How did you tell your family and friends that you were joining the military?

2022-12-23T11:41:03-05:00

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Dec 23 at 2022 11:46 AM

2022-12-23T11:46:33-05:00

I told my parents 24 hours before I was departing for training because I knew they didn't want me to go.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Dec 23 at 2022 11:50 AM

2022-12-23T11:50:37-05:00

There was only one phone line in the house and none of the instruments connected to it could be used for text. Email wasn't even yet a dream and snail mail would have been weird (and a waste of a postage stamp) since we had the same address. Those who didn't live there saw more of me than did the family (I was rarely home) and they witnessed my struggles to enlist. The real challenge was telling my mother that I was going to Vietnam following my graduation from Infantry OCS. I know she wasn't happy but wasn't surprised since I had volunteered.

Response by COL Randall C. made Dec 23 at 2022 11:52 AM

2022-12-23T11:52:15-05:00

"Joining the military" was in-person (joined ROTC in college and was part of SMP). "Going on active duty" and deploying to DS/DS was by phone (transferred to RA back in OBC through the Commandant's Program).

Response by Cpl Craig Meaux made Dec 23 at 2022 11:57 AM

2022-12-23T11:57:05-05:00

I knew my Dad served in the 82nd Airbourne Division before I was born , and almost all of my uncles were retired Sergeants . So I started talking to Dad about it a whole year before I enlisted .

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2022 11:58 AM

2022-12-23T11:58:59-05:00

In person, the day before the Recruiter arrived IOT get my parents to sign consent for me to join since I was 17 at the time

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Dec 23 at 2022 12:23 PM

2022-12-23T12:23:25-05:00

I was 17 soI had to have permission...my mom didn't want to but my dad said it was time for me to go br a man...worked out just fine

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Dec 23 at 2022 1:22 PM

2022-12-23T13:22:26-05:00

I was seventeen years old, wanted to get away from home. I walked in and told my mother the recruiter would be by a quarter to six tomorrow morning, be up and ready to sign and have your divorce papers ready so he could take down the divorce number (both parents were required to sign unless one has sole custody). She signed, we left. My only return was after boot camp to get my stuff that was left and car and I never went back.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Dec 23 at 2022 1:37 PM

2022-12-23T13:37:52-05:00

I said goodbye to my best friend when the recruiter honked his for our trip to Cleveland MEP station. I guess from there the rumor mill picked up the task of informing. I informed my Mother and Grandmother the day prior. I never went back aside from Family losses.

If I had it to do over again I would not change a thing.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2022 3:53 PM

2022-12-23T15:53:34-05:00

MSgt James Parker My father died when I was 7. He was an Air Force Captain who served in WWII and Korea. He died when his plane crashed during a training mission. My mother died when I was 15. My older sister, who I was living with, was not happy to hear that I was enlisting. My friends all thought that I was crazy.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2022 6:49 PM

2022-12-23T18:49:12-05:00

No text or email when I enlisted in 79, so face to face was the course of action for myself. Although many of my friends and family thought I was crazy enlisting in the Corps.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2022 7:54 PM

2022-12-23T19:54:12-05:00

join... I was part of the last group of Draftees right before they went to the Lottery. I was looking out the window in BCT when they drew my Birthdate... my number was 243.
The highest lottery number drafted that year was 195. Just glad to be here...

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Dec 23 at 2022 10:19 PM

2022-12-23T22:19:14-05:00

They had to sign at the recruiters office and did not seem to have any issues doing so...

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Dec 23 at 2022 10:44 PM

2022-12-23T22:44:37-05:00

Told my Dad, Mother was having problems with depression so was hospitalized, had been since my early teens ,he was fine with it since he had served during WWll,my brother was career Air Force couldn’t understand why anyone would join the Army and go Infantry to boot,best decision I ever made other than marrying the woman who somehow has put up with this old fart for over fifty years.

Response by 1SG Joseph Dartey made Dec 24 at 2022 12:22 AM

2022-12-24T00:22:57-05:00

Showed up with the recruiter and told my mother that I wanted to join the Army and since I was 17 she would have to sign the paperwork. She wanted to argue and I told her she could sign for me to go to boot camp in June 74 after I graduated high school or I would sign the paperwork in October because I would be 18. Guess what, she signed.

Response by MSgt Steve Sweeney made Dec 24 at 2022 1:10 AM

2022-12-24T01:10:09-05:00

Two days after my 17th birthday, I told my dad I had been talking to a Marine recruiter. Has said, "You've been WHAT?!". I told him the recruiter wanted to speak with him. My dad, a WWII era frogman, went into the office, lit a cigarette, threw the pack on his desk and said, "Convince me". After about 30 minutes, dad said, "Sounds good to me. Now we just have to convince your mother." I needed my parents signature to join at 17 (as you all probably know). The conversation with my mother took somewhat longer than 30 minutes...

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Dec 24 at 2022 1:21 PM

2022-12-24T13:21:04-05:00

I told my parents in person; they were quite shocked as it was simply something I had never expressed any interest in and it was rather out of the blue.

Response by SSG Laurie Mullen made Dec 24 at 2022 1:59 PM

2022-12-24T13:59:43-05:00

I was 17 and still in high school. My mother knew I was joining when I came home and told her that I finally started the process.

Response by PVT Bobbi Adams made Dec 25 at 2022 11:57 AM

2022-12-25T11:57:45-05:00

My daddy went in, so I went in.

Response by Sgt Kent Pillatsch made Dec 28 at 2022 7:17 PM

2022-12-28T19:17:14-05:00

I told them the day before I was leaving I need a ride to the train station to get to the MEPS.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Dec 31 at 2022 3:41 PM

2022-12-31T15:41:46-05:00

I was 4th Generation Army, my son is 5th Generation. It was not a surprise to anyone when either of us joined.

Response by SSG Dale London made Jan 7 at 2023 8:00 PM

2023-01-07T20:00:21-05:00

I had to tell my mom in person. I was 17 and needed her signature on the forms.