I was raised by a German Immigrant father to the US that survived World War Two as a child on his own in Germany (he like all children was part of the Hitler youth) and was only seven years old when the Russians invaded his town towards the end of the War. He was beaten and not shown love and raised like that post war too. When he came to the US in 1957 at age 20, he brought all that anger and hate with him. So, when disciplining his children, we were beaten until we bled (I broke that chain with my own children) and we lived inner city in the late 1960's to mid 1970's with street gang fights and race fights. My parents moved us to a country rural school where I excelled in violent sports like American football and wrestling. Now during all this we had countless uncles and grandparents that served both sides in WW2 (Axis/Allies) and it was a very easy transition into the Army post high school where violence was rewarded the next 27 years of my life.

Since retiring I have reflected and changed tremendously though, but you asked why or what shaped our paths.

I fell in love with Europe in 2012 during a high school trip to Switzerland with my family. So in college I studied International Relations and European History thinking I'd end up in some kind of international job

Then during the summer before my senior year at university (2016) I was working an internship in NYC with the US State Department and attended a government jobs fair. At the fair I met a Navy recruiter and began a conversation that lasted almost six months. I signed the papers in December.

A few months after graduation in May 2017, I entered the US Navy and was commissioned after completing OCS in December.

Today, after completing my 5.5 years of active duty, I'm a lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve and I work for a government agency in a very travel-intensive, internationally-focused role.

Fate . My plan was to become a doctor ( Opthalmologist ) . That was a huge undertaking given what I came from, but with lots of hard work, a good essay, and good MCAT scores … I got in (to Med school). A month before I was to leave for school , mom collapsed . She had been hiding that she had heart failure and needed a transplant . Her docs told us she had possibly 2 years without a transplant . My adoptive parents were my world , so I was completely devastated . I called in and declined my placement in my Medical school class . Mom was livid but angrily I yelled in her face if she thought she had raised a daughter that would abandon her when she needed me most … she was mistaken . Daddy was relieved that I stayed although he felt guilty about that . To calm my mom down I consulted. With my counselor at my university and she got me in for the LSAT. I did well enough that with my situation and grades , I was accepted into law school with the promise that if I didn’t like it I could go to their medschool the next fall . I found I liked it. Mom lasted another 5 years . I was in school were I did my undergrad and it was the closest city to the farm. Her doctors in her were in town where I was , so she and daddy stayed with me a lot when she had appointments. I worked at the farm in the summers. I spent so much adult quality time with her and she had no doubt in her mind that she had raised a very loving daughter. I could see that she was glad I was there for her. Daddy too . I was hired after some interviews by a very accomplished woman and moved to the big city . I eventually met the love of my life and married him. My parents really liked him ! Mom
Passed a month before our wedding . That crushed me … but her letters and notes she wrote for me to read after she was gone gave me direction and advice on how I should conduct my self and live my life .

In high school, I took a graphic arts course in vo-tech school when I was a junior and senior. In college, while I was in journalism school, I found I really liked the various design courses in advertising and magazine design and such. I got a job at a local print shop doing typesetting and eventually layout as well — this was back when we used waxxers and cold type on photographic paper; desktop publishing was just starting to become a thing. I just sort of followed that path. I was good at it and I liked it. That sort of led to the Internet when it came online; I taught myself HTML and all about how to design and host websites and such. One thing after another. So, I sort of just fell into it.

I didnt get much chance of an education abd married young so had given up on having a career. I met a woman at a New Years party and she nentioned her job and I was very envious as I didnt think I could do that. But I did and have had a great career so far.

I’m still figuring it out, I got my teaching license and realized it wasn’t a sustainable career. Now I’m in grad school to be an instructional designer and I’m loving it! I always knew I wanted to be in education.

I spent 18 years in the RAF, after that I wanted a different pace to life so I could put down some roots and focus on family more. But sometimes it’s difficult to stay motivated.

I knew I had to choose a career that would make me happy, I lose interest or won’t give it my best if I’m not interested.
I couldn’t spend so much time in a job I hated.

My Uncle got cancer, he was the primary care giver for Grandma and needed help. So, I quit Chef school and went into nursing to look after them.

Therapist, doctor, and my case worker all agreed I am incapable of working due to my mental and physical health, so I'm a disability pensioner

i went to college to be a teacher. i got divorced my senior year of college and coulds not student teach. i ended up in insurance

I hated people and I was broke so I ended up joining the army to kill people.

Then after I got out of the army I was still broke so I went to college.

I leveraged being a veteran and my degree to be an engineer in the defense industry. Once I got the first defense job I always tried to stay in this engineering defense industry in general. The opportunities then just stacked over 5 years to where I am today.

Bob Barker back in the "Truth or Consequences" days. He was an influence and role model.

It offered a great deal more financial reward than the one I originally chose.

Decided when i was young that i wanted to join the military.

When i joined the Navy, late 70's.
It was one of the jobs that would allow me to become a Navy Seal...
So I became a Boiler Technician.
Been in the trade for almost 45 years.
Work Hard. Play Hard.
Earn Stupid Money 💰 🤑

About 16 after my dad talked me out of following rest of the family into the dockyard (good move as it closed soon after) I decided computers were the future. This was 1979. It was a good move as I had a reasonably good career.

I wanted to work with computers and the current job is close enough.

Also I needed food to survive so couldn't wait for a better path.

I had an opportunity presented to try it on a contract basis and was both very good at as well as I enjoy it.

I didn't score well in my entrance exam.

Last option close to home was the career path I chose.

I wanted to be a hairdresser, so I became one. I've been doing it for 10 years now.

I worked with a school to design their brochure. I was there for a while. Got asked to teach the kids some graphics lessons... 18 years later, Im still teaching.

Got lost had to work my way back!

Just got along the line

Flipped a coin and lost.

on a whim