I arrived in Germany in mid-November 1991 and began working at a US military base exactly 10 days after my arrival. My uncle, Nana Akom, who I lived with while in Germany along with his wife and my cousins, had already found me a job to ensure I wouldn’t be idling around the house. My initial thought at that moment was to earn money, and I had no immediate intention of pursuing my education (attributed to laziness and a desire for freedom). As I strolled around the military base in Frankfurt, Germany, where I had gone to shop, my attention was casually drawn to the Recruiting Station within the military shopping area. So, I entered it, curious to learn more about the military. It was nothing serious, but after having a chat with the recruiter, who provided me with all the necessary information, I shrugged and said, “Let me think about it.” Later, I bought the ASVAB book, started studying, took the test in December 1993, and the rest is history. I joined the military. My brother, Agyemang, was also at the Frankfurt base; he took the test a month after I did. We attended basic training, and we graduated at the same time, proceeding to advanced training together in the same location. I did go home briefly to Ghana before coming to Germany to prepare to fly to South Carolina to start basic training though. I remember telling my dad about my decision to join the military. The look in his eyes was like, “So this one is finally beginning to get some sense.” Actually, it was not my intention to pursue a military career. I just figured I could 15 The Birthday Journal
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