Why I serve?
Over the past eight years, many people have asked me why in the world would a guy with a Ph.D. join the Army? The answer to that question is directly linked to the attack on the United States (U.S.) on September 11, 2001. For many, including myself, that day made a lasting impression on how I viewed what was important and valued. No longer could I sit on the sideline, unaware of the happenings beyond the U.S. borders, protected by the insulation graduate school provided. It was time to act, stand tall and do what I knew needed done. To answer the question, Why I serve, is a three part answer: 1) I serve first and foremost to assist in defending the nation against all enemies foreign and domestic, 2) to protect my family and preserve our and the American way of life, and 3) to honor my grandfather who taught me what it meant to be an American.
My family is not steeped in longstanding military tradition. I believe my grandfather and I are the only ones who have served in the military. I was raised to believe in God and country. Although I’m not the most religious person, I believe in God and have faith that He is always present. My feelings about the United States are those of admiration and respect, considering how and why the country was founded is remarkable. The early settlers displayed an enormous amount of courage and faith to cross an ocean to an unforgiving new land and lay the foundation for a new nation. That courage and faith are the building blocks of the American spirit. For all of the issues facing the country, I appreciate all that the nation has to offer, both good and bad, as the spirit of the American people is remarkable and resilient. I am thankful for the educational opportunities that have been afforded me over the years and felt as though it was my time to give back to the nation that has given me so much.
Prior to 9/11, I was in graduate school pursuing a Ph.D. and hadn’t given too much thought to joining the military. I was admittedly wrapped up in my own little world of coursework and research and that I didn’t pay too close attention to events happening around the world. During those early years of graduate school I met my now wife, who changed my life immensely. Although our lives who be changed forever the morning of September 11, 2001. The attacks on New York, the Pentagon, and the downed airliner in Pennsylvania had a profound impact on how I viewed the U.S. government and the world. During lunchtime discussions, I repeatedly voiced my opinion about how I thought the government and military should respond. After several weeks of several weeks, I realized that I needed to stand up for all that I was saying. The decision was made; I would join the Army after I finished graduate school and use my education to help defend the country. Part of the decision was patriotism and the other was a conscious decision to protect my wife and my family.
When I was young I liked hearing my grandfather tell stories of his experiences fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. I thought that it sounded glorious and heroic; although I didn’t quite understand as I do now the hardships he and thousands of other men and women endured during World War II (WW II). He talked about the unbearable heat, terrible food, tenacious mosquitoes, and an enemy that was merciless. Unbeknownst to him, all of these stories were serving as life lessons and shaped the pride that I had in him and the country as a whole. We talked after 9/11 he told me about the men from his northern Michigan town who did not enlist after Pearl Harbor and how they and their families were ostracized in the community. Back then he said, “there was no question whether or not to serve, you just did it, why, because you’re an American and that’s what we do when the country needs us.” I thought about those words a great deal as I contemplated joining the Army. Then I came to the realization, 9/11 was my generation’s Pearl Harbor and that I would serve my country just as my grandfather did in WWII.
Even today people I meet don’t fully grasp the concept of selfless service or why I would serve at a time of war, with an ever growing domestic threat of terrorism. They don’t appreciate that all of the men and women currently serving are doing som to protect our way of life and the American spirit. Again, when people ask why I’m serving in the Army, my reply is that I serve to defend the nation, protect my family and way of life, and to honor my grandfather.


MAJ Eric Ansorge
Student, Command and General Staff School
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Belvoir, VA

"The views expressed in this BLOG are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Dept. of the Army, Dept. of Defense, or the U.S. Government"