Should I join the military?

SirNigel

Member
Currently trying to figure out what I want to do after high school and the military is an option. I personally do want to join (specifically the marines) but maybe some of you guys have been and would be willing to share some advice.

**This thread was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 4:45:42pm
 
Its a good option to consider. I didn't know what to do with myself after high school so I joined the Army.I signed the papers 2 days after my 18th birthday. Got a couple government paid vacations to Iraq and one to S. Korea. overall Good life experiences, paid for all of my college, low cost medical care the rest of my life, can get a VA loan for buying a home.

My only complaint is that the pay was nowhere near high enough for what it should be for what we do. I guess though the benefits make up for it.

**This post was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 7:50:41pm
 
14127437:nmwninjart said:
Its a good option to consider. I didn't know what to do with myself after high school so I joined the Army.I signed the papers 2 days after my 18th birthday. Got a couple government paid vacations to Iraq and one to S. Korea. overall Good life experiences, paid for all of my college, low cost medical care the rest of my life, can get a VA loan for buying a home.

My only complaint is that the pay was nowhere near high enough for what it should be for what we do. I guess though the benefits make up for it.

**This post was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 7:50:41pm

That’s true, the benefits are pretty nice and most people say that they don’t regret it.
 
No. Why waste your prime years being property of the U.S. Government? You can kiss skiing goodbye for the next 4 years but it’s gonna be worth it for that Camaro am I right?
 
14127487:DIRTYBUBBLE said:
No. Why waste your prime years being property of the U.S. Government? You can kiss skiing goodbye for the next 4 years but it’s gonna be worth it for that Camaro am I right?

Everyone's experience is different, but there's literally bases with ski hills lmao
 
14127488:Biffbarf said:
Everyone's experience is different, but there's literally bases with ski hills lmao

Yea but do you think military skiing is any similar to real skiing? Sarge is gonna be pissed if he catches you hitting lip b2s and slamming beers with your homies
 
I believe member frenchy is still in the service...

As mentioned above, everyone is different. Your prime is longer than 4 years. And enlistments can be as low as 2 years.

I wasn't a skier while I was in, so I wasn't missing much. ( I learned how to ski later in life )
 
I haven't worked in a branch of the military.

I have and still work in federal wildland firefighting agencies.

We tend to hire a lot of veterans who have actual combat experience. Some of these veterans are guys struggling to find their place in the world or just trying to have it all make sense. Being in a unit or in the woods with a purpose helps some of them.

It might be that I work with a lot veterans who have troubles, but it gives me a reality check to the troubles veterans have when they come back.

And that is not to say every combat veteran comes out that way by no means.

Just that serving means you might be in a position out there getting shot at and its your job to kill them. Be ready for it if that's what they assign you.

However,

If I was to go back in time and do a military service right out of high school I would joined Navy or Airforce. Mainly because your chances of getting shot are way, way lower and the amount of technical jobs in military that transfer to real world skills are higher than any other branch. Also you have better chance of getting to be overseas in places other than middle-east.

Third choice would be Army or Coast guard.

Last choice would be Marines. Marines are just very traditional in military organization. If you finish basic on Friday and a whole platoon of infantry get annihilated in Middle East on Saturday, guess who's filling in the new platoon on Monday? You are. Because the military needs are met before your desired occupation is. Now if you have a certified skill or degree they need for a specific job you could bet that's where you'll go. Example: College friend graduated with a Law enforcement degree and passed state peace officers test. Just couldn't get a job anywhere decent (was in 2010). So he joined the marines then became a MP right after basic.

**This post was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 10:22:30pm
 
14127491:DIRTYBUBBLE said:
Yea but do you think military skiing is any similar to real skiing? Sarge is gonna be pissed if he catches you hitting lip b2s and slamming beers with your homies

Man, if only you knew the military is literally 95% slammin beers with your homies lol

But it definitely isn't for everyone, and that's ok. I have a ton of respect for peeps who make somethin of themselves without the uncle sam route.

If OP is anything like I was, he probably wasn't an academic, probably comes from a fam that can't put his ass through school anyways, probably comes from a small town with little opportunity, and probably even has family or friends that have joined and done rad shit far far away from their hometown.

