I was a Military WOW while in the military and stationed in West Germany. I haven’t seen much regarding the Military WOW program on this, or any other TWI-related website. I’ve located a few people from back in those days. I was WOW in 1978-1979. I’d love to find more of us. Let’s share our stories of being a soldier/airman/marine/sailor who were also Military WOWs.
Ummm... Pamdalarryum, I was a military wow for two years while an airman (1975-Aug 1977). Stationed at Lajes Field, Azores. Otherwise, more or less unremarkable. I did go to Germany twice to meet with Limb coordinators (Simmons) once in Munster I think it was, and once for an advance where veepee showed up. The most memorable event was going to the sauna in the hotel and one of the young women there was completely naked. Also met a guy (Caucasian) that had spent some time witnessing in Teheran, Iran. He had interesting travel stories.
But since it was more than 40 years ago, that's pretty much all the detail I can recall.
I don't know anything about "military Wow" but it would obviously differ significantly from the normal WoW program, in that your time and locations are tightly controlled by someone other than TWI.
I'd like to know more about the program. Did anyone on it get to spend time off base with other believers in the countries they were stationed in (f such people existed) or with locals (to witness to)? (I suspect there was very little of the latter interchange.)
I don't know anything about "military Wow" but it would obviously differ significantly from the normal WoW program, in that your time and locations are tightly controlled by someone other than TWI.
I'd like to know more about the program. Did anyone on it get to spend time off base with other believers in the countries they were stationed in (f such people existed) or with locals (to witness to)? (I suspect there was very little of the latter interchange.)
Yes and yes. It was Halloween 1974. I was fellowshipping with a group led by a Christian chaplain at the base chapel. In walks a military wow, newly stationed at Lajes Field. It took until the next summer to get the PFLAP class together. Bob Warble worked in the local television broadcast center as an equipment tech. AFRTS (A-farts) Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. He and I shared a room in the airmen's quarters (barracks/dorm) eventually had at least three other guys join us for the class and then in august, we went to ROA75 and signed up for one year as MWOWs. John Almquist, Mike Hultberg, and John Miller. We had fellowship in the morning before work. I worked rotating shifts. At some point, we rented an apartment so all five of us could live together. We got a few others to fellowship with us and take the class. At one point, because my 1960 chevy station wagon had a twi bumpersticker, a couple who saw it had taken the class in the states.
We had fun. Didn't have to deal with heavyhanded rules much. However, I had been saving my meager pay... after getting involved with twi, that stopped because I was shipping too much of my military pay to Ohio.
We were also 78-79 military wow ambassadors in West Germany. If you remember three of the military wow couples had babies during that time.
I thought we had a lot of caring between all of the military involved in the way at that time. However when we returned stateside it seemed to be a lot colder than in Europe.
Military wow in W Germany. We went through wow training in England. At the end of the year we were sent tickets to the roa but C St**p told us we had to stay until Sept festival in England to get our pins.
We were required to stay in the location we were based in. However because we were so spread out in the country whenever we had wow meetings or leadership meetings we were allowed to travel to the locations they were held in. Veepee came over several times between 77-79. So we were able to attend those meetings also.
But we weren't able to just sight see. I remember I really wanted to see the new schwanstein castle but couldn't.
At wow training we were given the regular handbook all wows were given. Veepee interviewed all those who had signed up. We had our training program after the heartbeat festival that year.
As best we could we followed the regular wow rules. The departures being what was required of us by the military. Which also meant we didn't work a part time job. Also at least some of us worked shift work.
It also seems that another different rule was applied to us because there was no concern about pregnant women being wow also.
Another thought. Classes. That was the year advanced class 79 was being pushed. So we were all encouraged to travel to take all the required classes for that during our wow year also. PFAL classes we ran in our own areas. All classes were cassette tape ones. Plus all classes were run over the weekends because of the different working hours of the military personnel. Shift work and classes were fun! Sarcasm here. If you worked Friday night shift, you would get off shift, no sleep, spend Saturday in class sessions etc. Some shift workers had the weekend off so that Friday Saturday was the only sleep deprivation. Others didn't get the time off. I loved learing what was taught but I also found that that type of a class schedule was very gruelling. So in that sense I also dreaded the classes.
Plus at that time the PFAL class and intermediate class were both just the PFAL class. PFAL just had more sessions than the ones that had the intermediate class separated out.
W Germany wasn't the only country w military wows and 78-79 weren't the only years.
Also during the wow year at least in Germany we didn't travel outside of our country just to different cities when required.
Plus not many had their own car with them. We relied on hitchhiking, trains, and other believers.
The Heartbeat festival was in Manchester England and was where we were commissioned and had our training. But I don't remember who I took the training with other than the people I was most familiar with in Germany.
This is my last post. I would not have been a memorable person. However I was one person who did own a car. And some may remember me for the fact that after being pinned and leaving from England I had left behind, for those still in Germany to use , a yellow hatchback Pontiac Aster (Astra?). I think it was a 1975 model.
