Veterans: What motivated you to join?

[Stinky The Clown]

I joined the Navy Reserve during the Viet Nam era (1966, actually) There was a national draft. If drafted, you could expect to serve two years active duty. In the USNR, I could also look forward to two years active duty, but at least my bed, my kitchen, and my toilet went with me.

So I joined to avoid a worse deal in the draft.

That said, I also felt a sense of duty to country. All the men in my parents' generation served. I thought that was what one owed to one's country.

That was another reason why the Navy was for me. If I had to go, I wanted to go in a way whereby my bed, my kitchen, and my toilet went with me. (Oh wait ..... I said that already.)

Why did you join?

[Islander Expat]

1. I joined Uncle Sams canoe club to get the hell out of Pasadena Texas

A Yankee boy growing up in Bubbaville, Gawd I hated that place.

The only way I can get farther away from Texas than I am now is by standing on a chair, LOL!

IE
Philippines

[HardWorkingDem]

2. Needed a job, college loan payback and afraid of heights...

No kidding.

The last part is true. Since I decided to join and the opportunity presented itself to jump out of planes and I had a fear of heights, I thought what the heck. Guess what? It didn't do a thing for my fear of heights at all.

Though I'd never do it all again, it was one of the best experiences in my life. Especially that ETS date and walking out of finance for the last time.

[hootinholler]

3. I didn't have money for school,

I was determined I wasn't going to work in a steel mill or a coal mine, they were closing down.

Of course, a history of family service didn't hurt either.

-Hoot

[magellan]

11. Same here

Followed my dad. Turned out I didn't go to college anyway; I learned how to use a computer in the military and parlayed that into a job after I got out. I've been in computers since.

[hootinholler]

14. From one non degreed IT professional to another:

:toast:

-Hoot

[magellan]

16. And from one Kucinich supporter to another

:headbang:

[Toasterlad]

12. Me Three.

I owe my degree to Uncle Sam.

[BobRossi]

4. Enlisted 1971 USAF

Draft lottery number 266. My family has a long history of military service. Three brothers before me served in USN, one on PBR in Nam.
Didn't think I could get through college.

[ThomWV]

5. I joined in '66

I joined the Army in 1966, ironically on the same day I would otherwise have been drafted. A screwup by my Draft Board caused me to find out I had been drafted just two days before I had to go in. I joined for 4 years active even though the draft would have had me in and out in two years. By signing up for four I got to chose either my job or my first duty location. That was the deal back then. I knew I would end up in Viet Nam, that was a sure thing, it was just a matter of having some control over what I would be doing when I got there. I chose neither specific job nor first assignment but left it for the Army to use me to fill its needs, however that I would serve with the Army's component of the NSA, which was called the Army Security Agency, which I did.

I was 19 and out of high school in good health, had passed the draft board's physical, and had a 1-A card in my wallet. There was never a thought about hiking over the border or not showing up when called. They would call and I would go. I had no real objection other than it would infringe on my youthful enjoyment of life and the quite reasonable fear that I could be killed or worse, disabled for life.

Anyway I went in, did 3 tours in Viet Nam, got out. I won some medals, in fact exactly the same ones John Kerry won, and have a keen awareness of the difference between serving one's country and defending the nation. I did the former, not the latter. The same could be said of our troops serving in Iraq today.

[HardWorkingDem]

25. You are a special person....

I hope you, your family and friends realize it.

[sampsonblk]

6. I didn't have money for school

Soph year at Penn State was just too expensive. I went into the USAF Reserve to pay for my education.

Later joined the Army Reserve for the benefits. Ending up serving overseas (Bosnia/Op Joint Guard)

[NYVet]

7. My grand-dad fought in the 2nd World War

and he was the major influence on me in my life.

He taught me "yes sir, yes ma'am", pull out chair, open doors, and tip my hat to the ladies.

Respect your friends, love your family, and honor your country.





I used to tell everyone that my grandfather walked on water and parted the sea when he was tired.

[hobbit709]

8. In 1969 Iwas 19, 1-A and my number in the lottery was 98.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

9. It was my chance to get away from my family and go somewhere

I lucked out. I joined the Navy and spent Gulf War 1 in New Jersey. Then I got stationed in Japan. I considered going into the USNR or the Guard when I got out but I'm glad I didn't. Reservists in my state got sent to Iraq in droves.

[lynnertic]

13. I joined for similar reasons.

[Doc_Technical]

10. Considered joining Air Force or Navy after High School.

I figured I could learn something useful like electronics (which I did).

