God I feel old...

[Kaysea]

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of my joining the Army.

Twenty five years ago today I held my hand up and swore the Pledge of Allegiance to Queen and country.

I can still remember that day, the nerves, the excitement, the men in Uniform ^_^

Cheezels - twenty five years - half of you weren't out of nappies then, and those of you who were, were barely in kindergarten.

For God's sake, can someone pass me my walking stick now - please?

[emma]

Lemme see - 25 years ago.... April 1982

We'd just gone to war with Argentina - one of my friends was crying her eyes out because her father was going to the Falklands on a hospital ship.

My Aunt announced she was pregnant with her first child - said child is now 24 and has just got his papers for joining the Army once he graduates.

I was at Junior school (1st year Junior) aged almost 8, in Mrs Rutter's class.

[Jane]

You joined up the year before me!  (I have eight months to go until my 25th anniversary.)  I had a year at tech before I joined.

I have to say that I blighted my Air Force career on my swearing-in day.  The instructor said "Here are the two options; oath or affirmation. You're all going to go for the oath - the God and Bible - route, right?"

And I said, "No.  I'd like to take the affirmation, thank you."

After which another dozen hands went up with people who wanted to affirm rather than swear.

My head was above the sandbags.  They knew who I was.  I was the Bad Influence of the intake.  My career was trashed.

:laughing5:

The youngsters had better find a walking stick for each of us!

[Avery]

Maybe you feel old (and you're certainly older than me, I wasn't even BORN then), but still, congrats on the 25th and Jane's almost 25th year in your militaries! That's quite an accomplishment. Also, Jane, your story made me giggle a bit.

(I'm going into the United States Air Force myself after college, so I can relate, to an extent- I did Junior ROTC in highschool for 4 years, will be doing 3 years of colleg ROTC, and only THEN going into the AF- so I'llve given up 7 years before my swearing-in. holy cow.)

[Bree]

I was born! I was born!

I was 2...

[Cali]

I was almost 2  

[PastMember]

Being the brat that I am, I will put in that I wasn't born yet either. Nor was my older brother.  

[Vix]

I'm very tempted to ignore this post, but I'll tell. . .

25 years ago I had finished college and then started a family. My son was 4 1/2 years old and my daughter was a month shy of 2.

And that's all I'm saying.

[Eimi]

April 1982 I was a month shy of being 4.  I don't know if I have any memories on 4/82 specifically (that might have been around the time I stepped on a big old bumble bee barefoot)  but I do remember May Day of that year when I was running around putting flowers on our friends porches.  And I remember my 4th birthday party.  It was a sunny day and I got a Mr. Wiggley game board!

[Dana]

April 1982, I was still a dream my parents had  :love5:

[Jane]

I was 2...

We may be old(er) but we can still read the fine print!

[Eimi]

Dana said:

April 1982, I was still a dream my parents had

Damn it!  Who woke them?!?!

*runsaway*

[Patrick]

I wasn't even a thought in my mum's head.  Well maybe a thought, she and my dad were both living on the West coast at that point and were almost to the dating point.  They didn't "officailly" get together until they moved back to Jersey.

[Kaysea]

I was born! I was born!

I was 2...

Just.....  but were you still in nappies???

[Rochelle]

At about this time in 1982, my parents had just miscarried a set of triplets. So it's probably no wonder I was conceived a few months later...