16 year old, who has questions about the Military, and needs help figuring out his future....

reply to post by enament


I remember "blood makes the grass grow greener-kill, kill, kill". Back then it was Iran. I guess it wouldn't work with sand.

reply to post by LandonFromKY

Talk to your folks. Then talk to different branches. It's no game, so I wouldn't go by that to help make your decision.

Good luck, young man.

Originally posted by Sinny
Dont join the infantry!

If you really want to join, go into admin or intelligence...the rest are cattle fodder!

Make your time there worth while.

If he want's anything close to COD its infantry lol.. Anyways, I served in the Army 1 term and was infantry. It pretty much sucked, living conditions are horrible, and it is nothing like the commercials on t.v. There are some good things about it, but like she said, don't join the infantry. I kinda think college is free on purpose because they know nobody will take advantage of it, because after the day is over, your so beat that most will probably never have the time for school. Once you get to your unit, as a private, you will be crapped on every single day usually, since your a private, and since you haven't been over seas, while most of your unit probably has been.

A lot of the time you aren't doing anything accept for sitting around, the ole "hurry up and wait" deal. I do have to say though, the food in the defac is actually really good. You don't really have any bills to pay. If I were you id maybe join the national guard first, after 6 months I think it is, you can transfer over into regular active duty. Point being, if you end up hating it, its only one weekend a month/2 weeks a year. And they still pay for college as long as you keep your PT scores up. And pick the shortest enlistment period, again, in case you hate it, your not there longer than you have to be. Even though I personally hated 70% of it, I am still glad I did join for the most part. I think its just because I picked infantry is why I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Whatever you do, good luck!



Deebo

I read the other posts about enlistment terms and they reminded me -

I wanted a specific MOS but they told me I had to sign for three years to get it when I only wanted two so as not to screw myself over if I didn't like it.

Also, my ex considered reupping because of a 10k bonus (hard to fill MOS in the Marines. I don't remember what they call it.). By accident he learned from another Marine that the 10k was a BS ploy to get this MOS to reup. The bonus was really 5k.

Originally posted by 2012srb
I read the other posts about enlistment terms and they reminded me -

Oh, yeah...about that 18X...I don't know if it still works this way, but if you get a contract to do 18x and can't make the cut, you're still on the hook for the 6 year commitment.

If you DO make 18 something, you're also on the hook for 6 years, even if you suddenly discover you hate it.

reply to post by LandonFromKY


If I could only talk you out of it.....but that decision is yours and yours alone.

I'm with Sinny, don't join infrantry.......go with Navy or Airforce.

I am probably a bit biased, but here is my 2 cents. I am almost 30 myself, I grew up as part of a group of 8. We were friends, bloodbrothers. 7 of them joined in one branch or another, 2 of them made it home alive. The two that made it home alive are broken. They are not who I grew up with. One was a marine, who is almost functional, He hasn't been able to hold a job, he flies off the handle sometimes. There were times when me, him, and captain jack were hanging out. I wish I didn't remember the things he told me in them drinking sessions. The other was in the army, and has spent more time in jail, than he has spent out since he got out of the army. Reality is not a pretty thing, I also tried to enlist but could not. I think I was the lucky one of my old crew.

reply to post by LandonFromKY


Killing is killing. It is a sin that will land you in hell. War is not right and killing is not justified. Stay out of the Military.

Can't tell you what it will be like because for each person there is a completely different experience. You should not pick a job just based on what the job is, say medical, because within that field, there are many different MOS listings and they provide a different experience. Some will travel a lot. Some stay overseas more than others. Some will stay at one base and never go anywhere. Some will deploy, some won't.

Your friend might want a job for stability to pay for his wife and kids, and to provide a work opportunity afterward. You may be looking for excitement and if you only do what your friends are doing you will feel like you misssed out.

I reccomend thinking about what you are trying to get our of the experience, rather than what anyone else thinks you should get out of the experience. Write it all down for your recruiter. If they suggest an MOS, ask what bases they go to , how much they deploy, things like that. If you want to be close to mom it may be possible, but not if your field only goes to five or six bases and only one of them is stateside, but on the other side of the country.

You have to figure out what you want out of it not what you think everyone else wants you to get out of it.

And if you do want infantry, and I've seen guys who really want that "military experience" no wimpyness for them, do try to do something that picks up a stripe or two before you join. Sh** rolls downhill, which means if something is to dangerous or painful, the lower ranking guy gets stuck with it.

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

reply to post by LandonFromKY


I've been in the Army off and on since 1983; finally getting ready to retire. It's not great, but it's not too bad either. I've told my oldest children (college age) that I would kick their butts if they come in as enlisted (my benefits pay for their college). But if you are looking to try it out and pick up college money enlisted is not a bad way to go. You can email me at [email protected] if you have questions. Watch out for the career councilors at the MEPS Station, they are all about trying to fill shortage positions and not about getting you what you want. If you want a specific job, tell them you will not enlist for anything else.

My friends that went in the air force actually enjoyed their time.

reply to post by Mark7777


I don't think he asked about becoming a christian pacifist.

