Elvis Presley
Born in 1935, Elvis Presley gained prominence as a singer in the 1950s. He got his first commercial break in 1956, and just when his career was at its peak, he refused to avoid the draft and joined the US army in 1958. Presley announced that he was looking forward to his military stint, saying he did not want to be treated any differently from anyone else. The army also introduced Presley to karate, which he studied seriously, later including it in his live performances. Stories abound of Presley's wish to be seen as an able, ordinary soldier, despite his fame, and to his generosity. He donated his army pay to charity, purchased TV sets for the base, and bought an extra set of fatigues for everyone in his outfit.
Clint Eastwood
The man became a living legend in Hollywood for his films that immortalized the wild, wild, West. But besides action in the movies, the actor-director had also seen some real action on the front. Drafted into the army during the war in Korea, Eastwood was sent to Ft. Ord in California for basic training. He was lucky to get a job as a swimming instructor and remained at Ft. Ord. He worked nights and weekends as a bouncer at the NCO club. It was while on duty at Ft. Ord that Eastwood met fellow soldiers and actors Martin Milner (Route 66), David Janssen (The Fugitive), and Richard Long (The Big Valley). After his discharge in 1953, Eastwood attended LA City College and studied drama under the GI Bill.
Gal Gadot
The woman is from Israel, and practically everyone of their citizens serves in the armed forces. This 30-year-old beauty is no exception. Gadot joined the Israel Defence Force in 2007 at the age of 21, and went on to do a stint of two years. Gal has previously said she impressed Fast & Furious director Justin Lin in 2008 with her knowledge of weapons and also performed her own stunts in the three movies she appeared in for the franchise. The job also helped her prepare for the role in Wonder Woman. "You give two or three years, and it's not about you. You give your freedom away for a while. You learn discipline and respect. The things I've been through as a soldier prepared me to deal with career things as well" says the actress while speaking about her work with the Israeli Defence Forces.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Big Arnie perhaps has the most interesting military stories of all. He was an embarrassment to his father, so, the latter sent him to the army where he became a tank commander. However, at the same time, Arnie got an invitation to compete in the junior Mr Europe competition. If he crossed the age of 18, Arnold would not be allowed to participate in the competition. So, he sneaked out of the army base, ran away, and made it to the competition. After the contest was over, he tried to sneak back into the army but was caught. The punishment for running away was solitary confinement for two weeks, but when his superiors found out that Arnold had won the competition, they sent him to the kitchen where he was happy to be!
Morgan Freeman
That's right folks, the army has been blessed with service from God himself. In love with the idea of flying, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1955 but was relegated to being a radar technician. Eventually, Freeman got the chance to train as a fighter pilot. Despite years of anticipation for that very job, as soon as he sat in the cockpit he had a distinct feeling he was sitting in the nose of a bomb." "I had this very clear epiphany," he told AARP Magazine. "You are not in love with this; you are in love with the idea of this." Freeman didn’t hesitate to act on his gut instinct, and left the Air Force in 1959.
