Why did you join the military?

That is sad and funny at the same time. I hope that sense of humor helped you deal with it at the time!

PFC Jeffrey Herrington Good morning PFC Herrington, maybe I wrote it in a confusing way, but I was 11 or 12 years old at the time in the 5th or 6th grade during desert storm. I enlisted into the DEP in 11th grade and departed to basic 2 months after my high school graduation at 18 in 1997. I'm 40.

SGT Kevin Hughes Good morning SGT Hughes, if I could rewind the hands of time, I would do it all over again. I have no regrets. Oh yeah combat was exactly the way I thought. Even though I was a 88M during my deployments, the 3 years infantry training plus the training my ex infantry platoon sergeant put us through years before the war helped me out. I got the honor to carry the SAW with a couple of drums of ammo, spare barrel, etc everyday. That's cool if you never went to combat. Not everyone who serve will get the chance to experience it, but for those who numbers will be called, don't run away from it, embrace it. I know a lot of people play call of duty game, but as we know in combat there is no start over, replay, reset, extra lives etc. Once things happen whether good or bad, can't go back and undo it, start over, reset, etc. When we got the WARNO in 2003 that we would be heading to the capital city, I started watching the movie black hawk down repeatedly to prepare my mind for what I will be facing in an urban environment as a truck driver. But all in all during my deployments, I can actually say it was fun eventhough bullets flying and heat rounds dropping.....

SSG (Join to see) - First, Jerin, that is some really good advice for "training" your mind for what might come down, and what did come down. Second, thanks for serving...and I used to carry the barrel, base plate, or tripod for the 81mm - and not many people have that experience either. LOL Plus, being allowed to blow stuff up is just fun. Nothing like giving teen agers an M 79 and a bunch of old Refrigerator Boxes, or stoves as targets- and telling them: "Try and hit that with a grenade."
Funnily enough, when you mentioned there was no ..." start over, replay, reset, extra lives.." one of my relatives (three deployments) said this: "War is the ultimate...game. You still alive, you win." Yikes!

Have a great day...and thanks for the open and honest answer. I get scared on dark nights, I don't even need bullets, bombs, or bursts going off!

SGT Kevin Hughes ahhh ok, you were a mortar man, that's cool....... I was 120mm mechanized also....... those were the good old days. Come to think about it, your relative is right, if you survive, you win the game. But you have a good day also and you are welcome. High Angle Hell, Death and Destruction from above !!!!

And to serve my country

I met many guys in my Unit running away from Psycho ex-girlfriends, and few running from jealous hubbies too. LOL

I am humbled by the amount of Noble reasons folks have put up on this thread. It took me a decade to even understand just how Noble it is to serve your country. Way proud of you Aaron.