Another thought. Classes. That was the year advanced class 79 was being pushed. So we were all encouraged to travel to take all the required classes for that during our wow year also. PFAL classes we ran in our own areas. All classes were cassette tape ones. Plus all classes were run over the weekends because of the different working hours of the military personnel. Shift work and classes were fun! Sarcasm here. If you worked Friday night shift, you would get off shift, no sleep, spend Saturday in class sessions etc. Some shift workers had the weekend off so that Friday Saturday was the only sleep deprivation. Others didn't get the time off. I loved learing what was taught but I also found that that type of a class schedule was very gruelling. So in that sense I also dreaded the classes.
Plus at that time the PFAL class and intermediate class were both just the PFAL class. PFAL just had more sessions than the ones that had the intermediate class separated out.
Thanks for sharing your memories. We probably know each other. I, too, dreaded the taped classes. The card flipper. Now there was a real job. Better than the squirt gun gestapo.
As someone who has owned many cats through the years, I find this disturbingly hilarious. I've often used a squirt gun to let a cat know it's not allowed on the counter top. ..You guys weren't climbing on counter tops, were you? I'm not judging, just asking.
Thanks for sharing your memories. We probably know each other. I, too, dreaded the taped classes. The card flipper. Now there was a real job. Better than the squirt gun gestapo.
On 6/13/2019 at 3:19 AM, waysider said:
As someone who has owned many cats through the years, I find this disturbingly hilarious. I've often used a squirt gun to let a cat know it's not allowed on the counter top. ..You guys weren't climbing on counter tops, were you? I'm not judging, just asking.
On 6/13/2019 at 4:13 AM, Pamdalarryum said:
Haha! Let’s just say you didn’t want to be caught nodding off during class. Those squitters were bonafide marksmen.
== == == ==
We used a spray bottle of water as code enforcement with our first cat. After a while we discovered that just making the fffsssst fffsssst sound of the spray bottle with our mouth – our cat would immediately cease and desist whatever “violation” she was doing and dart off. I think just imitating the sound of the spray bottle was equivalent to the dramatic gun cock in movies and TV shows: the person with the gun pulls back the hammer or racks the slide of the pistol to intimidate someone – it conveys the idea that you will shoot them if they do not cooperate or comply with your command.
I was not Military WOW – just civilian WOW - but it sounds to me like Military WOW was a lot more of an ordeal than civilian WOW.
I was a Military WOW while in the military and stationed in West Germany. I haven’t seen much regarding the Military WOW program on this, or any other TWI-related website. I’ve located a few people from back in those days. I was WOW in 1978-1979. I’d love to find more of us. Let’s share our stories of being a soldier/airman/marine/sailor who were also Military WOWs.
Pam, hello. I was a WOW in 1978-1979, in Joliet, Illinois. However, I joined the Navy in 1985. Do you remember Paul N, who was the head of Miltary Outreach? He, and his wife Rita were my first TCs back in VA Beach, in 1978. I have great memories of them!! Their "Twig", was fun! I think they have a ministry in Massachusetts, (?) nowadays.
A bunch of us Seabees took the class.Siganella Sicily not me I was much later had trust issues among others.I did take the class before Diego Garcia.No fellowships as the leader would not do them.So my next fellowship was R O A 77!I did go wow a year later and went back to Mississip
I remember you, that car and your Military WOW family. Glad to see you posting. You were always kind and a very good softball player. I hope you are well, old friend.
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Rocky
Ummm... Pamdalarryum, I was a military wow for two years while an airman (1975-Aug 1977). Stationed at Lajes Field, Azores. Otherwise, more or less unremarkable. I did go to Germany twice to meet with Limb coordinators (Simmons) once in Munster I think it was, and once for an advance where veepee showed up. The most memorable event was going to the sauna in the hotel and one of the young women there was completely naked.
Also met a guy (Caucasian) that had spent some time witnessing in Teheran, Iran. He had interesting travel stories.
But since it was more than 40 years ago, that's pretty much all the detail I can recall.
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Twinky
I don't know anything about "military Wow" but it would obviously differ significantly from the normal WoW program, in that your time and locations are tightly controlled by someone other than TWI.
I'd like to know more about the program. Did anyone on it get to spend time off base with other believers in the countries they were stationed in (f such people existed) or with locals (to witness to)? (I suspect there was very little of the latter interchange.)
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Rocky
Yes and yes. It was Halloween 1974. I was fellowshipping with a group led by a Christian chaplain at the base chapel. In walks a military wow, newly stationed at Lajes Field. It took until the next summer to get the PFLAP class together. Bob Warble worked in the local television broadcast center as an equipment tech. AFRTS (A-farts) Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. He and I shared a room in the airmen's quarters (barracks/dorm) eventually had at least three other guys join us for the class and then in august, we went to ROA75 and signed up for one year as MWOWs. John Almquist, Mike Hultberg, and John Miller. We had fellowship in the morning before work. I worked rotating shifts. At some point, we rented an apartment so all five of us could live together. We got a few others to fellowship with us and take the class. At one point, because my 1960 chevy station wagon had a twi bumpersticker, a couple who saw it had taken the class in the states.
