What motivated you to join the military?

Brenda Garcia — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 02:33:00 -0500

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Feb 26 at 2020 2:44 AM

SPC Nancy Greene — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 02:44:12 -0500

I personally Enlisted in the Army with a BA degree because I wanted to become a Lawyer. I went Enlisted with plans of OCS & Air Borne after AIT.
Was injured in Basic, graduated. Completed AIT & then injury was ‘properly’ diagnosed. Offered a MED Discharge & elected to remain on Active Duty as a SP4.
The rest is my history.
Managed to stay in almost all of original 4 year commitment before requesting a MED Discharge.
VR paid for GRAD school & two MS degrees.
Still plan to become a lawyer & obtain PhD...

Response by PV2 Aj Veal made Feb 26 at 2020 6:09 AM

PV2 Aj Veal — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 06:09:35 -0500

Had a kid very young and was waiting tables. Wasnt mature enough or financially prepared to be a father. Went with the best option to support my family and be financially stable. Chose to be a 31B which was a mistake but it all worked out in the end.

Response by SGT Kevin Hughes made Feb 26 at 2020 6:41 AM

SGT Kevin Hughes — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 06:41:25 -0500

I originally joined the Ohio National Guard...I was going to work full time as a Supply Clerk during the week ( A GS Position) and then be a Soldier one weekend a month, and two weeks for Summer Camp. All so I could be near my Fiance and we could get married and have a steady job.
Alas, 1969 and 1970 were not the best years to be in the National Guard; Civil Unrest ruled the roost. So on the last day of August 1970- I told the First Sergeant I didn't join the Guard to point weapons at High School kids, College protests, or truckers.
Off I went to Active Duty...the girl went off to meet her True Love ( happily their marriage lasted forty five years until his death) and I found my Kathy (and we are coming up on forty years this year). So it all worked out in the end...just like it did for PV2 Veal in his post.
Go Army!

Response by SSG Gregg Kemp made Feb 26 at 2020 7:25 AM

SSG Gregg Kemp — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 07:25:38 -0500

I knew I was headed either to prison or the morgue.
Really, I was doing every drug out there, was headed no where fast, and had zero direction. Mom tried to do her best, but it just wasn't working.
In a moment of clarity, I just walked into the Recruiters Office and said "Send me somewhere", and they sure did.
Even during Basic and AIT, I knew I made the right decision. I haven't regretted a single day in, even the bad ones.

Response by CW4 Anthoney Lowry made Feb 26 at 2020 8:23 AM

CW4 Anthoney Lowry — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:23:05 -0500

too dumb to go to college, not talented enough to get a scholarship. i only had 2 choices: commercial fisherman or a cranberry farmer. i did both and didnt like either. Army it was. i had 1 choice, be a 19D, go to Germany. Best decision of my life.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Feb 26 at 2020 8:50 AM

SGT Robert Pryor — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:50:04 -0500

As a kid in the 1950s, all my buddies had fathers that singlehandedly won WWII. My father never served, so decided that if there was a war when I grew up, I'd be there. I had a lovely time in Viet Nam.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Feb 26 at 2020 10:06 AM

SGT Philip Roncari — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 10:06:15 -0500

I guess it was just a lucky break or someone watching out for me,my young life was spiraling out of control,didn’t take High school seriously,drinking and getting into minor scrapes with John Law,a succession of dead end low paying jobs,then I enlisted and found discipline,self respect and commitment to being the best you can be every day,it was a hell of a ride wouldn’t take back one day for anything (Well maybe a few with Mr.Rucksack and Ham and Limas)

Response by PO1 Lyndon Thomas made Feb 26 at 2020 10:18 AM

PO1 Lyndon Thomas — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 10:18:19 -0500

As a child I knew I wanted to be of help and service. My grandfather my father and my oldest brother were all military. Two Army and one Navy. I enlisted with hopes of following in my fathers footsteps, so got into AROTC in high school graduated as Battalion commander. As a top grad we had the opportunity to visit two Army bases. One was Fort Hood and the one that sparked my interest was Fort Campbell Airborne training facility. I wasn't exactly certain so I also checked out Marines (Sniper School) because I was on Rifle team in high school and had that level of potential. Then somehow I ended up in Navy MEPS station and the rest is history! Retired