Draft lottery number #68 in 1970 made my mind up for me.

[grasswire]

15. thank you for your service

I honor all of you who went, for whatever reason. The world is a better place because you came back.

[sarge43]

17. I signed on with Uncle's Balloon Corps because

I had to make a break. I was sick onto death of school and my other choices were very limited job opportunities, marriage to some mouth breather or the spinster daughter caring for aging parents. Plus, just about everyone in the family took a turn, so I had the honor of being the first girl to do so.

On the whole, glad I did. Got to experience things, good and bad, that most women of my generation never could. Have myself a degree, tidy pension and a husband as a result.

I didn't sign up to serve my country, but it's the bennie I value most.

[dogman]

18. Seemed inevitable at the time.

I tried for a deferment due to my job, but only engineering degrees were getting them. I had my driver's license suspended for 6 months and figured I would be walking anyway, so I volunteered for the draft. My father, brother, and older cousins served as well as an uncle. Just after I volunteered the draft went to a lottery and I would have gone in about 6 months anyway. Two years later Vietnam was behind me and since I survived, I feel lucky and honored to have served my Country even though I felt the War was a fraud. I have nothing but respect for the CO's who served and for those who left the Country out of conviction. Not so much for chickenhawks, however.

[Squatch]

19. It was my sense of duty that got me to sign, it's my sense of duty that keeps me in.

US Army 1997-present.
Field Artillery

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. No job. No home. No chance of college. Facing the draft. And, false advertising.

"The Marine Corps Builds Men".

I was a skinny 17 year old, working as a dishwasher for $1 an hour. Living with my sister and her family. Just graduated from H.S. with a C- average.

The lure of a paid college education via the GI bill, and becoming a real tough guy, looked good to me.

4 years later I emerged a budding Socialist, anti-militarist, future Anarchist and pacifist.

As for becoming a "man", I did learn that swagger and muscles do not a man make.

[Bigmack]

21. 1962...

I joined the Corps because John Kennedy asked what I was going to do for my country. I was gonna protect the good guys from the bad guys.

Seemed like a good idea..... at the time.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. "You'll beee soorrrrryyyy!!

Those guys yelling at us as we got off the PC at MCRD weren't lying.

[Release The Hounds]

22. I didn't want college or a factory job

I soon realized I had no use for the Army and went to college after getting out.

[rasputin1952]

24. To be honest, I had screwed up a perfectly good life...

I had gotten into trouble, suddenly realized that I needed to do something w/my life and decided I needed some kind of discipline and get out of the "me" situation.

I got discipline FAST, I lost the "me" thing almost immediately and thanks to the Army, I got back on track and truly realized what people can accomplish when they have a goal and work together.

I left as a Medical Plt Sgt, after a couple of MOS revamps, and am proud to say I served my country, and my country has served me.

I won't go into detail, but the Army was happy with me, and I got a lifetimes worth of great experiences, (and a few bad ones). All of the medals and awards on earth cannot assuage the pain of losing a brother or sister in arms.

I have a 19 yo son, who has been thinking of joining, but I've talked him out of it, at least for now. bush is trying to claim his "legacy" on the backs, sinew and blood of our military. I don't want my son to be sacrificed for oil or bush's ghastly dreams. One of my daughters served on USS Carl Vinson, Vinson sent the first sorties into Afghanistan. I thank God she is out now and has given me a G'Daughter...:) I just wish they would have gotten bin-Laden, they tried, had good intel on where he was, but were called off so the warlords to do the dirty work. Needless to say, they failed miserably.

I support our brothers and sisters in uniform...but I cannot stand by the "reasoning" of this war.

:patriot:

[HardWorkingDem]

26. kick...nt

kick..

[trof]

27. 1963. Looked for the best deal I could find.

During the draft years, 'serving' was an inevitable part of most able bodied males' lives.

All my buddies who were already in as grunts hammered one thing home, "Man, if there's ANY way you can do your time as an officer, that's the ONLY way yo go."

After talking to all the recruiters in town and hearing their best offers, I heard about this 'deal' in the air national guard.

1. Take a series of tests and, if you passed, immediate temporary commission as 2nd balloon.
No boot camp, no screaming drill sergeants, no calisthenics, no nuthin'.
2. Attached to regular air force for a year of active duty for pilot training. On successful completion, temp commission becomes permanent.
3. 6 year commitment in ANG.

Yep, it's the same program dumbya was in.
I didn't have any clout. Just happened to be a time when the unit needed pilots.

Bonus: It led to a 30+ career in aviation.
Sweet.