This week in Fence Post, we are recognizing some of our FSA veterans in honor of Veterans Day. These men and women represent each region of the United States and have served in all branches of the armed forces.
Charlene Holbrook is an FSA farm loan program technician in Plant City, Fla.
After reviewing my options of what I wanted to do with my life, I decided to join the Navy and see the world. My father served in the Navy during WWII, and my oldest brother spent 20 years in the Navy. Plus, I was tired of going to school. I wanted to have a hands-on education beyond the confines of my home in Columbus, Ohio. Don’t get me wrong, Buckeye country is great, but I knew there was more to life. So I packed my bags and set sail for my new life in the Navy.
If you think joining the Navy is a four-year cruise to exotic countries, think again. It’s hard work. A commitment to the military is just that — a commitment. You don’t get to go home after visiting a port of call. You are in it for the long haul. I was ready to embark on this four-year journey to travel the world and serve my country. I mean after all, the military was not all that different from my 12 years of Catholic school. I was already used to someone telling me when, where and how.
When I told my friends and family, everyone seemed to be pretty happy and excited for me except for my father. First my oldest brother joined the Navy, then my older sister joined the Marines Corps and now me. How many more of his children would leave home and join the military?
In 1971, when I enlisted, women didn’t serve in combat or serve overseas. I enlisted during the Vietnam war and that was scary in itself because I never knew which of my friends would be sent over to fight in the war. But all went well for me in the military. I learned so much and got to experience more than I could have ever imagined.
To me, the military has changed, but it had to in order to keep up with technology and this younger generation. What I used a slide ruler for back then is now done by computers. In fact, computers do just about everything that we soldiers used to do by hand.
If I could go back, I definitely would. There are just so many more opportunities now for women compared to when I was in.
