What's your favorite thing about serving in the military?

The comrodery/morale! With whatever you were doing, you had the support and backup of fellow Shipmates and when you needed to vent, felt down or hurt, you had people to go to just to have someone to listen. I believe that with that instilled in me, I'm able to accomplish more and put more thought and effort into everything I do.

The general random shit that happens during duty days.

My favorite would have to be the life long friends I've met from everywhere. The traveling, and just serving.

They way the public appreciates us now. I first came in in 1982 and believe me, it hasn't always been this way.

Well lots of great memories there, not all, recon retirement as I don't have to please anyone unless I want to

Two things - pushing myself to the limit. Loved that. Secondly, the rapport I developed with my fellow grunts. As a third thought, I loved blowing the crap out of things. :)

The sense of Family and the honor of serving the people of OUR country

I have two personal motto's:, "Service to others before service to self'. I take this two ways. First and foremost my service to my county. I'm devoutly patriotic. So much so that I defend free speech even if I can't stand what someone is saying. I consider myself a constitutionalist and fight for what I think it says and not what people make up. Secondly, I grew up very poor, on welfare and Medicaid so I consider my service one way to pay back my debt to America. I'm serving the public who helped me be who I am today.

My second motto is: "dum spiro spero". Which means, "as I breathe, I hope". I hope for a better America, for a better world....just for better. I'm not a jealous person so when I see someone doing better, getting better, achieving better, I love it! That's what makes our country great! And I love supporting and defending it.

So when I'm asked why I serve, I answer because I have the ability to give back in so many ways to a country who has given me so many opportunities. It may be cheesy but it's from the heart and sincere.

My favorite part about serving in the military is the ability to better myself physically and mentally. There is never a shortage of information that you can learn nor a limit on how far you can push yourself physically. I enjoy seeing myself and others improve and become the best soldier we can so we will be ready to defend and protect this great nation from those who attempt to take away our freedoms.

The opportunities to go to different schools to better yourself professionally and pass that knowledge to your soldiers and subordinates.