Vietnam Vet denied his vanity license plates
A couple of folks have sent the link to this story in the Salt Lake Tribune about Arnold Breitenbach, a Vietnam Veteran, who served in 1969 and earned a CIB and a Purple Heart that year, so he decided to put CIB-69 on his vehicle license plates. The state of Utah denied his request because the number 69, aside from meaning a lot of things, brings to mind a certain sex position.
Breitenbach, who served as gunner on an armored Army personnel carrier, says he doesn’t think everyone has such a dirty mind that they would be offended.
But he lost an appeal in January.
I wonder if he tried using “CIB-1969”. I wonder if the state of Utah just skips over their randomly generated combinations that end up with “69” in the sequence of numbers, too. I’d like to remember that year, too. I was 14 years old and got my first hickey from Debbie Austin (who was nine months older than me) that summer, but I guess I won’t be getting any license plates to commemorate that milestone in my young life.
But I think that the state of Utah is overreacting a bit. I hope they come to their senses in favor of Mr. Breitenbach.
Category: Feel Good Stories
Ridiculous. I lived in Bountiful, UT for a few years and loved the state. However, I can attest to its ridiculousness now and then (as with all states I wager). I truly hope they come to their senses and give him his plate.
@ M. CHRISTIAN:
Hey, I used to live in Bountiful, a long, long time ago, right by the orchard, right spang on the county line.
At the time, I was employed at Hill Air Force Base on the Department of Defense Police force, was a volunteer firefighter for North Salt Lake, and an Emergency Medical Technician for South Davis County Ambulance.
The very first fire I went on was when the Phillips 66 Refinery blew up, during which I was assigned to ambulance duty.
Do you remember that?
That was a bit before my time, Mr. Mallernee. I was out there from 2006-2009, so relatively recently. I can’t imagine how different things were back then. They built the place up a great deal while I was there. Though it didn’t help traffic into Salt Lake on I-15. haha.
Loved hiking up near the B though. My house was up on Maple Ridge drive, neck-deep in the Wasatch. I miss the city a great deal.
I guess my application for “FreckledFacedDumbAss69” is out too, I was 7 in 1969.
Yeah, Utah DMV needs to remove their head from the bowels of the overly politically correct and administrative requirements.
I asked UT DMV if I could get “CribLizard69”.
They just hung up. Some people have no sense of humor.
I was 7 in 1969.
Wow, that’s old Chief. did you know Elvis?
Youngster. (smile)
Well, I guess we know at least a few half-wit bureaucrats exist in Utah, too.
As Chickenman said (sorta): “They’re everywhere! They’re everywhere!”
I recently read a story where the Texas DMV revoked a plate that a guy had for over three years.
The plate was 370455V.
I still cannot figger that one out…
I read about it a few days ago and have no clue what it is supposed to be ???
I guess I am just too old now or something…
Thunderstix: write the characters down, then turn the paper upside down. Or, replace the “V” with an “A” and hold the paper in front of a mirror.
(smile)
A classic Mike Royko column on this topic:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-02-25/news/8701150900_1_plates-jazz-historian-jazz-band
Had a guy in my home town who had on his sports car..
QQQQ
Really? It’s almost as if there are people whose main objective in life is to act ignorant, remain ignorant, and get paid for it.
I wonder if Utah is okay with the plate 5-WIVES ?
A certain guy we’ve featured here at TAH before might be able to answer that question. (smile)
Just 5? Thats lightweight in Utah. : P
Bwahahaha! Ok, now I have coffee on my keyboard..
Well, yes, he could have put CIB1969 on the request, but they’d still object because they are over-zealous about such things. Idiocy exists in every bureacracy, at all levels.
Utah only allows a total of six (06) characters, including spaces, on a vanity license plate.
My old vanity license plate in Utah, and later, in Idaho, said, “SAIGON”.
JRM, the six character allowance has been upgraded to seven characters now.
The official Utah DMV website (revised in 2014) and the vanity plate application form (dated Dec 2014) both say that up to seven characters are allowed.
