[AngryJawa]

Thanks for your service then and now, chookter. Sorry x42 loused it up for you and everyone else. Still, if I would have gotten in at age 18 in 1986, I could have had a couple years under Uncle Ronnie. The problem back then was that my hardcore socialist father was convinced that RR was a madman bent on the destruction of the human race.

[Cogadh na Sith]

You are the same age as me. I was in ROTC 86-90 then on active duty. The 89-90 time was great-tough, realistic training without a lot of sensitivity training BS. I was in Korea for the first Gulf War... I left in disgust in '95.

[Drew68]

Still, if I would have gotten in at age 18 in 1986

Same year for me (albeit in December). I considered it during highschool and for a couple of years after but I had a wealthy grandfather who talked me out of it and offered to pay my way through college.

Knowing some friends in college were having a good time, I jumped at the offer.

I have two close friends from highschool who served. One of them was in the 82nd as a paratrooper and loved it. The other was a MP in Germany and called the Army the "worst decision I ever made."