Whether you were a member of the 136th in 1959
when it was first formed or joined in the 1990's, you soon came to realize that this unit was
unlike any other. Although we had a serious federal and state mission, and everyone from
privates, through NCOs, to nurses, doctors, and commanding officers took their jobs seriously and
performed them in a professional manner, there was a certain air of congeniality and brotherhood
that permeated the unit. There was no other single unit in the State of Maryland that that
brought together such a diverse collection of jobs and duties such as cooks, mechanics, admin
personnel, armors, supply specialists, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, lab and x-ray techs, and even
a graves registration NCO. This was a big unit with a big mission, and it took special men
and women to get the job done - and we did it. The unwritten rule of the unit was "work hard
and play hard". Off duty hours could find unit members engaged in softball games, volleyball,
horse shoes, card games, or just having a beer together and shooting the breeze. When it came
to these activities, there was no distinction between ranks. We all played together and
enjoyed one another's company. That atmosphere does not always exist in other military units
and may have been one of the contributing factors for our high re-enlistment rate, and lengthy
continuity of service among the officer corps. Please enjoy the site; |