Why did you decide to join the military?

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 08:58:54 -0400

I decided to join the military for many reasons. One is because of my family. My dad used to be in the Navy and my uncle was in the army as well as my boyfriend. The main reason I decided to join was because I want to help people. I feel a sense of pride being able to serve my country. Even if not everybody knows what I will have done, I will, and thats good enough for me. So why did you join?

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Nov 3 at 2017 9:05 AM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 09:05:29 -0400

Wow, No one in my family was in the military, although past generations were military.They never could understand me and always thought of the military as an interruption in my life rather than what I wanted to do.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2017 9:55 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 09:55:10 -0400

I had a lot of reasons, not the least of which was to honor my father's service in Vietnam. When he was killed by a drunk driver in 1992, that reason became paramount. I enlisted four days after his funeral.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Nov 3 at 2017 10:30 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 10:30:26 -0400

My father was a disabled WWII vet, 1, uncle Active Naval officer, lost 3 distant cousins in SVN in 68. But I always wanted to be a soldier all my life. Spent 3 college years in ROTC, till scholarships were cut in 72, worked full time and went to school, then said to hell with it and enlisted fall 73

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Nov 3 at 2017 10:39 AM

MSG Floyd Williams — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 10:39:13 -0400

One of the reasons I decided to enlist in the Army, I wanted to mature, travel, learn a skill, continue my education, do things that bullies in my neighborhood would be scared to do, a big part of tradition in my family, just to name a few.

Response by PO3 Yvonne Biehl made Nov 3 at 2017 10:56 AM

PO3 Yvonne Biehl — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 10:56:47 -0400

I wanted to get away from my family, but more than that I wanted to better myself.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Nov 3 at 2017 11:21 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:21:20 -0400

I joined for the money for college. Sure other factors played a lesser role, but I initially joined to pay for college. The reason I stayed and made the Army a career was because of all the other things the Army offers and because I found out that getting your degree means you paid a lot for a piece of paper.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2017 11:23 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:23:16 -0400

My brother and I joined up together. He went medic I went legal.
My uncle was in the National Guard in NYC after 9/11 and went to Katrina, great uncle in the Navy, cousin was in the Army, grandfather in the Air Force during Vietnam then the Navy Reserves during Desert Storm, another grandfather in the Army Air Corps in WWII, a great grandfather in the Navy during WWII.

Why? Partially family, partially service for my country, partially I hated my job and all the worthless people around me. Being Guard I went back to that job, wasn't long before I begged God to be deployed and away from Civilian society. Not working that job anymore.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Nov 3 at 2017 11:37 AM

SSgt Jim Gilmore — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:37:02 -0400

I'm a smart man...damn smart but that said, I was a crappy student. I only excelled in courses/classes that interested me. I did not give a damn for math of any kind and my nearly flunking algebra for dummies proved that. I however, excelled in courses like wood shop, Mechanical drawing / Drafting and Architecture along with History and Geography. I was obsessed with flying.

My grades virtually assured I was not getting into any college. That was OK for me, I was fed up with school. An employer suggested I speak to their neighbor. He was a USAF recruiter. I graduated mid term of my senior year, spent the next 5 months working as a laborer and was in basic training the day after my 18th birthday. At least I was safe from being drafted. After basic, I found out how much I needed all those bloody math classes I loathed. I ended up as a B-52 mechanic and several years later became an aircraft machinist. You think you don't need math to be a machinist? Time for a rude awakening.

This all helped me get jobs after separation and I realized how much those courses were needed. I also learned that if you don't work, you don't eat. I am a smart man but not always a wise one. I was lucky....

Response by MAJ Don Bigger made Nov 3 at 2017 11:37 AM

MAJ Don Bigger — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:37:51 -0400

A lot of my family served in the military—the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, WWII, Korea. Quite frankly, though, it’s because during my senior year in high school my dad, a retired Colonel (Infantry), asked me where I was going to live, how was I going to pay rent, could I afford to buy a car, how was I going to pay tuition, etc etc etc. I got the message. All of that plus the draft was still on and a friend of mine joined the Marines via the delayed entry program, so I joined with him.

However, I STAYED because, as I matured a little bit, I found I enjoyed it, was good at it, I appreciated my country more, and my family heritage started to mean something.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Nov 3 at 2017 12:14 PM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:14:02 -0400

Family business

Response by SN James MacKay made Nov 3 at 2017 12:56 PM

SN James MacKay — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:56:25 -0400

I was fresh out of High School, and had just been fired from my first job. When I was an adolescent, the TV Series, Victory at Sea, was hugely popular, and I was a big fan. My home town didn't have much to offer in the late 50's, so with the Victory at Sea theme song playing in my head, I joined the Navy. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, because I had done my active duty and reserve time, and had been discharged by the time Nam became an issue.

