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

I was about to be drafted into the Army. So I enlisted in the Air Force. I'm the only one in my family to make the military career.

With all respect to drafted soldiers (my observations were that they were some of the most balanced and trustworthy members of the Service), I believe that everyone in my family who served were volunteers, from the Spanish-American War, WW1, WW2, Korea, and Vietnam, through Desert Storm.

Three weeks after I turned 18, living in Lyndonville, Vermont. I registered for the draft; 16 May, 1966. I received my draft notice just two days before my graduation from Lyndon Institute. I wanted to join the Navy and be a Corpsman like my big brother when he graduated high school. But the Navy had "other" plans for me. They wanted construction workers, electrician's, plumbers et al. I failed "That" test.
I was told, that they were selecting, "every-fifth-man," into the U.S. Marines, up where I was, in Northern Vermont. So I dicided to enlist in the U S Army's, Medical Corps. As a 91D-20, "Operating Room Specialist." The day before I finally was to graduate from my A.I.T. Medical Training, at Ft. Lee's, "Kenner Army Medical Center," I received my orders for Vietnam. My C.O. had me break scrub and report to him. I found out that I was to be assigned, to the First Air Calvary Division. They have No operating rooms. They didn't know what to do with me? I went into the field as a Combat Medic. I even served as an Instructor with the First Division's "LRRP" Training and "Jungle School" after my first six months in Indian Country and worked at the "An Khe Dispensery", training ARVN Soldier's to become Medics. I served with the Cav., from: June 1967-1968. My second tour was with the 44th Medical Brigade's, Dust-Off (Helicopter Ambulance). The 159th DUST-OFF at
Cu Chi, Dau Tieng and Tay Ninh. I served from: June 1968-1969.

Family tradition, my father and his father and so on.

When I seen my recruiter in his dress blues I was sold immediately #usmc

I didn't want to look in the mirror one day when I'm 65 and regret not joining.

My father was a WW2 Navy Vet who served on board the USS Whitney AD4 in the South Pacific. He served aboard several submarine tenders during his 20 years of service. My favorite was the USS Proteus AS16 that established the first resupply and repair facility for FBM submarines equipped with Polaris missiles in Holy Loch Scotland. He was proud to have served. When my draft lotto number was selected during the Vietnam-era I was inspired by my father's service and when I reported for induction in 1971 I enlisted in the Navy. I served at GLNYCO NATTC with my final duty station being aboard the flagship USS Blueridge. I was a watch supervisor in CIC. My shup was the command and control center for Operation Eagle Pull (evac of Cambodian Embassy) and Operation Frequent Wind (evac of Saigon).

Family

My family has been a military family since before there was a United States.

Recruiter; had an office in the hotel I worked at part time in high school.
Three days after graduation I was out oh there.