For those that have more opportunity, be it from academic discipline, nepotism, or just good ol' fashioned hard work, the military may not be the best option.
 
14127495:50Kal said:
I haven't worked in a branch of the military.

I have and still work in federal wildland firefighting agencies.

We tend to hire a lot of veterans who have actual combat experience. Some of these veterans are guys struggling to find their place in the world or just trying to have it all make sense. Being in a unit or in the woods with a purpose helps some of them.

It might be that I work with a lot veterans who have troubles, but it gives me a reality check to the troubles veterans have when they come back.

And that is not to say every combat veteran comes out that way by no means.

Just that serving means you might be in a position out there getting shot at and its your job to kill them. Be ready for it if that's what they assign you.

However,

If I was to go back in time and do a military service right out of high school I would joined Navy or Airforce. Mainly because your chances of getting shot are way, way lower and the amount of technical jobs in military that transfer to real world skills are higher than any other branch. Also you have better chance of getting to be overseas in places other than middle-east.

Third choice would be Army or Coast guard.

Last choice would be Marines. Marines are just very traditional in military organization. If you finish basic on Friday and a whole platoon of infantry get annihilated in Middle East on Saturday, guess who's filling in the new platoon on Monday? You are. Because the military needs are met before your desired occupation is. Now if you have a certified skill or degree they need for a specific job you could bet that's where you'll go. Example: College friend graduated with a Law enforcement degree and passed state peace officers test. Just couldn't get a job anywhere decent (was in 2010). So he joined the marines then became a MP right after basic.

**This post was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 10:22:30pm

Not tryin' to hate, but nearly all this is pretty terrible advice my man.
 
14127495:50Kal said:
I haven't worked in a branch of the military.

I have and still work in federal wildland firefighting agencies.

We tend to hire a lot of veterans who have actual combat experience. Some of these veterans are guys struggling to find their place in the world or just trying to have it all make sense. Being in a unit or in the woods with a purpose helps some of them.

It might be that I work with a lot veterans who have troubles, but it gives me a reality check to the troubles veterans have when they come back.

And that is not to say every combat veteran comes out that way by no means.

Just that serving means you might be in a position out there getting shot at and its your job to kill them. Be ready for it if that's what they assign you.

However,

If I was to go back in time and do a military service right out of high school I would joined Navy or Airforce. Mainly because your chances of getting shot are way, way lower and the amount of technical jobs in military that transfer to real world skills are higher than any other branch. Also you have better chance of getting to be overseas in places other than middle-east.

Third choice would be Army or Coast guard.

Last choice would be Marines. Marines are just very traditional in military organization. If you finish basic on Friday and a whole platoon of infantry get annihilated in Middle East on Saturday, guess who's filling in the new platoon on Monday? You are. Because the military needs are met before your desired occupation is. Now if you have a certified skill or degree they need for a specific job you could bet that's where you'll go. Example: College friend graduated with a Law enforcement degree and passed state peace officers test. Just couldn't get a job anywhere decent (was in 2010). So he joined the marines then became a MP right after basic.

**This post was edited on Apr 8th 2020 at 10:22:30pm

Yeah that’s all very true. I’m really looking into risk/reward to the military in general. It’s a big thing to commit to but it’s nice hearing different peoples perspectives on the topic.
 
14127462:theabortionator said:
I don't want to offend anyone but i would say don't do it.

Yeah and I’m not saying this is my only option because I’m also thinking of college, that way I can continue to ski and be near home.
 
14127515:EndoCroc said:
Yeah and I’m not saying this is my only option because I’m also thinking of college, that way I can continue to ski and be near home.

If you feel deeply about it send it. Don't do it for money, rewards, or the ability ti say "fuck you i served dude".

But if tou feel it send it. But foing it for any other reason is understandable but kinda fucked.
 
14127509:EndoCroc said:
Yeah that’s all very true. I’m really looking into risk/reward to the military in general. It’s a big thing to commit to but it’s nice hearing different peoples perspectives on the topic.

My only other advice is if you enlist, do it mid summer. That way your basic can hopefully start in fall not in summer.

