Really people...I know 4 people in my own personal life and I read about it every day WHY OH WHY are people joining the services JUST because they think there is no work or schooling out there to be had. I know I should not post this on here but really am getting REALLY curious these days. WHY????

I think I wrote this cause of the way the sentence of the post I read before READS just like the statements I have heard from all of my friends, at least do it cause you Want to be in the service NOT because of the money or the fact that you think that there is nothing out here....! PLEASE PPL THINK...! :? and this is for me() I have been having to try and talk 2 other friends out of following the other 4 in No joke.

 

To the persons post who I am writing bout please understand I mean nothing personal by writing this, I just believe there are easier ways than do that for those reasons.

 

a quote bubble would do wonders here....????? lol

 

huh?

 

wow dude ur posting this because of what i said on my crash thread. hey do me a favor and grow up please. not everyone thinks the way u do. u act like the military is the devil. does it scare you? for MOST people its not just jobs and money its CAREERS and money. lets see, free school, a paycheck, and living for free. you sign 6 years of ur life (4 active and 2 inactive) and you have a career when you get out. yes there is schools out there but hey most of those cost lots of money trust me i know i spent 18 grand on just getting in to dive school in seattle and it got me unemployed and looking for work. hey at least if i was in the military i would have work and a paycheck. me and my girlfriend are looking forward to moving every 2-3 years and seeing the world. there is a lot of benifits to the military, and most people are serving there country, what u doin to serve it?

 

i kinda understand what you mean to the OP. But you gotta realize todays circumstances, job market is terrible. Ands its not so easy to go to school. Schools not for everyone, let alone that ish is expensive as ____. I have two friends who got the BA in multimedia and are still unemployed after a year! I thought the same way as about people joining just for the money instead of the cause of defending our country, but things change..the military is stable. Like goodguy stated, its a steady paycheck and it helps build a career (well depends on your occupation in the military). If you dont agree with this, what do you suggest good guy should do (since im assuming its aimed towards him)? He went to school and is unemployed, its hard finding a job, and working at retail wont cut his finances i assume. YOu gotta take all of the in perspective..

 

It's nice that we have that freedom to fall back on! Most countries require you to serve a couple years wether you like it or not! He signed up on his own free will, I for one respect him for future service. I don't think any of us have the right to judge his decision though.

 

I agree with bbszero, if someone decides to join the military on their own, we can't judge why - even if they did join 'cause they can't go to school or work. People have to provide for their families and do what it takes to provide for them & the military is a great place to provide money, jobs, stability, education and many other reasons. People in the militrary, whether joined on their own or forced to join, deserve credit for what they are doing so the rest of us are where we are so I don't think we have the rights to tell someone, military or not, what to do with their life

 

^agreed both Cliff and Sean have good points, America does have that freeish feeling to it. but i'm a cynic and believe the MAN IS KEEPING ME DOWN!!!!!!!

but my opinion is what he does is his own business, its bad enough he has gone through a crash and other personal stuff. to have you freaking out and judging him is a whole different matter altogether when added on top of things.

but seriously guys these are personal life decisions, and unless it directly affects you i would let whoever it is make them for themselves.

unless your a ****.....than that's a different story.......

 

Just a lil info clarification....possibly. Im pretty sure its 8years. 4yrs active or even 6 yrs active and then 4 or 2 inactive. Thats what the thing was when i joined though so it couldve changed. i joined in 05.

 

And further more. (i didnt read everyones posts). I joined because i couldnt stand my $10 an hr job as an assistant manager of a drug store. I hate retail. I quit and could find a job starting me off at that wage or close to it. I joined planning on one enlistment. I now love it and recommend it to anyone interested. i am in the uSCg though. i am an electrician. I am now stationed in Key west. i love it. i have seen the world. Did a full trip around the world in 6 months back in 06-07. Saw many cool countries. I have a good salary, free healthcare, money for housing, money for food, a free education, great life insurance bureal benefits when that time comes, and a retirement every month til i die after i serve 20yrs. (50% of my basic pay at the rank i am when i get out). I gigure with what i wanna do it will be from 2k-4k a month. i plan to get a degree and apply for Officer Canidate School and make more bank few a few years before i get out. Then go work for the Government as a civilian making more bank and getting a nice retirement check every month. oh and still get very good medical benefits. I will only be 40 when i get out to. So plenty of time to work as an electrician which is great money.

