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Was Ice T in the Military?
Ice T had so many life eras before becoming Fin on Law & Order: SVU.
Here's a fascinating piece of trivia: In 1977, Ice T joined the Army and served for four full years. The longtime Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star (he plays Fin) joined the U.S. military to support his family.
"When I had my daughter, I was like, 'Man, I'm going to go to jail, I got to do something,' and I went to an enlistment office," said Ice T, according to Military.com. "Next thing you know, I'm in the military, four years infantry."
Was Ice T in the military?
Yes, and according to Military.com, Ice T found himself in hot water not long into his Army tenure. As the website details, Ice T and a small group of recruits stole an infantry rug. Once the rug was retrieved, Ice T got a "non-judicial punishment" and started Advanced Infantry Training.
Ice T was eventually deployed to Hawaii, where he served as squad leader at the Schofield Barracks. It was in the Hawaiian islands where Ice T saved enough money to purchase his first set of music equipment, including turntables, mixers, and speakers — and the rest is history.
After returning to civilian life after he fulfilled his duty to the Army, Ice T finally embarked on his entertainment career — and never looked back. Countless hip-hop hits — and an iconic role on Law & Order: SVU — later, Ice T is living his best life alongside his wife, Coco Austin, and his children.
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Ice T reflects back on his time in the Army
In a 2023 interview with B High Atl, Ice T looked back on his days in the military.
"Let's put it like this: I don't know if I would voluntarily go back into the military, but I'm glad I did," he explained. "It gave me a lot of [experience learning] how to create a plan, you know? I learned how to do routines, I learned how to problem solve."
Although he wouldn't necessarily lace up his Army boots again, Ice T said he took away some significant life lessons from his time in the military.
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"You know how they say, 'Hustlers don't complain, they figure it out?'" Ice T continued. "In the military, they say, 'Overcome, adapt, improvise.' So, you know, you learn how to handle situations."