Both my brothers who are in the Navy were recommended to do this by their recruiters because Minnesotans can't handle the heat.
 
No but that’s coming from a don’t hate the player hate the game angle. I’m not a fan. Why not go to nursing school and be a travel nurse before you are old enough to drink you’ll make 50/hr near any ski hill you want? Second shift whenever you want. Actually’serve’ and help folks. Picking up girls super easy.

Chances are you’d be out before you would decide what you want to do anyway. But man you should really really wanna do it if your gonna not the thing to half ass.
 
yes

boot-licker.jpg
 
beats me whys juwanna be a jarhead

but git yur hoorah on

if I had to do it again and I probably woods

id pick a more marketable post service skill

not that the ability to 11-b peeps to extermination

is a bad thing

if your smart and got good eyesight somebody paying you to learn to fly isn't bad its great

if you aint id consider studying for the asfab or whatever the test is

or grunt or cooks gonna be your options

if you don't want to possibly git sent to another country and deal with people trying to kill you and your crew

coastguard

Id imagine basics a lot easier now in the special snowflake pc era

vrs 2or 3 decades ago

the mindfucks are a team building game and if you don't mind it don't fuckin matter

get in the best possible shape that you can is one of the smarter things ive done

you will git fucked with way less and they will take and give you the eheath fat kids deserts

Once you survive the bullshit you have that to gauges how much your jobs after that suck

i skied and traveled good bit garmish insbruck paris amsterdam on leave and weekends

but didnt fish for a couple years

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2020 at 7:13:56am[/b]
 
14127520:50Kal said:
My only other advice is if you enlist, do it mid summer. That way your basic can hopefully start in fall not in summer.

Both my brothers who are in the Navy were recommended to do this by their recruiters because Minnesotans can't handle the heat.

Yeah that is true lol, it’s hot out there.
 
I spent 5 years in the Army, did a tour in Asscrackistan doing bad stuff to bad people almost right out of basic and it honestly ruined my view on the Army because I had no clue what the Army day to day life was because I went straight from basic to combat pretty much. Came home expecting normal day to day stuff to be exciting and challenging like deployment was. But I don't regret a minute of it. I would highly suggest you do it. You'll learn the most valuable life lessons, gain experience you cant get anywhere else and most importantly discipline. I wouldn't trade those 5 years for anything.

Also if you go marines don't sign an open contract then you'll be needs of the Navy (lol fucking marines) and end up being a cook or some bullshit.
 
I'll add a few more bits of advice - read your fucking contract before you enlist. Don't believe everything the recruiter says, get it in writing. Expect to be bullied if you bring up concerns or ask questions about it, it is just the way it is. You're a free man untill you sign the dotted line, act like it.

One thing my grandpa told me before I joined that really resonated with me was 'you'll serve with some of the best people you will ever know, and some of the worst' and he was right.
 
14127491:DIRTYBUBBLE said:
Yea but do you think military skiing is any similar to real skiing? Sarge is gonna be pissed if he catches you hitting lip b2s and slamming beers with your homies

Lol wut? Not everything is how it is in the movies. You get weekends and vacations and "sarge" isn't following you around. I grew up as an "Army Brat" with my dad serving until my freshman year of college.

We were stationed at West Point for a few years and they had a a ski hill. The cadets had a freestyle team. They would be the only ones throwing inverts and they taught me how to 3.

I've got friends who have entered the service and have been stationed in places like Colorado, California or Italy where they're getting some awesome skiing opportunities.
 
14127641:CatdickBojangles said:
I spent 5 years in the Army, did a tour in Asscrackistan doing bad stuff to bad people almost right out of basic and it honestly ruined my view on the Army because I had no clue what the Army day to day life was because I went straight from basic to combat pretty much. Came home expecting normal day to day stuff to be exciting and challenging like deployment was. But I don't regret a minute of it. I would highly suggest you do it. You'll learn the most valuable life lessons, gain experience you cant get anywhere else and most importantly discipline. I wouldn't trade those 5 years for anything.

Also if you go marines don't sign an open contract then you'll be needs of the Navy (lol fucking marines) and end up being a cook or some bullshit.

