"I spent half my life in the military, and I used to come home, take off my little soldier hat, put on my painter's hat, and there I'd build the kind of world that I wanted. It was peaceful, it was quiet, there was no hassles, nobody was yelling. And it was good, everything was good. Nobody was going to get shot or hurt, not in my world."

"The Joy of Painting" host Bob Ross was known for his calm, soothing demeanor — but before he launched his painting career, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force.

There, he rose to the rank of master drill sergeant and considered himself a "mean" person, even earning himself the nickname "Bust-'em-up Bobby."

But it was his disdain for his tough role and his love for the mountains surrounding his Alaskan Air Force base that led him to pursue painting.