Thinking about joining the armed forces

[gutterhead.]

School's not really my thing, and two minimum wage jobs are not exactly what i want to be doing for the rest of my life. Just looking for some advice as to what exactly are the differences between the navy, marines, coast guard, etc. What the different benefits may be and so on. The thought has crossed my mind before, but i've only recently seriously started considering it. advice?

[Hercules Rockefeller]

i guess HATE! is your man on this.

[Pearl]

[finknoos]

If those are the only reasons you would join the forces, dont bother.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

also, consider some not-so-mainstream careers in there:

[HATE!]

I was in the Air Force for 4 years after high school and I've been in the Army for nearly 5.  I am getting out at the end of the month.  It's just not for me anymore- it actually never was.  Some people have great careers and some don't.  I didn't.  I've deployed four times and I've worked with some of the worst people I've ever been around.  I am over it.  I have had zero disciplinary issues, am pretty highly decorated and I have a very unique job, but I am micro managed to death.    

I have always said though, that if I were to do it again, I would have gone Coast Guard.  They're much smaller, not a part of Dept. of Defense (they're Homeland Security) so I don't know if they get ALL the benefits, but I know all the main ones stay the same.  They don't deploy as much and they're assignments are damn near always in better locations.  After that, I'd say Air Force.  They take care of you more, have more jobs that will translate over to civilian jobs and don't prescribe as much to the bullshit military stereotype as much.  I wouldn't even look at another branch.  

Do some research, talk to a recruiter- or even better, a friend who is already in, if you have one.  Don't sign a fucking thing.  If none of the above helps, shoot me a PM with whatever questions you have.

[Sleazy]

pretty harsh. i can see the point there but calling people who make the ultimate sacrifice suckers really shitty. they don't pick the wars, they just fight them and they do are selfless in ways that most civilians aren't capable of.

[Alan]

"Hey, I was just following orders!"

[bakingsoda]

"Hey, I was just following orders!"

Yeah killing is selfless so long as it was an order and not a decision of your own. Thank you for clarifying that Sleazy 

[layzieyez]

Don't join the navy.  I'm about to get out in a year and I can't really recommend it.  I got what I wanted out of it, but I also had some of the worst experience with people.  HATE! pretty much nailed it although I'd make the Air Farce my first choice since they have much better quality of life since they're funded more and have less people to spend their funds on.  Their bases are much nicer and they get paid for some ridiculous things.

One of my friends in the navy was deployed to Iraq and was talking with an airman there.  The airman was staying in navy officers quarter's since they didn't have air force quarters built.  Because they weren't up to the air force standard, the airman was receiving an additional $300 a month.  My buddy was living in a shithole so he was pretty hateful toward that guy and all air force for the rest of his deployment.

[steve]

In 09 i tried joining the Navy. Hate was cool and gave me the same advice he is giving you.

I was down and out, didn't want to go back to school, and couldn't think of a better way to get out of my hometown. So i talked to the recruiter, let him blow smoke up my ass, and knew that i'd hate it but figured that i could travel a bit and make some money. I waited about 9 months before i was able to ship to RTC (recruit training center) and pretty much just fucked off in the meantime. Quit my job, got drunk, got fatter, didn't skate much, and bounced between knowing that i was making a mistake and saying "fuck it, there's no other choice." It's funny that someone posted that Die For Oil, Suckers image because i felt so disheartened and traitorous to my beliefs that i threw away years worth of old punk t shirts, records, and zines.

Most of the family was pretty hyped for me. Had a big party 3 days before i was set to ship to RTC, and the one dude i invited that i'd met through pre RTC training robbed my blind of all the $/cards people left me as a departing gift... this really set the tone.

