--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After I graduated from Tuskegee with a…" description: "\"After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. I figured if I had to go into the mili..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/lonnie-johnson-16185_army_after-i-graduated-from-tuskegee-with-a-m_2773895.jpg" --- # After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear… ![“After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. I figured if I had to go into the military, I'd rather go in as an officer.” quote by Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/lonnie-johnson-16185_army_after-i-graduated-from-tuskegee-with-a-m_2773895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/lonnie-johnson-16185_army_after-i-graduated-from-tuskegee-with-a-m_2773895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/lonnie-johnson-16185_army_after-i-graduated-from-tuskegee-with-a-m_2773895.jpg) > “After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. I figured if I had to go into the military, I'd rather go in as an officer.” [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After graduating, the speaker joined ROTC to become an officer, preferring leadership. **In simple terms:** Joined ROTC to become officer. Key Takeaway Seek leadership roles in service. Themes military career leadership Mood determined pragmatic Type career military When to use this quote - army - engineering - career planning Key Concepts education service Questions to Reflect On - Why choose officer path? - How does engineering influence service? A Different Perspective Leadership may involve risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) ## Related quotes > [My first direct encounter with the military was when I joined ROTC as a graduate student, although my father, who served in the U.S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/my-first-direct-encounter-with-the-military-was-when-i-joined-rotc-as/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [I spent one semester in Air Force ROTC, as I wanted to be a pilot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-jacobs-stanton/i-spent-one-semester-in-air-force-rotc-as-i-wanted-to-be-a-pilot/) Katie Jacobs Stanton > [I thought about doing ROTC in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-thought-about-doing-rotc-in-college/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [Phil Hicks was the guy that was in the ROTC, that was going to go into the Vietnam War and thought that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/phil-hicks-was-the-guy-that-was-in-the-rotc-that-was-going-to-go-into/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [I was in the ROTC. Of course, ROTC stood for 'Running off to Canada.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/i-was-in-the-rotc-of-course-rotc-stood-for-running-off-to-canada/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I graduated from college when I was 20. To get enough money to finish college, I went into the ROTC, and I was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-graduated-from-college-when-i-was-20-to-get-enough-money-to-finish/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I spent much of my life - almost 40 years - as a military officer. My specialty was in the part of the Navy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-g-stavridis/i-spent-much-of-my-life-almost-40-years-as-a-military-officer-my/) [James G. Stavridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-g-stavridis/) > [A true military officer is in one particular like a true monk. Not with more self-abnegation will the latter keep his vows of monastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-true-military-officer-is-in-one-particular-like-a-true-monk-not/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [One of my most rewarding congressional duties is nominating future military leaders to study at America's service academies. The exceptional young men and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brady/one-of-my-most-rewarding-congressional-duties-is-nominating-future/) [Kevin Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brady/) > [I didnt go into the NASA program to pick up rocks or to go the moon or anything else. I went in there because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lovell/i-didnt-go-into-the-nasa-program-to-pick-up-rocks-or-to-go-the-moon/) [Jim Lovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lovell/) > [As a military officer - and this is - I have lived my life in the national security realm - I don't think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/as-a-military-officer-and-this-is-i-have-lived-my-life-in-the/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [That is why every military officer fights - so that there may be peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-manuel-santos/that-is-why-every-military-officer-fights-so-that-there-may-be-peace/) [Juan Manuel Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-manuel-santos/) > [I used to have a military officer travelling with me at all times with a suitcase - referred to as the nuclear football -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-used-to-have-a-military-officer-travelling-with-me-at-all-times/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [A lot of what a military officer does is not just leading troops in combat. It's also doing budgets. It's solving complex problems. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zinke/a-lot-of-what-a-military-officer-does-is-not-just-leading-troops-in/) [Ryan Zinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zinke/) > [Scott Ritter is a very well-known archetype of a certain U.S. military officer. Very hard talking, very ambitious, zealous, and completely consumed with carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/scott-ritter-is-a-very-well-known-archetype-of-a-certain-u-s-military/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) ## More by Lonnie Johnson > [More and more, other countries are able to manufacture things cheaper, beating us in the marketplace in a lot of ways. So we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/more-and-more-other-countries-are-able-to-manufacture-things-cheaper/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [Lady Luck is indifferent. She smiles sometimes, and she frowns sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/lady-luck-is-indifferent-she-smiles-sometimes-and-she-frowns-sometimes/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [The invention that most people know me for is the Super Soaker water gun. I knew the gun worked well, and I knew it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/the-invention-that-most-people-know-me-for-is-the-super-soaker-water/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [It was because of the success of the Super Soaker, I was able to at least get an audience with people to present some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/it-was-because-of-the-success-of-the-super-soaker-i-was-able-to-at/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [Large companies can afford to file patents on every idea they have. Small companies, we have to weigh our options, do the research. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/large-companies-can-afford-to-file-patents-on-every-idea-they-have/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I have a collection of SuperSoakers. I have managed to keep most of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-have-a-collection-of-supersoakers-i-have-managed-to-keep-most-of/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I can remember times when we'd be having parties, and people would be dancing and everything and I would be sitting there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-can-remember-times-when-we-d-be-having-parties-and-people-would-be/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [Being an independent inventor is tough. You develop a product, patent it, then you're looking for someone who will see the benefit from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/being-an-independent-inventor-is-tough-you-develop-a-product-patent/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I didn't want to grow old and find that I didn't do what I could have done, that I didn't put my best foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-didn-t-want-to-grow-old-and-find-that-i-didn-t-do-what-i-could-have/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I consider myself a general practitioner. I do electronic things. I do toys and water things, mechanical stuff. I'm very, very flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-consider-myself-a-general-practitioner-i-do-electronic-things-i-do/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [Peer review is fine, as long as you're making incremental improvements to a technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/peer-review-is-fine-as-long-as-you-re-making-incremental-improvements/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I decided I could develop a toy and get some revenue from that and then use that revenue to really become an inventor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-decided-i-could-develop-a-toy-and-get-some-revenue-from-that-and/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I wound up getting offered a job at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I invented a power supply mechanism for the Galileo space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-wound-up-getting-offered-a-job-at-the-nasa-jet-propulsion/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [I've invented a new type of engine that converts heat directly into electricity with no moving mechanical parts. It's called the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/i-ve-invented-a-new-type-of-engine-that-converts-heat-directly-into/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) > [Especially when you have a lot of technology you're developing as a small company, trying to protect that technology is a real problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-johnson/especially-when-you-have-a-lot-of-technology-you-re-developing-as-a/) [Lonnie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) [Explore all 40 Lonnie Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-johnson/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. 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