The Marines

[Celegorm]

one thing I'd like to share about the military is that if you go to a military academy/college, they give you a PDA, laptop and blackberry when you walk in, and I guess the higher in the class rank you are then you get higher priority in choosing your active station after college. Just some food for though.

Not all do. My friend is heading off to the Citadel for school next year and he has to get his own laptop.

 

[dude_se]

at the end of the day you should do what YOU want to do. its as simple as that. its your life and you should make the most of it.
"regret what you did, not what you didnt do". thats a quote i refer to a lot. if you go it might be the best thing ever, or it may not, who knows. either way its an experience. you'll only know if you go, and if you dont then theres the "what if" factor.
i say if you really want to do it then go for it. dont let anyone hold you back

 

[FlightSimBoy]

Hey, Mattie - I could care less about the pay in the Marines. Maybe it is just the thrill of serving my country in these times of peril. The thing about the Marines is that they are some of the most respected people in the world, even if there are a few nutcases involved. My moms former boyfriend served in the 1983 Beiruit conflict, and then went on to Desert Storm where he was discharged due to a knee injury. Though he may be a jackass of a person when it came to his relationship with my mom, I will still have some respect for him because he was in the military.

Dude se- that quote "regret what you did, not what you didnt do." ... I really wish I could follow that, but it is really hard not too. Theres a lot of things I regret not doing, one of which is dragging me down right now but I am working on a fix for. And yes, there is a "what if" factor with EVERYTHING for me. I don't know...

 

[esa193]

Honest to god joining the service is the dumbest possible thing you could do. My best friend just got out of 4 years active with 2 tours over in Iraq.

His rank is corporal first class I believe right underneath sergeant. While in Iraq he worked 7, 12 hour shifts everyday for his entire time over there.

When he got out there was no leverage at all on his experience in the military. Everywhere he applied wanted that piece of paper and didn't care what he did in the service. He now makes like $8.50 an hour which is crap until he finds something decent.

Now on top of that the wages he got paid were a joke as well. Your supposed to get more money when in a danger zone (Forget the special term atm) but he works 7 days a week. To be blunt he could have made more at a freaking Mcdonalds for the amount of hours he put in vs what he made.

If you plan to do it the rest of your life there may be some money in it. The military in general is honestly a big hype because they need people to join. If you look at what you get with a normal employer vs what the military gives you its not much more.

Sure you get free meals and room and board but there rooms are shared for the most part and there are major restrictions on what you can do in them.

My advice talk to some people that served before you sign a contract because its not all its cracked up to be.

your friends an idiot for not going to collage when the military basically pays for most of it
and after you get out of the military they set u up with an interview with some type of paramilitary organization such as the police.
just becouse your in the army doesn't mean you don't need schooling to get a good job or get in a good position in the army if your going to make the army your job

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

Hey, Mattie - I could care less about the pay in the Marines. Maybe it is just the thrill of serving my country in these times of peril. The thing about the Marines is that they are some of the most respected people in the world, even if there are a few nutcases involved. My moms former boyfriend served in the 1983 Beiruit conflict, and then went on to Desert Storm where he was discharged due to a knee injury. Though he may be a jackass of a person when it came to his relationship with my mom, I will still have some respect for him because he was in the military.

Dude se- that quote "regret what you did, not what you didnt do." ... I really wish I could follow that, but it is really hard not too. Theres a lot of things I regret not doing, one of which is dragging me down right now but I am working on a fix for. And yes, there is a "what if" factor with EVERYTHING for me. I don't know...

I agree the experience would be priceless and you'll get to see parts of the country you most likely wouldn't have saw without serving. Granted there the parts most people don't really want to go.

Are you serious about your Mom's boyfriend being a jackass but yet you still have respect for someone because they served in the military? That has got to be the dumbest possible reason to respect someone. Just because there a all around jerk off your obligated to respect them because they served in the forces. A person should be judged on there character. If he's a dick why would your respect that regardless service.

your friends an idiot for not going to collage when the military basically pays for most of it
and after you get out of the military they set u up with an interview with some type of paramilitary organization such as the police.
just becouse your in the army doesn't mean you don't need schooling to get a good job or get in a good position in the army if your going to make the army your job

I bet my friend would be really insulted by a person that calls him a idiot yet can't even spell college correctly.

Are you serious? His first 3 months were spent training for his job in the Marines. Then he gets sent out to his base location. Soon after he gets deployed to Iraq. Its pretty much impossible to take your college courses when your 5000 miles away in a desert.

Yes he was taking classes before he got deployed. He then began taking them again after he got back. He got some leave time and after he got back he took more classes. Then he was sent back over. So yes he did get some classes in but the majority of his time was spent in a place where he couldn't get the opportunity or the time to complete or get even close to completing them.

Do you realize all the stuff you have to do? Its not like you work 9-5 Monday - Friday then have all the extra time in the world to do this. When he wasn't serving he still has to take various tests to get a higher rank not to mention drills, and other obligations.

