Why did you join the military?

Iraq war

Hunt the good stuff, lets reword " I want to kill people, is this normal? "

To do my duty, to my Country

To ensure my friends and family keep their freedom and a chance to make a better life for myself.

I joined the Army Reserve to help me focus during the time I was in college. When that did not work I switched to the Active side after a year. It was a way for me to pay off my school debt and acquire money for school. It would only be four years and I would be back in school. 30 years later I have completed my college education and had fun while serving.

SPC (Join to see) "You Go to College, Make As and Bs and I'll Pay for It, Make C's and D's and You'll Pay for it or Join the Military" My Father. "I'll Join the Military" "I was Kidding" Dad. "I'm Not" Me. I was Tired of School I wanted to do something and I sucked at School. I was good with Electronics and I knew the Military would let me work on Electronics. Fortunately/Unfortunately I hadn't counted on the Amount of Schooling the Navy Would Put Me Through but I wasn't Disappointed. I got to Play with the Biggest, Most Expensive Tools Ever. From a PDP-11/70 to a 150ft Parabolic Dish Antenna. Sky was the Limit and being a Spook with a "Black Budget" nothing was Too Expensive for Us to Buy.

I wanted to not be a burden on my parents. At age 17 I could not work in the mines nor the mills and that was all the good jobs there were. So - the military.

Involuntarily inducted (drafted) during 1st year of law school. Father was retired Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Force and disappointed when I was drafted and failed to attend Air Force Academy. I reminded him that it was the Army Air Corps he originally volunteered for and served in! He said "....damn, you're gona be a great lawyer"!!! Larry Sage, COL (ret), Infantry

I can remember the day my father, a WWII veteran, told my brothers and I that we had an obligation to serve in our countries military. But to answer your question: 1) Out of respect for my father and the love he taught us to have for the nation. 2) My country was at war in Vietnam. 3) Hippies were whining and dodging the draft. 4) There was no way in hell I was going to set at home and watch TV while guys were dying in rice paddies. There are a lot of things I regret, but I don't regret serving along some of this nations's finest in a time of need. I'd hate to have to have that on my heart every night.

I went in right out of high school in '66 because I already had taken my tests & physical so I enlisted so that I got what I wanted rather than where they wanted to put me. The Coast Guard had a long waiting list (found out later they were in Nam too) and the Army was the only service to guarantee me a particular school. Enjoyed my MOS enough to stay till retirement. I was fixed station communications (InterBase) with 2 years at Site R/Ft. Ritchie, MD, the post commander's head Gardner for a year at another post and as Chief Engineer at the post radio station among my assignments.