There are many famous people
who served in the United States military.
Some were drafted, some had the choice between jail
or service, and some felt the call and volunteered.
From World War Two to 9/11 and beyond,
these celebrities served their country
before they became famous. Except for Elvis.
Elvis was always a star.
In no particular order, these are 10 celebrities
who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Number 10, Kris Kristofferson, United States Army.
Before he was a recording artist,
Kris Kristofferson,under pressure from his family
and following in the footsteps of his Air Force General
father before him, joined the United States Army.
Kristofferson trained as a Ranger and a helicopter
pilot, eventually reaching the rank of Captain
while stationed in Germany, but then he received orders
to West Point to teach English.
He chose to separate from the army to pursue
a music career instead, but served in the Tennessee
National Guard when he needed to make ends meet.
It was during that time when he infamously stole a
helicopter and landed it on Johnny Cash's lawn.
A bold move that would pay off when Cash, a fellow veteran,
recorded Kristofferson's song
and began an epic musical friendship.
In 2003 he was presented with the Veteran of the Year award
at the eighth annual American Veterans' Awards.
Number nine, Kurt Vonnegut, United States Army.
Kurt Vonnegut enlisted in the
United States Army during World War Two.
In 1944, then Private First Class Vonnegut was
captured by the Nazis during the Battle of the Bulge.
He, along with boxcars full of fellow POWs, were taken
to the German city of Dresden and forced to work
until the city was fire bombed by the allies.
Vonnegut and a few other survived the devastation
in what looked like a different, horrifying new world.
'Slaughterhouse Five' is named after the underground
bunker in which he waited out the bombing.
The book is the story of a mon who became unstuck in time
floating back to the past at seemingly random moments.
It has become one of the most famous PTSD flashback stories
and one of the most banned books of all time.
Number eight, Jimi Hendrix, United States Army.
Jimi Hendrix, one of rock's greatest guitar players,
served a brief 13 month stint with the famed
US Army's 101st air born division, nicknamed
the Screaming Eagles, just a few years before his
epic rise to rock stardom in the late 60s.
Hendrix wanted to enlist as a musician
but had no formal music training
so he opted for the 101st Airborne Division instead.
Months after joining the Screaming Eagles,
life as a paratrooper began to wear on Hendrix's morale.
He was constantly reprimanded for dereliction of duties.
Jimi just wanted to play his guitar.
His days as a paratrooper came to an end on his 26th jump
when he broke his ankle.
Hendrix began exploring the Fort Campbell area nightlife
before venturing down to nearby Nashville
where he began jamming with local blues men.
It was in that vibrant music scene where he met fellow
service member and bassist, Billy Cox.
In September 1963, after Cox was discharged from the Army,
Hendrix and Cox formed a band called the King Casuals.
But it was later in New York City where Hendrix
would catch a break that would help him
become the rockstar he's remembered as today.
Number seven, Elvis Presley, United States Army.
After one deferment to complete the film 'King Creole,'
Elvis Aaron Presley reported for US Army basic training
at Fort Hood on March 24, 1958 where he was assigned
to the 2nd Armored Division's 'Hell on Wheels' unit.
His induction was a major event that attracted fans
and media attention.
After basic, Presley sailed to Europe aboard
the USS General Randall to serve with the
3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany.
By March 1960, Sgt Presley finished his military
commitment and received an honorable discharge
from active duty.
Reflecting on his service, Presley once told
Armed Forces Radio and Television that he was
determined to go to any limits to prove himself.
And he did.
Though his career as an artist was never too far from reach.
Shortly after returning to the United States,
he shot the film 'GI Blues,' a musical comedy where Presley
played a tank crewman with a singing career.
Number six, Montel Williams, United States Marine Corps
and United States Navy.
Talk show host Montel Williams enlisted in the
United States Marines after high school
& completed basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina
before going to the Desert Warfare Training Center
at Twentynine Palms, California.
There he impressed his superiors with his leadership skills
and was recommended for the Naval Academy Preparatory
School at Newport, Rhode Island.
He was then accepted into the US Naval Academy at Annapolis.
Upon graduation he became a cryptologic officer
for the United States Navy.
He served in Guam before transferring to the
Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California,
where he studied Russian for a year before putting his
linguistic skills to use for the National Security Agency.
He served aboard submarines for three years before he
decided to separate from the military and pursue public
and motivational speaking full time.
