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Interview a veteran that you know. (If you don't know a Veteran, scroll to the next option).  Here are some questions you could ask:

-When did you serve and for how long?
-Where did you serve?
-What was your job in the military?
-What branch were you in?
-Did you like your time in the service? Why or why not?
-How do you want to be honored on Veterans day?

Comment with something you learned.

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https://wisvetsmuseum.com/category/blog/

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On December 7, 1942, a year after the Pearl Harbor Attack, Herbert M. Smith of Neillsville, Wisconsin, was wounded in the Battle of Buna-Gona while encouraging E and G Companies of 2nd Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division. The battle for Buna remains one of the most brutal engagements of

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On December 7, 1942, a year after the Pearl Harbor Attack, Herbert M. Smith of Neillsville, Wisconsin, was wounded in the Battle of Buna-Gona while encouraging E and G Companies of 2nd Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division. The battle for Buna remains one of the most brutal engagements of

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We should always respect the people who served. However, there is a large number of people who have issues with the military and how it is run.

Some of the issues are:

Women not being allowed in the military or in certain parts of the military

People of Color given lower rank or put in more dangerous areas

Sexual assault is common in the military

Discrimination against LGBTQ+ people

The amount of money that the military spends

The draft forces young men to join the military against their will.

Use the sections below to explore some of these issues.

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Two Days in October | Article

From the Collection: Vietnam War

They marched by the thousands, on campuses from coast to coast. At different times they chose different targets: the Pentagon, Presidents Nixon and Johnson, the draft, Dow Chemical. But the students all acted from a common belief that the Vietnam War was wrong. As that conflict escalated, the protests grew in strength, and some turned violent. They also triggered a backlash.

Courtesy: Wisconsin Historical Society

Getting Started
In many ways the student protests at the University of Wisconsin mirrored those taking place on campuses across the country. The first substantial demonstration, in October 1963, occurred when there were only American military advisers in Vietnam, and it opposed the government's support for Ngo Dinh Diem, the repressive president of South Vietnam. Some early antiwar events were organized by faculty, such as the teach-in on April 1, 1965, that future Chancellor William Sewell put together. It was the second such teach-in in the nation and came only a few weeks after the first American combat troops arrived in Vietnam. Some teach-ins involved only lectures and discussion; some combined theory with practical steps, such as the 15,000 who marched from the University of California at Berkeley towards the Oakland Army Terminal in October 1965.

Protesting the Draft
Demonstrations grew in 1966, spurred by a change in the Selective Service System's draft policy that exposed students in the bottom of half of their classes to the possibility that their deferments would be revoked and they would be drafted. Teach-ins changed to sit-ins - student take-overs of administration offices. A three-day event at the University of Chicago got national attention in May 1966, and University of Wisconsin students also staged their own occupation of an administration building that month. The Madison draft protest, which drew several thousand students to one rally, was peacefully resolved by a promise that the faculty would review the school's draft policy. But tensions rose at campuses like Cornell, where students tried to organize a national burn-your-draft-card movement; and Harvard, where protesters trapped Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in a police car and assailed him with questions about the war.

Anti-Dow Sentiment
As 1967 began, many antiwar students continued traditional forms of dissent, writing letters to the editor and taking out advertisements in campus publications. But even as antiwar student body presidents were meeting with Secretary of State Dean Rusk, other students were planning sit-ins tied to napalm-maker Dow Chemicals attempts to recruit on campus. The first anti-Dow protests took place in October 1966, with more than a hundred occurring at colleges nationwide within a year. University of Wisconsin students staged their first Dow-related sit-in in February 1967, and when Dow returned that October, the protests and police response marked the first time that a campus antiwar demonstration had turned violent.

Courtesy: Wisconsin Historical Society

Violence on Campuses
It would not be the last time violence broke out. Rough confrontations became much more common in the years that followed, culminating most horribly in the May 1970 shooting of 13 Kent State University students by National Guardsmen. Four of those Kent State students died. That event, combined with Nixon's invasion of Cambodia, led to protests at more than 1,300 college campuses, with some 500 closed by student and faculty strikes. ROTC facilities were attacked, and police and National Guard troops were dispatched to more than a hundred colleges. In August of that year, the antiwar protests at the University of Wisconsin took an ominous turn; a bomb destroyed the building holding the Army Math Research Center, killing one young scientist.

