My parents built their generational wealth by joining the military.

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• My parents were at a financial crisis in the 1970s, so my parents enlisted in the Army to help them get by.
• They were able to get on a better financial footing through their time in the military and then go to college.
• My mom and dad were able get government jobs, and they are now comfortable retired.

My momma wore combat boots — even though she preferred heels. She fired a rifle — even though she disapproved of guns. She had to run a mile in under seven minutes, dressed in full combat gear — even though she carried me in her belly.

My mom would tell you that the military was hard, especially for a female in the 1970s. But, it was a path she would continue down because of the opportunities it offered her.

She told me that “it was crucial at the moment.” “The Army made a massive change in where I ended up in life — where we all ended up in life.”

My parents joined military service when there was no other option.

Christine Knapp, my mom, was raised in Detroit and mid Michigan. She took care of her six younger siblings. Despite all the hardship, she graduated high school a semester earlier than expected. She dreamed of studying in Italy — maybe fashion or architecture. 

“Did that really matter?” She was curious. It was Italy.

My mom met my father, a Vietnam veteran, at a friend’s house on the same day that she received her diploma. They were married seven months later. She never made it to Italy.

In the years that followed, life took a leap forward: College classes for both. The birth of my sister. Graduation of my dad. He began a master’s program through the University of Kansas — but the US economy slowed their progress.

“It was the beginning of the ’70s,” said my mom. “Everything began going downhill quickly.”

My father lost his job which supported him in school. She lost her job. There were few other options.

“We had no choice but to return home. There weren’t enough jobs. To top it all, the government was so poor that I lost my grants and scholarships that I used to pay for my tuition. It was gone. It was impossible for me to finish college.”

My father worked at two Kroger stores in Michigan and earned a few dollars an hour. My mom earned $1.68 an hour at K-Mart. The couple were afforded a cramped apartment in an unremarkable part of Lansing thanks to their unskilled labor. With no better days in sight, the weeks went on without any relief.

“Those were really difficult times,” my mother told me. 

They were desperate — until my mom got an idea. A friend of mine had just joined up in the Army and was moving to Germany for a steady salary and college money.

“What if we joined?” my mom asked my dad. “It was either that, or you go nowhere in that dark and dreary old house.” 

My mom dreamed of moving to Europe.

Imagine moving a child halfway around the globe by pulling up stakes.

They could only imagine it. They achieved it. They were transformed.

Two military incomes made all of the difference

Both my parents enlisted. They didn’t make much money at first. They completed basic training and studied Army communications in preparation for their overseas move.

“It wasn’t great. We had a trailer and a babysitter in Georgia.

They knew that they would be together.

The buddy system was a thing the Army called (Buddy Team Enlistment Option). If we went in together, they would have us all in the same place.

They were sent by the Army to Germany in the 1970s, a crucial time. Although the Nazis were defeated, the Iron Curtain and militant armed groups like the Baader-Meinhof Group remained. My parents worked for the Army Security Agency, encrypting top-secret communications between officers — the same level of classified intelligence Making headlines today.

“These were TS SCI files — the same ones Taken from Trump’s Florida homeThat could lead to him being sent to jail. That clearance was granted to us. After leaving the military, we were not allowed to visit communist countries for 10 years. I worked in a vault — literally a vault.”

Despite all their hard work, my parents couldn’t make much. To survive, they needed both their incomes.

“I don’t know what families do with a single Army income. Your spouse is moving every three years. The spouse can’t work. This is why so many people are on food stamps.”

Dual incomes and a program that paid slightly more to government employees who resided in expensive locations helped.

“The Army didn’t have enough housing when we went to Germany. We had more money which allowed us to buy an apartment. It allowed us to enjoy a better lifestyle than we had at the base.

My mom was born in Augsburg (Germany) to me. My father earned his master’s in child development from a Boston University program. Shortly after, they returned to Michigan with more money and a better outlook.

They returned to Michigan in a better financial standing

My parents were able to afford an apartment that was not too cramped. They went out with their friends. They purchased a car. They played Bob Seger records through a Pioneer stereo system. My parents’ time in Germany, although not enriching at all, helped them to live a more comfortable life for the lower middle class.

My dad got a job at the State of Michigan, while my mom went to Michigan State to pursue a degree in computer programming with support from her GI Bill.

“It didn’t pay for everything — just tuition and books. MSU was $13 per credit back then. Spartan Village was our student housing. It was very affordable. The cost of babysitters was our largest expense.

My mom remembers what she had to pay for college, but I know that the military route is not the same.

“They reduced it to a lower amount in the 1980s. It seems almost pointless. It helped us get through school. Now, they encourage you save money for school. This isn’t a huge deal. That’s something I can do on my own. We probably wouldn’t have enlisted if it were like that back then.”

My parents built a wealth generation by enlisting in the Army.

My mom worked 27 years for the State of Michigan after college. She was a programmer and maintainer of computer software until her retirement in 2011. My father was a 28-year employee of the State of Michigan. While still working for the Michigan Department of Transportation, he died from cancer in 2007. My mom was able to retire with no worries because of their military service.

It made a big difference. Instead of receiving a pension for 28 year, I received mine at 33 years. It was 30 years instead of 27 for me. It makes a big difference. It would have added around 10% to my retirement earnings.”

My parents didn’t forget the hardships they had to endure before they joined the Army. They saved money during their careers. Make safe investmentsThat they could rely on when they retired. My 70-year old mom uses the military money to pay her bills, but she feels that the support and direction they received in the military had an even greater impact.

The Army was crucial in determining where my life ended up being financially. My degree might not have been possible if we hadn’t joined the military.

They have had many benefits. My parents paid college for my sister and I, funded home improvements, and set aside nest eggs to support each of their three grandchildren. The journey that began with military enlistment was ended with Generational wealth.

As for her Italy: Your dreamsMy mother made it as a tourist to this area in 2004.

She has traveled around the globe. She lives in a luxurious condo she renovated to her own specifications. She owns a luxurious car that meets her high standards. She has all this but still recognizes the Army benefits that she received.

It was enormous at the time. It was the difference in going from being hungry in an old apartment to moving forward and becoming productive members of society. It was a major change in the way my family lives.

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