I’m only trying to relay the latest info, not bust your chops. OK? – Smile
@ CLAW131, Et Alii:
It was so many years ago that I had those plates, that the limit of letters on a vanity license plate might have been seven (07), instead of six (06), even way back then.
Being an old geezer, I tend to get a lot of stuff mixed up.
Thank you for the correction.
In ‘69, two railroads were famously coupled in Utah. Utah history books refer to it as the of 18** Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit.
The buried lead – Ms Austin – nearly a year older! Lest we forget the magnitude of that accomplishment- worth a merit badge at minimum.
In a State where most of the people believe they have telepathic superpowers to communicate with a supernatural being who lives on a planet near the star Kolob, nothing surprises me. I mean really, they get their guidance from a guy that reads messages out of a hat filled with magic stones.
Sounds hard to believe I know, but other state have these people that believe a talking bush burst into flames and wrote their moral code on a rock.
What can you expect from people who are less than half a chromosome away from a chimpanzee?
“believe a talking bush burst into flames and wrote their moral code”
<<< big grin
I had never heard it that way, thanks!!!
I really love a smile first thing in the morning, makes the rest of the day bearable.
I think you got Mormons mixed up with Scientoligists.
Actually, no – he didn’t.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolob
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seer_stone_%28Latter_Day_Saints%29
C’mon now Dave, it makes perfect sense if god wanted to show his hand in 1820s America he would choose upstate New York and tell only one guy…and that one guy would hold the only ability to translate the magic plates into english and allow Joe and the gang to have multiple wives and confirm the appearance of jesus to americans who were known as the other sheep according to John…
I mean there’s no way a great story like that could all be bullshit as that would mean the evidence for Joe Smith and the book of mormon had as much credence as the evidence for santa claus…
Contrary to your personal beliefs Hardin, the LDS Church teaches from the Holy Bible(NKJV) and the scriptures from the Old and New Testaments. Theologists and historical researchers cast aside those items of ancient chruch history to which you are referencing. A really, really long time ago…
I commend your view. Those ancient stories about talking snakes and burning bushes should never be referred to as ‘History’.
Sadly, Mormons still believe native Americans are a tribe of Jews that came here 800 years before the birth of Jesus. Although DNA studies have proved beyond any doubt that is completely false.
The LDS Church does teach from the ‘Bible’ but believes the New Light or wisdom comes from the so called translations of a know fraud. (Mr. Smith)
The book of Abraham in the Mormon ‘bible’ was translated by Smith from Egyptian scrolls now kept in the Smithsonian. Now that we can actually translate them, they have nothing to do with Abraham.
I respect their right to believe as they wish, I just have not respect for what they believe.
I dont hate religion, I dislike people who teach things to children that are demonstratively false.
WHAAAAAAT?
I’m a convert in The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints, baptized in Portland, Oregon on Saturday 06 May 1967, and I stand by it all the way, come Hell or high water.
I believe in every word of our officially recognized Holy Scriptures, i.e., the King James Version of our Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pear of Great Price.
In fact, whether or not The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints is true or false depends entirely on one thing, and only one thing, i.e., whether or not the Book of Mormon really is the word of God, or whether it is nothing but a scam.
Each individual must determine that for themselves.
As for me, were it not for the selfless and compassionate assistance of other young men in the Church, back when I first joined, I most probably would never have been able to serve in the United States Army, travel the World, and obtain college credits.
Imperfect and ignorant as I admit I am, I believe in this Church, I’m grateful to this Church, and I pray that others will not automatically reject the offer of this glad message, but will make the honest effort of investigating further, in order to decide whether these things actually be of God, or are a massive fraud being perpetrated by the Devil.
You guys are starting to sound like the anti-gun crowd, as far as religion is concerned. I guess we all need something to hate, right?
I don’t hate religion any more than I hate santa or the tooth fairy or bigfoot.
Any premise that has zero evidentiary support is one worth questioning and questioning often primarily because it’s easy for humans to believe shit that has no evidence to support that belief. One need look no further than global warming to see the danger in believing something that lacks the appropriate evidence to support the belief.
No one here calls me a global warming hater for refusing to accept unsubstantiated belief in global warming, yet I’m considered a hater because I refuse to accept or acknowledge someone else’s belief in an equally unsupported premise just because the word god is involved.
