Me: ok so the first question i have is, motivated you to join the military?

Ben Dalbeck: That's a good question. Where we lived in the desert there wasn't much opportunity, so it was a good opportunity to get out of my parents house, and start my own life.

Me: cool, so what branch are you serving in and where are you serving?

Ben Dalbeck: So I'm retired, but I served in both the marines and the army.

Me: So when and where did you serve then?

BD: 1999-2003 I was in the marines at camp Pendleton, California. And then in 2004 I joined the army and we moved to Kentucky till 2011. Then we were in Kansas till 2013 and we were in south carolina 2015 then 15 to 19 we were in Fort Carson in colorado. Then we moved up to Fort Sun Oklahoma where I retired in 2022.

Me: wow, cool. That's a lot of places. So what kind of jobs and responsibilities did you have?

BD: various different positions, but i was in human resources, i went from being an HR specialist so senior human resources sergeant.

Me: what was your rank out of curiosity.

BD: I retired sergeant first class.

Me: Nice! Are there any specific individuals or moments that have influenced you during your service?

BD: too many people to count, too many deployments, too many things that have happened.

Me: how many deployments?

BD: 5 combat deployments and 2 rotational deployments.1 to Germany and 1 to korea.

Me: wow, do you have a specific story that you like to tell about an individual or a memory?

BD: not that I can think of.

Me: ok, that's another thing do you have any positive memories that you have?

BD: Coming home from deployments.

Me: why was that so positive for you?

My Mother: coming home to his family silly.

Me: Ok, i don't know, was it like a weird place to be in.

BD: Ya, it was in Iraq and afghanistan. Ya so when i came back it was wonderful seeing angela, and then hannah when she was born and then i got to be home when aiden was born. And then coming back and you get to see the kids magically grow up while you're gone.

Me: Were there any really big challenges that you experienced that you can share?

BD: The biggest challenge was being away from home so much. It really drains on you both mentally and physically.

Me: i would expect it too. and that's another question, what kind of sacrifices did you have to make while being away from your family?

BD:I mean the sacrifices were from my family.

Wife: For your family too.

BD: That's what I mean, it was for you. And they had to sacrifice as well, cus Angela had to take on a lot more responsibilities cus i was always gone, and then, of course, the kids having to grow up without their dad, and wondering if their dads ever going to come home.

Me: how do you feel your service has contributed to your personal growth and values?

BD: When you've been in the military for so long you get a mindset, that is you know, that you sacrifice things for others most of the time. so it really just enhances the values you already have. and that's pretty much it, i mean you can't last in the military that long unless you grew as a person, as a leader. and of course having a family that backs you up and supports you.

Me: Um, what do you want Americans, and especially young people, to understand about the military?

BD: that it's actually a good service, and there are people that need the benefits are something that keeps you going because its able and allows you to take care of your family, its not an easy life by any means but in the end it's worth it, when you reach that goal.

Me: is there anything specific you think of when you think of the military?

BD: friends, people you meet on the way, [taking out of hearing] Ya it really is one of the best things of your life and some of the most difficult, especially when you lose people along the way.

Me: Is there anything that you would like me to know?

BD: people who are looking to get into it, do your research, what you want to do, there is outstanding opportunity. the navy has a nuclear engineering program for enlisted people to go in that once you get out you have a really good skill set that can transfer over. there is many jobs in the military

Wife: get skills that transfer over is what i say

BD: That too cus you dont want a job doing, being an infantry man. were you get out there is not a lot of opportunities for jobs in that field, so when you find a job in the military you want to make sure that it transfers to something you want to do when you get out

Me: allright, interesting, well that's all the questions I have. And I want to thank you for your service, good bye!

BD: Goodbye.