what is being in the army like?

[PicassoCT]

Its like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAKNYSxb7_8

Oh, yeah, i see into the future, there will be *******, a high-rwa as written in the book be postin, that there are always some wrotten apples in the heap of road apples, but that the whole enterprise is worth it because the authority of choice said so.

[Sucky_Lord]

Ignore all these people, they all nerds who are terrified of exercise.

Army would be insane-badass-awesome fun

[Forboding Angel]

Personally, if I were you, I would talk to sleksa (also a finn btw), I noticed a pretty huge (positive) change in him and his personality since he's gone into the military.

<3 u sleky!

[KaiserJ]

my uncle is in the british army. he's a dentist.

if you join the british army, you get as much dental work as you want done for free, even ridiculous stuff like super expensive gold crowns and the like.

i'm not really a pacifist... i think i'd join the army if there was a massive threat on my personal freedom, and i've had many relatives in other generations join up, it's just not really my thing unless canada gets attacked or something

[Caydr]

Have you ever played Halo?

[PicassoCT]

I served my nine months, (bureacratic job in hq) and army although a great bootcamp-experience when it comes to feeling part of a "combat-family" is a waste of time when it comes to bringing humanity forward just a inch. Think of all the things you could accomplish in that time, while some stupid sergeant makes you think about your haircut and or some even moar ignorant general makes you do his paperwork, while he hangs out at presspartys, to avoid meeting his responsibilitys. And the army is filled with a odd combination of that sort- dutifull guys who try to do there work at best, and always outranked by morons, who got to there post by keeping silent about some shit there superiors did, that sort of omerta promotes, that is the real problem there. Get some pictures of your sarge killin, and he will happily promote you out of sight. Not a nice world, and not promising to be one.

[Neddie]

I wouldn't go as far as to say how being in the military is, but here is something I do know. Most of the people I know who have been in the military appear to fall into three categories...

1. Had a poor time, regret the decision.
2. Had a mediocre time, more employable but with lasting psychological and/or substance abuse problems.
3. Required focus/direction, had a fair time, more employable but with lasting psychological and/or substance abuse problems.

This said, I was fortunate enough to earn my way and avoid joining the military myself, so my input is merely that of an observer and confidant and should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Gota]

What is truly sad that a lot of people join the army(when its a professional army) cause they feel they are worthless or have no future.
It's a shame that there isn't more money invested in allowing and pushing young adults to get education by paying them instead of paying them to be in the army...

If you are lazy and have a weak willpower than the army might do you good in that respect cause you are forced to do things you do not wish to and this is a constant routine of the army pushing you or setting some sort of frame around your life.

The negative parts i cannot presume to understand but i am sure there are some like(especially if you'v been in combat) feeling that anything else does not compare to the experiance of being near death during combat...
I think the movie that won the Oscar,"the heart locker",deals with that issue very well by the way.
I served in the army but not in the fighting parts but friends have told me about how they felt during it and afterward.

[bobthedinosaur]

There is always the airforce and navy.

[Master-Athmos]

You really should think a bit more about your reasons for joining. What does "more representitve of the real world" or "some time under army discipline might help me feel like a young man instead of an old adolescent" mean? If you think that your current job is a worthless undertaking and a timewaste then do something else - you won't be more satisfied with it after a 3 year "timeout" after all if you feel that way...

If you also don't feel like a real "grown-up" yet that's something you should work on and not give up your responsibility to someone else or forcing you into an environment you think that will change you. That wouldn't be a nice experience anyway for you because this feeling you're striving for doesn't just kick-in like turning a switch. Especially the army won't be considerate of your feelings and kindly help you in the direction you want...

If these are all the reasons you have for joining then you in my opinion shouldn't do it. The army doesn't look for people they can give a more adult feel or even a "more representative" job. They look for people to do their work ranging from training people to kill or to do boring jobs like office work, guarding something (i.e. standing or wandering around) and so on. Only very little people get jobs that one might call exciting like driving tanks, flying planes or those who get to "blow up things"...