I’m not signing up for that. Folks want to believe in things they can’t prove that’s on them and not me. Folks want to discriminate, or carry signs telling me that soldiers are dead because their god hates fags and smile and have children participate in their idiocy, or commit all manner of evil in the name of something that doesn’t exist I have to call bullshit on that belief system or consider myself aiding and abetting a lie.
This entire site is built on the premise that a person is a liar if they lack the evidence to support their tales of derring-do.
That premise should apply equally to belief systems that lack any actual evidence to support their tales of origin along with any attempt by those systems that lack evidence in shaping policy or laws in this country.
If that position equals a hater akin to someone who would attempt to take your tangible means of protecting your safety then so be it.
I would disagree, but that’s my nature.
It’s not the disbelief that disturbs me, but the actual foaming-at-the-mouth hatred I keep reading / seeing. It’s the locked in, ‘this is what is wrong with the world,’ mantra that worries me. I’m getting ready to try and have this same talk with my sister about her militant vegetarianism. Take any of the comments above and substitute ‘meat industry’ or ‘animal exploitation’ instead of ‘god,’ and you have some idea of how SHE talks. It’s not going to be a pleasant conversation.
It was my attempt at being ‘a good Catholic’ that caused tremendous upheaval in my life, to the point that I no longer go to church or have anything to do with organized religion. I do still believe in God, but even that is a shattered image of what it once was. But hate is a hard emotion to control, and I won’t go that far with it.
Honestly, I don’t hate religion. I do hate what SOME people do in its name as I am sure you do.
To me being Agnostic and Atheist are not different degrees of the same thing. They describe two different things altogether.
Is there a God? I don’t know and neither does anyone else. So, when it comes to what I know I am Agnostic.
Do I believe there is a God? No. So I am Atheist in my beliefs.
My initial comment was not hate filled, just a comment about a state full of people that ‘read into’ things a bit much and there are others that do the same thing.
MHO
There are two religions that I will have nothing to do with, and that is Islam and what is loosely described as Voodoo. Talk about your Zombie Apocalypses…
Anybody who has a shred of honesty would say exactly what you did above. Do I believe in God? Yes. Can I prove He exists? No. And that is what got me in trouble with the Church — I didn’t check my brain at the door. You either toe the line or leave, and I finally had to leave.
I’m certainly not looking to add agita in your life. If that is the case I apologize for causing you discomfort.
I have always been a giant pain in the ass I am certain, and I have seldom kept my mouth shut when it might have been more diplomatic and appropriate to do so.
I was once a catholic as well, I made the mistake of doing some reading and some research and was asked to never come back to religious instruction (catechism) when I was 16. I did visit the methodists for a bit after that and then some baptists…
I thank all of them for indicating the actual lack of evidence and thus clearing the way for me to think about the world in terms of what is based on evidence and what is based on lies or assumption.
I was never interested in being a good “religious” anything after that…by the time I entered the military at 19 I was a “NO PREF” on my dog tags.
Again my apologies if I came across as hating I need to dial it back once in a while, being a dick never changes anyone’s mind.
You’ve never been a dick to me, and I appreciate your thoughts and comments. 🙂
Thank you for the kind words!! 🙂
I want to point out and publicly say that I have a great deal of respect for how the two of you handled your conversation.
I don’t pay attention to many post on TAH, but I do always read what the two of you have to say.
Kudos.
Personally I like the South Park explanation the best.
My sons were born in 1969.
CIB-1969 exceeds the number of characters allowed on a Utah Vanity Plate. Only seven are allowed. Hyphens count as a character.
More idiotic crap from the dominant religion, home schooled masses that are encountered on a daily basis on the west face of the Rocky Mountains.
Jonn, You are good to go at this station for getting a hickey from an older chick.
Correction to my comment.
Punctuation characters such as periods,hyphens,question marks, etc are not allowed on Utah Vanity Plates.
So just go with CIB1969 or 1969CIB and try again, buddy. But don’t forget those vanity plates always cost extra bucks, so you’re paying the state extra money to be extra stupid.
