Were you the first one in your family to join the military? Or do you come from a family where service is common?

I was drafted into the Army, was asked during basic tng, if I would consider going to OCS, I was and acting E-5, same thing when I went to AIT trg, I was an acting E-5 at that time, so I
better make up my mind and go to OCS, after that I went to Airborne Training, the a friend asked me to go to Special Forces Training and I did. My father was a P.O.W. in the Air Force during WW II, My grandfather was an Army cook during WW I. I guess it just runs in my family.

I'm far from the first, two relatives served in the French and Indian War when We were a British Colony, three marched with the minuteman Militia to battle the British at Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts on April 19th 1775. Others served in the war of 1812, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea and the n Me in Vietnam. I can find no record of any relative that ever served in the US Civil War but if that's the case it's the only one We missed. I'm pretty proud of My families service to our nation.

I guess in my family it's common. My grandfather served in WW1 , my father served in WWII, and I served in the Vietnam War.

My Dad got a Purple Heart at The Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, he was Army,
5 Uncles on my Mom's side were in the Navy, one of them was onboard the USS Maddox in The Gulf of Tonkin in 1964,
My younger Brother was in the First Gulf War, Army
I am the only Marine.

I was the very first to join, US ARMY then my Uncle joined army in Poland, that's where I'm from. He is now higher ranking then I am lol only because he got a masters degree.

Sort of a family tradition. First record was a forebear who delivered cannon balls to the Continental Army at Valley Forge; have a painting of my Great Grandfather in his civil war uniform; Grandfather in WWI; one uncle killed in WWII, two additional uncles, several cousins and my Mom and Dad served in WWII; cousin in Korea; cousin, both brothers-in-law and myself in Vietnam; son-in-law pulled two tours in Iraq.
As my Dad dropped me off at the train station to report he said "Be careful son, I'd feel a lot better about this if there wasn't a war." Mom said, "Promise me you won't get a tattoo or start smoking." Didn't have the heart to tell her I was already a smoker, but never got the tattoo!

Blew everyone’s mind when I mentioned I was joining and no one believed I’d actually do it. First one, followed two years after by my younger brother. I’ve been in for about 5 years, and commissioned for 2, and my mom still doesn’t really believe anything I tell her about being an officer, and feels that I’m exaggerating everything I say lol.

Long line of military my family came to America in 1720. Fought in the War of Independence and 1812. From there every war to Afghanistan. Great great Grand fathers fought in the Civil War for the cause against Northern aggression. Spanish-American war, war one World War II in the Pacific, Korea and Vietnam! Myself USMC Beirut Lebanon 83, Gulf War and Army in Afghanistan. But…… I Forbid and told my son NOT to seek Military Service due to the Democrats and leftest destroying our Country. I told my son our family has done their duty to Country! Let the liberals fight send in the Pelosi’s, Sanders and AOC’s of the the Left. We did our time and are taking a knee for a Generation or two!

My step-grandfather was in the Army Air Corps WWII. I had an uncle who joined the Air Force in the 60's. He was kicked out with an undesirable discharge after about six months. (Imagine that, an undesirable from the Air Force, he must have been one hell of a screw up!)
My oldest brother joined the Marines followed by me and then my next older brother. At one point we were all stationed within fifty miles of each other, Camp Lejeune, New River and Cherry Point, North Carolina.
My family didn't make any scene over our enlistments. They was probably glad to get rid of me at seventeen! One less mouth to feed!

Dad volunteered my older brother in the late 60s USNavy and then I got volunteered in the USArmy early 70s …not only was service to the United States mission critical but that service had to be in harms way to count …so yes it was a family thing