Service USA

[madmax]

Why you paid the price.

I would walk that walk again gladly.

Chime in.

[crashdive123]

Joined for a myriad of reasons. Dad was WWII Army, dissatisfied with job at the time, not really getting much out of college then, wanted to be part of something "bigger". Over 20 years after joining I retired. Wouldn't change a thing and would gladly go back today if the need was there (and they allowed old farts in).

The only thing I might change would be to qualify for SWCC. That would be a high tempo, kick butt job.

[natertot]

Joined because I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up. Been out for eight years now, still don't know what I want to do when I grow up....... Still haven't grown up.

Crash, it is funny you mentioned SWCC. I did qualify for them in boot camp but passed at the time because my mom was diagnosed with cancer and I wanted to be able to come home if it took a turn for the worse. She survived and I always have wished I would have tried it. Then again, I may not have met my wife and have my family if I went that route. Funny how life works itself out. The journey through life is a funny thing.

[1stimestar]

Joined because I was bored. Yep, bored. Had a decent job (for my age and education level of the time). Had my own little house. Went to work, partied on the weekends. Rinse, repeat. It was fun for a while but I knew I didn't want to end up with that being my everything. Knew I had more to see and do in this world. Came from a fairly heavy military family. So yea, it was good for me.

[MrFixIt]

Was headed down the wrong path (a judge told me so), job prospects were not good, and I needed to get away from the "influences" of my life at the time.
I asked for the unit I was attached to while in boot, and it spiraled from there.
Wish I could go back and visit some of the places with a camera instead of a gun...

[madmax]

Thanks for everyone's comments. Funny how basic brought so many from different backgrounds and different reasons together. And the rest kinda comes together.

I deleted a comment about that pimple faced... nevermind. It was basic. And we never found the safety pin...

[Auban]

I was in a bad place(mentally) and heard something on the radio about travel and learning another language. So I joined as an 18X. I eventually withdrew from the qualification course to take care of some issues with my wife, then almost died from exertional rhabdo and never went back.



I'm not entirely sure what I was looking for when I joined, but I don't regret the decision at all. I know I'm going to miss the army when I leave, but it won't serve my goals to re-up again.

[finallyME]

When I was a kid, I always wanted to. I wanted to do all the special stuff, jump out of airplanes, have all the cool toys. I also wanted to be an officer. So, in high school I joined JROTC. I did that for 2 years and realized that they weren't too much help. I went to college and joined ROTC there. Then I realized I needed money so joined the Reserves to pay for school. My plan was to graduate, go to OCS, then be commissioned, hopefully in the infantry, then Ranger School and hopefully get attached to the 75th. Instead I was activated for the Winter Olympics, and then was later sent to Iraq. In Iraq I realized that I don't like being away from DW for extended periods. Came back from Iraq, served out my remaining time in the Reserves, graduated college, and then got out. Some times I have regrets. But, I am happy with my life, so I don't think I would change my decisions. Now I get to design stuff for the military.

[Auban]

if there is anything i regret, its that i never really realized the gravity of what i was doing until i was leading infantrymen in a combat zone. i still feel like i should have trained harder. none of my guys died, or got injured, but some of my friends in other squads, platoons, and companies did.

im not sure what i could have done to save them, but that question still bounces around in my head... what if.
what if i had trained harder, and pushed them to learn? what if i had pushed those around me to train harder? to make better use of their down time?
knowing the situation, i imagine it would make no difference.

but it still gets to me when i think about it.

but beyond that, i had no idea how rewarding the army would be. if it werent for the fact that i joined, i would not have the very things that mean so much to me. i would do it again in a heartbeat.

[kyratshooter]

Different era for me.

We had 16,000+ casualties in 1968 alone, more than in Iraq or Afghanistan combined for their total duration.

And we had the Draft! No motivation, no excitement, no incentives. All you had to do was be a warm body. They gave you a number allocated based on your birthday and you waited to be called. In 1969 they called the first 250 numbers on January 1.

Criminal record, no problem

Bad grades, no problem

Just a little bit mental, buddy you're our boy!

You got 8 week boot camp, 8 weeks advanced, 2 weeks leave and a plane trip to Viet Namn.

I went ROTC in college in the attempt to get enough training to keep me alive.

I went in a Lt. and came out a Captain, Infantry.

Bad things happened, that's why they call it war.

[Auban]

Yeah, i wasn't ready for war...

I feel like I am now, because I know what to expect. But, I was dilusional when I joined.

We all joined knowing we would go to combat, and we were all dilusional.

[DSJohnson]

I was raised in a combat veteran's home. My father was 3rd Armor. 33 Armored Reg Co. H. I grew up watching John Wayne and Audie Murphy beat the bad guys at great personal cost but doing it anyway. I stood up and said the Pledge every day in school from the time I was 6 years old. Sang "God Bless America" and "My Country Tis of Thee" every morning in class. I looked with awe at my father's ribbons and medals. I watched my father "favor" his bad hip and actually pulled a piece of shrapnel out of a festering sore on his lower back when he was 72, in 1983, 39 years after he was wounded (his third combat wound). I listened to all the men I respected as I grew up in a small town, talk to each other and support each other on "special" days when the pain was bad. I had no idea why some of them could get so moody or cranky some days. To me World War 2 was just like the American Civil War. I had no idea. Then I watched as the young men I knew left and the ones that came back, came back much different. I joined because I thought it was my duty to my country and my privilege to serve, just as my father, my uncles, my grandfathers and their fathers had.

[Jeffery Chattanooga]

I join the US Army in 1976, because I was 19 and had no clue what I wanted to do. I was stationed in Amberg Germany with 3/2 ACR from 1976 - 1978. I enjoyed my time served and still to this day, try to live a life worthy of the many who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Being "always ready" or "Toujours Pret", is in my soul!