The commercial that says "It's a great place to start," is mostly accurate. It rather is. Unless you have solid college plans or a good opportunity out of the gate, the military isn't a bad place to start. Here is a few tips from an ex military:

1. Don't join the infantry. In a video game, it's all fun and games. Not so much in the real world.
2. Join a MOS that has solid opportunities once out of the service. Engineering, mechanics, computers, MPs (or CID or one of the more "secret" branches) - something that you can use to catapult you to a better career, if you don't end up becoming a lifer.
3. SAVE MONEY. You will have your food, lodging, electric, water, etc. paid for you by the military. You -could- eat out a lot. You could buy all sorts of cool stuff like a fancy car, HDTV, etc. But... this is the BEST opportunity you will have in your life to make $$$, and have to pay very little out. BLEED the military for every ounce of moola. Use that mess hall. It's not terrible food.. but it's AMAZING food.. when it's free. You can save a hell of a lot of cash for once you are out. Take advantage of college benefits!
4. Take care of any medical issues while you are in. It's FREE. Free is good. Tonsils out. Appendix out. Bye bye wisdom teeth. Any lingering issues. Take care of them while you are in. It's free. Free is good.

It's not a bad place to start, honestly. College benefits, few expenses, free training that pays off later in life. Just keep in mind this: while it's a great place to take advantage of the benefits.. do not join for this reason. You are signing your life away to the military - to protect the country at all costs. The price you pay for all those benefits is basically your freedom - you are their tool.

If you have any qualms about.. getting vaccinations you have no choice in taking. Or political hangups, or worries about wars, or anything else.. do not sign up. DO NOT SIGN UP! I get sick of people who sign the veritable stack of paperwork when they enter (no.. you won't have time to read them), and then whine later that they won't go overseas because it's against their beliefs, etc. If you have doubts, do not do it. If you have none.. it's a good place to get your life going. You can see foreign countries (I highly suggest learning a good bit of the language of where you move.. it will educate you, and make your stay so much more enjoyable), save money, learn skills, and once out, those who have served in the military most definitely have a leg up during job interviews. Companies like ex soldiers. They have discipline, morals and ethics, and a sense of loyalty, all stuff corporations like to see.

Good luck whatever you decide!

reply to post by LandonFromKY


this is what you look forward to - run that damn gauntlet!

This is from the people you kill:



and you are....the trooper...



FInally, from another soldier...



Good luck friend. Killing poor people is not the answer...

CJ

reply to post by Rastus3663


That stance is not just christian pacifist. There are many different beliefs that follow the same tenants of do no harm. In fact I have seen way more christians do a whole lot of harm to others, as opposed to other religions.

reply to post by LandonFromKY


Don't let anyone persuade you into what you want to do in life.

With that said, there are many different ways to serve your country. There's the Coast Guard, National Guard, Peace Corps, the list goes on and on. You can always go to college, get a job, then volunteer on the weekends to make the country stronger. If you have the need to see some real action overseas, you can always go to college, earn a degree in technology, then join the military as a technology contractor specialist and see some live action. I think the future of the military is going to be with technology and less with manpower.

My grandfather was in the military. It ultimately destroyed his family and lead to his early death. It takes a particular type of person to kill another human and walk away unscathed. I play video games and that's one thing but to be in battle is completely different. I always think of war as a game of chance. If you manage to survive it was luck. You are not sent out their to track down John Smith and shoot him... you're sent out there to shoot at anything that moves and the enemy is looking at you exactly the same way. If you want to do something that changes peoples lives there are tonnes of things you can do that does not require a weapon. If you want to get some real insight into what war is like catch up with some war veterans in your local area maybe through a retirement village or so. For the most part they will tell you war is ugly and most of them would never have wanted to participate if they knew what really went on in the fields.

reply to post by ParanoidAmerican


Why don't you check out your intel instead of making things up? RIP has never been more than four weeks:

www.military.com...

It was only three weeks when I graduated in 1986 and went to 3/75.

And it's not "getting your scroll" its getting your tab. The scroll is the unit patch.

Originally posted by honestE
My grandfather was in the military. It ultimately destroyed his family and lead to his early death. It takes a particular type of person to kill another human and walk away unscathed. I play video games and that's one thing but to be in battle is completely different. I always think of war as a game of chance. If you manage to survive it was luck. You are not sent out their to track down John Smith and shoot him... you're sent out there to shoot at anything that moves and the enemy is looking at you exactly the same way. If you want to do something that changes peoples lives there are tonnes of things you can do that does not require a weapon. If you want to get some real insight into what war is like catch up with some war veterans in your local area maybe through a retirement village or so. For the most part they will tell you war is ugly and most of them would never have wanted to participate if they knew what really went on in the fields.

While that's all well and good, it's a rather small % that actually engages in warfare. The military isn't 100% infantry, you know. You can do a ton of jobs that will never put you into battle.

Stop making it out as if being in the military means you will be lopping the heads off of infidels a week after you join.

reply to post by TKDRL


And your post was insulting and off topic.