What made your decision to join the Military?

17 years old, out of school and no hope of more education. Looking at being drafted in a year or two, or a job as a pump jockey or something the rest of my life. I wanted more. Talked to a Recruiter, took the Asvab and he told me I scored high enough to do anything I wanted. 1971, Viet Nam going on, I wanted something safe, and something that would give me a career when I got out. Air Traffic Controlling sounded like a winner, I'd always loved planes. "Well son" the recruiter said, "Air Traffic Control comes under Airborne". That sounds legitimate to me, signed up for 3 years. About 2 weeks later I found out that Airborne had nothing to do with telling the planes where to go, and I was going to be Infantry, a combat soldier, a Paratrooper. <GULP>

. I decided then that I would take any school I was offered. At least if I was going to VN, I'd have as much training as I could get to be better prepared. It took me from Mar 1971 to June 72 to be promoted to Buck Sergeant, have an Infantry Operations and Intelligence MOS, and be available for assignment to a line unit. Most Infantry MOS's only take 4 months before assignment to a line unit.

I was blessed, so when you thank me for my service, I really feel like I'm being thanked for stealing something valuable.