Military career?

[StereoInstaller1]

If I had life to live over again, starting at age 20 or so, I would quit smoking pot, drink only once a week or so, stay the fuck away from women (or men, if you swing like that) and focus on education.

If you are gonna go military (fuck that, go to pharmacy school instead) go Officer.

Fuck enlisted programs. It is better than nothing, but any enlisted guy will tell you the same thing, ossifers have it better.

[asubimmer]

I am in the middle of my parperwork for the Marines right now. I'm planning on making it a career but we'll see...

See you guys out there!

[SLUCK]

well im 20 years old, im looking for something new and exciting and a guranteed job and a paycheck would be nice. like i said im taking things step by step talking to all the branches and looking for a good opportunity.

[BakesE30]

ROTC. Go to school, get a degree, become an officer. You come out of school with a degree and a guaranteed job. If you would like more info feel free to pm me. good luck with your decision!

[slo325i]

Since all of these guys are all go for military, I'll give you the other side of the story.

My best friend's in the army reserves now. He just got called back to afghanistan. He was attending law school and just got married as well. He spent 4 years in south korea and got back about a year ago. He thought it was a good experience and all but really glad to be over.

It's really sad but he really dislikes the army and wishes to be out of the whole thing right about now. Sure you get paid and all but he really believes the 4 years after highschool spent in the army was a complete waste.

He wanted changed too, just like you, but now would rather have gotten a certification for pharmacy tech or EMT or law enforcement and have worked hard than "sign his life away" for four years.

Just letting you know... Who knows?? Maybe it'll work out for you. Just saying that it doesn't work out for everyone.

[RainierHooker]

It doesn't work for everyone, but for me it was the best decision that I could have made. I came out of high school with no college money and no marketable skills except working the frier at KFC and turning wrenches on cars.
I enlisted in the Army and seven years later I have been sent to three different Aviation Maintenence Schools, I'm getting ready to get my A&P certification (which the Army is paying for) and I'm a semester short of getting my Bachelors Degree which the Army paid for 100%. That's not bad concidering the cost of the University of Missouri and The U of Washington...
Again, the military is not for everyone. Don't expect the world from them, but at the same time get the most out of it as possible. If you are in the same boat as I was when I got out of high school, I can think of no better way to better your life.
When you walk into the recruiters office think in the LONG TERM. I can't say how many times I have heard infantry types complaining about their experience in the Army, much less about their job prospects when they get out. I have all the respect in the world for the infantry guys, and if that is the life you want, go for it. But if you want to get the most out of the military I would STRONGLY suggest a technical field. Make the government pay for as much specialized training as possable. And then once you are in milk the system for as much education and other programs as you can.
There are going to be good times and bad times. I lost friends when I was in A'stan and I have probably aged five years because of stress, but that's the price you pay. For what its worth, even with the bad I volunteered to go back to Afghanistan early next year. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

[noid]

Dont do it, i warned you.

[slo325i]

Yea... don't do it if you just want the "change." You can change your life by other ways...

[E30 Cabrio]

If I were younger, I would join tomorrow.

You have a job for life, benefits, medical, dental, pension, bonuses, housing, meals, etc....

Unless you have rich parents willing to put you thru school and support you if you can't find a job, I would join if I were younger.

[Alkasquawlik]

Get into the Army, we need more people to take down this terrorist

[SLUCK]

i really appreciate all of this info guys. im not looking into it just because of the fact i want change. I dont have rich parents and cant get a job to save my life because of the economy. With that being said im not looking to join up and become rich either. I was looking into doing meteorological intelligence, getting weather data for large artillery and shit like that. That way i could stay on base and collect data with a smaller chance of getting killed. Like i said before im just searching now and trying to find something that intersts me enough to spend 6 years doing.

[SLUCK]

So as of now i have talked to the army, the marines and the air force. im 100% positive that im going to join the airforce. Im meeting with another air force recruiter tomorrow to talk further about things. Ive been doing a lot of research and have been talking to lots of people that are serving now and who have served. i got a lot of different answers as to how they liked it. But all in all i feel this is the best decision for me right now. Im going to do the fall semester at college and then start the recruiting process. If anybody has anymore input or advice i appreciate it all. i have heard of stuff you can do before basic training to make it more pleasant and to rank you up but i dont know much about it. Thanks

[YAN-3]

USAF! i am now going to school with all 4 branches present and believe me, even the hardcore grunts say they wish they had joined the AF.

I have been in for 6 yrs now. Love it. I can honestly say, that even with the BS you have to put up with, its still an awesome thing. USAF FTW!

and me being a retard jumping 25Ks fully extended...

[Naplm00]

For me, best decision i've ever made. If i hadn't been injured, i would've made a career out of it.

But you REALLY need to weigh the options, and talk to as many people who have served as possible. Get all the angles and opinions you can.

Same here, sans the injury

I spent 7 years in, and now im making great money in the private sector without a degree.


I woulnt have left if they werent forcing me to change my job, was crypto and it was being merged with telephone...

i didnt want to be pulling cable through celings all damn day as a Ssgt.



oh yea USAF FTW

[Hallen]

If you are not ready for college yet, and you don't have a lot of great prospects, then the military is a great place to go. I am 20 years Army/Army National Guard, and I am working on get my son enlisted in the Air Force.

Pay attention and get the job you want. Make sure it is a real job that the military doesn't outsource (they do a lot of that). I have seen too many people sign up for some whiz-bang technical job only to find out that the job is only relevant in the combat zone or that the equipment is all run and maintained by civilian contractors. Then they are left being the commander's driver, the supply room geek or on guard duty all the time. Our hydraulic techs always ended up in the tool room signing out special tools all day because we had no need for their work on our helicopters. Anything needing hydraulics went back to depot.

If you like getting dirty, playing with guns, making things go boom and running a lot, join the Army or Marines (Infantry first, your specialty second... mostly). If you want more technical stuff and staying a tad cleaner, go Air Force or Navy. If you don't want to face a shooting war, go Coast Guard (but a lot of their jobs are more dangerous than a shooting war and they do it 365 days a year).

If you do get in, KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE. It was your choice and there are worse things. There is a lot in the military that sucks. The way to make it seem really bad is to buy into all the sucky stuff and not realize the good that there is.