Well, I guess if I ever move to Utah getting a vanity plate with the number “4Q2US0B” will be a NO GO . . . .
So will 6ULDV8. (smile)
So I guess “3MTA3” would be a NO-GO as well? 😀
I guess the LGBT crowd cant shout out to others with the plate:
OU812
Maybe “FUQ2” or “FUQ2U2” would be a good response to the DMV?
SUX2BU
1BGDK4U
I live in Georgia, and applied for “HEY 4Q2” once.
Didn’t get it.
Speaking of 1969 I wish they would hold a poll next month for all the people who are going to have their 45th birthday in May and June.
I’m betting that at least two or three million would respond with “Yes, I was conceived at Woodstock!!”
Hmmm… I was there with all them nubile young wimin, wonder if I’m a grandpa or some such after all?
once saw a PBS fundraiser where they were showing Woodstock and said “if we could gt $5 for everyone who claimed that they were at Woodstock…we would never need another fundraiser again”
Just in case… I really was there. Hadda leave Sunday Morning, though, to be back at work Monday. Walked behind the stage while The Jefferson Airplane was on. Missed Hendrix too.
More to the story, but for another time.[grin]
Ha! Photos or it didn’t happen. Doncha know: “If you remember Woodstock, you weren’t there.”
I only remember it from the news as I was on the hot and steamy “far-side-of-the-World” in 69.
(sigh). This story shows more about the workings of the PC bureaucratic mind, more than it does about the prevailing religion (myself being a member in good standing who currently resides within said state – although I was not RAISED there).
Ponder the “Zion curtain” (google it) (or) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_curtains), passed by the state legislature, even though opposed by a majority of rational adults. The Wiki article says it was to try to prevent excessive drinking (HAH!), but we were told something else – that it was passed (wait for it. . . . . ) FOR THE CHILDREN! (tah dah!!) (again, another crock).
So again, this denial if a VietNam Vet license plate is more about the mentality at the DMV (really!? you have to ask?!), then about the majority religion.
#WarOn69
Thanks DMV for keeping the children safe.
Never really cared for vanity plates.
I always thought money could be better spent by the individual or given to charity.
I’m willing to bet the same thing would happen in every other state, too.
So….. I suppose “4Q” and “4Q2” would not make the screening either. Try F00Q
He may like CIB-RVN
He might also like “M2GUNR” or “M60GUNR” or”APCGUNR” or “CIBGUNR” or “11BCIB.”
But I’m sure with the vast numbers of Army Infantry Veterans there are in Utah, all those vanity plates have already been taken and are not available for issue.
He should now try to get vanity plates that read FCKUTHDMV or FCKTEDMV and see if that works.
You know what has always struck me as odd? You can get absolutely raunchy bumper stickers, and that is okay or at least, the state really can’t do anything about it. But your plates, which you pay a lot more for, are censured. Why would they even care? You PAY for those tags, you should be able to put what you like on them, as long as it fits the standard state pattern.
A gal in Texas told me about a plate she saw and apparently liked. It was UB6 IB9
That’s a keeper!
PHUQUE. Meets the 6 digit criteria.
When is was in the PI (Clark AB, ’84-90), we got a new telephone switch. With lots more capacity. So, seeing how I worked closely with the guys that controlled the switch, I got them to assign me a new unpublished number. For select few folks to know.
38258. See if you can figure it out.
So . . . who got the old TTC-38?
I am laughing…When my State started offering Vietnam War Veteran Plates for cars and trucks, I had a choice of numbers… I could have gotten number 3 on my plate… even number 2 as my State Senator Friend would have passed 2 onto me. The Governor got #1.
I chose my first of 2 1/2 consecutive years(1969-71) in III Corp SVN with IIFFV Artillery… which was “69”. I got the plate… not a problem. I was also given my states first Veterans plate for Motorcycles… #1… I am not from Utah but do have a Conceal Carry permit from them LOL.
For all Who Served..
“To those who died, honor and eternal rest;
To those still in bondage, remembrance and hope;
To those who returned, gratitude and peace.”
WELCOME HOME!!!