I'm Glad I Served

This article may not seem totally coherent but that is because I still struggle with some things in my mind. I am a veteran of the USAF (United States Air Force). I served from 1971-1975. However it has just been in the last couple of years that I have really come to realize what that experience meant. Until recently I never thought being a vereran was such a big deal. I appreciated all other veterans service but downplayed my own in my mind. And I think that is a result of the circumstances surrounding my enlistment and my service while I was in the Air Force. We often have the mental picture of military people as being macho, athletic and at least somewhat muscular. That is not me. I am uncoordinated, I have never played any organized sport, I've been overweight since the age of 12. I was at the maximum allowable weight to enlist in the Air Force and I had low self esteem..

Back in 1971 the military was not all volunteer, there was a draft in place and it was done by lottery. My draft number was low enough that I would be drafted. Actually I was in the process of being drafted when I enlisted. I took the physical for the draft. I joined the Air Force because I thought it would be easier duty. Something even I could do. I had a duel motivation for joining and neither of the reasons was the desire to honorably serve my county. Not only did I not want to be drafted (I doubted my ability to "make" it in the Army or Marines (they were drafting at the time also)) but I was 19 years old and not sure of what I wanted to do with my life and I thought enlisting in the military would give me some direction.

Now with all of that out in the open and with years (37 actually) to ponder and reflect on things I have come to appreciate my service in the military. I still don't know if I could have "made" it in the Army and I'm certain I could not have survived the Marines. But I did raise my right hand and made myself available to do whatever my country ask ,in spite of the less than heroic motivation, and I've come to realize that is something I should be proud of. That really was impressed upon me when I was in a crowd of several hundred and they ask all veterans to stand. Out of several hundred in attendance there was only a dozen or so veterans. It was then that I realized what I had done was something special. I am now glad I served and I'd do it again and perhaps the only thing I would change is my motivation for joining.