Legion asks veterans to tell ‘Why I Chose the Army’

Celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday this month by sharing the story of why you became a soldier.

The nation’s three oldest service branches turn 250 this year, starting with the Army on June 14.

To mark this milestone, The American Legion asked veterans earlier this year to share their stories of why they joined the Army. Go to legiontown.org to read dozens of submissions, under the category “Why I Chose the Army.” A select few appear in the June American Legion Magazine, and look for more to be highlighted throughout this month on the Legion’s website and social media. 

Are you from a long line of soldiers, or did a recruiter challenge you to “be all that you can be”? If you haven’t shared your Army story yet, send it to service250@legion.org; include your city, state and – if you’re a member – your American Legion post. Stories can also be submitted at legiontown.org. Photos from your Army days are welcome, too.

Here’s an example of a submission, sent by Army veteran Angel Faulkner of Col. Billie J. Holmes American Legion Post 331 in Brownsburg, Ind.:

“I joined the Army later than most. I was 26, a single mother of two boys, working as a nurse in Chicago. I drove in for my day shift the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, and walked in see the second tower hit. The next day I went to the Air Force recruiting office. They told me I’d have to wait three years. Nope. I wanted to do something now. I came into the Army as a private first class and went to Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places in support of global war on terrorism. My great-uncles served in Korea, my grandfather served in World War II and my father served in Vietnam. Both my sons are serving, and my husband is retired. My grandmother was a WAC during World War II. Service means something in my family.”

Looking ahead to the Navy’s 250th birthday in October and the Marine Corps’ 250th in November, the Legion also invites veterans to share why they chose those branches for their military service. Submit your story at legiontown.org, under the category “Why I Chose the Navy” or “Why I Chose the Marines,” or email service250@legion.org. Include your city, state and American Legion post, if applicable, as well as a photo from your time in uniform.