. >> reporter: george straton join the army as a 17-year-old kid. >> thought the military was a good way to get into school a lot easier, look good on any resume anywhere in the country. i just told myself i was going to do great fidid it and made it through. >> reporter: like staff sarkant manning, he comes from a family with a proud history of serving our nation. his father, also named george, recalls that tradition. >> my dad was... in the air force. he was kill in the vietnam conflict. i joined when i was 17. my induction was fort jackson, where my son ended up doing basic. >> when i originally joined, i wanted to be mentally fit, as well as physically itch he was a scared kid at basic. but they turned him interest a young man. he was extremely put together well. the basic training did a -- an unbelievable job on him. >> then i grew attached to the military even more. eventually, i couldn't wait to deploy. i had the motivation to want to go. >> reporter: six months after joining and with the rank of private second class, straton was assigned to the 36th engineering brigade, locat

. >> reporter: george straton join the army as a 17-year-old kid. >> thought the military was a good way to get into school a lot easier, look good on any resume anywhere in the country. i just told myself i was going to do great fidid it and made it through. >> reporter: like staff sarkant manning, he comes from a family with a proud history of serving our nation. his father, also named george, recalls that tradition. >> my dad was... in the air force. he was kill in the vietnam conflict. i joined when i was 17. my induction was fort jackson, where my son ended up doing basic. >> when i originally joined, i wanted to be mentally fit, as well as physically itch he was a scared kid at basic. but they turned him interest a young man. he was extremely put together well. the basic training did a -- an unbelievable job on him. >> then i grew attached to the military even more. eventually, i couldn't wait to deploy. i had the motivation to want to go. >> reporter: six months after joining and with the rank of private second class, straton was assigned to the 36th engineering brigade, locat

. >> reporter: george straton join the army as a 17-year-old kid. >> thought the military was a good way to get into school a lot easier, look good on any resume anywhere in the country. i just told myself i was going to do great fidid it and made it through. >> reporter: like staff sarkan manning, he comes from a family with a proud history of serving our nation. his father, also named george, recalls that tradition. >> my dad was... in the air force. he was kill in the vietnam conflict. i joined when i was 17. my induction was fort jackson, where my son ended up doing basic. >> when i originally joined, i wanted to be mentally fit, as well as physically itch he was a scared kid at basic. but they turned him interest a young man. he was extremely put together well. the basic training did a -- an unbelievable job on him. >> then i grew attached to the military even more. eventually, i couldn't wait to deploy. i had the motivation to want to go. >> reporter: six months after joining and with the rank of private second class, straton was assigned to the 36th engineering brigade, locate

. >> reporter: george straton join the army as a 17-year-old kid. >> thought the military was a good way to get into school a lot easier, look good on any resume anywhere in the country. i just told myself i was going to do great fidid it and made it through. >> reporter: like staff sarkant manning, he comes from a family with a proud history of serving our nation. his father, also named george, recalls that tradition. >> my dad was... in the air force. he was kill in the vietnam conflict. i joined when i was 17. my induction was fort jackson, where my son ended up doing basic. >> when i originally joined, i wanted to be mentally fit, as well as physically itch he was a scared kid at basic. but they turned him interest a young man. he was extremely put together well. the basic training did a -- an unbelievable job on him. >> then i grew attached to the military even more. eventually, i couldn't wait to deploy. i had the motivation to want to go. >> reporter: six months after joining and with the rank of private second class, straton was assigned to the 36th engineering brigade, locat