David Oakes: U.S. Army
‘I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world’
David Oakes’ coming of age story is largely defined by his military service.
Following the height of the Cold War, Oakes dedicated two years to the armed forces and grew up more than most will in such a short time. Having never saw active combat, he claims his experience had more good times than bad. He speaks about his service with a fondness, saying it was the best decision he ever made.
Oakes was born in 1967 in Hillsboro, Wisconsin, and grew up in Crawfordville, Florida. He graduated high school in 1985, enlisting in the U.S. Army shortly after. Still 17, his parents had to sign off on it.
“At that time, the military checked all of the boxes for me,” he said “I didn’t really know what I wanted to be, but I wanted to see the world and I needed to grow up a little bit. I thought this would force me to grow up and get out of my mom’s house.”
That July, Oakes was assigned as a forward observer for the field artillery, reporting to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for basic training and advanced individual training (AIT). He graduated just three days shy of his 18th birthday. After bootcamp, Oakes returned home for a few weeks, and in December began a “hardship tour” at Camp Howze, South Korea. He served as a member of HHB 2-17 Field Artillery for the entirety of 1986. Were he to ever see combat, he would have been on the front lines with binoculars and a radio telling the artillery where to shoot.
“There was one moment where we all thought this thing was really going to happen,” he said. “We got woken up at 2 a.m. with the artillery going off in the background, which was rare. I thought ‘this is it.’ But it was just the Koreans pulling our strings.”
After Korea, Oakes returned to the states for additional training. In his last year of duty, he was stationed in Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Irwin, California.
“I saw an awful lot of military bases in just my two years,” he said.
Oakes and his units were packed up and ready to move out at a moment’s notice, but that day never came. During his service, he was awarded three achievement medals from the Army, and was recognized for his participation in Operation Team Spirit, a joint field operation in South Korea involving several countries’ militaries. “I was a good little soldier,” he said.
Oakes was honorably discharged in July 1987; the same time many of his friends were graduating high school. Back at home, he rekindled an old flame and married his high school sweetheart, Rhonda. They moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where they lived for 23 years and raised their sons Sean and Patrick. He worked for Homes & Land magazine for several years until his family made the move to Franklin four years ago. He has since start- ed his own freelance graphic design business, D. Oakes Design. He says Franklin is the best town he’s ever lived in.
When asked about his favorite memories from the service, Oakes noted the one-of-a- kind comradery, the travel, experiencing new cultures and food, and learning to be his own man.
“I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.”
Oakes almost reenlisted, but said the closer time came to getting out, he was anxious for it.
“I guess they call that short-timers syndrome,” he laughed. “I look back now and part of me wishes I had stayed; I could’ve retired from the military at 37. But then I wouldn’t be where I’m at now. I guess my hindsight’s 20/20.”
