The Western Apache Scouts of the 1870s who assisted the United States Army in tracking down the Chiricahua Apaches that had escaped from the federal reservations in the Arizona Territory laid the foundation for what became seventy-six years of military service in the U.S. Army. Consolidated and reassigned to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona in 1922, these scouts continued to serve with distinction long after the Army needed their skills as trackers. In 1947, the final four scouts retired from United States military service, each having served for over twenty-five years. This thesis explores how these men used their military service in order to survive, serving with honor while maintaining their cultural traditions within a changing world.