As soon as i stepped off the bus at Great Lakes i knew that i was in for it. The first couple of weeks weren't bad, well they were hell, but i just kept doing it. Then it hit a point one day when a Senior Chief Petty Officer started talking about his family in Japan. Then he started talking about FC men firing on Haji's and killing their babies to prevent the seeds from growing. I decided at that point to get the fuck out. It took another two weeks to figure it out. I tried going legit and revealed my falsified medical history. This didn't work and would've taken months. I then told one of the Petty Officers that i was feeling anxious because i used to use Xanax. He was actually really cool and i almost felt bad about my deception, but i got sent to the REU (recruit evaluation unit) where i filled out some questionnaires and met with a social worker. I then went on a rampage. I told em i'd been abused as a child, tried to off myself, that i'd rather fight Americans than others, had a drug habit, etc. I then truthfully revealed the times that i've eaten L and mushrooms. this was my instant out. I got set up with a Dr and took a personality test, which surprisingly showed no personality disorders (the easiest way for commanders to get people out of service). the Doc told me that although i had a surprising history and no personality disorders my use of psychedelics automatically barred me from military service. I got sent back to the Ship (recruit barracks) and the leaders tried to keep me from talking with anyone. I'd been a model recruit most of the time and they didn't want anyone to take the same path i had. They started yelling shit like "don't kill yourself, faggot" and "hope you cut your wrists right this time." Either way i made it my mission to inform as many people as possible about what REU is, where it is, and what to say. Fuck the Navy.  A few dudes that i talked to go themselves out too.

After this, i spent a month in Ship 5. we were all 2311 medical/psychiatric SEPS. this month was intense. There were 70 of us in a room with whited out windows, 2 TVs, and were awake from 7am-10pm. Windows were whited out, red lights stayed on at night, and everyone was ready to fight. Shit was like jail. Everyone playing spades and kings. white dudes and black dudes getting on each others nerves. We had to go to meetings on future careers most days where we were told that we'd never get a job, even at McDonalds because our history follows us.... It was quite depressing to say the least. Either way, we got out.

Now, 3 years later. This hasn't followed me anywhere. I'm finishing my degree in 2 months. I've gotten paid to travel and study in Cambodia and it's looking like i'll be sent back there again. I've gotten in great shape, stayed clean, and it's all been on my own terms. There hasn't been anyone telling me what or how to live me life. I'm loving it.

I write all of this because there are FAR more options than those that might first meet the eye.

[steve]

pretty harsh. i can see the point there but calling people who make the ultimate sacrifice suckers really shitty. they don't pick the wars, they just fight them and they do are selfless in ways that most civilians aren't capable of.

hey, man, i get what you're saying, but this is a volunteer military. The vast majority of those involved have joined following US entrance to our current wars. Either way, i don't think that "selfless" is being used in the right context. People join the military because it's a job. They take risks to get that small paycheck. In no way am i saying that i'm going to knock on someone for joining, although i probably should, because ultimately, joining the military is a choice. Those who sign on know full well that they are supporting a mechanism of death. There are no viable arguments, outside military industrial complex contracting and oil wells, supporting occupation of the middle east. 

[HATE!]

Awesome post from Steve.  I don't condone or talk shit about people joining the military, there are a fair amount of folks who probably wouldn't have any type of career or future if it weren't for something like the military.  I don't like to leave anything on a bad note, so I've just gone through the motions, made it so that I worked alone, mostly and waited to make my move.  I am entirely too opinionated and outspoken to do that well.  The actual job I do is pretty interesting, but everything else about it I am not into, at all.

[HATE!]

My best description is that I feel like I work for the largest corporation that claims to have my best interest in mind, but clearly does not and while they offer me excellent benefits and a regular paycheck, I don't agree with them ideologically and do not comply with the way they seem to want my personality to be.

[formeitscrazylike]

http://www.mediumdifficulty.com/2012/03/01/call-of-apathy-violent-young-men-and-our-place-in-war/

[Kab]

pretty harsh. i can see the point there but calling people who make the ultimate sacrifice suckers really shitty. they don't pick the wars, they just fight them and they do are selfless in ways that most civilians aren't capable of.

You're a fucking idiot if you believe that. Tons of people join the military for completely selfish reasons, and the typical soldier is not some idealist who believes in his country, he's a meathead asshole who likes the feeling of authority, the status it gives him, and is in the military because he has no other options.

Obviously not true of all people, but please remove your head from your ass and spare us the propaganda.

[gutterhead.]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude weighing out his options.

[aWizard]

Not going to comment on what others have said, but I'm in the middle of the enlistment process right now.
Couldn't afford school anymore, and I'm not down to fuck myself into debt.
My parents have been in and still work around military (I just moved to Richmond from Okinawa last week because of a government job),.
Air Force was really the only option for me. I lived on a Marine base and worked with some guys there and they were miserable.
Looking back I should have tried to do ROTC, but I had already stopped going to class at that point.

I don't know what you are trying to get a job in, but all my choices are stuff where there is a market outside of the military.
Getting some school paid for and job training is really the only reason I'm joining. If I could have stayed where I was, I would have.