While I have no direct experience with the military (I denied the draft call and did social works) my brother and most of my friends went there. Nobody really had "good" experiences. The first part probably is the most ass one: You get broken both physically as mentally which most certainly is needed as a soldier as you must kill when told or enforced to without thinking which is something you cannot expect of "normal" people who usually would hesitate or deny killing which is something you mustn't do as soldier. What happens after that part is totally different for everyone. One got into a support "department" consisting of sitting around and moving stuff around. Another one considered going the officer way and went into certain schools which were extremely boring as he told me. Others got guarding or office jobs which in the end more or less were plain boring too. My brother which also still had a longer time of service probably was a bit too enthusiastic. He got into a group for the "better" soldiers and was trained in a shitload of stuff ranging from advanced training in general over riot control, warfare at different environments and much more. While he thought he had to give his best (which is why he showed so much effort at being good) he hated being there and came back with the experience that nothing in life will ever be as bad as that time for him...

So if you want to do something more meaningful which might be good for your character think of working at a retirement home. I worked at such a place in change for going to the military and it was quite an experience. People tend to underrate such a job as it's damn hard in any aspect. You see all kinds of fates often being a bit hard to process if you work there. It changed me quite a bit and I can't really describe the experiences I had there. In the end I have to say I sort of hated my time there because I often was shocked by what I lived through there. That wasn't so much about certain events but more about the entire atmosphere. I only can encourage you to go to such a place and offer your help even if it's just about a weekend or something if you hesitate to stay there for a longer time. Your help should be very welcome at any time and you might learn quite some things and I'm not talking of how to do something technically here...

At the very end it of course remains your decision and if you cannot think of doing anything else then do it. In my opinion you didn't present any good reasons for doing that though...

[PicassoCT]

+1 to Master-Athmos

[Panda]

Master-Athmos

[Sabutai]

any guys here who have served or are in the service? how would you rate being in the army?

I'm in the UK (so being our army is probably much shitter) but I'm seriously considering signing on for 3 years when I finish my teacher training next july, just to get out of the educational grind and do somthing a bit more representitve of the real world. I think some time under army discipline might help me feel like a young man instead of an old adolescent. I dont know that much about what being in the army is like, or if this is a good idea, so advice from people who a thing about stuff is welcome

I have served for 2 years in the armies helicopter devision, including a mission with KFOR. Since a child I had allways wanted to become a soldier following my families military tradition. 2 Years is long enough to judge wether it's the sort of job you want to do or not. Anyone who hasn't serverd should consider their words well. The best expirience is the one you get first hand.

Having a positive attitude towards the military has helped me stay on top of morons shouting at me. I had recently finished college and there were superiors who were at least 3 years younger and just plain stupid. But that's the way it starts out. You're intelligent and you wouldn't stay in this situation any longer than I did. After basic training, which was cool doing all the dangerous stuff without the danger, you get to your unit. After another short period of shouting people get to know and respect you. You might be doing some logistics related work or even more boring stuff: Repairing tanks or whatever. But that would be lucky because you'd learn stuff like repairing and engineering. But if you got into a fighting unit you might have to do patrols in a dangerous country. You could get killed or get wounded or just see really sick things.

War is the worst thing that can happen to a human. You can ultimately get into the most stressful situations!

So it depends on who you are and what you do:
1. Infantry get to go on patrols and fight (people without college).
2. People with qualifications (tankrepairmen/logistics) stay in the camps.

* I'd recommend a service in the army but not a career.
* Tell them where you want to serve, like on a ship.
* Learn the skills it needs to fight(might come handy in future times)
and in addition what it needs to do your job there(repair ship engine).
* Learn how to deal with people of various kinds(Officers, people like you, morons).
* Expirience a comradery you can't find anywhere else.
* Take the money.
* ????
* Profit

[Gota]

What can be more fun than maintaining an nuclear engine of an aircraft carrier or submarine?

[1v0ry_k1ng]

thanks for taking the time guys, I'll mull it over

the one rl friend I mentioned it to told me it was the worst idea ever, but then his idea of excersise is going downstairs to cook bacon

To clarify:

I'm not considering joining because I want to make a difference or better the human race or any horseshit like that.

