I was a senior at UW-Madison and received number 27. I knew that I would be drafted if I didn’t enlist so I applied for Air Force pilot school and the National Guard. The National Guard called first so I enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. After my Basic and AIT, I got a job in Minneapolis and transferred to the Minnesota National Guard. At 6 years, I decided to stay and never looked back. I recently retired after 37 years. It was a tremendously positive experience for me. I am proud to have served and proud of those who volunteer to serve today. The quality of today’s soldiers is excellent and these fine men and women are a dedicated group. I retired at the rank of Brigadier General. The lottery ended up having a very positive impact on my life. I believe that my life would have been very different if I hadn’t received a low number.
