twenty three years in uniform, most of it as a combat controller 487 00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:00.960 within Air Force Special Operations, and he played a major role in planning and 488 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:06.519 the seizure of Riojato Airfield in Panama as part of Operation Just Cause in nineteen 489 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.960 eighty nine. We also served in Grenada, Desert Storm, and Bosnia. 490 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:24.440 I'm Greg Corumbas and this is Veterans Chronicles. Hi, this is Greg Corumbas, 491 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:29.519 and thanks for listening to Veterans Chronicles, a presentation of the American Veterans 492 00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:34.480 Center. For more information, please visit American Veterans Center dot org. You 493 00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:38.759 can also follow the American Veterans Center on Facebook and on Twitter We're at AVC 494 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:44.680 update. Subscribe to the American Veteran Center YouTube channel for full oral histories and 495 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:49.680 special features, and of course, please subscribe to the Veterans Chronicles podcast wherever 496 00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:52.440 you get your podcasts. Thanks again for listening, and please join us next 497 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:54.000 time for Veterans Chronicles