Who Influenced You To Take The Oath And Join The Military? - Login & Share to Win!

drafted

My mother was in the Reserves. I wanted away from home so I went full time.

At 17 1/2 I was hell bent on going into the Marines, to be a hard charger a real jar head. Then,
my older brother came home on leave from Kodiak Alaska, he was an AD2 at the time. I told
him of my plans going into the Marines. When I finished he looked at me, smacked me in the back of the head and began to explain to me what exactly the Coast Guard does what I could do and become.
Suffice to say 32 years later I retired from the Coast Guard with awesome memories, friends and did things and went places that people still cant believe.

I joined myself in 1969. A young 17 year old high school dropout with no future in sight. My father, uncles, brothers, cousins & friends that served or were serving influenced me. In 1968 a friend, Dave McPherson, came home on leave from the USMC, got to lead our gym class in exercises Marine style, later on that year he was killed in Vietnam. My oldest half brother SP4 William M. Dripcheck who served honorably for 3 years in the Army got discharged in 1968, then in 1970 got killed when his dream car (a 1957 Chevy) fell on him, while changing the transmission. He was only 21 years old. In December 1970, my adopted out half brother SP4 Timothy J. Thompson, a medic got killed in Vietnam, he was only 20 years old. I spent a year in Germany, got to travel to several countries that I probably would never had the opportunity to do so, if not for joining the Army. I just recently visited with a Army brother (SP4 Scott Foster) that I haven't seen in 49 years. I cherish those friends and times spent in the Army.

My draft board, joined the Air Force before my draft board got me.

I was drafted when I lost my college deferment when I dropped a class during my sophmore year in college. Chose to enlist in the Navy vice Army because my two older brothers were already in the Navy and they wanted me to join the Navy because they said it was the right thing to do.

A girlfriend; we broke up (she dumped me) so I enlisted. Best thing I ever did

I received my new draft card and expected to be called up. So I just went to the recuiters office and swore in on the spot!

Thought Of It To Get Training And Travel

Decided when I was 16 the Navy was were I wanted to serve. I enlisted at 17 and never looked back. Loved the career path I choose. Started as an aviation ordnance and 10 years later converted to Navy Counselor/ Recruiter.