Curious to know, what made you join the military?

2020-02-26T11:13:15-05:00

For me, my journey started with my father. I was a military brat growing up and consistently around Soldiers, Marines, Seaman, and Airmen. Every time I would see them it would pique my interest, so by the time I turned 18 I knew exactly what I wanted to do once I was old enough to leave the nest.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Feb 26 at 2020 11:14 AM

2020-02-26T11:14:14-05:00

Had two uncles that wer

Response by A1C Jason Chavanel made Feb 26 at 2020 11:19 AM

2020-02-26T11:19:47-05:00

For me, for as long as I can remember, my mom pushed me to join the Navy because she wanted me to have a better life than, as she said, she could give me. So I went down that path, joined JROTC when I got to high school and right after graduation I took my oath. Never once regretted it and glad my mom encouraged me to join because being a military veteran has opened so many doors. I am eternally grateful.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 11:22 AM

2020-02-26T11:22:05-05:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member My father served in WWII and Korea. An Air Force Captain, he was killed when his plane crashed on a training flight. My uncles all served in WWII. I consider myself a patriot and also felt that aiding South Vietnam was a just cause.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 26 at 2020 11:23 AM

2020-02-26T11:23:24-05:00

I suppose you could say that I too joined the military because of my father. I spent as much time away from our home as possible to stay away from him. As a result, I developed a taste for adventuring. I explored the woods and fields around my home. As a Sea Scout, I sailed the Chesapeake Bay. During summer vacations I virtually lived at the Baltimore Yacht Club where we kept our boats and crewed for yacht club members. When I graduated from college and law school the Vietnam War was really heating up and it looked like a grand adventure to me, so I enlisted and wasn't disappointed.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 11:28 AM

2020-02-26T11:28:04-05:00

Family trend, and I needed someone to jerk a knot in my tail badly.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 11:32 AM

2020-02-26T11:32:24-05:00

I always wanted to go into the military. I heard stories from other family of when they went in and the wars and I was awkwardly anyway. I was the only red head in my small town school so I was fighting every day anyways. Lived and worked on a ranch my whole life so I was weirdly strong for a woman. And I wanted to escape my family since I’m a product of the Jones and Smith’, I’ll leave it ag that with that reason. I want able to join at first because I was a solid kid and was 10 pounds heavier then the weight allowed when I turned 18. So after a few tries I finally gave up and then 9/11 happened and I was able to get in with a Somoan weight waiver lol.... turns out I’m a solid bone and muscle mass. They also needed a lot of people in the Intel field and my ASVAB score was rediculous I had me take it 3 times once on paper because they said I cheated. Eye roll. Not sure how that possible when there staring at you the whole time. And each sequence test was out of order. But I eventually passed everything and off I went. Best and worst eight years of my life, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Thank you for your service SSG Private RallyPoint Member and posting an engaging post.

Well wishes

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 26 at 2020 11:34 AM

2020-02-26T11:34:44-05:00

Draft Number 2

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 11:53 AM

2020-02-26T11:53:29-05:00

When I got out of college the Draft was alive and well.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 12:22 PM

2020-02-26T12:22:40-05:00

I come from a long line of service in my family. On my father’s side, he served, my grandfather served, and several uncles and cousins did as well. All were Army. I actually did not intend to join, but I caught myself in a very bad place in life. I was a single father working 3 jobs just to stay afloat. I wanted to go to school and better myself for my child. I joined the Army to give to school. It’s been history ever since.

Response by GySgt Gary Cordeiro made Feb 26 at 2020 12:50 PM

2020-02-26T12:50:59-05:00

Vietnam made my decision; enlist and choose my MOS or get drafted and become an infantryman, no brainer.

Response by PV2 J M made Feb 26 at 2020 1:24 PM

2020-02-26T13:24:41-05:00

I joined because I looked up to the military growing up, it’s what I always wanted to do.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Feb 26 at 2020 1:40 PM

2020-02-26T13:40:37-05:00

Long before I was born, the few father-figures in my life served in uniform; my grandfather in WW1 (Navy), and my two uncles in WW2 (Navy) and Korea (Air Force) respectively; however that wasn't what motivated me. When I was a teen I wanted to fly jets for the Marines. I knew I needed to be an Officer to be a pilot; I knew I needed college to be an Officer. I also knew I wasn't going to get into a service academy, but I could join up after I got my degree, so I went to college--that was my initial plan--but as most of us know, in the face of time, plans change...or end. Now, what I did not know was there existed programs like ROTC in college that would get me where I wanted to go, cheaper (for my education) and much faster than the path I took to get into the military.

In short, life got in the way of my initial plans.

It wasn't until the Great Recession hit, that I revisited the idea of going into the military, but by that point, the only branch taking people my age was the Army. I was no longer particularly interested in being a pilot, which was good, as I would have been too old to get an age waiver anyway, so I chose to go Infantry, and after a few years as a Grunt, I went into the Reserves driving truck. The rest is history.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 2:01 PM

2020-02-26T14:01:48-05:00

Practically a family tradition. There has been at least one person in every generation of my families that have served. Plus.....GI Joe cartoons and John Wayne.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 2:04 PM

2020-02-26T14:04:17-05:00

Thanks for the insight on every one of your lives. It's truly interesting to see the paths we choose to go down. I understand some of these paths weren't by choice, but it's still amazing to see how adaptive people can be to change.

