'The best shipmates in the world'
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'The best shipmates in the world'

Portage, MI
I wanted to explore space. It was 1981, and the space shuttle program was just beginning. I knew I didn't..
7 views
Honored and blessed
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Honored and blessed

Stevensville, MD
As a first-generation Ukrainian-American, I had a strong desire to serve my country - especially after hearing stories from my..
29 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

From a long line of veterans

Castleton, VT
My family, which came over in 1635, has a long line of veterans, officially starting with the Revolution at the..
45 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'Blessed to be part of both worlds'

Seymour, IN
I joined the Navy on April 17, 1961, in Columbus, Ind. Times were somewhat difficult; the economy was not the..
52 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'I would do it over again'

Jacksonville, FL
I graduated high school in 1976 and tried community college for almost a year. I was still living at home..
39 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

From California to Italy

Chula Vista, CA
In high school I hadn’t thought of joining the military or even signing up for the draft. My parents never..
52 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'One of the best decisions of my life'

Wenonah, NJ
I chose the Navy with aspirations to become a dentist. On Nov. 4, 1979, the hostages were taken in Iran...
47 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'Let the adventures begin'

DeLand, FL
In June 1960, I graduated from high school. The military draft was in force. I wanted to join one of..
42 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'I'm ready to join up'

Rio Rancho, NM
My story is simple. I was a freshman at Hunter College in New York City. I studied most of..
72 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Three reasons I chose the Navy

Chesapeake, VA
1) My father and uncle were in the Navy during World War II. 2) I was 17 and the draft..
44 views
Why I chose the Navy (and the Marines, and the Army)
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Why I chose the Navy (and the Marines, and the Army)

Little Falls, MN
At 74, my memories of why I joined the military are somewhat foggy. However, I do remember at 13 telling..
56 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'I wanted to serve to give back'

Virginia Beach, VA
I came to the United States at 10 years old. My father became a U.S. citizen after Hawaii became a..
39 views
'What do we need journalists on ships for?'
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'What do we need journalists on ships for?'

Indianapolis, IN
It was pretty simple for me. I was a writer, and I wanted to do that for the military. I..
54 views
'Some of the best years of my life'
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'Some of the best years of my life'

Tustin, MI
I was a senior in high school in the winter of 1974. I knew I wasn’t going to college and..
59 views
Four years, three ships
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Four years, three ships

Napa, CA
It was July 1968. The Tet Offensive had occurred in January. I had just graduated from high school and did..
44 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'I would do it all over again'

St. Johnsbury, VT
After graduating from St. Johnsbury Trade School in 1957, I spent six months living with a friend and his family..
64 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

From USS Midway to weekends at Waikiki Beach

Lincoln, DE
The year was 1970. I was set to graduate from high school in western Massachusetts at age 17, with no..
47 views
'So many memories I cherish'
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'So many memories I cherish'

Berkeley Springs, WV
My father became a U.S. citizen on Ellis Island in 1923 after leaving Ireland due to his involvement in the..
54 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Continuing a family tradition

Walhalla, SC
I have always had an interest in aviation. For that reason, I thought I would join the Air Force. My..
62 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'I wanted to see the world'

Fayetteville, NC
I joined the Navy for several reasons. I was raised by a hardcore lifer Army paratrooper who reached command sergeant..
66 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'He made a believer of me'

Greenwood, AR
In 1966, I received my draft notice in the mail. My parents owned a small grocery store in Fort Smith,..
69 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

'One of the most defining experiences of my life'

LaGrange, OH
Patriotism has been ingrained in my family for generations. My great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, and my grandfather served..
61 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

Traveled the oceans of the world

Skandia, MI
I went into the Navy because my father served in the Navy during World War II, in the Pacific theater...
46 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY

In my father's footsteps

Swainsboro, GA
My dad was a gunner's mate second class who served on USS Major DE 796 during World War II. He..
62 views