I thought about joining the military...

[JayHawk]

Well I will not wade into the fray about justifying the military actions or killing. I would say that in many areas of the earth if you are not willing to show force then you had better be willing to die for your pacifism.

I have served for the last 21 years and will continue to do so until i am done. Maybe 9 more years maybe not I don't know. I do know that in the Navy I have been the provider of so much more good and humanitarian assistance over the last 21 years than death and disorder. Name a substantial world disaster or human created atrocity and you will find usually the Navy there and sometime the Army or special forces providing assistance in medical, food, water and basic needs.

SO the ignorant can have their opinion as that freedom was earned for them. It really shouldn't bother anyone who serves or supports that service. Those who give do so because they feel a greater calling and not because of the many perverted ideas presented against the service.

Duigi-Luigi check your comments.

 

[Knucklehead]

I think video's like that happen to be offensive and disrespectful to people (and their families) that have died fighting for their country. Regardless of whether or not you, I, or anyone else agrees with the wars our nation is in these men and women are risking their lives to protect our freedom. And it's important to note that the people that are dying in the military are not the ones who are making decisions about these wars, they're just doing their job. I just do not support making light of or belittling those jobs.

When a soldier is killed repelling a foreign army that has invaded the U.S.-then it can be said that he died for our freedom..

Enlisting,and getting sent to Iraq/Afghanistan has shit to do with our freedoms.Exactly which our our freedoms were in peril and how did a soldier who died in Iraq preserve them?

Same for any other of the dumb assed wars we've fought since the end of WWII.Not one of them ever had a damn thing to do with our freedom..

This is coming from an army veteran who spent 2 years in Germany,stationed along the former communist borders and who was trained to repel (as best we could) an Eastern Block invasion of Western Europe...Again,if we we're killed over there,as we surely would have been had an invasion occured,it would not have been to preserve American freedom,but instead, German freedom..

I say let Germany,and every other country look after their own freedom.

 

[Duigi-Luigi]

People who aren't in the military or aren't very close with people who are in have a very narrow view of what it is. It isn't all shooting at people and getting blown up.

I'm in the Air Force too and the most asked question I get from non military people is "so... do you work on/ fly planes!?"




To the OP, is there a particular reason why your father just blew the idea off and didn't take it seriously?

Although my Father has not enlisted in the military he has had contact with it. Needless to say it hasn't been all positive. So, after thinking about his reactions for the past few days, I am feeling less upset by his reaction. I do have a friend who served in the Marines and he is helping me by weighing the pros and cons.

As I said before in a pervious post, I do appreciate those who have posted their personal experiences and opinion about joining the military as a career. Now, the posts that discuss "War" and all that comes with whether it is right or wrong...etc I am really not interested at this point. I don't have an opinion. I just want to consider the military as a viable career. I guess I'm not Johnny American wanting to join for God and Country....does that make me unamerican?

 

[bankside]

As I said before in a pervious post, I do appreciate those who have posted their personal experiences and opinion about joining the military as a career. Now, the posts that discuss "War" and all that comes with whether it is right or wrong...etc I am really not interested at this point. I don't have an opinion. I just want to consider the military as a viable career. I guess I'm not Johnny American wanting to join for God and Country....does that make me unamerican?

I think you have to have an opinion. It's like saying "I want to be a surgeon. Whether I accidentally kill someone on the operating table... I am really not interested at this point."

 

[Duigi-Luigi]

I think you have to have an opinion. It's like saying "I want to be a surgeon. Whether I accidentally kill someone on the operating table... I am really not interested at this point."

Not really, If I were to want to be a surgeon the first thing I would do is see what it takes to qualify and be proficient in my career. I think the possibility of making a mistake and or killing a patient is an inherent risk. Just like fighting in the military, one goes in knowing "Yeah I might have to kill, maim, save a buddy or civilian, etc. This is pretty much a given. So, I do indeed have no opinion on whether it is morally wrong to go to war or not, when discussing my OP.

 

[Rex]

Although my Father has not enlisted in the military he has had contact with it. Needless to say it hasn't been all positive. So, after thinking about his reactions for the past few days, I am feeling less upset by his reaction. I do have a friend who served in the Marines and he is helping me by weighing the pros and cons.

As I said before in a pervious post, I do appreciate those who have posted their personal experiences and opinion about joining the military as a career. Now, the posts that discuss "War" and all that comes with whether it is right or wrong...etc I am really not interested at this point. I don't have an opinion. I just want to consider the military as a viable career. I guess I'm not Johnny American wanting to join for God and Country....does that make me unamerican?

Nobody joins the military simply because they want to "serve their country". Everyone joins for other reasons as well. Even the drill instructors in basic training hated that response when they asked us why we joined.

 

[Ram]

All males in my country must serve national service. Loved every moment of it.

I say you do what you want.

