Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Military Why did you join the service?

Me, I would have been drafted, so I joined.

I never really thought I would do anything else. I signed 4 days after my 17th birthday. Had to get my Mom's permission. She was not happy.

Family tradition and I was heading to self destruction with guys I hung around with.

Joined the Corps at 17 and my parents were really happy to sign me.

Whole family was Army so I strayed a bit.

Best thing thing I did in my life

1st time.. tradition and I didn't want to go to college..

2nd time, was in college and the Guard, ran out of money, then the ROTC recruiter got me.

By the time made field grade and I realized it wasn't much fun anymore, I had 17 years in, so 5 more made sense.

I was being drafted so I enlisted to choose my duty station in Germany to avoid going to Vietnam

Both my grandparents served so it was always in the back of my head.

9/11 hit and I basically lost my job at the same time - seemed like the right thing to do. We were going to war, I figured I might do some good. Spent 4 years working a counter-terrorism mission, specifically as an E. European Islamic extremism SME. Don't know if I did any "good" but I did my job well above average.

9/11/2001, I was in basic 3/25/2002 - there was a line.

17 is young, I had a friend in basic that joined at 17.

Yes, but I think most of us early enlisters were men by 20. Now of course I thought I was a man at 17, but I was just a kid. I look at the average 20yr old today and wonder what the hell happened.

Received a greeting from Uncle SAM so i Joined 1970 twenty years later took a full time position in Army National guard no break in serv they put me out to pasture in 2013 with 43 years of service, I don't miss the BS but I do miss some of those I served with!




Always make Coffee Up-stream from the Latrine field manual 1892

I just wanted to be a Marine.

Parents wouldn't sign for me, so I signed up a few days after my 18th b-day when the recruiter made it to Sidney (his office was down in Billings).

Six weeks later I graduated high school, and was standing on the yellow footprints at MCRD San Diego on 30 May, 1979.

Family of twelve kids with no way to go to college without racking up significant debt. Joined in Nov 1976 before the Vietnam era GI bill expired.

Ran the scheme past my Scottish grandmother who said, "Join the service and get posted overseas and air the farts out of your pants. You'll come home a hero no matter what you did over there and no one will ever be the wiser."


So I did.

In the end, from enlistment to retirement, I covered 41 years and seven months of enlisted, officer, active, reserve and air national guard duty and had the time of my life.

Right or wrong I never served. I was a lottery for Vietnam. My dad was a B17 pilot with 35 missions. I asked him about joining and his only advice was " You are too smart for that". He wanted me to go to college.

Was drafted in October 1972, last draft call for Vietnam. Short version, no Student Status as that was cancelled, but got a delayed enlistement as long as I kept my grades up. Went in after college, trained as 91 B and 91 C, reduction in force kept me from continuing in other things I signed up for.

Came from military family, so it was just considered that was what I was obligated or expected to do..

Don't regret a bit of it.

Joined the USN on delayed entry while still in HS. Never any question about going in the USN. Victory at Sea did me in, among other films and my maternal GF served in both the army and navy (Mexican thing and WW I) and told that it was best when carried by a ship.

Pure flag waving patriotism...
LOL, pure bullschidt...
I was 18, no skills, winter coming on, summer firecrew job gone, no prospects...army sounded good, 3 squares, clothes, most of the time a roof over my head, not a lot of other choices really. So I went, got a very good practical school, heavy equipment repair, which fed me the rest of my life. It was all good.
Even though there was a war going on just a few miles from Cam Ranh Bay, to my knowledge, nobody ever shot at me.

I had always considered the military because I wanted to get out and look around at the world. I was going to join right out of high school and I got a college scholarship from the local American legion so I went to college for one year. I hated college so at 19 in 1973 I went in the Army. It was a great adventure for 3 years and I joined the National Guard for one year making 4 total. In 1985 I went back into the Guard for 20 more. 12 1/2 years as a Huey crew chief and a deployment to Ft. Hood doing the Medevac mission. If I were 19 I would do it all again.

kwg

19 chronologically, partying all the time, no goals, didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up, etc. Fortunately had the sense to see that and realize I had the emotional maturity of a 12 year old. Figured a stint in the Army would help me grow up and even if I totally screwed up I'd still have food to eat, clothes to wear and a place to sleep.

Didn't always like the conditions or especially the folks giving me orders but learned a great life lesson in what good and bad leadership looks like. After three years I came out a (relatively) responsible, mature young man ready to face the world, so it worked.

ROTC paid for undergrad degrees. Seven years as an infantry officer taught me how to handle anything that might come up and how to lead, rather than manage, people. My last boss let me have a no show job as a brigade assistant S-3 so that I could get an MA in education on my dime, but company time. He let me do this 'cause I took over a failing company and put it back into fighting shape despite just coming off on own full company command.

My 2 Sisters were in college (this is before scholarships & student loans were readily available) & I knew it was too much for my parents to handle, so I joined the Air Force. I tested well, so I went to a great Electronics school & got to do & see so much I'd have to write a 2 volume book to cover it all. My close Air Force friends, & I all thrived in civilian life afterwards, due to out training & mindset ( due to Air force experiences) !!!

I know this is an old thread. I joined the military to get away from home when I was 18, but quickly realized that no matter where you go, you take yourself with you. I was a stupid kid, but the man above was looking over me. I made up my mind right away that I wasnt going to get involved in a lot of the nonsense that I saw going on around me. Looking back now, maybe I should have been more open minded. I met a lot of good people and a few that werent. I wish all of them well wherever they are right now.