Potential US Military...
 

I don't know, but I'm thinking I'm going to sign up for the military.

My ASVAB is exceptional, and I'd be able to enter at a fairly decent rank, for fairly decent jobs.

I'm currently unemployed.

I also want something substantial. I wouldn't be career, but I want to enter the armed forces.

I mean, I grew up with an Army dad. I don't want the Army necessarily, though. I'm shooting for more Air Force or Navy, actually.

My uncle was Air Force.

I've no ties to the Navy, aside from my cousin almost completed Boot, only to have an asthma attack a week before graduation.

I don't have asthma. I've been jogging regularly. I have an appropriate BMI. I have an advanced IQ, and a ****ing awesome ASVAB (WAY easier than the ACTs, for anyone who was wondering) and could feasibly do this.

I just have one minute favor to ask; anything in the Recreational Drug thread; if that could be deleted, I'd be eternally grateful.

As it stands, I could pass even a follicle test, I believe, but I don't want the RD thread turning against me.

Are you manic right now

I don't think so, no. I've felt closer to normal these past few days than normal. If I'm still manic, that will have been close to two months, and that's not good.

my ex joined the army because he screwed up really bad (had a kid with a girl he wanted nothing to do with) and felt he had no other options.

the army is pretty much the bottom of the barrel.

but being a part of the "defense force" itself is not the best thing you can do with your life.

you'll be miserable.

I don't know you but I know well enough about the armed forces to know that it's a really, really bad idea.

Ive thought joining the army solely for a job but I'd rather go on the way I am than work in an obviously dangerous area. Although I need to make money quick haha.

No amount of money is worth being a tool for the government's machinery.

It is really, in this financial climate I couldn't even afford a 10p packet of crisps if they still sold them.

Your post is rather insulting.
I joined the Army in 2003 as an information systems analyst, got 6 good (and easy) years experience in that field, got out, and am just finishing up getting a free degree as a computer network specialist (and I actually got paid to go to school, never having to pay a dime), and I get any certifications I want reimbursed. I'm set to go into the workforce in my field making no less than 25 dollars an hour to start, which is great for Louisiana.
I can say that the education benefits, while great, are not the culmination of my military experience. The experience itself made me better as a person in all respects.

I wouldn't expect someone who is forced to join any service to take anything positive away from the experience, but your ex and I are obviously two totally different people. And I'm sure the OP and your ex are as well. You shouldn't pass judgement on something you obviously don't know anything about.

And if people could take their misguided pride out of the equation, they aren't being a "tool" for the government any more than a worker is a "tool" for the company he works for. If someone wishes to challenge themselves and use the armed services as a tool to accomplish what they want to accomplish, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Do you have any personally identifiable information on your profile or otherwise? I doubt the military would be trawling the internet looking for you, but if you go into the intelligence field and want to be safe, I'd say just get your photos deleted from any threads (so no visual identification could be made) and remove any personal identifying information from your profile and any posts you've made.

If you find any stuff like this, write the links down and PM them to me and I'll delete those posts.

It's tough at first (for most people), but well worth it in the long run. I took the ASVAB in the 80's originally looking to go Air Force and scored very high, but got cold feet. Ended up taking a bus from Chicago to LA to join a band that never happened, and lived like a bum for 2 weeks playing guitar on the beach for food. I ended up at the Army Recruiters office in Ca. and was in DEP for 55B Ammo Spec for a week. I took the first plane out to boot camp and never looked back. Got to see the world, made some very good friends that I still keep in touch with, learned alot about myself, and self discipline, and got paid to do it all. Went to school through the GI Bill, and started a career (such as Freebase) in CAD and Engineering, and am still going strong some 20+ years later.

I'm a big fan of everyone joining the service, and unless you've been there don't knock it. As with anything... you get out of it what you put into it.

I would never personally do it, because of religious convictions, but I don't think it's a bad idea. My best friend is going into the Marines by the end of the year, and my stepdad was in the Navy. Just do what you feel is right to do.

I don't see it as a bad idea at all, the benefits of being in the army are excellent. Especially in the US? If I'm wrong please do correct me.

I'd never join, but it seems about half and half with people I've talked to and their experience. My friend's boyfriend seems to have had a good experience (and actually moved up to Alaska to live with him), as well as my friend who was in the Army. On the opposite end of the coin, my sister's friend said it was miserable and definitely wouldn't suggest joining, and my brother didn't seem to enjoy the experience much at all. However, he was involved in the Iraq war and was stationed in Qatar two different times, so for him it was a much different experience I'm sure.

I've had a few friends tell me when there's no action, the boredom is absolutely crippling.

I am pretty anti-military but also a big fan of letting people do whatever the **** they want bc its not my problem. However, if you've been experiencing mania recently, I would advise against making the decision right away. If it sounds like a good idea in six months, try it. If you're only doing it as a last resort for an employment, try to consider other options as well. Internet work is pretty plentiful these days, and their are a lot of writing jobs that pay really well and don't require drug tests, and since you're a talented writer you could easily pick up several and make a really good paycheck.