[Kab]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude loser weighing out his options.

[essal]

Since dudes talk about doucebags, they exist everywhere. Not just in the Army or Navy. And you'll get to know at least one douche, no matter where you end up.

I don't really have a good grasp on what it's like in the US, but from the sound of it, pick something that could translate into a civilian job, at least if you aren't in it to fuck shit up and protecting the freedom of those who do not deserve it.

[codithou]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude loser weighing out his options.

Good one..?

[Facehead]

[HATE!]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude loser weighing out his options.

No one else is saying it, so I will.  You're a huge piece of shit when you do something like this.  He's a guy who is unhappy with his current situation and asking a question.  It's too bad he doesn't have it all fucking figured out like you, you smug prick.

[Facehead]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude loser weighing out his options.

No one else is saying it, so I will.  You're a huge piece of shit when you do something like this.  He's a guy who is unhappy with his current situation and asking a question.  It's too bad he doesn't have it all fucking figured out like you, you smug prick.

Agreed.

[few123456789]

I think if you post here you'd probably hate the military life.  Too much uniformity.  Corporate America can be like that, way way lesser scale.  Think of something entrepreneurial that doesn't require a monetary capital investment.

[Sleazy]

all this tough talk got me scared of the internet

fucking kooks, show some respect. there are numerous people in this thread who have served this country or are thinking about serving and regardless of what conflicts we get in, these guys take the risk that we wont for shit pay in shit working environments. the virtue of the conflict is not something they get to choose. they are no more or less pios than those who fought and died in any other conflict in history, surely you can't think that every solider ever was a souless piece of human scum. get over yourselves and show some respect for christ sakes. i'd rather drink a beer with a guy like hate than sideline haters talking shit on something that they wouldn't have the balls to do.

and get out of here with that horrors of war stuff. innocents get killed in every conflict. if we get invaded one day, would you feel the same way or should we just bow out?

i in no way support any of post wwII conflicts. i protested both iraq wars. it's all a bunch of imperialist BS. but that doesn't mean that i have to be a dick to those who serve. those guys are doing the worst job in the world, cut them some slack and stop trolling their thread.

[Kab]

HATE!, layzieyez, thanks for some real advice, sounds like ill be doing some research on the air force and coast guard in the next couple weeks. And steve that sounds fucking horrible. As for everyone else up in this thread, meh. I'm just a dude loser weighing out his options.

No one else is saying it, so I will.  You're a huge piece of shit when you do something like this.  He's a guy who is unhappy with his current situation and asking a question.  It's too bad he doesn't have it all fucking figured out like you, you smug prick.

I may be a huge prick, but I don't kill people for money. I have a real problem with people who sign up for wars because they want an easy paycheck. And no I don't have it all figured out, but at least I've got some principles.

By the way I have a hard time respecting a guy who says death is cheapened for him. Just because you have a shitty job doesn't mean you need to become a shitty person...

[HATE!]

I am sure I'll be alright.  Holding your respect on the internet doesn't rate too high on my list of priorities. 

[Beer Keg Peg Leg]

all this tough talk got me scared of the internet

fucking kooks, show some respect. there are numerous people in this thread who have served this country or are thinking about serving and regardless of what conflicts we get in, these guys take the risk that we wont for shit pay in shit working environments. the virtue of the conflict is not something they get to choose. they are no more or less pios than those who fought and died in any other conflict in history, surely you can't think that every solider ever was a souless piece of human scum. get over yourselves and show some respect for christ sakes. i'd rather drink a beer with a guy like hate than sideline haters talking shit on something that they wouldn't have the balls to do.

and get out of here with that horrors of war stuff. innocents get killed in every conflict. if we get invaded one day, would you feel the same way or should we just bow out?

i in no way support any of post wwII conflicts. i protested both iraq wars. it's all a bunch of imperialist BS. but that doesn't mean that i have to be a dick to those who serve. those guys are doing the worst job in the world, cut them some slack and stop trolling their thread.

i don't think you know what the word complicity means

[Kab]

Yea, that's what I thought. You know I do respect that you're at least honest about your experiences, but instead of preaching a message of apathy you could maybe use what you've learned to try and do some good with it. Until then, don't act like your horse is any higher than mine.

At the end of the day, at worst I'm an asshole on the internet. But I'm not a guy who's killed innocent people because I wanted benefits and career options.

Expecting to get banned, but don't really care.