I dont have the money to go travelling yet, and dont want to voulenteer to dig ditches in some stinky shithole in africa.
My freinds are going travelling in two years and if I havnt joined up by then I can go along.

Im not considering it as a career, just as life experience. I have been doing just fine in education for the last... 16 years, and I'm sure I'll do just fine when I start teaching myself and earning a salary in 12 months time, and then for the rest of my life . Its perfectly easy and comfortable and tolerable and thats sort of the point.

[quote="Gota"]What is truly sad that a lot of people join the army(when its a professional army) cause they feel they are worthless or have no future.[/quote]

well, I've stopped seeing the point of what I'm doing for now, and I want to do somthing else. I'm a university graduate, physically fit and motivated so I dont think they will put me in the backroom shifting boxes.

[quote="Caydr"]Have you ever played Halo?[/quote]

lmao

[Argh]

Think of it as signing up for a period of suck, followed by a lottery, with the possibility of injury / death, and a lifetime of stories and a big resume winner, should you intend to move up the ladder from your start as a teacher.

Being in the military in most countries is a giant long-term benefit, in terms of being in a 'club', and assuming you come through your enlistment, it's something you will always have.

If you're serious about this, given your education, you should apply to Officer Training School, and make it clear to recruiters that you won't join otherwise. This confers a lot of giant benefits that will be important later, including looking a lot cooler on your resume.

Boot sucks, no matter who you are, but after that, the experience of being in the military is incredibly variable.

[Machete234]

Its like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAKNYSxb7_8

That whole series is so great I'll have to watch it all.

[Umrug]

Are you serious? Being a teacher is an important job. You are responsible for ... improve your teaching skills, get a second job... some kind of activity that you could do aside from joining the military that is considered to be manly ... Don't most teachers want to do things like actively participate in the community? ...

LOLWUMAN are you serious?

The negative parts i cannot presume to understand but i am sure there are some like(especially if you'v been in combat) feeling that anything else does not compare to the experiance of being near death during combat...

This - this is big deal, if you actually get into combat. But then, otherwise you will not know what a life is, and what you are made for. This also hints that Basic might have some intelligence, which is new to me.

Anyway, you might volunteer to Israeli army - you actually get to kill people to death here, and you have probably the best training in the world (3 years of service min). Negative side - no pay.

I know tens of people who served in the Israeli army - most of them in combat troops - all of them are absolutely happy about the experience. The ones that were in non-combat units, however, are mostly not very happy about their service.

So, I say, if you go to army - only go for combat troops (not arty or armor, but footsoldiers/special forces/marines etc). Otherwise - go become a programmer and go to airsoft or martial arts.

[zwzsg]

you actually get to kill people to death here

[malric]

Im not considering it as a career, just as life experience. I have been doing just fine in education for the last... 16 years, and I'm sure I'll do just fine when I start teaching myself and earning a salary in 12 months time, and then for the rest of my life . Its perfectly easy and comfortable and tolerable and thats sort of the point.

Why not move to another country (with a job/study or whatever)? I think it is a far bigger change than the army which is still 'British' and you will interact with people with the same background. I did this and I see things in a different perspective now. And, after traveling a bit I saw that each country has it's different feeling (and I am mostly talking about Europe), which, I'm sure is even more different if you live there and not just visit it for 1 or 2 weeks.

What is truly sad that a lot of people join the army(when its a professional army) cause they feel they are worthless or have no future.

well, I've stopped seeing the point of what I'm doing for now, and I want to do somthing else. I'm a university graduate, physically fit and motivated so I dont think they will put me in the backroom shifting boxes.

So, of course, you should change what you do. Still, the army is quite an 'easy' way out. You will let another entity decide for you. It is much harder when you have to decide for yourself what you will do next and are also in a totally new environment. Maybe you will have to learn a new language, accept people interact differently with each other, do other stuff for fun, you will understand better what you like back home and what you don't like, etc