My baby girl is 19 years old today!!! Kids have deployed by that age!

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:47:04 -0400

How many of you were 19 and already in the military? How many of you were already in combat or knew someone that young in combat? I read that the average age of our military during Vietnam was 19. World War II was 25 I believe. I was an old man when I first deployed. I can't imagine my daughter having to experience what we have. Welcome Home everyone and for those still in harm's way we pray for your safe return.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 1:48 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:48:51 -0400

At age 19, I had been in the Army for a little over a year. Not combat (none was going on in 1975), but soldiering nonetheless. Happy birthday to your daughter, SFC Mark Merino!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 1:49 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:49:20 -0400

I was 17 when I joined, but over 30 before I deployed for the first time. I can't even begin to imagine how different my experience would have been had I deployed as a teenager.

In any case, happy birthday to your daughter, and hope she has a great year!

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 1:49 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:49:39 -0400

I was in at 18. 21 now and well in harms way, too proud to want it any different.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 1:52 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:52:47 -0400

At 19, I was in for a year and still at Fort Benning. Happy Birthday to your daughter. I am sure she is proud of her dad!

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Oct 10 at 2014 2:48 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 14:48:51 -0400

I entered service at 18 (in 1983) didn't see any combat until 2005. My son is in now and has been to Afghanistan once.. what's next for him? I only wish I knew.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Oct 10 at 2014 3:24 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 15:24:18 -0400

I concur, hard to wrap my head around the concept. I was another "Old" dude of 31 before assigned to a real Naval Warfare Platform.

Response by SSG Selwyn Bodley made Oct 10 at 2014 3:35 PM

SSG Selwyn Bodley — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 15:35:37 -0400

I was in at 17, my parents had to sign me away and I am grateful they did! My daughter is 17 and I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that at her age I went through boot and airborne school. At 17, I felt old enough, now at age 39, 17 is real young!!! Happy birthday to your daughter!

Response by SrA Marc Haynes made Oct 10 at 2014 3:55 PM

SrA Marc Haynes — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 15:55:35 -0400

Happy birthday to your daughter. I was a slow learner. I had my 1st and only child @ 38 and I am now teaching him how to drive!

SERENITY NOW!

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Oct 10 at 2014 4:02 PM

SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 16:02:39 -0400

Happy birthday to your daughter. Joined the USMC at 17.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 4:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 16:38:43 -0400

I was 19 in combat in the 82nd it was my first deployment.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 5:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:14:40 -0400

I was 24 when I enlisted and my first deployment was 04, then 06, then 08. I wouldn't have done things any different......except maybe go to Ranger School

Response by SPC James Lowe made Oct 10 at 2014 5:39 PM

SPC James Lowe — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:39:47 -0400

I joined when I was 17. I wish I never got out

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 8:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 20:20:10 -0400

I was at AIT when I turned 19. I was in Iraq for my 26th, 28th, and 30th Birthdays. Turned 34 in Kuwait.

During my second tour to Iraq, I had a Soldier who was 19 at the time. I remember thinking how young he was at the time, but truthfully, so was I.

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 10 at 2014 10:31 PM

SPC David S. — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 22:31:25 -0400

Straight out of high school and pass along Happy birthday to your daughter.

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Oct 10 at 2014 10:31 PM

SSG Pete Fleming — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 22:31:51 -0400

SFC Mark Merino, Happy birthday... and may she never know the other side of life. I wish only great things for her (and her family)!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 10:48 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 22:48:50 -0400

HMMMMMM....how do you spell.....AULD FAHRDT?......meh, close enough for govmint wuk.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 11:06 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 23:06:50 -0400

SFC Mark Merino - I was 18 when I went in. Lived in a lot of places but really suffered from the 'My Little Town Syndrome' as Simon and Garfunkel said so well in their song by the same name.

Nothing spectacular especially the first 3-4 years but also glad that we protected ourselves with our military buildup. Now that all seems to be like sand moving through our fingers and we have eschewed good stewardship in favor of militant movements, self-abasing policies and a lack of Esprit De Corp. A thing resurrected by Ronald Reagan and which shows today although it is being tested severely.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Oct 10 at 2014 11:16 PM

Cpl Dennis F. — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 23:16:08 -0400

I was in the Marine Corps at 17, RVN at 18. A half a million bucks of equipment, crew and a lot of grunts relying on my decisions. My big piss off while home on leave was that convenience stores denied me buying a pack of smokes. I recall saying "I'm getting too old for this shit." LOL

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2014 11:41 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 23:41:15 -0400

Mark, congratulations to your daughter. Is she going to school? I know the feeling imagining my boys experiencing what their mom or I went through. My oldest is at Baylor now and it's been an interesting experience for him as well as his mom.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2014 12:49 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 00:49:59 -0400

I was 17 and still in High School when I enlisted. Left for boot camp 6 days after graduating.

Response by Sgt Packy Flickinger made Oct 11 at 2014 1:16 AM

Sgt Packy Flickinger — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 01:16:57 -0400

Happy birthday!! I was 24 when I enlisted. She may yet surprise you.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2014 1:42 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 01:42:00 -0400

I was still in college when I was 19, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. Today is also my son's 2nd birthday. May she have a great birthday and never know the pain of war.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2014 2:20 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 02:20:08 -0400

18 when I started. And happy birthday to your baby girl.

