Retired U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Vince Lusk urges people thinking about joining the military to consider what they want to do as a civilian afterward.
Lusk spoke at the veterans recognition ceremony Wednesday at the Porter County Fair.
He served more than 22 years before retiring to pursue an academic career. Lusk is now a graduate admissions specialist at Valparaiso University working on his master of fine arts degree from Savannah College.
Lusk left for basic training within days of graduating from high school in 2000. “I technically raised my hand to join before my senior year,” he said.
“The Army gave me everything that I have,” Lusk said. “I wouldn’t be where I am or have anything that I have now without the Army.”
He realizes that now, but he didn’t during his first three-year stint. “I couldn’t wait for those first three years to be over,” he said.
“The first three years of your time in the military is very fast, but those first three years I just couldn’t wait to get out,” Lusk said, but he was young and took a lot of things for granted.
He got out in January 2003, but “it took only six months for me to break the door down to get back in because once you leave, you lose those benefits, the job security and everything else.”
“The infantry is a proud occupation, but it doesn’t carry a whole lot of skill sets outside the military, so I didn’t have much to work with in that year. I didn’t have a college degree. I wasn’t taught a special skill set while I was in the Army or anything,” Lusk said. “That’s the main reason I wanted to go back in.”
In January 2004, “my first smart decision that I did in my life was to plan ahead this time and choose a technical job in case I decided to get out again,” he said. Lusk chose to become a mechanic because auto mechanics are always in demand. The Army also taught him how to drive. He didn’t have his license yet.
Lusk enjoyed his time in Georgia. And then 9/11 happened, changing the trajectory of his life. He served in Iraq three times.
He was injured five months into his first tour of duty there. Lusk was a gunner with a 50-caliber weapon, riding a Humvee. While he was watching the street, the gun barrel hit a tree limb, injuring his hand. He still has a scar from it.
Lusk decided he needed a college degree. The first time he tried, studying business administration, he didn’t even last a semester. On his second try, studying psychology, he lasted a full semester. His third try was a charm. He studied photography, earning a 3.98 GPA for his associate degree and a 4.0 for his bachelor’s degree.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
