I joined the Army when I was seventeen. I was a little immature in High School and I needed a little time to mature. I originally wanted to join the Marines. I called the Marine recruiter and he told me to come to his recruiting office in Patchouge, so I hopped on a bus and went on down.

I walked into the recruiting office and I saw a man in a green uniform and I asked where the Marine recruiter was. The guy was like you're kidding right?

"No. I'm supposed to meet the Marine recruiter here at Two o'clock. Where is he, through that door over there?", I asked.

The Army recruiter said, "Why do you want to join the Marines?"

"I just want to be a Marine." I said.

"I'll show you where to go in a second. First can you answerer some questions for me?" he asked.

"Sure, but hurry up I'm going to be late."

"Can the Marines let you pick the Job you want?"

"I don't know", I said.

"How about guaranteed European enlistment?"

"Again, I Don't know."

"How about guaranteed two year enlistment?" he asked.

"I don't know?"

"How about 20,000 dollars to help you go to college?" he asked.

"I really don't know what they have to offer and I'm going to be late for my appointment." I said.

"Well ask the Marine recruiter if they can give you all those things that we can give you?" he asked.

"Okay fine, now where is the Marine recruiter?"

He pointed out the window, and across the court yard was the Marine recruiting office. Right next door was the Air Force, and the Navy was close by also.

I don't know why I thought they would all be in the same office? Feeling more than a little foolish I headed over to the Marine office.

I asked the recruiter,"Do the Marines have a two year enlistment?"

"Nope it's a four year minimum."

I asked, "Can I choose the job I want?".

"Nope, you do what we tell you", he said.

"How about money for college?" I asked.

"No, we don't have that."

"How about guaranteed European enlistment?" I asked.

"Nope", he said.

"Please tell me why I should join the Marines?" I asked.

He said, "wait here one minute and I will show you."

He went off in the back room for a while and came out in his dress blue uniform.
He had a sword and lots of tassels and he looked really sharp.

"You see this uniform?" He asked.

"Yes", I said.

"This is why you join the Marines," he said.

Well if I hadn't walked into the wrong recruiting office. That statement probably would have been enough for me. After my appointment I went to the Navy and Air Force to see what they had. The Army had the best deal going.

The Army has some tricks of their own I found out. I went to take the entrance exam and the physical. Then I got to pick my job. They showed me all the things I had an aptitude for.

They show you all these really horrible jobs like mortar scout, and mine sweeper, lets not forget the infantry and everything else that sounds like death on the battle field. Then they show you something like I picked.

Petroleum supply specialist. They have a little video that goes with it. They show you everything that is related. Like refueling helicopters and setting up gasoline pipelines. They even showed you a 50,000 gallon storage tank that you had to climb up top and measure the fuel in it.

I did all the training. Truthfully they show you how to do all that stuff. When I got to my permanent assignment in Germany, they dropped me off in front of some gas pumps. That's when it hit me. I had just joined the Army to pump gas.