My Military Story & Why I Joined the Navy

I graduated high school in June 1987. I knew for many years, before I even graduated high school, that I was going into the military. I just hadn’t decided what branch I was going to join.

My heart and mind had belonged to the Marines for a long time, actually since I had been in fourth grade. I wrote my first book report on the Commandant of the Marines.

On Route to the Marines

So I began visiting a Marine recruiter upon graduation. I went to MEPS in the early part of June 1987. All I wanted to do was be a Marine Recon so my recruiter and I went with that in mind. Everybody there told me to make sure to get everything in writing.

I remember it being earlier in the week when we headed to MEPS. I completed the physical and was sent off to the waiting room. I sat there for hours, it seemed, then around 3PM my name was called to report to the Marine Corps office.

When I got there, I was rudely greeted by the yelling and screaming of corporal Turner. He greeted me with lots of profanity and name calling, of course, all the while standing almost nose-to-nose with me. Most of what he said was profanity so it’s not worth repeating, however, the important part I remembered him saying was that I wasn’t guaranteed Marine Recon. I was guaranteed Infantry; that was it.

He said something along the lines of, “what makes you so special that you think you should be guaranteed Marine Recon?” I stood there and tried to explain to him the while he kept interrupting me, cursing me, and basically telling me I will take Infantry. I knew that all Recon Marines started at the School of Infantry and then proceeded from there.

Well, he wasn’t willing to guarantee me Marine Recon or take the extra steps to make sure that I would. And my recruiter wasn’t there either. He had a family emergency. I believe if he was there, I would’ve been a Marine. Instead I had this cocky corporal Turner, who was obviously on a power trip, telling me, “you will take Infantry and that’s it so go back to the waiting room and think about it.” Then he threw my record at me as I walked out. Then I sat there for about 45 minutes.

That’s when a Navy recruiter tapped me on the shoulder and asked me what I was doing there. I told him what had happened so he told me to follow him.

An Alternate Route & Another Opportunity

I followed him to his office. We sat down and he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him that I wanted to be in combat units and be a Marine Recon.

Since he was Navy, he couldn’t get me into the Marine Recons. He did say, however, “I think there’s something the Navy has that you might like.” He sat me in the office and told me to watch a video he had. It was a video about the Navy EOD and the SEALs.

As I was watching, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I watched the entire video with a smile on my face. I told the recruiter that I wanted to be a SEAL. He told me I could, however, there was some bad news. Back then you had to be in the Navy for at least one year before you could apply for SEAL training, but you could be guaranteed EOD once you completed boot camp.

So I agreed I would join the Navy and attend EOD school once I graduated from boot camp and dive school.

The Navy

The day had been long and drawn out and we ran out of time. Petty officer Keller went over to the Marine Corps office and got my record. He told me I’d have to wait until tomorrow to get things rolling. So I went back to my hotel for the night.

I was picked up at 0500 the next day. I went to the University of Richmond to complete the PT Test for EOD/SEALS. Once I was done, I was told by the two petty officers who were both EOD that I had done a great job and would more than likely rank in the top 3% to attend either EOD or SEAL training.

We arrived at MEPS around 0900. I sat in the waiting area until 1300. When they called my name, I went in and reviewed the paperwork guaranteeing me EOD school upon completion of boot camp. Once I signed that I was told to go back to the waiting area until my name was called for the swearing-in ceremony.

Again, I sat there waiting for what seemed liked days. Finally, at around 1700, my name was called for the swearing-in ceremony. I completed it and was sent back to the recruiters office. Petty officer Keller looked at me and said “I have good news and bad news.”

I told him to give me the good news first. He said everything was done and that I was guaranteed EOD school after completing boot camp. The bad news was that I had to leave the next day in order to start boot camp the following Monday.

I replied saying that was fine. I think he was shocked. He asked, “how are we going to get you back home and back here by Sunday to leave for boot camp?” I told him we didn’t need to send me home. I had basic hygiene stuff with me and I didn’t need any more clothes because there was no need for them in boot camp, or EOD school.

So I hung out at the hotel in Richmond, Virginia on Friday and Saturday. Then on Sunday, around 4PM, I was sent to the airport and I was off to Great Lakes NTC.

In Retrospect

I must say, I learned something that day. The old saying “good things come from bad situations” is true. If my Marine recruiter was with me during my meeting, or if Corporal Turner wouldn’t have been on a power trip, I would have been a Marine. Yes, I would’ve been a great one, however, my time in the Navy was amazing. And my time as a Navy EOD was just as amazing, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

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Bill Howard

William "Bill" Howard is both a Wounded Warrior and a writer for Low VA Rates. Before beginning his career with LVR, Bill served in both the Navy (1988-1993) and Army (2005-present). In the Navy, he was part of Special Boat Unit 11, and he served as an E-7 sergeant first class, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist, and a Ranger while in the Army.