Interviewer
Ryan Austin Findley
Files
Description
Sidney Bailey describes serving in the U.S. Armed Forces as a small engine mechanic during the 1990s. He talks about what motivated him to join the army and details his basic training at Fort Dix then further training as a mechanic. Bailey discusses serving his first active-duty post in South Korea, noting that many college-age Koreans were unhappy that American soldiers were deployed there for peace-keeping purposes. He describes traveling around Korea with his friends, then coming back to the United States to a post in Colorado. He talks about his decision to leave the military because he wanted to other things besides work on engines. Bailey then elaborates on the pride he feels having served in the U.S. Army, noting that military service shouldn’t be compulsory. He also offers his thoughts on how the respect for military veterans has decreased in recent years and attributes these changes, in part, the different presidential administrations. He details the issues with veterans’ health care, saying that the Trump administration has improved accessibility to health care services. He concludes by talking about how difficult it is to stay in touch with other service people because they move from base to base so frequently, or because they may have died during service.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
U.S. Military; U.S. Armed Forces; Army bases; Military mechanics; Small engine mechanic; Trucks; Humvees; California; Fort Dix; Peacekeeping missions; South Korea; North Korean; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military Service, overseas; G.I. Bill; Patriotism; Donald Trump (1946- ); Trump presidential administration; Barack Obama (1961- ); Obama presidential administration; Healthcare, veterans; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs [VA]; Veterans hospitals; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Veterans Community Care Program; VA MISSION Act
Original Date
11-23-2019
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana; Korea; Colorado
Language
eng
Original Collection
The Veteran’s Experience Oral History Project, OH 472
Holding Institution
University of Montana. Mansfield Library. Archives and Special Collections
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights Statement
Rights Holder
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections at the University of Montana, Mansfield Library.
Oral History Number
OH 472-006
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 MP3 file (01:06:00): digital + 1 transcript (22 pp.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:06:00 minutes
Local Filename
OH_472_006.mp3; OH_472_006.pdf
Citation
Bailey, Sidney Lee, "Sidney Lee Bailey Interview, November 23, 2019" (2019). The Veteran’s Experience Oral History Project. 4.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/veteransexperience_oralhistory/4