I was 17 in 1998, still in highschool. I (female) enlisted in the army alongside my homosexual best friend. Went to basic training between my junior and senior year. In 1999, Bill Clinton was president, and the military policy for gays was "don't ask, don't tell." My friend who's gay, got out of the military out of fear he might be exposed. I have BPD, which I keep hidden, and had several suicide attempts ( which would have gotten me discharged from the military)but managed to hide my medical records to get deployed. It turned out to saving my life, paradoxically. And I did well, because I wasn't afraid to die! Lol...I also drove trucks! I picked the most dangerous occupation I could! Haha In 1999- my senior year, the first major school shooting happened at Columbine in Colorado. I lived in a northern, Midwestern state, but I had another friend who pranked in a fake bomb threat from a 'PAY-phone' You don't see those around anymore! He got in some deep shit! In 2001, 9/11 happened. It was 2003 ( I was 23 ) when I got deployed to the middle east, which I totally enjoyed ( becuz the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I ever had!). Women were not allowed in infantry at that time, just as gays had to stay in the closet. All that has changed now in the USA...I'm speaking. So things were different, and those times still sucked like shit does today! Just a different kinda suck! Imo. :)