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VETERAN Spotlight
Retired First Lieutenant
Lucian Hill
United States Army
What were the circumstances that got you into the military?
In the ‘60s there was no lottery. The draft board had a quota each month.
They stopped drafting married men, and I was scheduled to be drafted
the following week. I couldn’t find anyone to marry me on such short
notice and decided to join the Army to attend officer candidate school.
What years did you serve and where?
I served from April 1964 until September 1967. I was stationed at
Fort Polk Louisiana; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Leonard, Missouri;
and Phu Loi, South Vietnam.
What was your biggest adjustment to military life?
My biggest adjustment was being away from family, friends, and home
for three years.
What was your least favorite thing about being in the military?
The complete control it had over life.
Describe a standout experience while you served.
Attending officer candidate school, making battalion staff as a distinguished
military graduate and, of course, combat in Vietnam. The military
experience literally changed my life. Upon return from Vietnam, I used
the G.I. Bill to attend college, acquire a pilot’s license, and acquire an
MBA. While in college at MSU, I met my future wife.
What did the military teach you that has become a permanent part of your life?
The confidence and discipline that was instilled in me, along with the
importance of maintaining physical fitness. To this day, I exercise daily,
which has led to a better quality of life.
Is there anything you would like to see changed in the military? Why?
Not strictly the military, but the system. I would like to see the return to
compulsory service. Military service is good for the individual and the
country. Military service gives you a perspective on the values and
traditions of this country that you can acquire no other way.
Vietnam 2018
18 • January 2019