The draft ended b/4 my 18th b/day.
I wanted to finish College, but I simply could not afford it. The Army offered a job with an income, an adventure, and an education bonus plan for when I got out. I enlisted while of sound mind, but I knew exactly what I was signing up for, and I meant every bit of my oath.
After having watched "Twelve O'Clock High" on TV for a week, I asked my dad to sign for me to go in the Air Force. He did, and I did. In Apr 1960, I got to Air Force basic at Lackland. Ended up in the USAF Security Service, and pulled overseas duty in the Philippines and Italy. Several months after release from active duty, I got a letter from Fort Meade, was accepted as a civilian employee, and served there for 33 years. I spent a lot of time "in uniform, armed." I also spent more time on USAF aircraft as a civlian than I did on active duty. I got to Vietnam, flying around in C-130s and UH1Bs. Served a lot of time in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and lastly, ten years in Latin America. I wouldn't change one minute of it, except, maybe, for that night in Frankfurt..... Concur with NRA1995: stay single for your first couple of hitches.