Did you have a long-term plan when you joined the military?

I came in 1984 at 17 and a E-1. I was told due to your gender, admin, dental, supply MOS. I grew where I was planted, went through hazing, sexism. I was locked in an MOS and I stayed an E6 for 22 years. At 39, I became a W01, CW2. God changed my path. I became a Army Chaplain, and now retiring 34 years later. I played the hand I had. I persevered and pushed through every obstacle!

I really had no long term plans or for that matter any plans when I enlisted after my three years were up .I had plans to re up but things at home required my returning to civilian life to care for my family,as far as working out for the better ,the short time I did in the Service changed and improved the rest of my life ,one of the best decisions any screwed up nineteen year old ever did!

No not at all! Planned to serve my 4 years and get out. Ended up serving 20!!! LOL!!!

I volunteered for the Draft, in 1962, to get it out of the way. Sent to Ft. Jackson, SC. 5 months, 11C. Next, Schofield Barracks. Oahu, 25th Inf. while there I took Correspondent course in Basic Electronics, with CIT, 'Cleveland Institute of Technology. My 1ST SGT, approached me about 3 months before my US, '2' year commitment was up and said; 'Look here Son, I heard You are doing good in your Correspondent Course with CIT, but do You know that the US Army has some of the top Electronics Courses in the whole world?' So here I go to Re-enlistment to find me an Army Electronics Course, Lo and behold, I re-enlisted for 4 years, to attend the 'Inertial Guided Missile Course' at the US Army Missile Center and School at Redstone Arsenal, outside of Huntsville, Alabama, All is well I laved the place the instruction. After 4 weeks, we were receiving the introduction to Gyroscopes, the door to the classroom opens and a Lt. comes in and asks for me. This segment, the Gyroscopes, was the first classified, secret, segment, in the course and since I was not a US citizen, held only a Green Card, plus I had all my closest relatives still living behind the Iron Curtain, I was explained that I could be, 'Blackmailed' for information I was about to receive. I was upset, of the 19 classmates I was ranked #3. A major asked me what I wanted to do I said I want to get out! So the major replied, 'Specialist, do You ever want to become a US citizen?' I said, 'Of course.' He again, "Do You understand how it will look when in your papers it is stated that You have left the Army on your own accord?" Wow, I said I didn't consider that. The major wasn't truthful, but I didn't know that. They offered me, 'Generator Repair Course', now, 'Who wants to be a, "Grease Monkey?" Not ME! After some haggling, I said, 'Send me to France.' my girlfriend, with whom I went to the Hungarian Refugee High School in Innsbruck Austria, was living with her sister in Paris, we corresponded for some 3 years. I was told by the Major that they look into that. A few days later I was told, 'NO GO!' President Charles de Gaulle, was kicking the US out of France, lucky me! By now I was set to get to Europe, Girlfriend and all. I wound up in Aschaffenburg, W. Germany, I learned German in Austria where I was in school from 1956 to 1961, 3rd Inf. Div. After 2 months I was in Stuttgart, playing Soccer for the 7th Army, got married in 1965, to my Parisian-Hungarian Girlfriend, (celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary this April, 2018), Our Daughter was born in 1966, in Heidelberg, same hospital where Ge. George S. Patton was, "Killed", most likely! I applied for the US Army Signal Center and School at Frt. Monmouth, NJ, in the fall of 1966, was accepted to the 34B Course, Tabulating Equipment Repair Course, with the UNIVAC 1004/5 Computer System thrown in, That was the 3rd Computer Course/Class that the Army offered, Graduated after 9 months. Next year I became a D.S.T.E. '34F' Digital Subscriber Terminal Equipment Tech. I made it. Loved it, '69 NAM, Volunteered for the 2nd NAM Tour, I was NAIVE, thinking that I can contribute to saving the S. Vietnamese from the same fate that I and ALL my relatives had to endure in the Communist Paradise of Hungary. Politics is a dirty business, CONTROL FREAKS are in charge! 58 thousand of my fellow Soldiers died for NOTHING in NAM. I stayed in for 21 years, Happy that I have done it. That is part of my story of, WHY and HOW??

A good question. No, I didn't have a long term plan. I never considered the Army as a career until I was four years into it. Then, shortly after making the decision to pursue a career, I was RIF'd. Poetic, no?

I wanted to retire but things beyond my control happened and I really regret not retiring but I did spend 10 years in and it was the most awesome 10 years of my life.

I srarted in reserves but knew when basic and tech school was over i wanted more. Actiy duty for 20

My long term plan was to stay away from my hometown and travel as much as possible, haha. Travel was the main reason I joined. Everything else is icing on the cake.

My long-term plan on entering the Army was to become the best telecommunications operator around, and second, to reach the promotion of master sergeant. I did both.

I was only going to do my first enlistment, but I was so much fun, I re-upped till I went I R R with 24 yrs served.