The Backlash
Since the first wave of teach-ins hit campuses, the American government had been working to get its side of the story out at universities. For example, it supported the American Friends of Vietnam, a pro-administration group that held a rally in June 1965 at Michigan State University. The group could never match the intensity or numbers of antiwar demonstrations. But the violent consequences of some of those protests helped trigger a backlash of support for the government and targeted corporations like Dow. A record number of University of Wisconsin students signed up for Dow interviews in the wake of the October 1967 bloodshed. Wisconsin legislation held hearings denouncing student protests. And local newspaper editorials overwhelmingly supported Dow and criticized the students. The pro-war group Young Americans for Freedom saw increased enrollment in its University of Wisconsin chapter. A right-wing student newspaper was founded, the Badger Herald. And polls after the Dow protests showed that large majorities felt the demonstrations were "acts of disloyalty" against the soldiers in Vietnam that hurt the larger antiwar cause.

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Protests and Backlash | American Experience | PBS

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As the Vietnam War esclated, protests grew in strength, some turning violent. They also triggered backlash.

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Only 1% of the U.S.'s population serves in the military. But that is not the only way to serve your community or country.

What are some other ways you could serve your country or community?

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Reports of sexual assault in the US military increased by 13% | CNN Politics

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Reports of sexual assault in the US military jumped 13% from the previous fiscal year, driven by a sharp increase in reports from the US Army at a time when the service is already struggling to meet recruiting goals.

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Troops and veterans of color share their experiences with racism in the ranks of the U.S. military

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By Danielle DeSimone

From the battlefields of the American Revolution to the deserts of Kuwait, women have been serving in the military in one form or another for more than 200 years. They have had to overcome decades of obstacles to get to where they are today: serving in greater numbers, in combat roles and in leadership positions all around the world.

Here is a look at the history of women in the military, how their roles have changed over the years and how the USO has supported them since our founding as an organization in 1941.

Revolutionary War

Although women were not always permitted to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces, many still found ways to serve their nation.

During the Revolutionary War, as colonial militias armed themselves and joined George Washington's Continental Army, many of these soldiers' wives, sisters, daughters and mothers went with them. These women traveled alongside the Continental Army, where they boosted morale as well as mended clothes, tended to wounds, foraged for food, cooked and cleaned both laundry and cannons.

Some women found ways to join the fight for independence. Margaret Corbin, for example, disguised herself as a man and traveled with her husband to the front lines of the Battle of Fort Washington, where she helped him load his cannon. When her husband was shot by enemy fire, Corbin carried on fighting, even after being shot three times. She was given a military pension in acknowledgment of her efforts, and years after her death was reburied at West Point with full military honors. Similarly, Deborah Sampson fought disguised as a man for years before her true sex was revealed. Other women, such as Lydia Darragh, also supported the war effort by spying on behalf of the Patriots.

However, women's roles in the military became even more crucial during the Civil War, as their support expanded.

Civil War

During the Civil War, nearly 20,000 women lent their skills and efforts in everything from growing crops to feed Union troops to cooking in Army camps. Other tasks included sewing, laundering uniforms and blankets and organizing donations through door-to-door fundraising campaigns.

Notably, it was during the Civil War that women began to serve as nurses on a much larger and more official scale. Approximately 3,000 women served as nurses for the Union Army during the war. Legendary nurse and founder of the Red Cross Clara Barton even received a special "military pass" that permitted her to travel directly onto the battlefield, where she drove her medical wagons straight into the fray to tend to wounded soldiers. Fellow trailblazer Dorothea Dix was even appointed superintendent of the United States Army Nurses for the Union Army, leading her own "army of nurses" over the course of the war. Dix is remembered for pushing for high standards of behavior and training among her nurses, as well as providing ample opportunities for female nurses working in support of the military.

Meanwhile, some women even marched on the battlefields. Historians estimate that about 1,000 women disguised themselves as men and fought on both sides of the Civil War.

World War I

The 20th century changed everything for women in the military.

