Sharing a common experience can create a bond between people. If that experience happens to be a traumatic and life changing experience, the bond can and often does become an enduring tie. Men and women who have lived and worked together in the military often form such bonds. However, when they return to civilian life, many of these military buddies lose contact with each other. Over the years, the urge to see old friends grows into a longing that cries out to be satisfied.
A retired Marine recently told me of his efforts to find the 651 men who had served with his unit during World War II. With the help of search engines and Internet sites, he was able to find, or account for, 650 of the 651 men in his unit. This group recently held a reunion that had only been a dream several years ago. Without the use of the Internet finding all of these men may not have been possible.
The Internet is a great tool to help you find old friends and acquaintances, especially those who were in the military. The first place for you to start is Military.com. This is a military buddy finder that searches over 20 million records for free.
While Classmates.com is in the business of searching for old classmates, they also have an area called Roll Call, which will help you reconnect to those you served alongside. Additionally, Roll Call has lively message boards and links to further information.
Another great Web site is the Military Network. This organization was created to provide a central site for the dissemination of information and services to members of the armed forces. You will be amazed by the scope of information that this site provides regarding military concerns. They also provide a Locator Page, which lists various military organizations where you can start your search.
There are several organizations that will search their own extensive databases to help you find your friends. The Veteran Search Web site not only has a searchable database, but also has a full page of great links to help you in your search.
Another way to search for your buddies is by the branch of the service involved. The Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy all have outstanding web sites where you will find links to pertinent information. The Air Force has an Airforce Personnel Center on the web, which also contains a section on locating personnel.
Many military groups have presence on the web. I was surprised to find the scope of the groups covered and the excellence of the web sites that I found while researching this article. For instance, an organization called the Air Force Sergeants Association has an outstanding web site. Other organizations and groups are forming and creating new web sites all the time.
If you were in the military during any war, you can also search through many war-related sites available on the Internet. There is a World War II US Veterans Website, a Korean War Project Site, Vietnam Veterans Homepage and a Gulf War Veterans Resource Page. There are also several POW and MIA areas available like the Vietnam Era Database.
The resources for finding your friends are readily available. The Internet can be the ultimate search tool for finding your old buddies.
