While serving in the Army in 1982 I was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. I had received orders to go to Korea but I was going home for Christmas and my brother's wedding in mid-December. I booked a flight from Atlanta to Kansas City with a plane/carrier change in Nashville. I took off with my Class A's on about an hour and a half late. When I got to Nashville the flight to KC was full and boarding. I got bumped from the flight and now had to go standby. Since it was the last flight to KC that night, I was sleeping at the airport. After I sat there a couple of minutes, a gentleman walked up to me and said "Did I hear you were going to KC"? I said "Not tonight, I got bumped.” He said "Come with me". We proceeded to check in. Remember, 80's. No PCs, no online check-in. It was in-line check-in back then. He talked to the attendant and said he wanted to give up his seat to a standby, but only if he could give it to me. I was flabbergasted. I told him he didn't have to do that but he insisted. The attendant said there was no rule that stated he couldn't do that, so she did. I thanked him and he said one more night in a hotel on his company was worth it for a military man. I thanked him again and he was on his way. I went to the gate and gave the attendant my boarding pass. Only then did I look at the pass for the seat number, seat 3D. Now this was the 3rd time that I had flown and I still didn’t know seat arrangements. When I boarded and found the seat, it was first class. I flew home in comfort. I didn’t get the gentleman’s name, I wish I had, but I’ll never forget what he did for a young kid that just wanted to go home.
Greg Slack, SSG
United States Army
1980 - 1988
Sparks, NV