Veteran finds new mission after service
Staff writer
John Siebert’s Navy Seals graduating class will celebrate its 50th anniversary by remembering old friends and celebrating a lifetime of service.
“We’re going to have some remembrances for our teammates who didn’t make it back,” he said. “It’s going to be a party, but it’s more than that.”
While he’s been out of the military more than four decades, it’s been far from a full retirement for Siebert.
“Why would I retire from doing stuff I enjoy,” he said. “I work as hard as I ever have, but I enjoy everything I do.”
Since leaving the military, Siebert has spent 45 years clearing pastures and farming, and 30 years hoofing cows and building cow chutes.
“I get tired of working in the shop for a few days,” he said. “Then I go and start clearing trees out of pastures, or we have something going on with the cattle.”
Despite the long hours invested, Siebert said self-employment has an advantage.
“They’re tired of going to the job 8 to 5 every day, the same
over and over,” he said. “They can hardly wait for retirement, but they’re working for somebody else.”
Serving their country forges a common bond for all service members, regardless of branch, Siebert said.
“Any military man who served for his country is very proud of that and the sacrifices we made,” he said.