Is it a good idea to join the military.... In need of advice

[OLDNEWBIE]

I'll add this to everybody's good advice. Weighing all the options and making informed clear thinking rational choices all sounds good!, in hindsight.

When you are 17 or 18 a lot of guys, (myself included) aren't exactly thinking straight. I was making one bad choice after another and heading down a really bad path at that age.

Although in many respects the Army was a waste of time for me, it quickly transported me out of a situation that eventually destroyed the lives of most of my friends who stayed behind.

The Service doesn't make a man out of you but it gives you time to grow up!

I've advised many young men who seem to lack direction to join the Service over the years.

 

[Modeler]

I've never been in the military, but I've had the opportunity to know and work with a few military folks after they've left for the civilian world.

One of my best friends in HS went into the Navy as a SeaBee (Construction). Learned how to drive trucks, bulldozers, cranes, etc. When he got out he got a private sector job at the same base doing substantially the same work but for 2 or 3 times more money. Total win in his situation.

My primary job is as a Paramedic. I'm a more senior employee, which means I get partners who are just out of field training. Most of them are in their early-20's and some of them have minimal 'real world' life experience and have a hard time adjusting to the psychological demands of the job. My last partner had been a Marine (Infantry) with three tours in Iraq. I got partnered up with him right after he passed field training, with roughly 2 months of time in the field. He was the least experienced partner I've ever had, but his time, training, discipline and experience in the Marine Corps more than made up for it. He was easily trainable, wanted to do well and has developed into a stellar Paramedic, well ahead of the folks he went to school with. Big win for him too.

I've known a few others who don't really merit mention of their individual stories. Some spent their 3-5 years in the military and just sort of started their civilian life in their early 20's as if they'd never been in the military. They were more successful in life due to their advanced age and longer life experience when compared to their peers in work and school and used the GI Bill for education, but the military was kind of an overall neutral influence for them.

I've also known a few folks who seem to regard their single peacetime enlistment as the greatest thing they've ever done in their lives. They're in their 30's or 40's and the 4 years they spent as a cook in the Army is the single best thing they've ever done. Literally. They peaked at 22. If you go in make sure you don't come out as that guy.

 

[clearconscience]

My previous comment was somewhat negative, However, I would say my biggest regret in life is not serving. I think about it everyday and think about what it could have done for me. Not just the skills, but the discipline and learning to just shut my mouth and work.
I'm a hard worker but my damn mouth has held me up from promotions and got ke in trouble a time or two. And just having the confidence and sense of leadership.

I would highly suggest if your going to do it know what your getting into, know what you want to do there and what you want to get out of it.
Might be better to just go in full time for at least 4 years instead of part time for 6 years. I just know a lot of people that go in part time and have a hard time finding work and a lot of employers have a hard time hiring
someone they know is going to have to be gone some weekends or might get deployed.

And don't listen to recruiters. Their job is to sell you.
And remember once you sign up there's no going back. Your fully commited.

 

[The Heretic]

I will say, that if you are wanting to help people, the USCG is still a place where you will be more likely to be in a position to do that. That are positions that more or less specialize in that, and if you let them know that is what you want to do, they are more inclined to put you there.

As I said, they have changed - a lot - but many of the stations are still mostly SAR instead of LE (although, even when I was in, 35+ years ago, they were training a lot of people for LE work, myself included - we just didn't do it very much at the time).

They do have specialities, and are much more inclined to have someone trained in a speciality actually work in that area because they are too small not to - unlike the Army (as someone else said) or Navy.

But if you ever get motion sickness, do not go into the sea-going services (USCG or Navy) as you will be miserable (I injured my ears in training and by the time I got out I was miserable - which was another reason I didn't re-up; they would have put me on a ship eventually in my second enlistment).

 

[clearconscience]

Also if I could go back i would think about going through the national gaurd program for border patrol. I have a feeling that may be a good program and fun to do

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Now for the first of many I'm sure Recruiting parodies!

 

[aflineman]

There were days this rang true.

 

[BAMCIS]

I was active duty USMC under Reagan, so my expectations are probably (now) unreasonably high. I certainly don't mean to throw cold water on your ambition(s), but I don't think I could put on a uniform under the current Commander in Chief.

​

What a jackass.

 

[The Heretic]

I was active duty USMC under Reagan, so my expectations are probably (now) unreasonably high. I certainly don't mean to throw cold water on your ambition(s), but I don't think I could put on a uniform under the current Commander in Chief.

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What a jackass.

