in 1980, me and my life-long best childhood friend both quit school at age 16.
2 years later (maybe a little less) when my friend Larry turned 18, he decided
to try to go into the armed services.
He try to talk me into it, but even then I told him..."shit, soon as I signup, war will break out, that's just my luck)
I was thinking Army. Like paratrooper or something G.I. Joe style stuff.
He said he was going to try anyway, and go for the Air-force.
He almost had me talked into it with that.
Well the AF turn him down. So then he told me he was going to try the Navy next.
I don't like the sea that much, so again I passed.
The navy took him. Gave him the GED, and enlistment test at that time, and he
was ready to ship out in 6 weeks.
During/after 6 months on a Aircraft carrier, he was a private.
He came back and told me all these cool things he'd saw in around the world.
I nearly signed up myself then...nearly, again....
He when on to become at least a sargent, and got out I think with retirement.
I haven't seen him in years, and never regretted not going in myself, but have
always though what might have been, now knowing how things have been with
no major war during that period.
The Armed services do still have some relatively safe positions, but I don't
don't know how they work it now.
Through all that time though, I've always held that, if called upon, I'd not
hesitate to do my duty. Now they'd not take me, but if needed to full a
certain position that I'd be able to do, I'd still do it.
Many people mistake the Armed services, for a standard branch of government,
but it is actually way more than any other government thing, and politics
doesn't mean a whole lot if anything when it come to a soldier/sailer.... doing
their 'job'.
Now when you get up into the Generals and such, some politics may come into play, depending on the aspirations of the person.
Some maybe most here already know this general stuff, but there are so many
misconceptions and just Wrong media, that I felt it necessary to share my feelings about it, for My understanding.
I may be off slightly with the changes through the years, but That's the way it used to be anyway.
I have the utmost respect for All our Armed Services, whether it be wartime, or not....
Whether they are active or not, and whether they are homeless or not.
and always will