But most importantly, don't make any huge life changes if you've been manic recently. You will prob regret it

Everybody pays tax, everybody is a 'government tool.'

Now how about you leave the thread until you've been through puberty and let the grown ups answer her questions.

But there you go, he's joining the army for the wrong reason. He wasn't interested in serving his country, he did it because he "screwed up". And this is the case for any job, if you join it because it inspires you then it will suit you, but out of desperation and you're unlikely to get much out of it.

As far as I can see, Phanastasio isn't in that position, so I don't think this should be a factor.

Until you've been married to an idiot who milked the system and ruined your life doing so, I suggest you grow up and think of better retorts.

I will say there are some good people in the force but it's too much of a sacrifice to a government that doesn't care about the underlings.

It just breaks my heart that anyone ever goes that far. it's a horrifying job.

Some people are kept safe and have good jobs in the gov. It's the underling positions that are scary.

So, you would be totally OK if the same sacrifices were made under a government that really, really, really cared about all the crap people chose to endure for their own sake?
What do you think about firefighters? Police?
Do you think it's too much of a sacrifice for them to put their lives in danger for your sake?
Do you hold their choices in disdain while you benefit from them?

I think the same thing could be said about military or public service. People choose it. And they know the risks. Regardless of their motive for choosing to take those risks, they do, and whether you think it noble or horrible, you are still benefiting from their decisions, and they as well.

If you actually think it's all about sacrificing for a government, you've got it all wrong. It's about sacrificing for yourself, your fellow man, or any other reason we have the right to choose, seeing as it's our sacrifice to begin with.
So let's not pretend that we're all doing this for the government, shall we?

Us vs. Them

How quaint.

My ex told me things that I'm not allowed to talk about. The government is a terrifying force of greed and destruction.

Life is a terrifying force of greed and destruction.
Also, why are you avoiding my posts?

I'm mobile about 90% of the time and though I have much to say my crippled fingers don't have the dexterity to really get into it.

You know about area 51? :O

As far as I am concerned if you want to enlist regardless what country you are from. Then by all means go for it and good luck. If you go into it with a positive attitude then you will like most of it. Go into it under any other preconceptions and you probably won't like it. The military is not for everyone that's why I never judge anyone that either doesn't want to do it or can't for what ever reason. So I say go for it if that's what you really want to do.

Best advice of the thread thus far. Give it some time, really give yourself plenty of space to think about it before you commit.

Still milking the Us vs. Them.... :bonkhead:

Does a person stop being a human once they've been elected into political office? Humanity is and has always been a terrifying force of greed an destruction. Every single one of us wants more than we need, it's why any sort of social / cultural advancement has ever existed. Some are willing to share their new skills with others while some would rather just horde it for themselves. Most idealists really like the idea of sharing common rewards but despise the idea of sharing common responsibility especially for incidents or events that 'they're not responsible for' - like the focused reflection of their own greed within their government.

Seriously, recognize that your ex was an idiot and chose to join the military for about the wrongest reasons possible and that as a result of that idiotic choice his perspective and reflections on the matter are skewed. That's not to say there are no atrocities ever committed, no person, group, or nation has ever been perfect, but from what you've said he's nowhere near wise enough to grasp the justified unpleasant realities of some of the bigger pictures most leaders need to face.

That doesn't mean all leaders are wise or they somehow gain unprecedented knowledge upon winning an election either, that's kind of the point of campaigning and trying to figure out who the real sharp one is and which one is just BS-ing their way to the top.

And please don't reply back to me before addressing Freebase's concerns.

Go move to a country without a proper government, then. See how that works out for you.

It's a big change that will most definitely change your life. Although it will be almost nothing like what you think going in (at least it was in my experience).

On most days I say it's a great idea, if you apprach it informed and mentally prepared, you'll find yourself coasting right along. I joined up in the Navy almost 4 years ago and have been all over, seen tons of things, and have made a lot of personal sacrifices along the way.

If you decide it's something you want to do, please PM me for advice on specifics, I'm more than happy to help. ESPECIALLY IF YOU DECIDE NAVY, I can give you advice to make your life as easy as possible.

Good luck.

Stop making excuses. If you don't have the courage to defend your opinions when they are challenged, don't try and defend them like this. Because this is bull****.

Go Navy or Air Force man.

I just got out of the Army. I was an impulsive ass teenager and just had to join the Infantry. That job wrecked me for the time I was in..it was loads of fun but it wrecked my body. I dont know about other units but I was 1st Bct, 101st Airborne (Air Assault), you will NOT be treated like a human if you go line Infantry lol. Fort Campbell hates privates. Expect to constantly get smoked at your unit if you go Infantry or most other combat arms ground jobs. I was actually pretty pro military as a kid and even into the first few months at my unit, but after the way I saw how they treated people and the ****ty alcoholic lifestyles they all lived I wouldn't suggest it to anyone unless they know for sure deep down that they'll enjoy the abuse.