Gotcha lol, I’ll keep that in mind. We’re you only deployed once?
 
14127643:Biffbarf said:
I'll add a few more bits of advice - read your fucking contract before you enlist. Don't believe everything the recruiter says, get it in writing. Expect to be bullied if you bring up concerns or ask questions about it, it is just the way it is. You're a free man untill you sign the dotted line, act like it.

One thing my grandpa told me before I joined that really resonated with me was 'you'll serve with some of the best people you will ever know, and some of the worst' and he was right.

Yeah I have had a few people tell me to really look at the contract and not just jump into it. The recruiter I’ve talked to is a really nice guy and really doesn’t have that stereotypical recruiter vibe. Maybe that’s his way of connecting with people or getting them to talk and think about it but he doesn’t strike me as the type of guy to say stuff then not follow through on it. Now, I could be wrong but we haven’t had a real sit down yet.
 
14127659:nosebutterpizza said:
Also, the army's 10th Mountain Division and the Army Mountain Warfare School in Vermont sounds so badass

It’s not. There’s no mountains around Fort Drum (where 10th Mtn is) I was in 10th Mtn. Whiteface is 3 hours away from Watertown though. Watertown is the worst place on earth.
 
14127668:EndoCroc said:
Yeah I have had a few people tell me to really look at the contract and not just jump into it. The recruiter I’ve talked to is a really nice guy and really doesn’t have that stereotypical recruiter vibe. Maybe that’s his way of connecting with people or getting them to talk and think about it but he doesn’t strike me as the type of guy to say stuff then not follow through on it. Now, I could be wrong but we haven’t had a real sit down yet.

They'll sweet talk ya, then they'll slip it in your ass and claim it was an accident. He can say anything he wants but what matters is what's on your contract when you sign before you ship to boot. When you DEP in, you'll sign with your recruiter, when you actually enlist and sign your life away you're going to be at meps with a bunch of hardo admin douchebags who might try to fuck you around.

I only say this because those shitsippers printed '6yr' obligation on my contract when I specifically stated I wanted to do 4. When I brought it up, they brought me into a room, showed me the majority of peep's contracts who signed longer and berated me for being wrong. I held my ground but they didn't like it. Fuck those guys.
 
14127685:CatdickBojangles said:
It’s not. There’s no mountains around Fort Drum (where 10th Mtn is) I was in 10th Mtn. Whiteface is 3 hours away from Watertown though. Watertown is the worst place on earth.

Lol damn. I have heard Ft. Drum is awful
 
14127686:Biffbarf said:
They'll sweet talk ya, then they'll slip it in your ass and claim it was an accident. He can say anything he wants but what matters is what's on your contract when you sign before you ship to boot. When you DEP in, you'll sign with your recruiter, when you actually enlist and sign your life away you're going to be at meps with a bunch of hardo admin douchebags who might try to fuck you around.

I only say this because those shitsippers printed '6yr' obligation on my contract when I specifically stated I wanted to do 4. When I brought it up, they brought me into a room, showed me the majority of peep's contracts who signed longer and berated me for being wrong. I held my ground but they didn't like it. Fuck those guys.

Yeah that sucks, thanks for the input tho. Its good to hear stuff from people who were actually in and experienced all of it.
 
Don’t be anything but infantry or sf.

It’s shit, but you might aswell do something that not many people get to do. If you wanted to be a chef you could just stay civvie
 
Op how smart are you? How are your grades in HS? How's your physical fitness? I can't speak from experience since I never attempted to join the military due to a medical exclusion. I did read about a lot of different opportunities when I was planning to and your intellectual ability and education can make a huge difference in what you decide to do or try to do both within and across branches.

Why do you want to join the marines? Does it sound like your cup of tea? Family legacy? Or did you just pick that because it's the cool thing to do these days?
 
14127777:Turd__Authority said:
Op how smart are you? How are your grades in HS? How's your physical fitness? I can't speak from experience since I never attempted to join the military due to a medical exclusion. I did read about a lot of different opportunities when I was planning to and your intellectual ability and education can make a huge difference in what you decide to do or try to do both within and across branches.

