Why did you decide to join the military? This is a question I ask all my guests on the Women of the Military podcast to start the interview about their military service. I believe learning about why you joined the military is an open door to who you are and can help determine your path forward. Or at least it helps me as I begin to ask questions and learn the story of each woman who is brave enough to share their military experience. So this week to kick off my 10-week series focused on joining the military we are starting with why. I have pulled answers from some of my previous guests.
Why women decided to join the military
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Why do women join the military?
In this episode, you will see that there is no wrong reason to join the military. Everyone has their own story and their own reason that they decided to join the military. And you have your own reason for clicking on this post. If you are interested in learning more about joining the military check out my free Girl’s Guide to the Military and sign up to pre-order my book A Girl’s Guide to Miltary Service coming out September 13th.
I joined the military after September 11th. The attack happened during my senior year of high school and had an impact on who I was. It opened a door to a world outside of the small town I grew up in. I also was looking for a way to pay for school. (We will learn about education benefits in episode 199/part 7 of the series.) Joining the military seemed to be a great idea.
I had originally planned to enlist in the National Guard but my friend told me about the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program and how I could be an officer. I went to the open house and was excited to join the military. And I ended up meeting my future husband at ROTC. The opportunities gained from my time in the military changed who I am today. I am thankful for the opportunity to have served in the U.S. Air Force.
Here are all the women who shared their why and a link to the full episode on the Women of the Military podcast:
Ashley Gorbulja-Maldonado Episode 28
Siobhan Cunningham Episode 159
Trish Alegre-Smith Episode 167
Attending a Military Academy (West Point) Episode 151
Looking for more resources about joining the military? Check out my video about why people join the military here. You can also see why people don’t join the military here. Don’t forget to get your free Girl’s Guide to the Military. With it, you can learn more about joining and get updates from the Women of the Military podcast.
