Photo by Fritz Busch Gibbon native and retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rebecca M. Booker displays a photo of herself in her camouflage uniform.

NEW ULM — Rebecca Zitzmann Booker laughs when she talks about how she joined the U.S. Army 30 years ago.

“It’s crazy,” Booker said.

“I went to a Army recruiter with a friend in Dallas after graduating from Minnesota State University, Mankato. I listened to the recruiter talk to my friend. I told him I just graduated from college with a physical education degree. He told me about the (college) loan repayment program and told me I could teach, coach and mentor in the Army. I planned on doing four years in the Army in 1994 and would up doing 30 years,” she said.

Booker said the first 10 years didn’t go so fast, but after that, her time in the Army “went really fast.”

She said the camaraderie is what she liked most about the Army. But that’s not all.

“It’s the people and the training aspect of it,” said Booker, a Gibbon native now living in Killeen, Texas, with her husband Charles. Both of them were Army combat medics.

She is spending Christmas and New Year’s with her parents Doris and Jim Zitzmann of New Ulm.

“I like snow, but I also like being able to leave the winter here after the holidays,” said Booker.

A Gibbon native, Command Sergeant Major (E9) Booker held many leadership positions including chief clinical NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer), first sergeant, inspector general, detachment sergeant, operations and immunization/allergy clinic NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge), aide evacuation NCO, and multi-system equipment repairer.

She’s seen a good share of the world too.

Her duty stations included Fort Hood, Fort Sam Houston and Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.; Baumholder, Germany; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“My husband was stationed in Germany when I deployed. We met when I was coming into the Army,” she said.

Booker said her most fulfilling job was being a first sergeant.

“You get to do direct hands-on with leadership soldiers. You train and impact them the most. You have the most impact on their Army careers. The higher up you get, the more higher up you get, the more hands-off you are,” she said.

Booker said she has a lot of great Army memories.

“You have the opportunity to see the world. Coming from a small Minnesota town, you’re more sheltered. When you travel the world, it opens your eyes up to different cultures. I met many people I never would have had I not joined the military. It definitely changed my mindset on humanity. One thing the Army truly teaches you is how to adapt and overcome. Our country would be a lot better if more people could adapt to and overcome other cultures and lifestyles and learn to live together,” she said.

Booker didn’t join the Army until after earning a bachelor of science degree. She later earned a master of arts degree in adult education and training.

“I wish I would have joined at age 18. Joining the Army is one of the best opportunities with all the training and benefits you get. Only 1 percent of the American population is in the military,” she said.

Booker’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, a military award given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. It is issued to members of military and political figures of foreign governments.