Why do you want to join the marines? Does it sound like your cup of tea? Family legacy? Or did you just pick that because it's the cool thing to do these days?

I’m about 3.8 gpa, been in sports all my life, decent height and weight. 76 on ASVAB (I’ve only taken it once) I want to join the marines because it is a bit of a family legacy but I have a buddy in it and he is a big inspiration to me. I also want to do it because everything they teach you there can be used in real life. Another big thing is to get some experience and travel the world and see new things. It also has some good benefits when you get out.
 
14127497:Biffbarf said:
Man, if only you knew the military is literally 95% slammin beers with your homies lol

I really have no issue with you personally this is just a great tangent for me to rant and I'm very bored in quarantine and can only tour so many days. I take such a great issue with the mob military attitude that seems to forgo admitting this reality (you are admitting it, so again this is nothing to do with you personally. But this statement right here is what GRINDS MY GEARS. So let's take your statement on it's face, and also factor in the fact that a large percentage of our military members never see combat. Yet, those same people who are crushing beers on taxpayer dimes, are the first to post on social media the most absurdly racist ignorant shit, and then bitch and moan about how they aren't respected enough for being in the military. PLEASE. It's really hard for me to respect military culture when the reality is exactly what you admitted, and really THE ONLY PEOPLE who are in support of US combat overseas currently are the people in the military. This ain't WWII, we all know these are bullshit wars we are involved in, yet I'm for some reason supposed to drop what I'm doing and bow down and suck every active duty and veterans dick? Nah, not buying it. It's really hard for me to morally justify praising veterans of anything during and after the Gulf Wars...

EDIT:

edited to say, my point being, go ahead join the US military, just don't use it as an excuse to hold racist, bigoted, sexist views that 99.9% of the military holds. And don't go crying for me to label you a hero.

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2020 at 5:25:56pm

**This post was edited on Apr 10th 2020 at 2:43:34am
 

So, I feel ya on how annoying the 'hero worship' a lot of people have, but I will say I grew up in rural CO and the military exposed me to racial and cultural diversity I would have never experienced otherwise. To say 99.9% of veterans are racist and ignorant isn't really fair, the military is not necessarily a better sect of the population, just a smaller, more concentrated version.

To add to that, I can say that 100% of veterans that are the 'thank me for my service' types are complete shitbags. A majority lay low and just wanna get by like anyone else.
 
14127805:Biffbarf said:
So, I feel ya on how annoying the 'hero worship' a lot of people have, but I will say I grew up in rural CO and the military exposed me to racial and cultural diversity I would have never experienced otherwise. To say 99.9% of veterans are racist and ignorant isn't really fair, the military is not necessarily a better sect of the population, just a smaller, more concentrated version.

To add to that, I can say that 100% of veterans that are the 'thank me for my service' types are complete shitbags. A majority lay low and just wanna get by like anyone else.

Your last point is 100% true and I almost added my own point as well to that. A lot of the NAVY Seal guys and high ups in the military are the complete opposite of the thank me for my service types. Pat Tillman was a good example. Another good example was Glen Doherty, the dude who died working for the CIA in Benghazi and was also a legendary Snowbird skier who spent his time post military organizing groups and lobbying to make sure there was no prophesying in the US military (don't want to overgeneralize here but I feel like current military culture would take issue with someone trying to shut everybody in the military up about religion. Glen Doherty was a TRUE FUCKING BADASS and a true hero, not the dude from my high school who I'm pretty sure is now 6 years in and hasn't even left the US... If you served in the military and it takes someone to pry that information out of you, first of all that's how our military should be and second of all, I know you had a way more legit experience than the dude who is posting everyday about how the government is turning its backs on the military and we're all sissys in current society and the government is coming for our guns. Again I really hate overgeneralizing, and maybe you can point me in the right direction, but I don't see a lot of publicity from people who were in the military calling it on its bullshit. Instead all I see is these glorified funker 451 or whatever the fuck it is videos, and military people bitching constantly on facebook about how society doesn't confirm to their uber masculine, America is the greatest and every other country can suck it standards.

