Why did you join the military?

I wanted to serve my country and protect the American way of life. My main reason I joined when I did was to get away from home at seventeen years old but I was planning to join on my eighteenth birthday anyways. I just got to enlist earlier with the signature of my mother. Best decision of my life. I still carry my values that I acquired in the military with me today.

One to serve my country, and two I was the second one in my family to serve @RallyPoint.

I grew up next to an Air Force base (Warner Robins AFB, GA) and listened to the Air Force brats talk about the places they had been and got the travel bug.
Went to college and get my commission through ROTC with the idea that my travel dreams would come through.
My first duty station was Fort Benning, GA. I am 80 miles from home. so much for the dreams.
My next post was Korea followed up by Fort MacPherson, GA. Someone in personnel at the Pentagon must have thought I liked Georgia. After Fort MacPherson, I was overseas for the next eight years (except for my advanced course) trying to avoid Georgia.
With eleven years of active duty, eight were overseas.

Fayetteville NC is My HOR. I wanted to get away from Ft Bragg, learn electronics, provide for My wife and children, and do something Honorable for My Nation. When I was told at MEPPS that Jump School was an option I could choose, I asked the SGT if He remembered Me saying "Get away from Ft. Bragg." That worked just fine.

I had always wanted to serve in the armed forces since I was a kid. However, in my sophomore year of college I attempted to get into the Matine Corps Platoon Leader Program. Unfortunately my vision was an issue, but only as an officer, I passed. After getting my second degree as a BSN, I looked at the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The only recruiter that wasn't stretching the truth was the Air Force recruiter. I signed up for 3 years, ended up retiring.

I enlisted to dodge the draft. I had been working as a civilian employee of Air Force Intelligence since graduating from college in 1964; I really enjoyed my work and was halfway through my three year training program when President Johnson decided to expand the draft and began accessing married men. It became obvious that I would need to put on a uniform, so I shopped around for a service that would offer a commissioning program and allow me to serve less than four years on active duty (48 months was the maximum length of time that I could be absent from my civilian position if I wanted to return to that job). The Air Force demanded four years and four months active duty and the Navy four years and ten months (it would have included flight school at NAS Pensacola). The Army recruiter said I would only have to serve two years and ten months active duty and I could be guaranteed an OCS class date if I chose a combat arm: Armor, Artillery or Infantry. I’m 6’3” so I didn’t.t think I would fit in a tank, and I didn’t really want to drag cannons around a battlefield, so I told him to sign me up for the Infantry. I checked out from my office on Friday 18 Jan 1966 and raised my hand at the San Antonio Induction Station on Monday 21 January. And as promised, I only had to serve two years and ten months on active duty. When I finished my 12 months in Vietnam, I returned to the States at Ft Lewis, was released from active duty with an Honorable Discharge and flew home to San Antonio on Braniff Airways with a first class ticket (I paid to upgrade from Coach class, figuring I had lived like dog for long enough. I was the only passenger in the first class compartment, so I had my own stewardess.). When I returned, I discovered that my job hadn’t been held open for me, it had been transferred to NSA; and my wife at the time had me served with divorce papers two days after I got back. But that’s OK, I figure I came out smelling like a rose.

My father died serving our country, so I was motivated to also serve. I also felt that aiding South Vietnam was a just cause.

Well, my reason was not too high-faluting. I lost my job as a logger during the oil shock recession after the Yom Kippur War, my recent bride came up pregnant, and workman's comp sounded a whole lot like welfare to this old country boy.

My Father: "Go to College Make A's and B's and I'll Pay for It" Make C's and D's You'll Pay for It or Join the Military". Me "Cool! I'll Join the Military!" Father: "I'm Kidding" Me: "I'm Not!" I was Tired of School and I really wanted to work on Radios. Well Surprise, Surprise, Surprise. Little Did I Know what I would be in for. 21 Years Later. I've attended more Schools than I ever would have wanted. LOL! A-School Corry Station, to be a Communicator for the Naval Security Group. Xerox to be a Key Operator for Copiers, Sun Corporation to Operate a PDP-11/70 for CINCPACFLT, Norfolk for CIAC Career Information and Counseling School, Back to Pensacola for TOPS Telecommunications Operations Specialist (Telecommunications Management), Another Trip to Pensacola for UYK-20 Tactical Intelligence, SAS (Sealed Authentication System, Nuclear Launch Codes) in Bremerton, WA. Coast Guard Base Seattle to Learn to be a Damage Control Petty Officer (Maintenance Supervisor for Firefighting Equipment). Bloody Hell!

To teach others to fight against Communism! Have the American people been propagandized? Whom shall we hold responsible?