We had fun. Didn't have to deal with heavyhanded rules much. However, I had been saving my meager pay... after getting involved with twi, that stopped because I was shipping too much of my military pay to Ohio.
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newwbie3031
We were also 78-79 military wow ambassadors in West Germany. If you remember three of the military wow couples had babies during that time.
I thought we had a lot of caring between all of the military involved in the way at that time. However when we returned stateside it seemed to be a lot colder than in Europe.
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newwbie3031
Military wow in W Germany. We went through wow training in England. At the end of the year we were sent tickets to the roa but C St**p told us we had to stay until Sept festival in England to get our pins.
We were required to stay in the location we were based in. However because we were so spread out in the country whenever we had wow meetings or leadership meetings we were allowed to travel to the locations they were held in. Veepee came over several times between 77-79. So we were able to attend those meetings also.
But we weren't able to just sight see. I remember I really wanted to see the new schwanstein castle but couldn't.
At wow training we were given the regular handbook all wows were given. Veepee interviewed all those who had signed up. We had our training program after the heartbeat festival that year.
As best we could we followed the regular wow rules. The departures being what was required of us by the military. Which also meant we didn't work a part time job. Also at least some of us worked shift work.
It also seems that another different rule was applied to us because there was no concern about pregnant women being wow also.
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newwbie3031
Another thought. Classes. That was the year advanced class 79 was being pushed. So we were all encouraged to travel to take all the required classes for that during our wow year also. PFAL classes we ran in our own areas. All classes were cassette tape ones. Plus all classes were run over the weekends because of the different working hours of the military personnel. Shift work and classes were fun! Sarcasm here. If you worked Friday night shift, you would get off shift, no sleep, spend Saturday in class sessions etc. Some shift workers had the weekend off so that Friday Saturday was the only sleep deprivation. Others didn't get the time off. I loved learing what was taught but I also found that that type of a class schedule was very gruelling. So in that sense I also dreaded the classes.
Plus at that time the PFAL class and intermediate class were both just the PFAL class. PFAL just had more sessions than the ones that had the intermediate class separated out.
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newwbie3031
W Germany wasn't the only country w military wows and 78-79 weren't the only years.
Also during the wow year at least in Germany we didn't travel outside of our country just to different cities when required.
Plus not many had their own car with them. We relied on hitchhiking, trains, and other believers.
The Heartbeat festival was in Manchester England and was where we were commissioned and had our training. But I don't remember who I took the training with other than the people I was most familiar with in Germany.
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newwbie3031
This is my last post. I would not have been a memorable person. However I was one person who did own a car. And some may remember me for the fact that after being pinned and leaving from England I had left behind, for those still in Germany to use , a yellow hatchback Pontiac Aster (Astra?). I think it was a 1975 model.
If anyone does remember I don't want to be named.
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Pamdalarryum
Thanks for sharing your memories. We probably know each other. I, too, dreaded the taped classes. The card flipper. Now there was a real job. Better than the squirt gun gestapo.
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waysider
As someone who has owned many cats through the years, I find this disturbingly hilarious. I've often used a squirt gun to let a cat know it's not allowed on the counter top. ..You guys weren't climbing on counter tops, were you? I'm not judging, just asking.
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Pamdalarryum
Haha! Let’s just say you didn’t want to be caught nodding off during class.
Those squitters were bonafide marksmen.
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T-Bone
== == == ==
We used a spray bottle of water as code enforcement with our first cat. After a while we discovered that just making the fffsssst fffsssst sound of the spray bottle with our mouth – our cat would immediately cease and desist whatever “violation” she was doing and dart off. I think just imitating the sound of the spray bottle was equivalent to the dramatic gun cock in movies and TV shows: the person with the gun pulls back the hammer or racks the slide of the pistol to intimidate someone – it conveys the idea that you will shoot them if they do not cooperate or comply with your command.
I was not Military WOW – just civilian WOW
- but it sounds to me like Military WOW was a lot more of an ordeal than civilian WOW.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Pam, hello. I was a WOW in 1978-1979, in Joliet, Illinois. However, I joined the Navy in 1985. Do you remember Paul N, who was the head of Miltary Outreach? He, and his wife Rita were my first TCs back in VA Beach, in 1978. I have great memories of them!! Their "Twig", was fun! I think they have a ministry in Massachusetts, (?) nowadays.
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frank123lol
A bunch of us Seabees took the class.Siganella Sicily not me I was much later had trust issues among others.I did take the class before Diego Garcia.No fellowships as the leader would not do them.So my next fellowship was R O A 77!I did go wow a year later and went back to Mississip
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exMilitaryWOW
I remember you, that car and your Military WOW family. Glad to see you posting. You were always kind and a very good softball player. I hope you are well, old friend.
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