re: Regret not joining the military

Did my time and don’t regret it one bit. And I’d do it again.

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Lived in Va Beach and I can say I NEVER heard one military dude say the loved it, and in fact most hated it. Carrier, crusiers, subs and deep water dudes.....pilots were different, they seemed to like it

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Did two tours there. You’ll find that in any job. For as many that you say you “heard” there are more than that do. “Lived in VA Beach” tells me all I need to know.

I think about it from time to time, but would I trade my life now for what could have been? Not a shot.

I was gung ho, wanted to do delayed entry, but who knows what would have happened. Injured in some training accident and ride a desk my entire contract or get smoked by an IED in some shithole in the desert fighting a bullshite war. Kudos to those that join and serve, but there are plenty of ways to serve your community if you really want to.

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If I had been smart I would’ve joined the military right out of high school

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I wish I would have done that as well. I was heading to Boot Camp right out of high school so I could be just like all the other Enlisted Devils in my family but my Uncle who fought in the Pacific and then in Korea told me the smartest thing I could do would be to go to college and then go to OCS to be an Officer if I really wanted to be a Marine. Considering I thought my uncle spoke gospel every time he opened his mouth that is what I did and promptly got my eye injured going through and since this was during the Clinton years, I was railroaded right out of the USMC. I often think what my life would be like if I would have went ahead to MCRD that Summer of 1990. I would have at least made it to Desert Storm.

I would have been sent to Viet Nam but a high draft lottery number allowed me to remain out of the service. Then the draft ended. I do think about what I might have experienced though.

I hate being told what to do.

I joined the Navy before graduating high school in 70 and within 2 weeks of graduation I was on my way to Orlando for 12 weeks of Boot Camp.

Fast forward to week 8 and I suffered a dislocated shoulder that I didn't report. Three days later I suffered a bad dislocation that I could not hide and had to go to sick bay.

Long story short, I had experienced a dozen or more dislocations prior to enlisting and let the recruiter know about it, but they took me anyway.

Once in a medical state in boot camp they decided I was not a candidate to remain in the Navy even though I wanted them to operate to fix my shoulder. Uncle Sam said "Hell no, you have a pre-existing condition and we will not take responsibility for it".

Got a medical discharge and sent back home. Then tried to join the Army, and they turned me down. So I told the recruiter I'd try the Air Force, Marines, etc. and he told me------"Son, if the Army don't want you, no branch of the service will take you"----and he was right.

One of my big disappointments in my early life to not see how I would have fared in the service.