Vacation After-Action Report

[First Shirt]

Went to Omaha last week, mainly to see grandkids. Drove up, which, with the exception of one Knight Trucking semi driver who didn't understand lane changes, was uneventful, but had to fly back because my mother-in-law fell and hurt her back, so she's in a rehab facility, and The Boss is staying to help her sisters take care of her. Flying commercial sucks.

Observations:
Canfields is NOT the same! When I was stationed at Offutt, it was the place GIs, and especially crew dogs, went to supplement their military and survival gear. Located in a semi-bad part of town, it was jam-packed with a variety of milsurp gear, everything from ECW socks to Mosin rifles, and anything in between, all of it piled on tables or jammed into racks that should have been condemned by OSHA. Not anymore.

Now, it's almost indistinguishable from Academy Sports. Didn't have anything milsurp, not even MREs. It's all the latest HSLD outdoor stuff, in a variety of eye-offending colors. Don't even have Mossy Oak camo! And the only "guns" were airsoft replicas!

In a city of more than 1 million people, you'd think that someone, somewhere, would have a clue about traffic management, but this is, alas, not the case. Rush hour is from 1500-1800, and during those times I-80 and the various loops thereof, resemble a four-to-six-lane parking lot. Speed is measured in inches-per-hour, I think.

There are lots of new places to eat, but the old steak houses are still the best, especially Ross's on 72nd St., and Johnny's Cafe in South Omaha.

The Henry Doorly zoo is one of the best zoos in the country, and possibly the world. Do not, under any circumstances, try to go there on weekends.

Offutt has a new BX, new commissary, and the same old brick officer and NCO quarters that they had 100 years ago. And my old active duty unit is gone, replaced by a new "Intelligence Squadron" in a glass-front building. Really! The old building didn't even have windows!!! Of course, getting from the exchange to the SAC gate is still exercising your death wish, because some things just never change, like adding traffic lights. And the missile in front of SAC Hqs. now says "U.S. Navy". Sigh.

As a bonus, the Cabelas in LaVista had a screaming good deal on SOG Field Pup 1 knives (a 4-inch, fixed blade utility knife with a really nice leather sheath) for only $14.99 (list is $79.99, and they sell on-line for around $50 bucks or a little less). So we bought 8 of them, one each for The Boss and I, and the rest for stocking stuffers at Christmas.


It was nice visiting some of the old haunts (The Dubliner is still there, in the Old Market, and The Outpost is still on 36th and Jefferson in South O) but if it weren't for grandkids, I don't think I'd ever go back.

[randy]

Man oh man do you bring back memories.

Canfield's was a mandatory trip when my dad visited. He was looking for good cheap gear for his scout troop. As stated, I was supplementing my issue gear.

Johhny's. Ahhh, what else is there to say.

I haven't been back to the base since I PCS'd. I remember driving over to the SAC museum during long lunches just to wander around. I was there when the Atlas lost pressurization and semi-collapsed. Last time through on 80 were on a family induced schedule so have not seen the new place.

[SoupOrMan]

Now I have to ask Dad about Canfield's.

[First Shirt]

Now I have to ask Dad about Canfield's.

Let us know what he says, it will be interesting since he was there before Randy and I were. (I was ahead of Randy by about 10 years, I think, and your dad was ahead of me by about the same margin.)

[SoupOrMan]

Yeah, he was there probably around 68-70ish, just based on all the schools he needed.

[First Shirt]

I was there from 77-80, and I think Randy was there about 1985, or so. Be sure to tell him that it's now located at 86th and Center St., that should give him an idea of how much things have changed. It's in a strip mall, near a Tandy leather store!

[randy]

86-88

[First Shirt]

86-88

I would have guessed about 1985, or thereabouts,
Back when morale caps were '69XX Security Sqdn." Which Canfield's had, for less than three bucks,

[randy]

85-86 I was in the Land of the Morning Calm

[First Shirt]

85-86 I was in the Land of the Morning Calm

Skivvy Nine caps, back then said "To Keep the Morning Calm"

Except mine, which said "Combat Skate Crew Chief"