EDIT:

Also I hate to say it but I feel as though the 99.9% really isn't that dramatic of an overgeneralization. Do you REALLY think that if I were going to join the military tomorrow and just became outspoken to my platoon (or whatever the fuck its called) about my progressive political views supporting candidates like AOC and Bernie Sanders, the platoon is going to tolerate that and I'm going to find likeminded people that share those views? You're out of your fucking mind if you believe that. Military culture didn't want to rat on Eddie Gallagher for killing civilians, you think those same people tolerate outspoken progressives or any form of dissent from standard military culture? C'mon now.

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2020 at 6:05:47pm
 
14127810:Lonely said:
[tag=201907]@frenchy.[/tag]

I actually respect frenchy, we were both super active on NS during the glory days and figured he'd chime in and get pissed at me when I posted that.
 
14127812:207 said:
Your last point is 100% true and I almost added my own point as well to that. A lot of the NAVY Seal guys and high ups in the military are the complete opposite of the thank me for my service types. Pat Tillman was a good example. Another good example was Glen Doherty, the dude who died working for the CIA in Benghazi and was also a legendary Snowbird skier who spent his time post military organizing groups and lobbying to make sure there was no prophesying in the US military (don't want to overgeneralize here but I feel like current military culture would take issue with someone trying to shut everybody in the military up about religion. Glen Doherty was a TRUE FUCKING BADASS and a true hero, not the dude from my high school who I'm pretty sure is now 6 years in and hasn't even left the US... If you served in the military and it takes someone to pry that information out of you, first of all that's how our military should be and second of all, I know you had a way more legit experience than the dude who is posting everyday about how the government is turning its backs on the military and we're all sissys in current society and the government is coming for our guns. Again I really hate overgeneralizing, and maybe you can point me in the right direction, but I don't see a lot of publicity from people who were in the military calling it on its bullshit. Instead all I see is these glorified funker 451 or whatever the fuck it is videos, and military people bitching constantly on facebook about how society doesn't confirm to their uber masculine, America is the greatest and every other country can suck it standards.

EDIT:

Also I hate to say it but I feel as though the 99.9% really isn't that dramatic of an overgeneralization. Do you REALLY think that if I were going to join the military tomorrow and just became outspoken to my platoon (or whatever the fuck its called) about my progressive political views supporting candidates like AOC and Bernie Sanders, the platoon is going to tolerate that and I'm going to find likeminded people that share those views? You're out of your fucking mind if you believe that. Military culture didn't want to rat on Eddie Gallagher for killing civilians, you think those same people tolerate outspoken progressives or any form of dissent from standard military culture? C'mon now.

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2020 at 6:05:47pm

A lot of people in the military are very fond of separation of church and state, religion was a topic that was seldom brought up in official fashion.

I was in during the 'bama administration, got out before trump was in office and times are a little different now but I have plenty of friends who have served that are speckled all over the political spectrum. The loudest opinions often do not speak for the majority, and nobody gives a damn about your political opinion anyways. Again, just my experience. When DADT was repealed and gay marriage was allowed green men didnt riot in the streets and burn gays at the stake, people could be who they were and nobody gave a damn because it didn't matter.

To your point of not seeing people who have served not expressing dissent towards the military, you're not seeing the whole picture my man. That's an entire subculture that's been prominent for quite some time
 
I heard you can join at age 18, serve for 20 years and retire with a decent pension at age 38.

kinda cool idea. Retiring at 38 could be pretty sweet.
 
14127857:DolanReloaded said:
I heard you can join at age 18, serve for 20 years and retire with a decent pension at age 38.

kinda cool idea. Retiring at 38 could be pretty sweet.

thats literally trading the prime of you life, cause i for one know im not gonna be trying to learn flatspins at 38

anyway op, the fact that you made this thread means you're gonna be the guy who gets his ass branded

961385.jpeg

now drop and give me 70 pushups
 
do it, its probably a good career path for you. Make sure you do a couple cycles of steroids if you deploy though, they dont test for roids and its only gonna help you downrange
 
14127901:ChadThundercock said:
do it, its probably a good career path for you. Make sure you do a couple cycles of steroids if you deploy though, they dont test for roids and its only gonna help you downrange

Lol I’ll keep that in mind.
 
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