Elvis Presley left active military duty in 1960. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 24, 1958, at the height of his early music career, creating one of the most disruptive interruptions in rock history.
Presley served as a regular soldier rather than accepting entertainment-related special treatment. After basic training at Fort Chaffee and Fort Hood, he was assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor, in West Germany. He arrived there in October 1958 and served until his discharge.
The Army honorably discharged Presley on March 5, 1960, with the rank of sergeant. He returned to the United States and quickly resumed his recording and film career. A common mix-up is confusing his departure for Germany in 1958 with his departure from active duty in 1960. His service also helped shape later songs and public perceptions of him, but he did not leave the Army in 1959 or 1961.