ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — As Veteran’s Day approaches, one Rockford resident reflected on her time in the military by sharing her family history.
Evelyn Scott joined the Navy in 1987, but her military story doesn’t begin there.
“My dad was Navy; my grandfather was Navy, my other grandfather was Air Force,” Evelyn said. “That’s what motivated me.”
Evelyn’s family has a history of service, but she made her own history by becoming the first woman in her immediate family to join the military.
“My family was very proud of me,” Evelyn said. “When I would come home, because I didn’t get to come home often, they showed me love. A lot of love.”
Evelyn joined the Navy after high school, not knowing what she wanted to do with her life. After completing boot camp in Orlando, FL, she ended up serving on ships overseas and traveling from place to place. It was on those ships where she began work in the post office, and she ended up continuing that career post-military until she later retired.
“Going into the service was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life,” Evelyn said. “The unit we made there is something I’ll never forget. I learned so much.”