William Ellis Josey enlisted in the National Guards in Feb. 24th, 1948 for 3 years. President Harry S. Truman activated his unit into the US Army in 1950 for the Korean War. They were picked up by troop train January 21st. 1950 for Camp Edwards Massachusetts at Cape Cod. When he was discharged from the US Army, that made him eligible to join the Alabama State Defense on May 5th. 1991 as a sergeant. He continued to serve, discharging on September 14th, 2009 as a Full Bird Colonel.