Son Follows Father's Footsteps Into National Guard
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Tyler, 17, shipped off to basic training on June 1 and will graduate basic in August.
Dan, 50, joined the Army in 1988 as an opportunity to finish college. When he was active duty he never really had time to finish school, so he left the military eight years later and went to work in the civilian world.
“I just the missed the military, I missed the camaraderie. And finally, when I turned 40, in 2005, I decided it was a perfect time to come back and one, go after my retirement, and two, finish my degree. I didn’t see the sense in putting big money into a 401(k) plan when I could come back and do 12 more years in the military and have a retirement pension there,” Dan said in an interview May 30.
There also was a sense of serving his country. His brother was in the military at the time, and Dan was working construction down in Texas in the mid-1980s when “everything came to a standstill down there.” He had the construction trade behind him, but the jobs were non-existant.
“I already had a couple of years of college behind me so I figured why not join the military, serve my country and take advantage of the educational opportunities,” Dan said.
Tyler said he decided to join the Guard to “follow my dad’s footsteps, serve our country and also because it helps pay for college. I thought it would be neat, a good experience.”
He said he started learning about the Guard when he was young, “probably right after (Dad) joined again, 10 years ago.”
Tyler said he used to always visit the Warsaw armory and hang out. He also went to drill a couple of times before he enlisted. “I thought it was really neat,” he said.
Dan said, “We went down to Fort Jackson a couple of years ago, too. We were on vacation, so we went to the museum there at Fort Jackson and drove around the post a little bit so we could see what it was like.”
In the Guard, Tyler enlisted as a 19 Delta, which is a cavalry scout. He will learn how to get all the data about the enemy, including scoping out enemy terrain.
He also plans to go to college to become a fitness trainer or something related to fitness.
Two days before going to basic training in Fort Benning, Ga., Tyler said he felt pretty ready for it.
“He’s more than ready,” Dan said. “He’s got the physical aspect down. He’s got a lot of military experience behind him. I think there’s probably a little fear of the unknown for him.”
During his time in the Army, Dan served in the Gulf War, and he knows there’s always the possibility of his son being called up to serve in another war.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids who I’ve put in who have shipped off and come back. He’s going to the best military in the world, and the military is all about the camaraderie, it’s all about the teamwork, the discipline. It’s something that always stays in the back of your mind as a parent, but I know going into it he will be fully trained and capable,” Dan said.
Going into the Guard, Tyler said he was looking forward to “just helping other people out, making sure people are safe.”
He said his father gave him a little bit of advice. “Just not to let the drill sergeants, what they say, get to me. What they say is to help me be a better soldier,” Tyler recalled.
“I’ve told him every kid that goes to basic training is going to hate the first couple of weeks because they come from an environment where they have some freedom now, live under their parents’ rules and stuff. And when you go to basic training, you’re going into a straight controlled environment 24 hours a day because of the fact you’re taking kids from all 50 states, inner city kids, kids from the country, and you’re going to blend them together to where they’re working together as one cohesive unit,” Dan said.
For more information on the Guard, contact Dan Murphy at 574-226-1476 or email [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
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Tyler, 17, shipped off to basic training on June 1 and will graduate basic in August.
Dan, 50, joined the Army in 1988 as an opportunity to finish college. When he was active duty he never really had time to finish school, so he left the military eight years later and went to work in the civilian world.
“I just the missed the military, I missed the camaraderie. And finally, when I turned 40, in 2005, I decided it was a perfect time to come back and one, go after my retirement, and two, finish my degree. I didn’t see the sense in putting big money into a 401(k) plan when I could come back and do 12 more years in the military and have a retirement pension there,” Dan said in an interview May 30.
There also was a sense of serving his country. His brother was in the military at the time, and Dan was working construction down in Texas in the mid-1980s when “everything came to a standstill down there.” He had the construction trade behind him, but the jobs were non-existant.
“I already had a couple of years of college behind me so I figured why not join the military, serve my country and take advantage of the educational opportunities,” Dan said.
Tyler said he decided to join the Guard to “follow my dad’s footsteps, serve our country and also because it helps pay for college. I thought it would be neat, a good experience.”
He said he started learning about the Guard when he was young, “probably right after (Dad) joined again, 10 years ago.”
Tyler said he used to always visit the Warsaw armory and hang out. He also went to drill a couple of times before he enlisted. “I thought it was really neat,” he said.
Dan said, “We went down to Fort Jackson a couple of years ago, too. We were on vacation, so we went to the museum there at Fort Jackson and drove around the post a little bit so we could see what it was like.”
In the Guard, Tyler enlisted as a 19 Delta, which is a cavalry scout. He will learn how to get all the data about the enemy, including scoping out enemy terrain.
He also plans to go to college to become a fitness trainer or something related to fitness.
Two days before going to basic training in Fort Benning, Ga., Tyler said he felt pretty ready for it.
“He’s more than ready,” Dan said. “He’s got the physical aspect down. He’s got a lot of military experience behind him. I think there’s probably a little fear of the unknown for him.”
During his time in the Army, Dan served in the Gulf War, and he knows there’s always the possibility of his son being called up to serve in another war.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids who I’ve put in who have shipped off and come back. He’s going to the best military in the world, and the military is all about the camaraderie, it’s all about the teamwork, the discipline. It’s something that always stays in the back of your mind as a parent, but I know going into it he will be fully trained and capable,” Dan said.
Going into the Guard, Tyler said he was looking forward to “just helping other people out, making sure people are safe.”
He said his father gave him a little bit of advice. “Just not to let the drill sergeants, what they say, get to me. What they say is to help me be a better soldier,” Tyler recalled.
“I’ve told him every kid that goes to basic training is going to hate the first couple of weeks because they come from an environment where they have some freedom now, live under their parents’ rules and stuff. And when you go to basic training, you’re going into a straight controlled environment 24 hours a day because of the fact you’re taking kids from all 50 states, inner city kids, kids from the country, and you’re going to blend them together to where they’re working together as one cohesive unit,” Dan said.
For more information on the Guard, contact Dan Murphy at 574-226-1476 or email [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
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