One of the reasons I didn't re-enlist was because Reagan won the 1980 election.

 

[BAMCIS]

One of the reasons I didn't re-enlist was because Reagan won the 1980 election.

Obama must feel like a breath of fresh air for you then.

 

[The Heretic]

Obama must feel like a breath of fresh air for you then.

Nope. Business as usual.



I didn't vote for Obama or Romney.

 

[The Heretic]

New boss, same as the old boss.

 

[Scott F]

I joined the Navy but didn't really like it so after seven years active and seventeen years reserve I quit. Some folks learn slow.

I will say it was good for me and I still proudly maintain some of the habits I learned. I got an education on the job and had the GI bill to go to collage when I was done. Today I would have gotten out with a degree but those options were not so common in my days.

So, yes, if you are lacking direction the military is still a great place to start and find direction. If I were to do it over again and I would even though I am a service connected disabled vet I would do it again, I would join the Navy or the Coast Guard. Both have excellent training potential if you use your head. I would advise full time active duty over guard.

Good luck in whatever decision you make.

 

[decklin]

I did 5 years army infantry. Then a year in the national guard.
I have mixed feelings about someone joining the military but if you want a current perspective let me know. I will list every detail, good and bad, for you.
But since you're talking about the national guard I feel the choice is easy.
Don't do it.
You "train" one weekend a month and two weeks a year. Except that Friday is spent traveling as is half of Sunday. Half of Saturday is spent getting equipment ready to train. This is of course assuming your unit actually plans on doing something with those tax dollars.
Those two weeks are actually three weeks. If you're going to school you'll probably fail that quarter as the NG doesn't care about your education.
School is secondary to the NG. Everything is.

The year I spent with them was an enormous waste of time. My job was to train their guys for deployment as most had only ever been NG and never deployed.
They couldn't zero or qual, do land nav, operate radios, proper movement techniques, first aid (cls), etc.
this was a Bradley unit and none of them had ever touched one.

If you absolutely must join the military to active Air Force or coast guard.
They treat their people better, living conditions are better, more job skills transfer over to the civilian world, etc.

On my last deployment we had Air Force living with us. This was the best place we had ever lived and we were loving it.
The Air Force guys were getting paid extra for living in substandard living conditions.....

 

[Martini_Up]

Join the Merchant Marines.

http://www.usmma.edu/

BTW, how old are you?

 

[greydog111]

I've been thinking about joining I national guard but I don't know in today day and age...
I think it would be good for me and with all the job xp I think it might be good for me, I don't really have any direction or goals right now, do so why not?

Terrrible idea with the current administration and Obama in charge. He has no respect for the military or the men and women serving. Just look at the latte salute last week.

 

[semperfi68to70]

I was on active duty in the Marines from 1968 to 1970. I am very proud of my service and I am very proud of my country. I still love the Corps and a day does not pass that I do not think of those days.

That being said, if I were a young man today I would never join the military as long as the current administration is in power. Why would you want to serve a "commander in chief" who detests you? There are two things you should consider: 1. The military will not make you a man. If you are immature or have a problem with authority it is not going to be pleasant. 2. If you decide you really do want to serve, wait until after the presidential election in 2016 and find out if the country has actually lost it's collective mind and put Billary in office. I would think it over carefully.

 

[semperfi68to70]

One thing. No matter what you are trained as, in the Marine Corps or Army, you are always a rifleman/infantryman if that's where they want you!

One of the most accurate things anyone has said on here. "You were a cook, today you're 0311! (11Bravo for you doggies)

 

[U201491]

One thing. No matter what you are trained as, in the Marine Corps or Army, you are always a rifleman/infantryman if that's where they want you!

Dead on, but would never trade the time and experience for anything else on earth. Some of it is good and some is bad, but the lessons learned last a lifetime.

 

[kildar]

I have 6 years active Air force, and just past my 4 year mark in the national guard at the PDX base. Enlisting out of high school for me was one of the smartest things I had done at that point in my life. The military isnt for everyone, but it was great for me. I gained a lot of life experience that helped grow up a lot faster than my friends.

Make sure you pick a job that translates to the outside, my dad was Army infantry and I grew up hearing all of his cool stories. I talked to an Army recruiter first about joining infantry and my dad smacked upside my head and explained all of the negative aspects along with the fact that infantry doesnt translate very well to the outside. I ended up going Air Force as a heavy equipment mechanic, and I loved it. The only reaon I got out of active duty is that I didnt find the lifestyle conducive to starting a family. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.