To: cosmicforce who wrote (125428 ) 11/23/2009 3:57:57 PM From: freelyhovering Read Replies (1) | Respond to Inspired response. I feel similarly about the military. I was drafted, during the Berlin Crises when I was temporarily out of school and had a low draft number. It ultimately worked out well for me, especially because of a decision I made that at the time seemed rather contrary to my dislike of the Army. I was at Fort Carson, Colo, in Advenced Infantry Training after Basic, and I hate camping. We spent a lot of time in the outdoor beauty of Colo. that others adored, but my hay-fever, and love of hot showers pushed me to sign up for another year, become Regular Army (RA) for the opportunity to pick any duty station in the world. I chose Germany as I had already had 2 years of college German and wanted to see Europe. It worked out wonderfully, in a serendipitous manner. I got a very sweet duty station in Bad Kreuznach, a beautiful resort community on the Nahe River, a tributary of the Rhein, as a clerk typist, eventually the chief clerk for the G3, at Division level, and utltimately functioned like SP4 Wintergreen in "Catch 22". In addition, I got 3 years of the GI bill, and avoided recall to Viet Nam which happened to my fellow draftees. I had 1 year of inactive reserve, with no meetings. I was DONE when I left the army and had 3 years of pretty good duty, bought a VW and toured much of Europe. I also ended up with two medals, Meritorious Service, and the Good Conduct Medal that help in arguments with right-wing idealogues who avoided the draft. <g>(Bush-kindof--, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc...)