At the onset of the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, the U.S. Army Nurse Corps (ANC) - formally established in 1901 - had only officially been in existence for less than 20 years, and only had 403 nurses in its active-duty ranks. By June 1918, just over a year later, there were more than 3,000 American nurses deployed to British-operated hospitals in France. These nurses often worked in dangerous conditions near the front lines, caring for service members and civilians alike, and ensuring the health and safety of Allied troops.

However, WWI is also notable because it was the first time women - who did not yet have the right to vote - were allowed to openly serve in the U.S. military.

With large numbers of American men being sent to war overseas, the Armed Forces - and the U.S. Navy in particular - needed stateside replacements for the roles that were left behind. After finding a loophole in a naval act that would allow women to serve in non-commissioned officer and non-combat roles, the Navy enlisted its first "yeomanettes." Around 12,000 women served in the rank of yeoman, mostly working clerical duties, as well as telephone and radio operators and translators.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Signal Corps enlisted women to work as telephone and switchboard operators. These women - nicknamed the "Hello Girls" - often worked very close to the front lines in France. They would not be recognized for their high-pressure work or their status as veterans until decades later, in 1979.

Then, only a few years after the War to End All Wars, World War II broke out and women's roles continued to evolve with the rest of society.

World War II

WWII created an unprecedented need for service members. As more than 16 million Americans stepped up to serve on the front lines - the majority of those being men - the U.S. military was left with many non-combat roles that needed to be filled. So, the women of the United States stepped up too, and for the first time in history, all branches of the military enlisted women in their ranks.

Army: The Army formed the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs), which was later renamed and restructured to form the active duty Women's Army Corps (WACS). The branch also formed the Army's Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS).

Navy: The Navy formed the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

Marine Corps: The Marines enlisted women in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Coast Guard: The Coast Guard formed the Women's Reserve (SPARS), which stood for the Coast Guard motto, Semper Paratus - "Always Ready."

In total, nearly 350,000 American women served in uniform during World War II.

These women took on non-combat roles in order to free up more men to fight. They continued to work clerical jobs as they did during World War I, but they also drove vehicles, repaired airplanes, worked in laboratories and cryptology, served as radio and telephone operators, rigged parachutes, test-flew planes and even trained their male counterparts in air combat tactics.

Women also served as nurses. 57,000 served in the Army Nurse Corps and 11,000 in the Navy Nurse Corps - and these roles were not without risk. Many of these women worked right on the front lines and came under enemy fire, and some even won combat decorations. Army Col. Ruby Bradley, a nurse in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, was kept prisoner at an internment camp in the Philippines for 37 months, during which she remained steadfast in her calling as a nurse. She performed 230 major surgeries and delivered 13 babies during her time as a prisoner of war (POW), even under harsh conditions. In total, 432 women were killed in the line of service during World War II and 88 were taken as POWs.

True to societal norms at the time, all branches emphasized the expectation of femininity within the ranks of women in the military throughout the war. Uniforms included skirts, not slacks, and nail polish, makeup and feminine hairstyles were not only allowed, but encouraged. But beyond this focus on femininity, these women were finally recognized as vital, enlisted members of the Armed Forces.

They risked their lives and were integral to American success in the war, and through it all, they faced challenges in navigating their new roles and overcoming discrimination in a male-dominated arena. After the war, many of these women would return home, hoping to continue their military career, only to find themselves pushed out of their roles so that the men returning from war could have them. Some women would struggle for decades to obtain veteran status or benefits for their service during WWII.

But because of their perseverance and dedication to service throughout the war, they helped pave the way for women in the military who would come after them.

Korean War

In 1948, three years after the end of World War II, President Harry S. Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act into law, officially allowing women to serve as full, permanent members of all branches of the Armed Forces.

However, this was not a guarantee of equal opportunity. The act actually restricted the number of women who could serve to only 2% of each branch, and also limited how many women could become officers. Additionally, female service members could be automatically discharged if they became pregnant, and they were unable to command men or serve in combat positions.

