Father and son recall different eras of Army service
When military veterans get together, they usually end up recounting stories and experiences they had while in the service, and their tales are often met with perplexed reactions from civilians.
Jim and Ed Pasqualini are all too familiar with that situation, but getting those reactions from civilians is just another experience where the father and son Army veterans can relate to each other, while others cannot.
“I feel like military relationships, they last and they’re strong, and a lot of people keep in touch their whole lives,” said Ed Pasqualini, of Slippery Rock Township. “They’re the only people who know what you're going through, what we've been through.”
These stories and memories are often at the forefront of the Pasqualinis’ minds when Veterans Day rolls around each year. While they both said they appreciate the thanks they receive on the holiday, they also agreed that Veterans Day is a good day to reconnect with their Army buddies, many of whom are their closest friends.
“Veterans Day is here to recognize all of those who served, not just those who died,” said Jim Pasqualini, also of Slippery Rock Township. “Currently it’s less than one percent of our population that serves in the military. It’s not a large percentage, and that’s what Veterans Day is for, to recognize those who do make that sacrifice.”
Coming from a family of veterans, the Pasqualinis said they already understood what military service meant before enlisting.
Both of Jim’s grandfathers were immigrants from Italy and served in the military during World War I. His father and five of his uncles were service members, his cousins were enlistees and two of his children and two nephews served.
The familial relationship, he said, has been deepened by the common experience of military service.
Jim joined the Army in 1980 at age 17; it was near the end of the Cold War era. Ed joined in 2005 at 18, in the midst of the war in the Middle East.
Jim said the military was not popular at the time; a portion of the U.S. population had shown disdain for the Vietnam War. However, Jim said his time in the Army was positive, although he was never mobilized.
“Vietnam ended in 1976. The country wasn't overly favorable about the military after Vietnam,” Jim said. “When I joined, about one-third of my platoon were people convicted in court; the judge gave them a choice to go to the Army or go to jail. We had a lot of people who didn't have a high school education.”
Conversely, Ed’s time in the Army was during a more supportive era, he said, because he enlisted following 9/11, in part because the events motivated him.
“As horrible as 9/11 was, the whole nation came together. I definitely think that's why a lot of people joined around that time,” Ed said. “They had to change everything, amp it up and adapt. You had this influx of people wanting to join.”
Jim would go on to be in the National Guard, and in the Army Reserves before working with the CIA. He said the changing global culture affected his 28-year tenure in the military.
“In the Cold War, everything was focused on the Soviet Union and the war in Europe. Germany and Poland, we thought the Soviet Union was where the war would be fought,” Jim said. “I lived in Asia, Europe and deployed a lot to the Middle East after Sept. 11.”
Even though the father and son saw different kinds of action, they both agreed that the Army taught them a multitude of skills, simply because they were always getting different assignments.
“I was on the list to go to Afghanistan from Korea, (then) my orders changed and they needed me somewhere else. You have to be adaptable,” Ed said. “One day you’re escorting a general for another country, the next day you don't know what you'll be doing.”
Both Pasqualinis said their military service was rewarding for personal reasons as well. Neither of them knew what route to take directly after high school, and they both found purpose in the Army.
Having both joined right after high school, the military made them grow up quickly compared to their non-serving peers. However, there were ways in which the fast-paced military environment was beneficial, Jim said.
“When you come out of high school, you get out and see the world,” he said. “Military is a good foundation to build upon.”
Ed would go to college after serving in the Army. He said college was not a challenge after what he went through in training and deployment.
“Going to college after the military was a breeze,” Ed said. “Most jobs too, because once you're in the military you're working 20 hours (per day) straight for a month.”
Jim said one of his goals now is not only to recognize military personnel for their service, but also to help promote military recruitment by sharing its benefits.
“You just appreciate everything after everything you go through in the service,” he said. “You work for the GI Bill.”
Every Veterans Day, Ed and Jim recall their time in the military, and their friends who also served.
“I think people want to serve their country, it's a pride thing, and then there is a lot of good that comes with serving,” Ed said. “I still get choked up hearing the national anthem.”
