<p id=”par-1_58″>In 1958, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/elvis-presley/”>Elvis Presley</a> entered the United States Army. Elvis had been drafted into the military as his <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/music/”>career</a> was reaching new heights, something that fans and his record label mourned. Elvis spoke publicly about wanting to prove himself and, for the most part, did his best to achieve this. Occasionally, though, he lashed out at his manager. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-elvis-occasionally-lashed-out-about-being-in-the-military”>Elvis occasionally lashed out about being in the military</h2>
<p id=”par-2_38″>In 1958, Elvis went through basic training before traveling to Germany, where he would live for <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/why-priscilla-presley-dreaded-day-elvis-returned-united-states-from-germany.html/”>the next two years</a>. He was a major star at this point, so his military service came as a surprise to many. </p>
<p id=”par-3_39″>“There’s no war going on, you’re sitting on top of the world, and all of a sudden you’ve got to go into the army?” Elvis’ friend George Klein said, per the book <em><a href=”https://valsec.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-colonel-alanna-nash/1100367694″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>The Colonel</a></em> by Alanna Nash. “It doesn’t make sense.” </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”945″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”A black and white picture of Elvis in his army uniform and sitting at a desk during a press conference. He waves one arm and smiles.” class=”wp-image-3636956″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=635&h=500 635w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=768&h=605 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=1024&h=806 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=444&h=350 444w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=215&h=169 215w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=200&h=158 200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=644&h=507 644w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis-army-1.jpg?w=76&h=60 76w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Elvis Presley | CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-4_51″>While shocked and concerned about the future of his career, Elvis publicly spoke about his service with grace. Privately, though, it sometimes got to him. The early wake-ups and difficult work made him grow frustrated with Parker. He got particularly upset when he felt a superior officer <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/elvis-felt-superior-army-purposely-embarrassing.html/”>wasn’t treating him fairly</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-5_57″>“That’s when Elvis got in a bad mood he would say, ‘Man, what the hell am I doing here? That old sonofa**** the Colonel, he could have got me out of this. He could have fixed it,’” bodyguard Red West recalled in the book <em><a href=”https://www.amazon.com/Elvis-What-Happened-Steve-Dunleavy/dp/0345272153″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Elvis: What Happened?</a></em> by Steve Dunleavy. “But most of the time he fitted in well.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-elvis-still-took-his-military-service-seriously”>Elvis still took his military service seriously</h2>
<p id=”par-6_27″>For the most part, though, Elvis just wanted to be a regular soldier. He lived off-base, but he didn’t want any special treatment because of his celebrity.</p>
<p id=”par-7_79″>“He took the job seriously and asked for no special treatment, and the guys really liked him,” West recalled. “There were a couple of alerts that sent Elvis right up to the East German border, where he could actually see the Commies on the other side. One time there was even talk that shooting might start up there, and Elvis was right along there, up to his ass in snow and as gung ho as the rest of them.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-colonel-tom-parker-did-not-want-him-in-the-special-services”>Colonel Tom Parker did not want him in the Special Services</h2>
<p id=”par-8_67″>Many expected Elvis to join the Special Services, or the entertainment branch of the military. He would perform free, televised concerts for the troops. Parker <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/colonel-tom-parker-want-elvis-sing-army.html/”>refused to let this happen</a>. He didn’t want overexposure for Elvis; he hoped his two years in Germany would be enough to make the public miss him. He also didn’t want Elvis to put on any concert that wouldn’t make him money.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” width=”1200″ height=”940″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”A black and white picture of Elvis wearing his army uniform and cleaning a sign with a rag.” class=”wp-image-3636569″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=638&h=500 638w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=768&h=602 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=1024&h=802 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=447&h=350 447w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=216&h=169 216w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=200&h=157 200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=647&h=507 647w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Elvis.jpg?w=77&h=60 77w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Elvis Presley | Vittoriano Rastelli/Corbis via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-9_22″>“They want my boy to sing,” he reportedly said, “then they are going to have to pay for it like anyone else.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_39″>Parker’s decision ultimately paid off. Elvis’ career didn’t take <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/what-paul-mccartney-and-john-lennon-believed-ruined-elvis-presley-in-the-50s.html/”>all that much of a hit</a> while he was in the army. In addition, his choice to be a regular soldier brought him respect from people who previously criticized him.</p>