What made your decision to join the Military?

SSG David Fetty — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 02:25:38 -0400

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.

Response by SSG Laurie Mullen made Jul 4 at 2018 3:05 AM

SSG Laurie Mullen — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 03:05:02 -0400

Dad was a WW II vet so I grew up on stories and war movies. I was sworn into the Reserves two weeks after my 17th birthday.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jul 4 at 2018 3:23 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 03:23:53 -0400

SSG David Fetty "You Go to College, Make As and Bs and I'll Pay for It, Make C's and D's and You'll Pay for it or Join the Military" My Father. "I'll Join the Military" "I was Kidding" Dad. "I'm Not" Me. I was Tired of School I wanted to do something and I sucked at School. I was good with Electronics and I knew the Military would let me work on Electronics. Fortunately/Unfortunately I hadn't counted on the Amount of Schooling the Navy Would Put Me Through but I wasn't Disappointed. I got to Play with the Biggest, Most Expensive Tools Ever. From a PDP-11/70 to a 150ft Parabolic Dish Antenna. Sky was the Limit and being a Spook with a "Black Budget" nothing was Too Expensive for Us to Buy.

Response by 1SG Charles Hunter made Jul 4 at 2018 8:44 AM

1SG Charles Hunter — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 08:44:12 -0400

Decision? "From the President of the United States, greeting..." The alternative was moving to Canada, and I don't like cold winters.

Response by SPC Benjamin Patterson made Jul 2 at 2022 7:34 PM

SPC Benjamin Patterson — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 19:34:57 -0400

There's a few reasons why I joined. Reason #1) I had just graduated college and the recession hit, I spent 9 months looking for a job in the field I went to college for and didn't find anything and I had student loans to start paying back. Reason #2) I had always thought about from the time I was a kid and every man on both sides of my family has served including my father so I grew up in a military family in a way. Reason #3) My brother was going to join when he graduated and I wasn't going to let him show me up so when I signed up I shipped out 11 days later and I wrote letters to him every 2 weeks and told him about what to expect and what to focus on so when he shipped out he would know what's coming and how to handle it. Reason #4) once I found out what job I wanted and it was available this made me want to join a million times more. I was a 44B- Welder.

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Jul 3 at 2022 12:18 AM

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 00:18:00 -0400

I'd Just Returned From Living In Central America And Had Nothing Else Planned Except To Join Up On My 17th Birthday....Best Frigge'n Decision Of My Life...
That's Where I Discovered About All Of The Business Programs Were Available And Every One Was FREE...
In Short: I Took About 30 Various Programs Through USAFI & NAVPERS, And 2 From Colleges.
Result: I Was Middle Management For FMC, (Purchasing Dept Director) Self Employed (Printing Businesses) For 27 Years & Retired At 56.
Sure Beat The Crap Out Of Scrubbing Toilets In A McDonald's ....

AND, BTW, I Had A Great 4 Years Of Duty, Mostly Fun, Stationed In S. Korea With Several Trips To Japan,
And Loved The USAF, All At The Same Time....06/29/1961 - 06/10/1965......
Wasn't Even 21 Upon Honorable Discharge.. No Booze For 19 Days.... Ya, Right, !!

Response by SMSgt Bob Wilson made Jul 3 at 2022 1:16 AM

SMSgt Bob Wilson — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 01:16:15 -0400

Why, my patriotic duty. What!? Yes, I had a stomach which needed food and to get the food, I needed money. So, Uncle Sam was paying $113 per month, all the food I could "stomach". It reminded me of jail--three hots and a cot. The plus was when I got out I had a career which paid me good for the next 23 years. Then I went on the federal till again--Social Security. Of course, the "draft" didn't [sic!] have anything to do with my decision.

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Jul 3 at 2022 9:22 AM

LTC Tom Jones — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 09:22:57 -0400

Selective Service and on my 21st (Happy) birthday.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jul 3 at 2022 11:07 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 11:07:36 -0400

Wanted to be a pilot from the time I was about 10 years old. Mom wanted me to go to college. Went to college, took AFROTC, graduated and commissioned, completed pilot training. Goal achieved.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2022 1:12 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 13:12:25 -0400

The Draft Board!