Response by SPC Richard Zacke made Feb 26 at 2020 11:28 AM

SPC Richard Zacke — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 11:28:41 -0500

I wanted to be in the Army since I was 12 after seeing on TV the returning Vietnam soldiers being yelled at and spit at. So in my senior year I went to the recruiter and joined under the delayed entry program so I actually went in as a PFC but not during BCT everybody were no stripes on the collar at all. And I loved it, then just after re-enlistng for my second four year hitch I broke my back and ended my career. I joined in 1978 re-enlisted in 1980 broke my back in 1981. Did'nt get total disability till 1994 but it's 100% TDIU and it helped put my two boys through school and my wife went back to school. The VA payed for my families medical and schooling but it came at a very high price I've had 8 lumbar surgeries and 1 cervical surgery and I scheduled for my second cervical surgery in March. Not a day has gone by that I have not been in terrible pain. And due to my piched nerves in my neck it makes me unbalanced and I fell last week and broke my tail bone. It seems to be a vicious circle of pain.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 3:31 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 15:31:41 -0500

this is a multi- answer question. For me, i have always wanted to be in the military, for as long as i can remember. My grandfather was a DS and did 20 year, my great-grandfather was part of the last horse cavalry out of ft. riley. i had always had a draw to it. then once 9/11 it kinda of set it in stone at the age of 11 that i was going to join one way or another.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 4:26 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 16:26:30 -0500

Honestly, something to do

Response by SGT Glen Wright made Feb 26 at 2020 5:29 PM

SGT Glen Wright — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 17:29:53 -0500

My Dad died when I was 2 and was in the Army for 17 years before that. I wanted to follow in his foot steps and get out of South Carolina and do something with my life after high school and knew the army was the best place to start. That was the best decision I ever made. Two tours to Afghanistan and a ton of trips to other countries really gave me a positive outlook on life, the world and began to shape me as a leader plus two degrees and will be getting my MBA soon.

Response by SFC Don Ward made Feb 26 at 2020 9:17 PM

SFC Don Ward — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 21:17:48 -0500

In late 1970's and early 1980's, the economy conspired to kill central Illinois. Coal mines closed because of too much sulfur in the coal (acid rain), International Harvester sold their farm lines and moved out of state, Dana corp moved to Mexico for cheaper labor, the other major employers laid off which even caused construction and other small businesses to close. I was a Dana worker, then moved to construction, then started looking at welfare for the wife and 3 kids. Enlisted in Army Reserves and held on for two years, then took a discharge and went active. Only for three years, but then they offered a chance for Europe. Did the year extension, then when time to DEROS, sister says still no jobs and re enlisted for 3 more. Did that three, still no jobs and re enlisted for 3 more. That made 10, so re enlisted for 6, then indef in the middle of Germany again. Twenty years before I knew it, I was 45 and hurting so I retired just as GWOT was kicking up. There, long story short, I am an accidental retiree.

Response by SFC Francisco Rosario made Feb 29 at 2020 4:20 PM

SFC Francisco Rosario — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 16:20:50 -0500

For me it was a sense of duty and pride in what I was going to do once I enlisted in the US Army. I knew from a young age that I wanted to join the US Army. Simple, but true.

Response by AN Jacob Thiede-Smith made Mar 16 at 2020 3:23 AM

AN Jacob Thiede-Smith — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 03:23:23 -0400

I was sick of working at a pharmacy everyday seeing people who were sick come in angry at me like I did something. Then before that I was tired of making desserts and salads everyday for 6 hours. So instead I decided to change my life and become a Navy Sailor the life you get to live with friends you make and the life you can use to get a better job if necessary but one you should enjoy if you’ve wanted to become something not necessarily better but definitely not just a cashier clerk or high schooler with too much time on their hands.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Mar 14 at 2021 11:00 AM

SSG John Jensen — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 11:00:14 -0400

The best way to run away from home, is to run to a place where they will feed you and give you a place to sleep. - At the time I didn't know, but that is what it was.

Off topic - Big News, Uncle Forrest, met him when I was 7?. - I just found out his Army unit in WWI - Motor Maintenance! He was a mechanic in WWI? Trucks had only been invented 10 years before - we're talking serious High-tech - the computer jerks don't know what high-tech is.