Last part they don't set you up with any interviews to the police etc. Its a recruiters job to basically tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to sign on that dotted line. They have quota's to meet and will do what they have to do to get you enrolled.

Are you also aware of completing a full 20 year tour with them isn't what they make it out to be. Basically you have 2 choices after your 4 year term is up.

Enroll for another term get your bonus payed over 4 years not in one lump sum. In which case they basically have you doing what you were originally trained to do going back and forth to Iraq etc working 7 days a week. Or they push you to become a recruiter. Recruiters also work pretty much every day trying to get sign ups, meeting families, running back and forth to test centers etc etc.

Don't take it from me though I was only there every step of the way through the enroll process with my buddy. I heard what they had to say and watched my buddy go through all there BS.

But you'll still call me full of it. I really do feel old trying to tell you kids the full deal then listen to your remarks. Whatever join up and make a career out of it. It doesn't effect me one way or another. Flightboysim is thinking of joining and you come in and spew off a bunch of crap that isn't true.

Also one last thing have fun with all the ganstas and rejects that have no alternative to join. My buddy used to bitch about that constantly on his leave time. All the idiots around base walking around like wiggers talking ghetto and acting like idiots. There are great people in the service but there are also plenty of idiots out there just like the real world.

I guess I'm done rambling that comment about calling my friend a idiot from you pissed me off though. You don't have a god damn clue. Just keep living in your little 17 year old perfect fairytale world believing all the shit the TV and recruiters tell you. I think you'll soon find out its not as simple as enroll and go to school. Mainly because you'll have lots of obligations that take time. Not this go to school do your homework and work part time for gas money shit. Just wait responsibility is just around your corner.

 

[FlightSimBoy]

All I have to say it is very little respect, and I don't care if I ever see him again.

 

[compguy91]

If you want to join the military then go ahead and do it. I think it's a great thing. I personally wouldn't do it because I don't think I'm cut out for it. I don't want to go overseas and fight, and I also don't have the physical ability to do it. It's great if you want to do it and I think it's great. There are pros and cons to the military it just depends on whether or not you are willing to deal with them. One advantage of the military is they'll help cover the cost of college. Also not to mention you're serving your country in a time of need, plus military experience looks good on a resume. Sure it might not be for everyone and the pay might not be the best but it's worth a try. Even if you decide not to join it's still worth researching.
I also don't think calling someone an idiot for having a different opinion is a good idea. So what if someone has a different opinion? There's no need to call them an idiot. If you're going to call someone an idiot and argue with them, at least use proper spelling and grammar.

 

[setishock]

The NAVY has the finest tech schools of all the branches. (ok I'm biased) In some cases other branches sent their people to let the NAVY train them.
If it's life threating danger you crave apply for the SEALs. You never know where you will be from one moment to the next.

But all that aside I sense you are lost right now. Not really sure what you want to do. I agree in one respect the military would be a dumb move since you can logically expect to wind up in the line of fire in Iraq.
On the other hand if you join another branch that is not directly in the kill zone you will have served your country and have gained the training, the hands on experience, and the military bearing which will serve to keep you focused in your return to the civilian world.
Granted some MOS will not translate to a job in the real world and that is something you have to think about before you sign on the dotted line.

Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀 Since you didn't state his MOS your comment is unfounded. It may be as simple as his MOS didn't translate to a civilian job. Many of the jobs in the service will not relate to the real world.

Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀
As for your assumption of how things are in the service, look at all the freedoms you have. Even the one you have to be stupid and arrogant.
Those that have served did so to defend your way of life. They worked many countless hours with little rest, food or water under some of the most adverse conditions to let you sit there now and foam at the mouth. Many gave of themselves in being physically and mentally maimed or made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their life.
I am an American that was proud to serve and if given the chance I would do it all over again. So until you walked in my shoes, you will have no clue what it's really like.

 

[Ahyoka]

It's your life bud, only you can make the call if you want to do a stint in the military. It is definitely a commitment, that's for sure. One that will literally reshape your everyday life, and it be involved in every aspect of your life for the next 2 years. That shouldn't stop you though, the military will give you great experience and make you a stronger person.

I think the military is an honorable profession. Because really when you look at it, even though at times America can seem as if it's going to hell in a handbasket. When you put aside all the BS, at it's core America still stands for the things it was founded upon, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I know those are things I would lay my life down for. It's sad that these days people forget that freedom really isn't free and that it falls upon fewer and fewer to defend those rights.

 

[muz]

TBH i dont think the milatary is the best choice of carer to go into , i only say that because over here in the UK the pay rates are not wonderfull and the work environment is not great either ,
i wouldnt say just sign up especially not if your 100% sure its whats right for you is there no academic subjects you are good at you ould carry on studying ,

As for having respect for people just because they served in the milatary , IMO they dont eearn any more respect than anybody who does any other jobs they chose the milatary and its a job to them just like everybody else has ,howevr i think they are brave for doing it and i could never join the milatary . i do have respect for those who do considerable acts of bravery however putting their lives in extra danger than is necessary to save others
and if someone is a jerk then i dont care if they have served in the milatary or not they are still a jerk in my eyes