What usasma means

usasma stands for:

United
States
Army
Sergeants
Major
Academy

It's the last place I served while on active duty in the US Army. I retired from the Army on 01 August 2003.

I spent 5 years in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. My duty stations included the Naval Regional Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA and the 8th Marine Regiment at Camp LeJeune, NC. I was a Petty Officer First Class (HM1) when I got out in 1980.

I joined the Army in 1984 and served with A Co, 7th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Mechanized), 5th Infandry Division (Mechanized) at Ft. Polk, LA, the 2nd Engineer Battalion (Combat), 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Castle, Korea. From there I was transferred to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, Ft. Bragg, NC. While at Ft. Bragg I was also assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps NCO Academy and the 37th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne). From there I was transferred to the 16th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Mechanized) at Camp Bedrock, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Upon redeployment to Bamberg, Germany the battalion was reflagged to the 54th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Mechanized). I was selected for promotion to Sergeant Major and to attend the Sergeant Majors Academy at Ft. Bliss, TX. While a student at the Academy I was selected to remain and train future Sergeants Major from the Army, other services, and foreign military.

While teaching at the academy I started (on the web) a correspondence with a lady from Connecticut. I decided to retire so that I could move to CT and be with her. While waiting for my retirement I came down with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (aka Stevens-Johnson Syndrome) and nearly died from it (more about this later). I still have scarring in my eyes and haven't regrown normal fingernails.

We were married on 21 June 2003 and are very happy living in SouthEastern CT. More to follow....