Sgt. Randy Richardson of Porum said he didn’t expect to serve in both Iraq and Afghanistan when he enlisted in the Army eight years ago.

“It was 2000, obviously nothing was going on then,” he said.

Then came 2003, when Richardson was deployed to Iraq with the 173rd Airborne Division. After a six-month stay at home, he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2005, where he spent more than a year.

Richardson, 29, is now home, encouraging young people in area small towns to consider a military career. He started working out of the U.S. Army Recruiting Office at Arrowhead Mall last week.

The 1998 Porum High School graduate said that, although the Army does not always grant requests for assignments, he’s right where he wants to be.

“I’m really excited to be here in Muskogee,” Richardson said. “It gives me the opportunity to put leaders in the army, and we need leaders from our small towns. A lot of our leaders now are Baby Boomers and getting older.”

Richardson, who is on a three-year detail as a recruiter, said he plans to visit Boys and Girls Clubs, nonprofit organizations, events and schools in Muskogee, Vian, Porum, Webbers Falls and other communities.

Recruiting office station commander, Staff Sgt. James Wilson, said the Army tries to get hometown soldiers at the recruiting office.

“The furthest recruiter I have is from four hours away, in Missouri,” Wilson said. “It’s all about guys coming back and showing the opportunities that are available.”

Richardson said he was assigned to recruiting after he re-enlisted in 2006. He said he spent the past few years at Fort Sill in southwestern Oklahoma.

“I tried to get this region, and they knew I was from here,” he said.

Richardson said he spent his high school years not knowing what he wanted to do with his life.

“One year, I went to Connors State College and I just decided tuition was going to be heavy,” he said. “The Army had a lot of benefits, gave me direction.”

After serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Richardson said he has an additional reason for recruiting: “Most important is service to your country.”

As a paratrooper with the 173rd Airborne, Richardson jumped into Iraqi war zones. He said he cannot recall what went through his mind during those jumps.