Response by SSG Samuel Kermon made Feb 26 at 2020 2:18 PM

2020-02-26T14:18:55-05:00

Same here.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 6:07 PM

2020-02-26T18:07:37-05:00

My buddy was joining and asked if I wanted to join. I said fuck it and enlisted with him. I did Army JROTC though too. That's why I chose army over any other branch. Already knew rank structure.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 6:52 PM

2020-02-26T18:52:25-05:00

Wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to college or not but I knew I wanted to end up in the medical field so I joined as a Surgical Tech and I’m so glad I did.

Response by SSG Dennis R. made Feb 26 at 2020 7:10 PM

2020-02-26T19:10:03-05:00

It began with being born in Buffalo, NY. What a hole. I never liked western NY state. I had a taste of the military over 2 summers while staying with relatives near Aberdeen Proving Grounds. I even got a job out there as a civilian KP, and in doing so got to meet soldiers in AIT and many of the cadre. I enlisted 2 weeks after turning 17 and went in with the idea I was going to do 20 and retire at 37.
I did just that. I retired at the end of the month of my 37th birthday. This summer will be 32 years of drawing that pension. 20 years took me to 5 states and 3 countries. All in all, it was a great time.

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Feb 26 at 2020 7:40 PM

2020-02-26T19:40:57-05:00

Check out my post in the Command Post section starting with the title “those four words” chronicles not just why I joined but the transformation I found through basic training.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Feb 26 at 2020 8:28 PM

2020-02-26T20:28:08-05:00

9/11 happened my Senior year of high school. I never had any interest in joining the military, but about 6-7 months later I suddenly felt that it was what I needed to do. Wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Response by PO1 Woody W. made Mar 1 at 2020 6:09 PM

2020-03-01T18:09:43-05:00

My Dad and my uncle <his little Brother>, were Airdales in the US Navy. Both Aircraft Structural mechanics. My big Sister & brother were Navy Babies, both born at NATC Memphis (Millington) TN in the mid fifties. My older brother joined in 1974 after a couple of months out of high school. I knew I wasn't ready for college, as I was burnt out on education <high school>. in 1975, during my Sr year in HS, I went to the Navy Recruiter, and started the process. 02/76 I enlisted in the CACHE program with a guaranteed Tech School in telecommunications. After reporting to my 1st ship, the Midway class Aircraft Carrier USS Franklin D Roosevelt (CV 42); I immediately deployed to the 6th Fleet (Mediterranean). I was able to visit my older brother, who was also deployed on a different Carrier. We had received word about decommissioning the Roosevelt. I asked my brother, if he'd go for "Brother Duty" if I ended up getting transferred. That came to pass, exacerbated by a collision at sea, to which I transferred by July of 77. I separated and transferred to the Drilling Naval Reserve. Apparently I had to separate from active duty to realize how much the navy was a good fit for me. Several more commands to include Recruiting Duty; an Overseas Naval Special Warfare / Special Boat Unit Combat Tour of duty in Central/South Americas <including the invasion and liberation of the Republic of Panama> Desert Storm; Haiti; & Bosnia. I'd been around the world three times and talked to everyone at least twice. A nautical tradition.... when a seafaring man makes his final return to his home port from sea..... he throws his "White Hat" over the fan tail. My final return, also included my wife, son and daughter, who threw the hat with me (above) in 20/1997. I retired 04/30/1998.

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Mar 1 at 2020 9:16 PM

2020-03-01T21:16:17-05:00

Like you, I was an Army Brat, and when I felt a calling to the ministry, the Chaplaincy seemed an ideal fit...and it was.

Response by SGT Fredrick Ramm made Mar 13 at 2020 6:35 PM

2020-03-13T18:35:58-04:00

Ironically, my father and my grand father where at an unusual age group when The Great War and World War II rolled around and didn't serve. My Great Great Great Grand Father was Sergeant Major of a British Regiment...it must have been genetic. Despite that Vietnam Situation going on when I joined, I knew it was a path to follow...I just wasn't, at the time, cut out for college. If I had to do it again, I can't see any other way...and yes, it still would be The Armor/Cav.

Response by MAJ Lee Goehl made Mar 29 at 2020 7:39 AM

2020-03-29T07:39:33-04:00

I joined yo go to college, stayed for a career. Retired went to work at the VA for 22 years to complete the circle. Have 6 kids 3 have served, I still in the reserves, 2 work for the VA. It's who I am not what I did.

Response by SP5 Michael Moore made Mar 29 at 2020 9:24 AM

2020-03-29T09:24:59-04:00

My great grandfather and grandfather
My great grandfather in buried in Arlington alongside my great grandmother. To hear the stories when I was young I always wanted to join, them when my Grandfather was 16 he trained horses on our Indian reservation in upstate NY for the Calvary.
So for me it was because family tradition and I wanted to do my part as a Native American Indian and I don’t regret not on minute.

