ɡˈeɪts ˈɛntɚd ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts ˈɑːɹmi ˌɔn ˈɔːɡəst twˈɛlv, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt, ænd ɐtˈɛndᵻd ɪnˈɪʃəl tɹˈeɪnɪŋ æt fˈɔːɹt dʒˈæksən, sˈaʊθ kˌæɹəlˈaɪnə.
Gates entered the United States Army on August 12, 1958, and attended initial training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.