 

[Memosexual87]

Only three reasons I would join the military

1 if we're being invaded by aliens from space
2 if we're gonna kill zombies
3 for all the hot ass

 

[Knucklehead]

Nobody joins the military simply because they want to "serve their country". Everyone joins for other reasons as well. Even the drill instructors in basic training hated that response when they asked us why we joined.

I know,that always struck me as a lame,suck ass response too.Be honest.Say you wanted to get away from home,you wanted college money,you want to learn a trade or,you just like being allowed to play with weapon systems that cost more than you'll ever make in your life..

All males in my country must serve national service. Loved every moment of it.

I say you do what you want.

For the most part,I enjoyed it too.There was a lotta dumb bullshit too.But,you'll find that anywhere.

I'm still in touch with a bunch of guys I served with -25 years later..

Ultimately though,it's the OP's decision to make.Not his fathers.My father isn't a big supporter of the militarys adventures either.But he signed the papers for me so I could enlist at 17 years old..

 

[codeerror]

I know,that always struck me as a lame,suck ass response too.Be honest.Say you wanted to get away from home,you wanted college money,you want to learn a trade or,you just like being allowed to Play with weapon systems that cost more than you'll ever make in your life..



For the most part,I enjoyed it too.There was a lotta dumb bullshit too.But,you'll find that anywhere.

I'm still in touch with a bunch of guys I served with -25 years later..

Ultimately though,it's the OP's decision to make.Not his fathers.My father isn't a big supporter of the militarys adventures either.But he signed the papers for me so I could enlist at 17 years old..

Guilty

I think you need to have at least a prospect of what you are saying yes to.
Choosing to be a soldier mean that you choose a proffession where you might have to make the descision to take a life, or loose yours. And that is not as easy as hollywood makes it out to be. Mental scars takes long to heal.

Here's the pros and cons ive found out in my time in the military forces (1 year national service, then as enlisted/NCO)

Pros:
+ The best friends ever
+ You travel alot
+ Lots of exercise
+ Nice paycheck
+ Money for education

Cons:
- There's plans for every little part of the day
- You travel to places most people wouldnt
- You don't see your family very often (at least I don't)
- The hours
- PTSD

I still like the job, not one day is the same as the other. As long as it stays that way, I'm staying.

 

[Knucklehead]

Guilty

I think you need to have at least a prospect of what you are saying yes to.
Choosing to be a soldier mean that you choose a proffession where you might have to make the descision to take a life, or loose yours. And that is not as easy as hollywood makes it out to be. Mental scars takes long to heal.

Here's the pros and cons ive found out in my time in the military forces (1 year national service, then as enlisted/NCO)

Pros:
+ The best friends ever
+ You travel alot
+ Lots of exercise
+ Nice paycheck
+ Money for education

Cons:
- There's plans for every little part of the day
- You travel to places most people wouldnt
- You don't see your family very often (at least I don't)
- The hours
- PTSD

I still like the job, not one day is the same as the other. As long as it stays that way, I'm staying.

I agree Code..Great post..

I met some of the best friends I've ever had in my life while in the military. Where else besides the military whould someone trust an 18 year old kid to become skilled on equipment that cost millions of dollars? Hell,just the optics on my scout vehicle cost almost half a million dollars..In the civilian world,they wont trust an 18 year old to make a sandwich..

I often think I shoulda have stayed in.I would have been retired for about 6 years now with a decent pension..You know what they say about 20/20 hind sight though..

Although, both units I've served with have done repeated tours in Iraq where they suffered some pretty heavy casualties.One guy I know that stayed in suffered a brain injury during an IED ambush.So,maybe it worked out for the best that I didn't stay in..

But if you serve in a military that isn't constantly being rotated from one combat zone to the next,hell,might as well do your 20 and retire..

 

[vulgar_newcomer]

Some great advice here. Make sure you do your research.

I mean if they tell you "Oh yeah you're the next Top Gun" and then you find yourself on a fucking tug tender scraping barnacles off buoy #148 - 68 nautical miles from Egg harbor NJ in late Feb you will realize you've been lied to so do the research and get it in writing and read it is vital.

Its a job. A evil government job and the only one the Teabaggers seem to think is good enough for the Government to have. (fuck a bunch of tea bag back water scum)

It has benefits. Many both material, mental, & life shaping. You can grow big time between the ears and see things differently, better hopefully.
It has risk, but so does the job of the dude delivering a truck load of twinkies to the Kroger in a ice storm or the Con-Ed worker in the cherry picker trying to restore power as the lightning crackles around his head and the wires are full of juice. But no one gives a shit when these workers crap out however the military deserves and earns better respect. Scary is scary nevertheless.

It can be a good career, and sure as shit beats the hell out of Wal-Mart or making dong telephone marketing/collections calls.
Can lead the way to many good things, but even at worst its still fucking better than most of the bullshit benefit less worthless sack of shit jobs left in the USA for the masses.
Experiences last forever, serving up a customer at Maceys a pr of Tommy Hilfiger boxer briefs for $7.25 a hr and 19 hrs a week leaves the entire life experience a little jaded as they cover your eyes with pennies.