At what point did you feel like you were finally a service member? (when did it finally "click")?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:05:11 -0400

What was the defining moment when you realized "Wow, I'm a legitimate (Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, Etc.)" It's a bit of a fluff question, but stories like this are interesting to me. It doesn't have to be a moment of any particular intensity, it's different for everyone.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Jun 24 at 2016 4:09 PM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:09:07 -0400

When I made Pfc in Boot Camp & our Junior DI called us Pfc instead of @#!%^&*^%biirds

Response by SSG William Jones made Jun 24 at 2016 4:09 PM

SSG William Jones — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:09:41 -0400

After A.I.T. @ Ft. Polk.

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made Jun 24 at 2016 4:11 PM

SPC Andrew Griffin — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:11:53 -0400

While waiting at 30th AG!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:32 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:32:14 -0400

Honestly, when I got back home after Basic Training, and I saw how all the teenagers were still acting the same way as they were when I left.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:32 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:32:25 -0400

What Sgt Tom Cunnally said!!

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 24 at 2016 4:36 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:36:42 -0400

The first morning I reported to OBC.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:38 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:38:11 -0400

During Basic Training, we were getting smoked after lunch chow one day. I have long forgotten for what infraction, if I ever even knew. I was in the leaning rest, and suddenly felt the need to puke. I knew I needed the food, so I wasn't about to throw it up. I swallowed the small amount of food I puked up except for one kernel of corn that escaped between my teeth. As I stared down at that kernel of corn in the leaning rest, I decided that I felt that I was a soldier.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Jun 24 at 2016 4:51 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:51:07 -0400

When a bunch of old crusty SFCs training us at Fort Lewis WA.said "your INFANTRY now and you will be INFANTRY till the day you die,"I am almost 71 years old and I remember that day as if it was yesterday.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 24 at 2016 4:55 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:55:37 -0400

Funny you should ask. I can remember the exact moment I realized I was in the Army, really a part of it. I can still see the room and the people around me. Reception Center, Fort Jackson, SC. We were ushered into a large hall filled with old fashioned school desks, the wooden kind with a arm rest and writing surface on the right hand side. There was a stack of forms and two No 2 pencils bound with a rubber band on each desk. We were told to stand by one and keep our hands in our pockets. When every desk was "occupied" a sergeant instructed us to do nothing until he told us. When told, we were to place the forms on the shelf below the seat and... some people began to reach and quickly wished they hadn't. ...and place the two pencils on the desk top, then put our hands back in our pockets. Step by agonizing step we were told to remove our hands from our pockets, sit down, remove the top form, a blue card, and the top form only from the stack and place it in front of us, but not touch a pencil. Some got the card part correct and some touched a pencil and wished they hadn't. We were then instructed to fill in the first few items, name, home town address, city, state, and zip only. Every instruction was repeated three times and accompanied with dire warnings. To be honest, i was getting angry. What idiot could fill out a simple form. Well, as it turned out I was sitting in a room full of them. When told to enter our names I began writing mine until I became aware of the person to my right. He was looking at what I was doing. For all I know, there may have been two of us with the same info that day. The man to my left had his hand in the air. Yep, that's the moment when I realized not only that I was in the Army, but also that I was an idiot.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 24 at 2016 5:41 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:41:36 -0400

When I splashed a Styx while standing the EW watch. The AD types allowed this reservist to be part of the club thereafter.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 24 at 2016 5:43 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:43:12 -0400

When my CC CTRC Zetterholm stopped calling us Recruits and started calling us Sailors. Maybe when I reenlisted the First Time and realized that this thing might be a life thing for me. Maybe when I was promoted to 2nd class with a Higher Score than the other 2 in the Dept and was selected as #2 to my Dept Head and my coworkers jokingly referred to me as a Lifer.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jun 24 at 2016 5:50 PM

SN Greg Wright — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:50:18 -0400

The moment I was woken by a flying trashcan the second day in boot.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 24 at 2016 6:14 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:14:08 -0400

When the Eagle Globe and Anchor was pressed firmly in my palm. Never thought I'd leave Parris Island alive. Only now can I look fondly on it and see the amount of effort my DIs put in to make sure I succeeded.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 24 at 2016 6:20 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:20:12 -0400

I felt like it the very second that they started shaving off all of my hair.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 6:25 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:25:32 -0400

~ Basic ... I was a Hero. As in "GET YOU GOAT SMELLING ASS OVER HERE YOU F***ING HERO!"
~AIT ... I was a PRAAAAA-VET.
~Jump School ... I was a Dirty Nasty Leg ... and apparently I wanted to eat some cookies with my mommy.
~Finally got to Ft Bragg and going to my new unit where I wouldn't be a Trainee anymore!! Sitting in outside Top's office as part of inprocessing and I hear "GET YOUR CHERRY MOTHER F***ING, FIVE JUMP CHUMP ASS IN HERE PRAAAAAAAAA-VET SUPERSTAR!"

... I knew I was home.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 24 at 2016 7:23 PM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:23:06 -0400

For me it was the first time I got called Shipmate by the Command Master Chief at my first duty station.
Yeah I had been called Shipmate before, but it was during Boot Camp graduation.

Response by SGT Alfred Cox made Jun 24 at 2016 7:27 PM

SGT Alfred Cox — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:27:13 -0400

I guess after I was promoted to pfc and sent to Air Assault School after my first year at Campbell in 97. That's when the pride kicked in.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Jun 24 at 2016 7:34 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:34:45 -0400

I was surrounded with Blackhawks, Bell, and Chinook helicopters.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 7:50 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:50:51 -0400

5th bn 10th ,marines 8 inch arty

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 8:23 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 20:23:49 -0400

I distinctly remember realizing how differently I handled things after my two year mark. I was more polite, less angry, and able to control interpersonal conflict very efficiently. I also realized how confident I had become, and could only thank the military for bringing it out in me.

