I was drafted in '68. Stationed in Augsburg Germany at a Army Field Hospital (30th Field Hospital). A field hospital is supposed to be a mobile type 80 bed tent. But, ours was a for real, nice building, hospital. BUT....in an "emergency" we were supposed to pack up & head out to the field....somewhere. Never knew where for sure...but somewhere.

Anyway, shortly after I arrived there @ 19 yrs old they had some of us report to the base motor pool to test for drivers for the hospital vehicles when "that time" came. I wasn't a military truck driver, but rather a medic (91B20) We had deuce & halfs, cracker box ambulances, 3/4 tons, jeeps (the Ford kind that would have the wheels fold under if you went around a corner too fast), and sedans. So, after a vehicle driving aptitude test, they had us demonstrate if we could drive. I drove the deuce and a half about 500' and the motor pool Sgt said, "looks like you're going to be a driver.....". To me it was just another farm truck, without any amenities, including no heater.

We never-ever "mobilized". We remained a 24 hr/day hospital & that was just fine. But....being a licensed truck driver did have some advantage. The new military doctors, nurses, and officers that were assigned to the hospital always needed to either move from the BOQ to the civilian housing (aka "the economy") or visa-versa. So, the officer moving would call the motor pool and ask for a deuce & a half & ask for Lukow to be able to drive it. I had become the go-to mover-driver. The job paid nicely (on the side), the officer got moved for free, and everyone was happy.