Response by SPC Ron Salsbury made Apr 6 at 2020 11:06 PM

2020-04-06T23:06:34-04:00

Great question with many answers, I've always wanted to join, but took the college route first until I got married, after that it fell into place due to circumstances. Loved my tour, even looked at re-enlisting after Desert Storm, unfortunately I did not get any of my options I wished for, so I went back to College finishing my degree's. I am also proud to claim I am fifth generation military service in the US Army, followed by my son who is generation number six!

Response by CPL Tom Walker made Apr 8 at 2020 7:59 PM

2020-04-08T19:59:10-04:00

An easy one - my lottery number was 3. Enlisted for an extra year so I could have my first duty station guaranteed for 1.5 years.

Response by PO2 Mark Chambers made Apr 12 at 2020 1:46 PM

2020-04-12T13:46:19-04:00

From the time I was young, I always wanted to work on aircraft and be in the service. The Navy offered me both. I also learned what it truly meant to serve our contry. And looking back, I also made some life long friends as well.

Response by SPC Bill Ratajczak made Apr 12 at 2020 6:44 PM

2020-04-12T18:44:49-04:00

I was going down a bad road at 17, several of my friends were in jail already. My step father told me to step up or get out. The Army recruiter was the only one at the office when I went. So it's the Army life for me. It was the single best thing I ever did. I got squared away and took to it better than my family could understand. I miss those days and think of them often.

Response by AA Loreen Silvarahawk made Apr 21 at 2020 10:50 AM

2020-04-21T10:50:11-04:00

My Family was military on both sides and my Dad was a 20+ year Army Air Corps./Air Force soldier. In 1965 there were not many choices for females and John F. Kennedy's statement, "Ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country,"" convinced me to join the Navy (also neighbor was a Navy Recruiter.)

Response by SFC Jeremy Boyd made Apr 21 at 2020 10:55 AM

2020-04-21T10:55:57-04:00

I had always wanted to be an Army Soldier since the age of 6 or 7. Back then in the 80s the Army commercials and the slogan "Be All That You Can Be," mixed with the catchy jingle, had me hooked from Day 1! In my opinion the Army should have never gone away from that slogan and branding. It was a marketing masterpiece! I wanted to be a Soldier so badly that when I was in high school I only applied for colleges as a back up plan in case it turned out I wasn't qualified for Army service. Luckily for me I was fully qualified, and as an 18 year old kid I reported to 12B OSUT on August 5th, 1998. The rest, as they say, is history!

Response by Sgt Leonard Lamb made May 4 at 2020 10:43 PM

2020-05-04T22:43:16-04:00

the Draft...

Response by Cpl Michael Ashworth made May 8 at 2020 6:06 AM

2020-05-08T06:06:15-04:00

For the reasonably, inexpensive, nutritional food.

Response by MAJ Jeffrey Johnson made May 9 at 2020 9:31 PM

2020-05-09T21:31:09-04:00

Got drafted. Fell in love with the Army before finishing Basic and enlisted. Stayed over seven enlisted years. Finished twenty-four years ending up as a major. Wife married me as an E-4 and is still with me right-click years later. With the exception of a drink as a recruiting NCO, I was always Infantry.

Response by SGT John Overby made May 10 at 2020 12:58 PM

2020-05-10T12:58:42-04:00

Loyalty to my country and to avoid the draft so that I had a choice of branch. Enlisted for OCS and got hurt in basic so I had to withdraw from OCS before finishing 11B AIT and ended up in the Signal Corp as an 05C, Radio Teletype Operator, 1st Infantry Division, Ft. Riley, KS.

Response by SGT William McDonald made May 10 at 2020 11:56 PM

2020-05-10T23:56:05-04:00

Practically everyone in my family was in the service, mostly Navy, so, I had to be different and I joined the Army!!!!! Now in hindsight, I should have joined the Navy!!!!! But all in all it was a good experience and I met a lot of good people!

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 10:33 AM

2020-05-14T10:33:46-04:00

I know this sounds counter intuitive.... but I had lost too many people I cared about. I viewed the military as a safer line of work in general and it helped me get away from the both my prior line of work (don’t get me wrong, I loved commercial fishing, but knowing too many people in that field of work will kill you mentally over time) and helped me distance myself from my father (I haven’t talked with him in about 5 years now). It’s not easy to make people understand that something can be more difficult than the military but I have never been nearly as overwhelmed with the military as I was with commercial fishing (aside from the loss of a very close friend who used to work with me here in Great Lakes). Our days are shorter, our jobs are easier, and my friends are more safe. I don’t plan on staying in but I am so glad I got to join and calm my mind down and do a job that helps the people around me. (And of course certain jobs in the military are more difficult than what I did commercial fishing I’m not denying that, I’m merely recognizing that a relatively small percentage of people in service are in those fields)

Response by CPL D Malone made May 18 at 2020 3:47 PM

2020-05-18T15:47:33-04:00

I could not recall a time in my childhood where I did not want to be a soldier. I wanted to do my part for my country. I had family and other friends were vets, and my Brother was in the USMC. I suppose their stories might have helped me along the path, but that's all I wanted to do...