Response by MAJ Monique Ruiz made Nov 3 at 2017 2:31 PM

MAJ Monique Ruiz — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 14:31:45 -0400

Initially, I joined because of educational benefits. What convinced me further was to be part of a team with a positive influence and purpose. The reason I’ve continued my service is to create a better system to take care of Soldiers and be an example of a leader who inspires others to change the leadership culture (be a servant leader) to adopt “Soldiers first and mission always.”

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2017 10:55 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 22:55:24 -0400

Family tradition.....John Wayne.....GI Joe

Response by PFC Robert Rice made Nov 4 at 2017 1:01 AM

PFC Robert Rice — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:01:24 -0400

I decided to follow my family members and join the military. I come from a strong military history. I grew up around the military and lived over seas. I think just watching my father serve gave me desire to serve also.

Response by SGT Christopher Lachcik made Nov 4 at 2017 8:43 AM

SGT Christopher Lachcik — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 08:43:02 -0400

It was a dare. I was a young dumb hippy asswipe with long hair. We were at the mall and one of my friends said "I dare you to go into the recruiters office and say you want to join, I bet they won't even take you." Little did I know...lol

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Nov 4 at 2017 11:01 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 11:01:06 -0400

I wanted to be an Air Force pilot since I was in grade school. I joined the Civil Air Patrol when I was in Jr. High School and stuck with it through High School. I selected a University with AFROTC. As a sophomore, I applied and was selected for a two-year Air Force ROTC scholarship making it possible for me to complete my degree and be commissioned. Fortunately, I passed the flight physical and scored high enough of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test to be accepted into pilot training. In July 1970, I was awarded the aeronautical rating of Pilot. Dream complete.

Patriotism had a lot to do with my decision to join the Air Force beyond the dream I explained above. I believe our country is mans' last, best choice for a way to govern a society. That deep-seated belief in the US started with my parents as a kid. Boy Scouts and CAP fortified my belief in the US as a nation worth defending. My history and political science professors were NOT liberal socialists as they might be today. They taught what I call "traditional" world and American history where the white Europeans are not all bad people. They had a balanced approach to subjects like slavery, displacement of native peoples, religion, and industrialization. They lectured on both the good and bad in every case. The political science courses looked at all forms of Government, but leaned toward democracy and representative republics as the most desirable for guaranteeing personal freedom and free enterprise. Communism was called out for its totalitarian implementation in the USSR, China, and Cuba. The millions of European and Asian people slaughtered by Communist regimes were not ignored.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2017 11:13 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 11:13:35 -0400

Financial aide for college was not available. So I gave up a $.75 per hour job to join the military and not be a burden to my parents.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Nov 4 at 2017 11:27 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 11:27:08 -0400

Because I felt I had a debt I owed my country. I was very privileged to be born in the United States- I could have been born anywhere. I wanted to go active duty, but at eighteen yrs old took a ricochet from a .22 pistol in my right eye thus couldn't join. After I got older and my vision got better, I still had a debt to pay, so I joined the National Guard and later transferred to the Army Reserve where I put in over 22 yrs. Our country never got great by people standing around not taking up the cause. I thank God every day I had the privilege to serve my country.

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Nov 4 at 2017 12:55 PM

1LT William Clardy — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 12:55:35 -0400

I first enlisted because I needed something to do when I dropped out of college a whisker ahead of getting suspended for less-than-stellar academic performance, and ROTC was the one subject I really felt any enthusiasm for.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Nov 5 at 2017 12:43 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 12:43:59 -0500

Crappy grades, crappy job, no money. The Navy recruiter called me first. Did some cool secret squirrel stuff, played with some cool electronics. It was a helluva fun ride for 22 yrs.

Response by SGT David T. made Nov 6 at 2017 10:07 AM

SGT David T. — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 10:07:25 -0500

I was living out of my car and needed a job. lol

Response by SGT Mark Halmrast made Nov 6 at 2017 10:36 AM

SGT Mark Halmrast — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 10:36:29 -0500

To join? To serve...to do a small part to protect our freedoms.
To go infantry? To give as much as I could with no regrets.
To go airborne? To jump out of planes!
Airborne!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2018 5:11 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 17:11:29 -0400

We have always served since 1627 and even earlier depending on which family line you check. I also wanted to be just like my dad, but I never quite made it to his level.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Mar 19 at 2018 6:44 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 06:44:50 -0400

Two uncles had served during WWII, and one served during Korea, plus I wanted something a little different in my life to do.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Mar 19 at 2018 10:07 AM

SGT Philip Roncari — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:07:57 -0400

I really had no choice my life up until that time was pretty much wasted'heavy drinking ,badly educated (my fault) street corner punk with a succession of low paying going nowhere jobs ,all in all one sorry son of a bitch, all of this at nineteen,a quitter, loser,so enlisting was a life saver for me,literally.

Response by Cpl Robert Russell Payne made Jan 18 at 2021 10:19 PM

Cpl Robert Russell Payne — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 22:19:01 -0500

When I figured out that I wasn't good to play football at Auburn I started thinking about the military.