50 years ago my wife marked our first date on her calendar. She has kept the calendar and our memories for the last 50 years. Her long term memory is much better than mine, so she can give all the details of that last week of January 50 years ago. A great trip down memory lane. No wonder it has lasted.

55 Years Ago

On 3 Jan 1964 I entered the Air Force. The next 4 years were an unforgettable experience. At that time we didn't have much choice but to serve in the military. If you were classified 1A for the draft you either went ahead and joined or waited for your name to be called. You couldn't get a very good job until you had served and then you had better gotten an honorable discharge. (Unless some phony doctor said you had bone spurs that exempted you.)
I still say it was a great socialization process. It took 18-19 year males with raging hormones and placed them in a controlled environment with discipline and meaningful responsibilities. Many learned lifetime trades and some of us matured enough to go to college on the GI bill. We all learned more about life and gave back something to our country.

There is more I would like to say about mandatory service to your country but nobody would want to listen, instead most revel in some type of false patriotism - "thank you for your service".