October 29, 1979 was the day I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. I was just 17 years old. My recruiter picked up at around 5 in the morning to take me to the induction center in South Boston.
After many hours of physicals and mostly waiting around, we were herded into a room and we took the oath. I became officially a Marine Recruit in the DEP (Delayed Entry Program). My boot camp day was set for after my high school graduation but I was now officially in the military.
Jimmy Carter was still our president and we were less than a week away from the hostages being taken in Iran.
39 years ago today.
I enlisted in the Navy July 1, 1981. I did six years under the nuclear power program. I became a reactor operator on the USS Atlanta SSN 712. Reagan was my commander in chief the whole time.