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Why I should complete the Counterparts Bulletin Board Sign-in Form

Pre-2025 Sign-in

Previously the sign-in was the answer to a security question which was displayed in a image file. This was implemented to prevent program "Spyders" access to the Bulletin Board Forum messages. Since implementation the Bulletin Board has been free of unsolicited links, images, and advertisements.

Post 2024 Sign-in

The sign-in page now asks for your full name, email, rank, branch of service, nickname, military handle, advisory team(s), and Counterparts Unit. (The bold items are now required.) This information, often voluntarily provided prior to 2025, would be found with-in the Topic Title, or with-in the Name, or within the body of the Message which complicated user searches. Users wanted to have this information to others thinking it would help others to remember them or stimulate the reader to respond to their message. Unfortunately (1)Users were having to retype the information multiple times when responding to multiple Forum Topics or persons, (2) Users were not consistently entering the same information each time they entered the Bulletin Board. This created confusion (eg., the names would be entered as Legal Name, Nickname, Military Handle, Initials and in many combinations.) or required the Reader to copy the email address if they want to communicate privately or send each other photos. (3) The actual MAT Teams format of "MAT [Corps]-NNN was not consistent, often did not include the HQ Advisory Team number or the Province, but was simply reported as 87! If someone asked for info on his teammates on team 87, it could mean either a Province Team or a MAT team and sometimes an ARVN unit. (4) Counterpart unit information was not normally included, but is critical when searching for Combat Team teammates or ARVN personnel. Finally, I have added a "Reply To" code to messages. If the person to whom you are responding listed his name in his message, his name will now show up in your message as "Responding to: [His Name]. You and he can now sort all of your messages which will list all the related replies under each original message.

Please provide as much of your information as you can to help others find you. Also as long as you remain on the Counterparts website, the sing-in information will be automatically be carried to any of the other input pages as a"Cookie". "Cookies" are benign and only contain data that you entered at sign-in. They contain no programming code and will be deleted as soon as you leave the Counterparts website. If you served on multiple teams or are searching for someone not a teammate or a different team, please use your browser "BACK" arrow to return to the Bulletin Board Sign-in Window and make the changes you need. In addition, it makes a search for your team more accurate when all postings are consistently formatted. This is especially important if you are searching for teammates who served with you in an ARVN combat unit or ARVN personnel. We hope these changes help with your searches, and messages and makes the Forum more meaningful.

Best Regards to All Jim Alkek, Webmaster on behalf of the Counterparts/THDNA Association