 

When I joined in 04 it was 4 years active and 2 years inactive but it seems like it keeps changing

 

I tried to join the military in 1990......there was like $30000 signing bonus,we were starting the first gulf war.......they refused me because i have a broken back..........I so wanted to be able to get a career,see the world,get an education,and honestly support my country........

Now it would be nearly20 years later.......if they had taken me......I could retire,get a paycheck everymonth,free medical,still fly nearly anywhere for dirt cheap,and work another job while gettgin apaycheck from the military.....

i wish they would of taken me cause now 20 years later my back has never given me any issues,and I sure wish I had goten to see the world.......even anything outside of the USA would of been cool with me,send me to anywhere,itwould of been an adventure........

 

yeah so like i was saying, dont judge for something you dont like. for most people its a career and money, now some think its a getaway from where there at, some do it to kill. but out of all of it theres so many pros and not many cons. all i can say is that i wish my recruiter would stop giving me the run around and sign some papers

 

As an ex Navy girl with a brother in the Marine Corps, child of two veterans, and someone married to a disabled army Vet I applaud every man and woman that makes the choice to serve our country for whatever the reason. Who am I (or better yet, are you) to judge or to say what to do with their lives? Maybe that's just the answer they are most comfortable giving.

So goodguy, thank you in advance for your future service. If you have any questions at all that your recruiter isn't answering or just need a little nudge or advice feel free to drop me a PM.

 

WOW

 

I just want to say I am sorry to you "GOOD" for even posting this on here. It is true its a good way to a fresh start for most people. I will not make excuses as to why I wrote it, please just know I had had it out with my best friend I live with cause he is thinking of joining to and is trying to go Sniper. I have lost 2 really good friends in the past to that career choice and I will not do it again. We had had it out that day, I mean some serious words.

Please Forgive my rudeness and I hope it all goes well for you...!

I served my time in the Air Force and I am proud of all that do, just really hard to see sooooo many of my friends putting themselves in HARMS way because of something we cant control.

 

We all make choices .......... and i choose not to decide

USMC 86/88

 

Toaster, sounds like your main problem is that you feel people, mainly your friend wanting to go sniper, join the military as a quick fix to an immediate problem (job, money, school, get out of town, etc.) without considering the full risks, mainly possibly being killed. If he wants to go sniper, sounds like he's seen too many movies. Maybe find someone who did go that route to talk to him, if he understands that 99% of the job is laying in the dirt staring at nothing and NOT shooting someone, he might reconsider. The job takes patience, tolerance of boredom and discipline.

Also, try not to lump the entire military into one Army or USMC billet. The military has a lot of options and positions available, with a good portion of them not in the direct line of fire. I'm a civvie with Navy aviation, but spend a good deal of time with the uniformed guys. Maintenance, supply and logistics by far make up the bulk of billets, are decent jobs and give plenty of training. Leadership taught is a good bonus after service when looking for a job. Contrary to belief, the military likes free thinkers who are motivated as the job demands innovative solutions to non-textbook problems. These skills are not just for war fighting, the military also performs disaster relief and humanitarian missions, no other orginization has the resources to move massive relief supplies to remote locations with fast deployment and limited infrastructure available. Im not currently serving because I am a primary caregiver to a disabled family member, but if the situation improves I would go reserve for aviation.

Just FYI, for 2008 (latest year I could find), of 1,683,144 military personnel, there were 1,441 casualties. That's .086%, or 85 for every 100,000 serving. To put that in perspective, 20 drivers died on US roads for every 100,000 driving. So basically, just driving your xB you're already at a 25% likelihood of death as joining the military.

Drive safe everybody.

 

Well said vettereddie.

My baby brother (I say that because I can't call him little as he's 6'4" and a Marine now) is in the Corps and spends all his time fixing electronics the only way he's to be deployed is if he volunteers or changes his MOS.

And I'm sorry to come down hard on you, we all have rough days I'm sure and it's natural to be afraid of losing your friends. My grandfather was hands down the greatest man I've ever met and a real hero, he was a Marine Corps Sniper during WWII and every day I'm proud to say I'm related to him even if he's not with us anymore. Your fear is natural and warranted no less but we do need someone willing to do those jobs and lord knows it has to be a hard decision for your friend to make try and love and support them if you can, if you can't I don't think anyone can fault you. Also remember the facts vettereddie has brought to the table to help draw it in to perspective a little.

Good luck to you and your friends.