In what was a transformative part of his life, Santa Clarita resident Raymond Smith, a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps and Korean War veteran stands by that his years in service turned him into who he is today.
Smith joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1951. He was too young to serve in World War II, but Smith had multiple brothers involved in the war which was his inspiration to join up as soon as he could.
After joining the Marines, Smith was soon deployed to Korea, leaving behind friends and family who didn’t make the cut. Smith says it was an honor to serve his country, and he was lucky to have never had to fire a gun or kill anyone over the course of the war.
When asked about his experience in the service, Smith said that the military formed him into a good man, taught him loyalty and responsibility.
“When I came out I was a good man and thought more of my country than I did anything else…I looked at my life and my country at a different scale,” Smith said.
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Over his time in the Marines, Smith was promoted from private to sergeant. He left the service just before the breakout of the Vietnam War, not wishing to create a career in the military, but he is quoted as saying he would have been honored to serve in the Vietnam War beside his fellow patriots and service members.
When asked about what advice he would give to current service members, Smith advised them to serve faithfully and then when the time comes for them to leave the military, he challenged them with raising their families and being responsible and prepared.
His own experience with the VA has been disappointing and less helpful than he expected, and encourages current service members to prepare ahead in case the VA cannot help them in the future, according to Smith
Smith discussed how his time in the military was overall a positive one, and those three years were some of the most influential in his lifetime. He encourages young people to create careers out of the military if they find they thrive in that environment and provide for their families and country diligently.
At the conclusion of the interview, Smith said “God bless each and every one of you that are in the service or veterans of the United States of America. God bless you.”
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