But regardless of the obstacles that remained in female service members' paths, the Women's Armed Services Integration Act was still a step toward progress for women in the military. One month after the act's passing, President Truman issued the Integration of the Armed Forces executive order, desegregating the military and ensuring that Black women could now serve equally in all branches of the military as well.

And serve they did. Just two years later, the Korean War broke out, and 120,000 women would go on to serve in active duty positions from 1950-1953. Although they could not serve in combat, they undertook new roles such as military police officers or engineers.

Military nurses would also continue to play a critical role during this time. Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) were heavily used during the Korean War, providing fully functioning hospitals in combat zones, where many nurses worked.

Just a few years later in the Vietnam War, these nurses would be called to the front lines once again.

Vietnam War

Approximately 11,000 women were stationed in Vietnam during the nearly 20-year war, and 90% of them were nurses in the Army, Navy and Air Force. Notably, most volunteered to go.

During the Vietnam War, other female service members worked as air traffic controllers, intelligence officers and clerks - both at home and in Vietnam. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson opened promotions for women to general and flag ranks and in 1972, women were allowed to command units that included men.

The U.S.' involvement in the Vietnam War came to a close in 1973 and two years later, the Pentagon announced that pregnant women could remain in the military.

The 80s, 90s and Today

At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, there were a lot of "firsts" for women in the military: the first woman to become a Navy fighter pilot; the first female four-star general in the Army; and the first female rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard, among others.

There was even the first Silver Star awarded to a female soldier since World War II. Army Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester was awarded the military medal in recognition of her brave actions during an enemy ambush on her supply convoy in Iraq in 2005. She is also the first woman to ever receive the Silver Star for direct combat action.

But it was not just the "firsts" that were impressive in these more recent years.

As more women broke through barriers and established themselves as capable service members working in defense of the nation, the list of "firsts" slowly became less noteworthy in comparison to the sheer number of women serving, as well as their significant contributions to their respective branches.

In the Gulf War, from just 1990-1991, more than 40,000 women deployed to combat zones, although they still could not technically serve in direct combat roles or assignments.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton rescinded the "Risk Rule," essentially allowing women to serve in all positions in the military except for direct ground combat roles. This allowed for many more women to still engage in combat as aviators, sailors, Air Force personnel and other roles.

Then, in 2013, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the ban on women in combat would be lifted entirely, and that female service members would be allowed to serve in direct ground combat roles. In 2015, this was put into action. This historic change opened up hundreds of thousands of jobs for women in the military and essentially ensured that as long as female service members completed the necessary training and requirements, they could now serve in almost any role in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Since the opening of combat positions to women, several female service members have trained to step into these new roles. Over the past seven years, 100 women have graduated from the Army's Ranger School and others have successfully completed Navy SEAL officer assessment and selection, proving their capabilities in even the most rigorous and challenging of assignments.

Women continue to make history in the military today, pushing boundaries and taking on more roles - and more prestigious roles - than ever before. More than 300,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, more than 9,000 have earned Combat Action Badges and today, women make up 16% of our nation's Armed Forces, serving in every branch of the U.S. military.

USO Support of Women in the Military

The USO has supported women in the military since our organization was first founded in 1941 and women first began serving in the Armed Forces.

The first USO centers of World War II initially included separate, private rooms within the centers for female service members only, so that the WACs, WAVES and SPARs (as they were referred to in their respective branches) could have a place of respite all to themselves. Eventually, the USO opened USO Service Women's Clubs, which were built entirely for female service members and included special programming for women.

Following the end of World War II, the U.S. military - and the USO - was forever changed. Women were now a crucial part of the nation's Armed Forces, which meant that they were also a core part of the military community that the USO supports.

In the decades since, women have fought for the right to serve while pregnant, hold pilot roles, lead majority-male units, fight in combat and much, much more. Today, women serve in more roles - and in more prestigious roles - than ever before, and the USO is there at every step of their service journey.

From being there as a place to rest at the airport before they fly to basic training; to handing them a USO Care Package filled with female-specific hygiene items when they deploy overseas; to hosting a women's-only event on the front lines of the Middle East; to inviting them to a USO Special Delivery baby shower when they are far from their support networks; to offering them a way to connect with their kids back home through the USO Reading Program; to helping them discover their next step as they leave the military with the USO Pathfinder® Transition Program, women in the military can always turn to the USO.

