Everybody :What experience have you had with the military that has left a lasting impression or changed you?

Question

Enlisted, retired, commisioned, reservist, military spouse, parent, child, sibling, relative...how are you connected to the military and what was the experience that had a lasting impression or changed you? Good or bad, or both. What branch? When did it happen?

Answer 1

while I was a young Marine hiking back to base camp in Camp Pendleton we were nearing the end of a 22 mile hike with full gear. i was as tired as i had ever been, i was hot hungry, my dogs were barking and life sucked at that moment, as we approached base housing there was a group of about 50 elderly woman, all woman they were waiving American flags and giving us words of motivation..we were told later on that they were all Marine widows whos husbands were killed in Vietnam.To this day I still get chills thinking of them and seeing there faces.......Semper Fi

Answer 2

After three years with the Old Guard in Washington DC, I am now part of the unorganized militia. Memorable events include being youngest person at the time to command an active Army company formation at just 17, serving two presidents in their escort battalion, and performing hundreds of burials in Arlington National Cemetary and the other nearby national cemetaries in Virginia and Maryland in the late 1970s.

There was both good and bad in my experiences. The best was making a dedication on preparing to leave active duty to education, either my own or helping others with theirs. For that dedication, I was elected as a community college student body president in 1988, named an Outstanding Young American in 1989, and awarded a Washington Center Minority Leaders Fellowship with ARCO Foundation sponsorship in 1990. Currently, I am doing what I can to help the FBI and US Attorney's office in the Southern District of California because I believe that I have a duty as a US citizen to do so.

My parents' families came from many different countries - some of them former enemies of this country - but all I can say about that is "God bless America."

Answer 3

I was a Vietnamese language trained Army milit. intelligence agent who spent most all of 1971 in Vietnam during the War period. I learned, having been told this alone by my Commander, a Lieut. Colonel, that at the time the #2 man in the Asian Drug cartel was very likely an AMERICAN. This didn't make sense to me until years later when I realized the ramifications of all this. It was a truly frightening picture that was painted in my mind.

Additionally, I was once marginally involved , while there, in an effort to covertly negotiate a ransom release of a (claimed) American pilot who was a downed POW in Cambodia. The Viet Cong "price" was 2 million piasters or about $400,000.00. I did later learn the pilot had been positively identified, but negotiations broke down. The impression I got from my superiors was that the pilot was a minority officer so the Pentagon didn't take it seriously to pursue the offer. (!!!) That angered and disgusted me, and I began counting the days for home directly as a result of that incident.

Answer 4

How does 22 1/2 years active duty Navy qualify for this. The last assignment was with every officer passed over for promotion and they were the sorriest bunch of people i ever saw in a group. I was the leading chief of the unit and could not get any help from any officer in the unit. I'll never forget that bunch of crud's.

Answer 5

My husband is in the Army
My father retired from the Air Force
My brother was in the Navy

I have an appreciation for all that serve in the military. One of the most memorable moments for me was pinning my husband when he was promoted. I was so honored, because he was a representation of what someone who was raised with nothing could become.

Answer 6

I was a volunteer in the Army for three years. Ever since I was discharged in 1968, I have been plagued by recurring nightmares. I dream that I cannot make it on the outside and have to re-enlist to survive.

Answer 7

One of many,....mine is I went to Ft. Benning, Ga. for a graduation in the Army, my daughters boyfriend, I cried it was so over whelming this was in 2003.WOW is all I can say!!!
Then in 2003 my daughter went in to the Army, she's out on a medical discharge, the letters she wrote to me made me feel like I was in boot camp with her, some of the things were funny others were sad.
I've sent countless care packages to Iraq, to our soldiers, they need all the help we can send.
Now I'm moving to either N.C. or S.C. I will volunteer to help any way I can on a base, I do not take our freedom lightly.

Answer 8

USNAR Boot camp and A School. In this case, I had to absolutely trust that the government and people in authority
would take care of me and help make me a better person if
I cooperate and carry my share of the load. I did and they did. (USNAR is now UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE).
I was a Yeoman and I can still type pretty darn decent :)) .

Answer 9

Every day was an experience,it helped me to grow up and accept responsiblity for my actions.

Answer 10

my brother was in the Marines for four years and did 2 tours in iraq. i am very proud of him. ever since he joined, i became very patriotic and i noticed the sacrifice of all the men and women. i think it was that he joined and he enjoyed it. i forgot when he joined, i think it was in 2000