Response by PO3 Shaun Taylor made Oct 11 at 2014 4:16 AM

PO3 Shaun Taylor — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 04:16:50 -0400

I was 19 when I first enlisted.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Oct 11 at 2014 8:39 AM

CMSgt James Nolan — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:39:43 -0400

SFC Mark Merino I was 19 when I wrote Uncle Sam that blank check.

My Princess is 13.75 (going on 24-parents will understand that), she is heading up on a school trip to go visit Arlington Memorial, see the changing of the Guard at the Tomb, view the Viet Nam Memorial, see the Law Enforcement Memorial and then the rest of the sights. I was talking to her (she still doesn't really get the whole Military thing-which, in a way I am glad, kids should not have to understand War). It makes me so proud though, that she is interested in the trip, which is centered around Veteran's Day (not when the trip is), and getting an understanding of those that have sacrificed. I am also proud of that school system for teaching that.

Sometimes they get it right! (unlike common core math).

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Oct 11 at 2014 1:13 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 13:13:22 -0400

Congrats brother Mark! Very nice sentiments! I was 23 when I first led troops on the Korean DMZ.

Response by CMSgt Blaine Means made Oct 11 at 2014 7:03 PM

CMSgt Blaine Means — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:03:29 -0400

Mark I volunteered to go to Vietnam when I was 19. What I really found terrible was the fact that I put my life on the line everyday but I couldn't buy alcohol. I just want to say, that if you are put into a position in combat, you will certainly grow up very fast. I was married and my first boy was born 9 months before I came home. I am still upset about how we were treated as compared to our returning war veterans today. You didn't dare tell anybody that you were home from Vietnam because you would have to defend yourself, what a shame as an American.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2014 8:52 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 20:52:13 -0400

My 19th Birthday was my first day of basic training...some 18+ years ago. I had "forgot" to tell my Drill Sergeant that it was my birthday so after all of the PT sessions and getting settled in to our bunk space I hear a call for "PVT Humphrey get your ass to my office!"..."ASSASSIN ON THE MOVE DRILL SERGEANT". They asked me what day it was and why was it so special. At 2300 after getting smoked all day I was surprised I could even talk in coherent sentences. I told them it was the first day of basic blah blah blah. They let me in on the secret that it was my birthday and the DS pulled out a cupcake with a candle on it and lit the candle. He told me to blow it out and make a wish. He then said that my present was 10 push-ups for every year I was on this earth. I told him "DS, that is 190 push-ups!". His response was "So the PVT is good at math, good for you....push." 40 push-ups later (and my body shaking like I got hit with a nerve agent) he lets me up and says Happy Birthday and to get some rack time. I guess I had this questioning look in my eye and he asked me what I wanted. I replied "Does that mean I don't get to eat my cup cake?" 40 more push-ups later I was sleeping like a rock!

Response by LCDR Doug Nordman made Oct 14 at 2014 1:00 PM

LCDR Doug Nordman — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:00:54 -0400

Congratulations-- you've almost parented through the most challenging decade!

Heh-- before I turned 19 years old, I'd already had midshipman training on a submarine and "seen the Navy" during a second summer. But that seemed like a good way to pay for college.

My daughter turns 22 in a few weeks, and she's already deployed to the Mediterranean on a guided-missile destroyer which may or may not be staying within TOMAHAWK range of Syria. As part of last week's vessel-boarding training, she was voluntold to take a shot of pepper spray to the face and to keep up with her self-defense combatives.

All that and sea pay too!

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Oct 15 at 2014 4:05 PM

SGT Kristin Wiley — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 16:05:31 -0400

I signed up to join at 17, I was finished training and deployed by 19. I have been in for 5 years, and I still get the "you're too young to be in the military" or "they allow babies to join now?" My favorite is when I female SSG turned towards me at Fort Bragg and said out loud "look at the little baby!" Yeah, I'm an adult people, old enough to die for this country, old enough to vote, own a firearm etc. My parents always look at my little sister and say oh well she's young, she'll learn. Then I kindly point out what I accomplished and experienced by her age, and tell them to stop using age as an excuse for her bad decisions. Bottom line though is everyone is different and sometimes no matter how ready you think you are, you can never be fully prepared for what you may experience.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2014 2:05 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 14:05:38 -0500

I joined the Navy at 17. I turned 19 at sea during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I know this is almost a month late but Happy Birthday to your daughter! Mine are 9, 5, and about to be 2. I'm hoping that I survive the stress long enough to see mine become adults too! :)

Response by Cpl Shawn Hueter made Nov 7 at 2014 5:26 PM

Cpl Shawn Hueter — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 17:26:01 -0500

I was 19 and was station at Camp Lejeune. I turned and went to Iraq. I turned 22 on my second deployment.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Sep 3 at 2015 3:56 PM

SSgt Terry P. — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:56:21 -0400

I turned 21 8 months into my tour in Vietnam--was finally legal to buy a drink.I am not a drinker, but
it seems i should have had the right,if i was old enough to fight for my country.