Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire A Q for the Veterans

Why did you choose or not to make a career in the military?

I joined because I believe that every American should find a way to serve the country, and this was a way that suited me. A side benefit was that I had an interest in all things military, and I had a chance to do a lot of things you can't do in civilian life. Once I went active duty and had a family, it provided stable employment with decent benefits that would enable me to support my family. Yes, I've missed important days and events, but service and sacrifice are often found together. All in all, it's been an interesting 27 years.

I joined during the Viet Nahm era because I was classified 1A by my friendly local draft board. As long as you were 1A you couldn't get a good job, a car loan etc. Everywhere I went, such as a job interview, the first question was, "What's your draft classification?". 1A ended the conversation.

I did my four years in the AF, but I was a punk and always in trouble. My reenlistment briefing was, "You're not going to try and reenlist are you?"

Funny thing is that in the end I wound up giving the DOD another 30 years as a civil servant.

Chose to make the Navy my career, then chose not to.

Intended to go for thirty when I enlisted (1949).

But three years at the Naval Photographic Center, where sea duty and transfers were waived, convinced me that thirty years of Washington was no career for me.

When I signed my DD-214 in 1953, LT Odenath joked "Congratulations! You've just reupped for six!" (I knew better, of course.)

"If you want me back," I said, "you'll have to burn the swamp and sift the ashes."

Number one reason I got out was that I wanted to get into a career in Refrigeration (Which is what was promised to me upon enlistment, but you know how that worked in the 60's), and as a Loadmaster on C-130's they wanted me to stay in that career field. If I re-upped, I couldn't cross-train. Loadmaster was a super great job, but not much you can do with it outside the service.
I got out in '70, and started in working on industrial low temp, and very large ammonia refrigeration systems. Temps on 500+ hp freon compressors down to -100, and ammonia systems with 12" liquid lines, and multiple 16" suction lines. That job fed my family very well (and bought a lot of toys) for well over 30 years, with a substantial retirement.
With 632 landings and takeoff's on C-130's in-country, and finding a few bullet holes in the planes during inspections between runs I wasn't scared, but did feel I was pressing my luck. Always figured that the Lord only gives you "so many" safe take off's and landings in a war zone. And with 2 young daughters and a great wife at home....

I look back now, and I still feel I put in my time, and made the right decision to get out when I did.

While on one of my first leave periods in my hometown (1971, Eau Claire, WI), I stopped in to a bar in uniform for a drink (essentially emancipated minor status). The other fellas there were talkative, giving advice and telling tales BUT the thing that stuck with me was that nearly each one stated whether or not they were happy with their decision to 'get out' of the service.

Without exception (as I recall) once the fella had reached 20 years since his join date he stated he wished he had stayed in the service, the ones that hadn't achieved the 20 year mark yet varied in response with most saying they were happy they got out.

I figured they were telling me something... That and I was pretty damn sure I was going to work until I was old or dead and I may as well work for the Navy and get 1/2 pay and medical for life then continue working for someone else. Seemed like a no-brainer to me. I stayed for a little over 21 years retiring in 1992 with a little over 1/2 pay and TriCare Prime medical.

Nice. My dear Father was drafted to Korea, a first gen Italian "wimp" with two sisters by his own admission. He went in young (19), plump and with a business (THE hot dog/hamburger stand in town that he worked at in high school and was soon later to buy from the owner via cash flow) to leave behind. He left Korea a Master Sergeant with two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. He has an incredible series of photos (three pearl shelled albums) that tell the tale of his time there. Some photos are absolutely brutal, other are whilst on R&R. Just great stuff. His photos are a fascinating story and as my older brother and I grew up he would pull them out of "his box" every couple of years and we would recall the stories. This he has done with my three sons as well. They are always left stunned as they mix war with the fact that a man after can be so gentle. Dad is 85 coming June. Dad's words always rang clear growing up, "If I knew you would come back alive I would want you to experience war". Right or wrong, when we hit the age he pushed us towards college as he became disenfranchised. He viewed the "whining" of the Vietnam vets as "whining" and did not grasp the big picture. War was war in his simple mind I suppose. In fact, he didn't care. Anyway, this is as it was.

Never was peace time military material, preferring sweat and blood to spit and shine.

Sometimes I wish I would have stayed in for retirement, but deep down inside, I know I would have been dead long before two decades were up.

I was set to make it a career but wounds changed that, They sent me on my way after only 6 years.

Joined to do 4 years. Ended up doing 20 and change. I liked the travel and the opportunities to do cool stuff by volunteering for the special assignments. Not having a family to worry about, I was always looking for interesting assignments every two years.

USAF, AFOSI, 1977 to 1997

After my initial four year enlistment, I had ideas of staying for at least 20 or more. In fact I was with MI out in Colorado and wanted to put in my Warrant packet, cross train with the MP's and go into the CID. However, a very small minded Company commander didn't see things that way.......his only concern was that it would take him six months to replace me (with all of my clearnaces and access).

There was also a certain "Company" trying very hard to recruit me at the same time so I told the CO that I was not going to re-enlist.

I agree with Dan......sometimes a "Peacetime" Army can really suck. You have no way of weeding out the bad apples........

Was getting divorced and there was no way in hell I was going to let the ex raise my kid in MI while the Navy had me in DC on the next hitch.

SAME SAMO. "Safe" assignments were full of chickenshidt.

If you tried hard enough, there were non-poultry-feces assignments to be had, even in "peacetime"

Thought about doing more than 4 years, but, state department offered too much money to stay in.

Growing up as a dependent, knew I'd spend time in the military, if nothing else, as an expectation...

But nothing was 'going on' so I did not get to complete the training I wanted, as they were doing RIF....

And Since growing up as a dependent, I'd already spent "military time" getting moved all around the planet..

Considered going back in during Desert Storm, but it ended before it got started.. so that kaboshed that...

By the Way Ed, great story about your Dad...

When you see him, give him the Campfire Best Regards and thank him for his service for us...

I grew up in a time when literally everybody had been in the military, including both my parents. The Korean War was raging and WWII was still recent news. Being in uniform was simply part of my makeup. Cub Scouts, then Boy Scouts, then Civil Air Patrol before finally getting to ROTC and the real Air Force.

When the Air Force started kicking pilots out of the service after Vietnam, I cross-trained into a different career field, then left active duty but decided to stay in the Reserves "just in case." Reserve duty turned out to be both painless and promising, so I did 13 years of that, for a total of 23 years of service.

There you have it enlisted out of high school volunteered for FMFPAC did a full tour in RVN and extended for six months. Went in for the second extension and they kicked me out of country. So I got out not a big fan of spit and polish. I went Leo and became a charter member of the new County Bomb Squad. Had to have something interesting to do.

I joined during the Vietnam war because I felt a strong desire to serve my country. Some of us do, others don't. And yes, Bruce Springsteen is totally out of touch with Veterans. He is still lost in the 60's, and still doesn't get it that many of us actually believe in and want to serve our country.