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March 25, 2008 @ 7:05 am

About my service to my country…

About my service to my country…

Comment by Robb Allen

March 25, 2008 @ 7:06 am

Blogged it instead.

Comment by Merle

March 25, 2008 @ 7:59 am

I took the oath during Viet Nam.

I didn’t want to see the crap Dad told about from WW 2 happening again.

FWIW, I have never had my oath rescinded, so as far as I am concerned, it is still in effect.

Merle

Comment by freddyboomboom

March 25, 2008 @ 8:11 am

I joined mainly to see the world.

Secondarily, I joined because I’d get a good technical education, and work experience.

My tertiary reason was to serve my country, and that is the reason I’m most proud of today.

The World’s Finest Nuclear Navy (aka United States Naval Service) fulfilled the first two, and allowed me to fulfill the third.

Comment by Madrocketscientist

March 25, 2008 @ 8:25 am

I should follow Robb’s Example, and maybe I will later, but here is the short version.

I was broke, without prospects, and homeless. I needed a job, a way to get some skills, and three hots and a cot.

The Navy made me an offer, I accepted. I did not even think about the service aspect until I took the oath before leaving for boot camp. I thought long and hard about that oath during boot camp and came out the other side with a deep sense of pride in the choice I made to serve.

Many might join in an effort to make a better life, but I doubt few leave without the pride of knowing they have served something greater than themselves. The why you joined is not nearly as important as the why you stayed.

Comment by Fred

March 25, 2008 @ 8:33 am

I enlisted in 1959 in Abilene Texas to see the world and serve my country. This was a time when it was still fashionable and honorable to enlist in the military if you didn’t know what you wanted to do with your life. I spent most of my time with a SAC wing at Shepard AFB Texas. The only forgiven country I saw was Illinois for tech school. The training and experiences in the AF led to a career that carried me around the world several times. Would I do it again—in a heart beat. Am I proud to have been there-yes.

Comment by Madrocketscientist

March 25, 2008 @ 8:57 am

I did kinda write about why I joined initially.
http://madrocketsci.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-i-joined-us-navy.html

I should expand on it.

Comment by David

March 25, 2008 @ 9:03 am

I never served in the .mil, but took the oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” as part of my first job out of college — a clerk-typist for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. All I had heard at Berkeley was the stories of the eeevil loyalty oaths for faculty during the fifties and sixties — so I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had to take an oath for the job. As an Eagle Scout, I meant every word and still do.

Comment by Sailorcurt

March 25, 2008 @ 9:44 am

Both of my brothers went to college (one before me and one after me) and that avenue was open for me as well. My grades were good enough. I just wasn’t interested.

I joined the Navy instead.
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I joined for three reasons in order of importance:

1) Serve my country and countrymen as my father and many other family members did.
2) See the world.
3) Learn a trade without having to go to school full time for 4 more years.

I actually intended to do my initial tour, serve my country, see the world and then get out and settle down. 21 years later I was facing retirement and wishing that it hadn’t ended so quick.

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Comment by Bob S.

March 25, 2008 @ 11:40 am

I guess I’m one of the deluded ones…I joined the Air Force in 1981.
Like others have stated, there were options open for me, college, jobs etc; but I joined to find myself through service to my country.
My family had a history of military service and I was lucky enough to spend time in Turkey as a kid. I realized that I had been blessed to be born here; I felt it was the least that I could do to take an oath to protect and serve the country.

Comment by Nolan

March 25, 2008 @ 3:00 pm

I turned down two full academic scholarships (U’s of Idaho and Wyoming) and a partial scholarship (Michigan State) to enlist in the USAF in 1998. I was bored with the crappy Michigan factory town I grew up in and wanted to see the world AND do something to feel like I was being a responsible member of the Republic.

Comment by Cowboy Blob

March 25, 2008 @ 9:58 pm

I was raised an Air Force Brat…but enlisted anyway. During the Carter Administration — the absolute low-point for morale/infrastructure in the US military.

I joined the Air Force because, keenly aware of my physical and mental limitations, I probably couldn’t hack the Marines, couldn’t stand the Army, and didn’t care much for sea duty in the Navy. My frequent contact with the other services reinforced my early impressions, though I did rethink things once after falling in love with a Navy girl. The things we sacrifice for our country.

The USAF put my brains to work with a vengeance and generally kept my body from getting fat until I retired. I stuck with it because it turned out that I was really good at what I did. It was only incidental that I was keeping the North Korean Menace at bay with my service. I’m proud to have served, though I don’t apologize for banking my proficiency pay (and later flight pay) to make my retirement years more comfortable. I’d go back in a second if the Balloon went up on the Peninsula, but I hope that whole situation just collapses under the weight of communist incompetence.

Comment by Mark@C

March 25, 2008 @ 11:00 pm

I turned down a Georgia Tech scholarship to enlist (USN). 20 years active duty and I retired 6 months prior to 9/11. The next day I gave up my job at a marine construction/salvage company and tried to get back on active duty, but I was pointed to MSC (military sealift civilian mariner) - which is a family tradition, actually. My father and uncle were both merchant mariners during WWII (They tried, but the day after Pearl Harbor they were too young to enlist). The last 6 years, I’ve spent more time in the Gulf than I have at home, by about 5 to 1.
Without getting too maudlin, I feel I am making installment payments on a debt that began at Valley Forge. If the kos kids can’t see or understand that, it is truly their loss. How sad to be unable to recognize or understand commitment, honor, duty and country. Makes you wonder what in their life makes it worth the living.

Comment by Petey

March 26, 2008 @ 6:55 am

I joined the Navy after a semester of college having decided that I wasn’t nearly ready enough to be serious and study. Basically a “see the world” sort of mindset. 5 years later I have come to wish I had completed college first, but I had a great time and it has built up my character more than anything else I have experienced. One (short) tour in Iraq as a FMF Corpsman really made the difference. Now that I’m out I kind of miss it, just not the part where a Marine asks “Hey doc, can you take a look at this rash? I think its getting bigger.”

Comment by Ted

March 26, 2008 @ 4:57 pm

My dad was Air Force, and I always knew growing up that I’d join too. I did the delayed enlistment route, signing up on December 20, 1976, just before the Vietnam era GI Bill ended. I went active duty in August of 77. My first goal was free college. I obviously liked it enough to do almost 13 years.

Comment by Craig

March 26, 2008 @ 8:22 pm

Took delayed enlistment after community college for the experiance as military police (Air Force LE SP’s then now SF’s), turned it into 30 years as a civilian officer. At the time the oath was a means to an end. After four years and a tour in SE Asia during the collapse of Vietnam it meant a lot more. There was no expiration date on the oath and as I watch my country threatened by internal nutball hate mongers and commies by any other name I think of what may be needed.
Sides even in SEA the food was way better then the jar heads or ground pounders.

Comment by Jimro

March 27, 2008 @ 7:57 pm

I blogged about it.

I joined to pay for college, I stay because it is the best job in the world.

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March 28, 2008 @ 8:06 am

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