Number five, Adam Driver, United States Marine Corps.
Adam Driver, perhaps best known for his portrayal of
Kylo Ren in the Star Wars franchise, enlisted in
the United States Marine Corps and became an infantry
mortarman after the 9/11 attacks.
He was stationed at Camp Pendleton with 81's platoon
Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines
and was training for his first deployment when he sustained
an injury that would result in a medical discharge.
After his service Driver founded a nonprofit organization
called Arts in the Armed Forces which brings high-quality
arts programming to active duty service members, veterans,
military support staff, and their families around the world
free of charge with the intention of bridging the divide
between civilians and the military.
Of his military career Driver once said, quote
"In the military you learn the essence of people.
You see so many examples of self-service and moral courage.
In the rest of life you don't get that many opportunities
to be sure of your friends." End quote.
Number four, Bob Ross, United States Air Force.
Robert Norman Ross, better known as the friendly painter
Bob Ross, enlisted in the Air Force at age 18
and he would go on to serve for 20 years.
While stationed in Alaska, Florida-native Ross saw
snow and mountains for the first time, which would
influence his serene landscape choices as he began
his prolific painting career.
It might be surprising to know that while in the
Air Force Ross became a drill instructor.
Quote, "I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine,
the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams
at you for being late to work. The job requires
you to be a mean, tough person, and I was fed up with it.
I promised myself that if I ever got away from it
I wasn't going to be that way anymore." End quote.
True to his word, he developed the Joy of Painting,
his famous program where he taught others to paint
with the uplifting and soft-spoken demeanor
that has become famous around the world.
Number three, Bea Arthur, United States Marine Corps.
The late Bea Arthur served as a truck driver
in the US Marine Corps.
She enlisted into the women's reservists
during World War Two at the age of 21
under her maiden name, Bernice Frankel.
A handwritten letter of hers states, quote
"I was supposed to start work yesterday,
but heard last week that enlistments for women in the
Marines were open so decided the only thing to do was join."
End quote.
She was stationed at US Marine Corps Air Station
Cherry Point, North Carolina.
She was honorably discharged after the war
at the rank of staff sergeant and she would marry
a fellow marine, Private Robert Aurthur,
and go on to have a successful career in the arts.
Any fan of Arthur's incisive Dorothy on Golden Girls
will not be surprised to hear that Arthur's enlistment
interviewer described her as "argumentative, and officious,
but probably a good worker if she has her own way."
Number two, Jackie Robinson, United States Army.
Jackie Robinson was drafted to the United States Army
in 1942 where he was assigned to a segregated Army
cavalry unit before applying to Officer Candidate School.
His application was delayed due to the color of his skin
but after protest by heavy weight boxing champion
Joe Lewis he was accepted.
He commissioned as a second lieutenant in January 1943.
In August 1944 he would face court martial for refusing
to give up his seat on a bus near Camp Hood, Texas,
a segregated location known for its racism.
On July 6, 1944, Robinson took a seat on a civilian
bus next to a white woman on Camp Hood
and the driver ordered him to move to the back of the bus.
Robinson refused and the military police
were called to arrest him.
Angry from his treatment and frustrated at the rampant
discrimination on the post, Robinson refused to wait
for the MPs in the Provost Martial's Office
and was escorted to the hospital under guard
and under protest.
He was charged with two accounts of insubordination.
His defense would win out however,
and Robinson was freed.
He medically retired from service due to a bone chip
in his ankle and would go on to become the first
African-American to play in Major League Baseball.
Number one, Rob Riggle, United States Marine Corps.
Rob Riggle served in the United States Marine Corps
for over 20 years.
After graduating from the University of Kansas
he went through Officer Candidate School.
Though he originally had the intention
of becoming a pilot he realized that he wanted to pursue
comedy so he became a public affairs officer instead.
After his active duty service commitment was complete,
he transitioned into the reserves for 14 more years
so he could pursue comedy and acting full time.
Riggle served in Liberia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan
during his time in the service.
Now retired, he continues to help the veteran community
through initiatives like his Rob Riggle InVETational
Golf Classic, a veteran celebrity golf tournament
that raises money and awareness for veteran non-profits
like Semper Fi Fund, an organization that assists
service members and their families.
That's our list.
Leave us a comment and let us know who your favorite
celebrity veteran is.