In 1970, on his 17th birthday, Issa dropped out of high school and enlisted for three years in the Army. He became an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician assigned to the 145th Ordnance Detachment. Trained to defuse bombs, Issa stated that his unit provided security for President Richard Nixon, sweeping stadiums for bombs prior to games in the 1971 World Series. A May 1998 investigation by Lance Williams of the "San Francisco Examiner" found that Nixon had not attended any of 1971 World Series games, but that Issa's unit did perform security sweeps during the series. However, First Lady Pat Nixon was present at Game 2 of the 1971 World Series, throwing the first pitch. After the series, Issa was transferred to a supply depot, a result of receiving poor ratings.