In 1987, I saw the TV commercial "Port of Call, Hong Kong," showing sailors running off a ship and experiencing downtown Hong Kong with dragons dancing. "It's Not Just a Job, It's an Adventure" was the theme. Being a warm-blooded Midwestern boy, I was inspired to visit the local Navy recruiter in Overland, Mo.

My recruiters were great and offered the training and rate I was interested in (data processing technician, which no longer exists), so I enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). They were truthful. I spent most of my 12-year career as a WestPac sailor, living in Hawaii and traveling throughout the Far East, Persian Gulf and Australia. It was truly the best decision I ever made.

Daniel Dowling, Louis K. Juden American Legion Post 63, Cape Girardeau, Mo.