Response by MSG Pat Colby made Jun 24 at 2016 9:04 PM

MSG Pat Colby — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:04:21 -0400

As a PFC RTO in the 82D, Our Plt Ldr 2LT asked me what he should do. I made him GTF away from me and go troop the lines to make sure everyone was drinking water.

Response by CPL Christopher Volpe made Jun 24 at 2016 9:10 PM

CPL Christopher Volpe — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:10:16 -0400

When my Uncle (Ret. E-8 Tanker vet) did a surprise visit. He took of the backings of my rank on my collar and pounded them in after I got out of AIT.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 9:28 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:28:15 -0400

The first pt formation i had at my first unit. D Co 1/327

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 10:15 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 22:15:01 -0400

When I first felt really in the military was after we got everything back from second uniform issue and were able to wear uniforms with our name tapes on.

But when I finally felt I had been of service was the first time, as an intel analyst, one of my products got published to the fleet and I heard from higher up that it had been week done.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jun 24 at 2016 11:55 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 23:55:47 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member In the reception center at Ft Ord in 1953. I washed my HBTs in a mop sink a
and bucked chow lines, or any line due to my obvious seniority in the Army.

Response by SP5 Joel McDargh made Jun 25 at 2016 12:13 AM

SP5 Joel McDargh — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 00:13:35 -0400

Not until recently did I feel deserving of the moniker of soldier and veteran. I went into the army at age seventeen in January of 1970. October of -70 I was in Vietnam as a courier. I spent most of my time much by myself on the road 24/7 delivering mail, orders, classified, and secret documents. I got socked into firebases many times due to weather and/or hostilities. I knew three men over there whom I considered friends. Two are deceased and the one still living is a very dear close friend. It has always been hard to define myself as a legitimate soldier as I could in no way socialize or get close to anyone due to my job. I wasn't in combat persae nor was I a desk jockey. So identifying with any particular group of soldiers was moot. Coming back to the states I still felt much out of place and kept to myself. It has only been these past couple of years that what I did and experienced did indeed qualify me as a soldier. What I carried over there would have cost many lives had I been compromised. I am no hero. I have never identified myself as such. I did my job, came under fire a couple of times during my travels, but never threw down or gave up. The hardest part has been in trying to find my way home. I think that maybe I am finally making progress.

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Jun 25 at 2016 3:05 AM

PO1 Tony Holland — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 03:05:45 -0400

The minute I signed the dotted line and raised my right hand.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 25 at 2016 11:11 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 11:11:29 -0400

Here's two, a sad and a happy:
I was a sucker for the BS jobs that nobody wanted. The Squadron Commander voluntold me as OIC of the Base Honor Guard. I was a captain with about 6 years of service. Our main duty was funerals. My main jobs were to let the NCOIC train the team and to talk to the funeral director and find out what the family wanted in the way of military honors for their deceased loved one. The first time I really felt the weight of my Service was presenting the flag "from a grateful nation" to a grieving mother.

When I was 25 I upgraded from copilot to aircraft commander. A couple of days later I reported to Squadron Ops and was handed a folder putting me in charge of a C-130E aircraft, a 5-person aircrew, and a logistics mission to fly from Langley AFB to NAS Norfolk, to Puerto Rico and back. The C-130s were loosely controlled in those days and the job was to get the mission accomplished and call if you need help. Otherwise let the command post know when you get to PR. Thanks to a very good aircrew we completed the mission without incident and landed safely back at Langley the next day. This was really a no-big-deal mission, but I was proud to be an Air Force pilot that day.

Response by SSG Dennis O'Connor made Jun 25 at 2016 3:09 PM

SSG Dennis O'Connor — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:09:37 -0400

At 2 o'clock in the morning my first day at Sand Hill 30th Replacement BN. We had only just gotten there at 2300 the night before, put to bed then woke up with the metal trash can being thrown down the aisle

Response by 1SG Cameron M. Wesson made Jun 25 at 2016 4:11 PM

1SG Cameron M. Wesson — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 16:11:44 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member mine was being selected for the BNs color guard two weeks after getting to unit... doing a good job.... and getting my first 3 day pass from the 1SG... that was the bomb! I was 10 feet tall... and the MAN!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2016 10:10 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:10:54 -0400

When my old man pinned my blue cord on my shoulder.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Jun 27 at 2016 11:14 AM

SFC Kenneth Hunnell — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 11:14:36 -0400

When I got my first dose of hurry up and wait

Response by 1SG Billye Jackson made Jun 27 at 2016 4:23 PM

1SG Billye Jackson — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:23:27 -0400

4 Oct 1965 Day One at BCT Ft Benning Ga.

Response by CPL Kenneth Norris made Jun 27 at 2016 5:51 PM

CPL Kenneth Norris — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:51:10 -0400

When the V.A. gave me another chance to die for our country?

Response by CPL Kenneth Norris made Jun 27 at 2016 5:54 PM

CPL Kenneth Norris — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:54:37 -0400

When the V.A. game me another chance to die for our country?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2018 4:08 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 04:08:02 -0400

When we did our "right of passage" ceremony before graduation BCT. 12 mile ruck march followed by crawling through a long tunnel which led out to the woods (torches, smoke, music), then being called Soldiers for the first time.