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

Both of my grandfathers, all my uncles except one, three cousins and my older brother served. I was the last one from both sides of my family to serve. Some of my best memories are from my years in the Army. Great question.

I have always said that I served 20 years Navy then 20 + years Army. My father was a 30yr Navy man. I was born in a Navel hospital. I was the first sibling (and eldest) of 3 to join, I served over 20 yrs Army, my sister and her husband served 20 years Air Force, and my brother served 10 yrs Army. Most of my Uncles served during WW II, Korea or VN, (1) Air Force (1) Marine, (2) Navy, and (1) Army Reserve.

Dad was drafted , I joined when it was NOT fashionable to do so. Dad was thrums up Mom did not want me to go.

no not the first or the last my grandfather served in Army WWI. My father In Navy WWII And The Army in Korea all my uncle served. And both my son served. One is still serving In the Army

7th generation and counting. When I have children, I will humbled and honored to have them serve as well.

I have a brother also in the Air Force, a cousin on my mom's side in the Army National Guard, and a cousin on my step mom's (raised since I was 4) side in the Air Force, and grandfather on step mom's side who was in the Navy in WWII.

Mom and sister cried.

Grandfather (Army, arty) fought in WW1...went in place of his brother.

Father (Army, arty) just after Korea.

Father in law and I served in same battallion 30 years apart (2/505, 82nd), so that was cool.

But yeah, the women cried.

Thank you everyone who shared your story! It was so awesome to read these.

my father was a jar-head, my brother a jar-head, my niece is a jar head, both my grandfathers were swab jocks, three great uncles also swab jocks, I was a swab Jock, an uncle who was a ground pounder, a cousin who was a swab jock, a younger brother who was civilian air patrol, i was told i was a man when i joined,

My parents immigrated to this country from Holland, but were both from Indonesia. As children, when Indonesia gained its independence, all people of Dutch ancestry had to evacuate. I was born in the US a few years after they arrived. Joining the military was always something I wanted to do and when I got to college, an ROTC cadet who was in the dorm room next to me convinced me to join. I liked it, but originally just planned on going into the Guard after college. I got commissioned on active duty and planned on staying my 3 year tour in Germany, returning to the States and then going back to the Guard. I never made it back to the Guard and just stayed on active duty until I retired after 24 years.
Obviously, my mother and sister were not on board with my decision. My father and brother were ambivalent to it. My youngest stepson joined the Army when he graduated high school. My stepdaughter became an Army wife after marrying her younger brother's high school friend. All of them graduated from Fort Knox High School where a good number of children enter military service.