Why did you join the military?

Wanted the option of choice over draft. Stayed in the AF for 34 years.

I always knew I would be a soldier. I grew up in a household of mental and physical abuse. I did something wrong, I got beaten and not your average dad pulls off his belt but with whatever was close at hand. I did something my dad thought was wrong, beaten. He was having a bad day, beaten. Got in trouble in school, didnt matter if it was my fault or not, beaten. And remember all this time I was told I was scum up to the level that Al Capone was a better person than I was and that I would always fail. I went to school in the 1st grade with 2 black eyes because I got into a fight and didnt give my dad the note out of fear so he beat me like a man, closed fist. I have a sister 2 years older than me and I would take the blame for her when I could because I was already used to the beatings. 1and1/2" wrench..beat with it. Ive been beaten unconscious as a kid but I refused to stay down which probably made it worse. I've had beatings go on for a week.. wake up to it, go to sleep to it, get one during the day just because he was still thinking about it. When I was 15 I decided enough was enough and fought back, he called the cops said I turned on the family. I was arrested, got sent to W.W. Moore in Danville then Beaumont in Richmond before I was sent to Job Corp. I swore then that I would stand up for those who didnt have a voice in the world and fight for them. When I joined the Army it was the first place I ever called home...

Can trace the family roots in the military to 1755. Most famous is Brig Gen Herman A Haupt, Union Army, Engineer, Railroads.

After high school I knew I wasn't ready for college and I wasn't sure what I really wanted to do with my life. A friend joined the Army and if I joined she would get a bump in rank. So I thought why not. I left for Basic between Christmas and New Years 1986. She left just after New Years 1987. I really enjoyed my time in the Army.

I was a freshman in college and an ROTC cadet living in the dorm room next to me convinced me to try ROTC. I liked it and joined the Army National Guard the next summer. My plan was to stay in the Guard after graduation, but I was selected for active duty upon commissioning. I spent the next 24 years on active duty.

I grew up in a military family. While it was never demanded that I eniist, I wanted the same drive and determination that I saw in military people. My father was career Army, so I though I'd try the Navy for a few years ... and ended up staying in for 37.5

I grew up in a military family. I liked the determination and drive I saw in military people ... as though they had a REAL reason to get up and get dressed in the morning. I wanted that for myself.

SPC (Join to see) Having worked the same type of jobs since I was 16, I wanted a change. I originally started looking at the Air National Guard in 2010. I thought I could better my life with the help of the Military, my father did it MSgt (Join to see), and grandfathers, plus uncles. So it was a family thing. After being laid off in 2010, I decided to got Active Duty at the age of 31. And well I have been serving this country for almost 9 years now. Doing what I can to inspire and motivate my soldiers.

Beginning at 4 years old I felt a call and obligation to serve my Country and to protect and defend the Constitution.

Impress my future ex wife, but family is high veteran status