As the history of women in the military clearly shows, female service members are a force to be reckoned with - and the USO continues to stand behind all members of our Armed Forces as the Force Behind the Forces®.

-This story was originally published on USO.org in 2021. It has been updated in 2023.

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Over 200 Years of Service: The History of Women in the U.S. Military

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From the Revolutionary War to today's fighter pilots, women have proudly served in the U.S. military for over 200 years. Here is a history of women in the military, and how their roles have changed over time.

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The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was established during World War II, on August 5, 1943.

The WASP flew a total of 60 million miles performing a variety of missions. Although these women flew military aircraft, they were considered civilians, and were not granted military benefits or burials.

The WASP were granted retroactive military status in 1977, and were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010.

I'll never forget the first time I saw that little gold medal. I was walking through the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, glancing through the glass cases. At only two inches in diameter, it's easily overlooked, dwarfed by the rows of aircraft and other eye-catching memorabilia. One of the highest honors given to civilians, this Congressional Gold Medal presented to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) represents the contributions of female pilots during World War II. Seventy-five years ago, on August 5, 1943, a remarkable group of women stepped into roles that would earn them the Congressional Gold Medal. The story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) is one of courage, and their legacy is crucial to understanding the role of women as aviators within the United States military.

In 1942, less than a year into WWII, U.S. Army Air Forces General, Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, requested approval of two programs: The Women Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). The WAFS and WFTD were intended to free male pilots for combat operations overseas by having women pilot domestic operations. The programs were led by two of the most skilled female aviators of the 20 th century, Jackie Cochran (WFTD) and Nancy Love (WAFS). On August 5, 1943, with Jackie Cochran as director, these two agencies merged, officially establishing the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).

In order to apply, a woman required a civilian pilot's license. Access to a pilot's licenses varied, as women either relied on the assistance of their families or would scrape together every dime they had earned to pay for flight hours and certifications. In addition, women had to pass an Army Air Corps physical and cover their cost of transportation to Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas for basic training. After months of military flight training, 1,102 of the original 25,000 applicants took to the skies as the United States' first women to pilot military aircraft. Though not trained for combat, the WASP flew a total of 60 million miles performing operational flights, towing aerial targets, transporting cargo, smoke laying and a variety of other missions. By December 1944, the WASP had flown every type of military aircraft manufactured for WWII. However, although the WASP proved that women could capably fly all types of military aircraft, their inclusion in military aviation became a matter of waiting for official acceptance which would not be forthcoming for decades.

Propelled by a sense of passion and duty, these women were willing to make the same sacrifices as their male counterparts. From 1943 to 1944, 38 WASP died in service to their country. While flying in formation from Long Beach to Love Field in Dallas, the left wing of Cornelia Fort 's BT-13 struck the flight officer's landing gear. The aircraft spiraled into a dive, and at 24-years-old, Fort became the first female pilot in American history to die on active duty. Recruited in 1942 by Nancy Love to join the WAFs, Fort had been working as a civilian pilot instructor during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and these events inspired her to serve.

Fort and the 37 additional WASP who gave their lives in service did not have flags draped over their caskets. Although these women flew military aircraft, they were considered civilians, and were not granted military benefits or burials. Despite Gen. Arnold's efforts to push for full military status, the organization was disbanded on December 20, 1944. It took 30 years for women to fly again in the United States Armed forces, with the Navy and Army accepting their first female pilots in 1974 and the Air Force following suit in 1976.

The WASP flew a total of 60 million miles performing operational flights, towing aerial targets, transporting cargo, smoke laying and a variety of other missions.

The WASP and their stories appear within the Smithsonian collection in great part due to the women's efforts for recognition. Bernice Haydu, who graduated basic training on March 10, 1944, donated her Santiago Blue uniform coat to the Museum in 1969. Upon being elected as President of the WASP organization in 1975, Haydu introduced a bill to the Senate to grant WASP retroactive veteran status. It initially failed. After two years of lobbying, President Jimmy Carter finally signed the bill into law in 1977.

