I interviewed Ben Dalbeck, a retired Sergeant First Class who served in both the Marines and the Army. Ben joined the military in 1999 to escape limited opportunities in the desert where he lived. Over his extensive career, he served in various locations, transitioning from Camp Pendleton, California, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he retired in 2022.

Ben's military journey spanned multiple deployments, with five combat and two rotational deployments to Germany and Korea. The most significant challenges, he shared, were the mental and physical tolls of being away from home. Despite the hardships, positive memories centered around the joy of returning home and witnessing his family's growth. Ben emphasized the importance of researching military roles for future enlistees, underscoring the lasting impact and personal growth inherent in military service.

Ben in his uniform