On March 10, 2010, 66 years after the organization was disbanded, the WASP received the Congressional Gold Medal for their service, record, and "revolutionary reform in the Armed Force" during WWII. Around 200 WASP, many in their eighties and nineties, arrived at the Capitol to accept the honor.

With today being the 75 th anniversary of their founding, I encourage all to reflect on their service, and if you ever find yourself at the Udvar-Hazy Center, I urge you to find the WASP Congressional Gold Medal. Though small in size, it encapsulates the magnitude of the valor and courage of a truly unique group of women. In great debt to the WASP, the medal presents an opportunity to inspire future generations, and to have more women with wings in the United States Armed Forces.

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Women with Wings: The 75-Year-Legacy of the WASP

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Seventy-five years ago, on August 5, 1943, a remarkable group of women stepped into roles as part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Their story is one of courage, and their legacy is crucial to understanding the role of women as aviators within the United States Military.

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Meet Women Of US Infantry Just Days From Their Historic Deployment To Front Lines | TODAY

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Meet America’s Only Female Four-Star General | TODAY

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For four years prior to college, Art Donovan Jr. served with the U.S. Marine Corps as an anti-aircraft gunner during World War II. Also stationed on his ship, the USS San Jacinton, was future President George H.W. Bush. After spending 13 months from 1943 to 1945 at seas, Donovan volunteered for the Fleet Marine Force and was sent to Okinawa.

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There are a couple of facts that might surprise moviegoers about Morgan Freeman's acting career. The first is that he hasn't been a big name for all that long. The second is that he almost didn't become an actor at all -- he began his career in the U.S. Air Force.

Freeman, recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, didn't get his first big break until age 49. This came in 1986, when he was cast in the film "Street Smart." Since then, he's made more than 50 films.

"It didn't have to happen at all," he told AFI in 2011. "I'm very lucky and very grateful that I had a career ... if it happens right away, it's gonna stop right away and that's a foregone conclusion."

As a young man living with his grandparents in Mississippi, Freeman was enthusiastic about drama and acting. He performed in a number of school plays in his youth and, at age 14, won a statewide drama competition. He was even offered a scholarship to Jackson State University to study drama. He turned it down, however, because he had another love: flying.

Part of his interest in acting in those days came from Hollywood's war movies, especially those about planes and fighter pilots. He would spend his summers in Chicago with his parents, where he would scrounge for change to go to the movies. Those movies kindled a desire to learn to fly, so when he graduated from high school in 1955, he joined the Air Force instead.

In fact, three of his four brothers also joined the military.

Freeman became a radar repairman in the Air Force while waiting for a chance to become a pilot. He worked on tracking radar stations that would align radar antennae toward an incoming target, such as a missile or aircraft. He spent more than a year sitting at a desk before he got the chance to audition for a pilot's slot.

When he finally sat behind the stick of an Air Force fighter plane, a feeling of disillusionment came over him. This dream wasn't going to be what he thought it would.

"When I was getting close to being accepted for pilot training, I was allowed to get in a jet airplane," he told AARP Magazine. "I sat there looking at all those switches and dials, and I got the distinct feeling that I was sitting in the nose of a bomb. You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this."

After nearly four years of service, Freeman left the Air Force to pursue his other passion, the one we know him for today: acting. It would be a long road, but one he would pursue with much more zeal and patience.

His next stop was Los Angeles, where he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and learned to dance in San Francisco. He worked as a relatively unknown actor on stage and television for more than 20 years before landing his breakout role in the acclaimed Christopher Reeve film, "Street Smart." From there, he was cast in a string of critically acclaimed films that would lead him to prominence: "Lean On Me," "Driving Miss Daisy" and the Civil War drama "Glory."

It was a wise career move, not only for the notoriety, fame and financial security of being a celebrated Hollywood actor. His tracking radar repair skills would become obsolete by the 1990s with the rise of GPS-guided munitions.
-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.
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Morgan Freeman Turned Down an Acting Scholarship to Join the Air Force

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There are a couple of facts that might surprise moviegoers about Morgan Freeman's acting career. The first is that he hasn't been a big name for all that long. The second is that he almost didn't become an actor at all -- he began his career in the U.S. Air Force.