Military men (and women)

[Blagadan]

Just started thinking, there appears to be lots of military folk around these here parts.  A lot of people I have met from the US seem to have served at some stage.  Is it a big percentage of people do you think?  How long do you normally serve for and why?

Over here (Éire) it is different. When you join you join for life and generally it's looked down on as a profession i.e. it's for guys who generally won't be going to college

I served in the Reserves for 10 years ... would have been 16 years now if I didn't emigrate. But here the Reserves is just a fun thing to do at weekends, we don't have any operational duties.

[Robmeister]

The other military guys can elaborate much more accurately than I.  But serving the U.S. can be a career or just an awesome foundation to embark on one's adult life. (If I had it to do again, I'd have served in the Navy).

Correct me if I'm wrong Rob, AR3, etc..  but I think the minimum is 2 years service.  You can gain AWESOME training in all sorts of fields, get college credits, etc.   In my opinion, some of the most successful people in the U.S. started out their adulthood by serving the U.S. in some capacity.

How'd I do, Rob/AR3?

[PigPen]

If I had it to do over again, I would have joined the Army full-time after high school. Less than a year after high school, I tore the ACL in my left knee and couldn't even make it into the reserves. But as they say, everything happens for a reason.

I think minimum is two years, my wife's cousin was gonna re-up but decided not to. She'll be home from Germany in about three months or so.

[Robmeister]

...I would have joined the Army...

NAVY!!!   

[BaldRob]

The other military guys can elaborate much more accurately than I.  But serving the U.S. can be a career or just an awesome foundation to embark on one's adult life. (If I had it to do again, I'd have served in the Navy).

Correct me if I'm wrong Rob, AR3, etc..  but I think the minimum is 2 years service.  You can gain AWESOME training in all sorts of fields, get college credits, etc.   In my opinion, some of the most successful people in the U.S. started out their adulthood by serving the U.S. in some capacity.

How'd I do, Rob/AR3?

You did OK!  I'm not sure, but I don't think that there are 2 years enlistments anymore.  I think the minimum is 4 years now...  However, when you enlist, you have a mandatory 10 year contract, which includes your active duty time and IRR (individual ready reserve) time.  If your active duty commitment is 4 years, then you have 6 years in the IRR.  You don't have to do weekend drills or anything, but you could be called up at any time during that remaining 6 years.  I did 12, so I didn't fall under that clause...

The biggest benenfit from my perspective is the experience that you gain... starting from boot camp and initial training, coupled with actual operational experience over the course of your career.  A LOT of employers love to hire ex-military for those reasons... plus typically, the work ethic of the military is great.  We're used to working long hours and have a "can-do" attitude!

[PigPen]

...I would have joined the Army...

NAVY!!!   

ARMY!!! (family tradition)

    

[Robmeister]

...I would have joined the Army...

NAVY!!!   

ARMY!!! (family tradition)

    

ok....Truce!

 

Family tradition here too

[schro]

So Robmeister, am I to guess your family traditions are billiards and the bar??? 

[Robmeister]

So Robmeister, am I to guess your family traditions are billiards and the bar??? 

Good point, schro....and to some degree you're correct.

The billiard and bar scene were meant as a truce to Mr.Pen...

i.e. "let's bury the hatchet and find a pub, man"

I will say it was probably the shortest-lived dispute I've EVER had.....I'm glad it's over 

[schro]

So Robmeister, am I to guess your family traditions are billiards and the bar??? 

Good point, schro....and to some degree you're correct.

The billiard and bar scene were meant as a truce to Mr.Pen...

i.e. let's bury the hatchet and find a pub, man

I will say it was one of the most short-lived disputes I've EVER had.....I'm glad it's over 

Oh yeah? How about...

Subscriber to Whipped Magazine, "Honey, can I go out with the guys?"
Wife of Subscriber, "Did you wash the dishes?"

Silence.............

[PigPen]

So Robmeister, am I to guess your family traditions are billiards and the bar??? 

Good point, schro....and to some degree you're correct.

The billiard and bar scene were meant as a truce to Mr.Pen...

i.e. "let's bury the hatchet and find a pub, man"

I will say it was probably the shortest-lived dispute I've EVER had.....I'm glad it's over 

Me too, I was gettin worried

[Tyler]

So, not that we're sitting around the bar chatting I'll give you my perspective on why people join the military. 

I think people join the military for different reasons, but from what I can tell of my friends that have joined, there really is two main reasons.  The first being that they really want to serve their country and learn a lot in the process.  They often have family traditions that help this decision.  Some even cite the potential to travel the world on the governments dime.

The other set of people are those that didn't do well in school or don't feel college is the best route for them(either financially or acedemically; so instead they opt to go to the military and mature a bit and to get the government to pay for their college while they are at it.

Growing up in a very blue collar area these are the reasons that most of my friends went to the military, with the latter being the most prominant reason.

[frostillicus123]

I applied for the canadian Miliarty in Jan of 02, I wanted to help after 9-11. However 4 days after I applied I blew out my ACL in a bar fight (I was and still am a bouncer). When I got it fixed I reapplied and they wouldn't touch me because it wasn't strong enough... Which I thought was complete BS, I have been in Judo and Jujitsu since and have gone in some rough matches. So now I'm trying to sever my country in another fashion, internally in Corrections.

If I could enter the military today i'd go
Navy only if I could go diver
Army Armoured Solider

[Blagadan]

Cool thanks for the replies guys.

If I could join it'd be army all the way, 2nd choice i'd like to fly helos.

[schro]

The head of our College's Accounting Department (my major) suggested I go into the military to gain discipline. Although I (now) consider myself a very disciplined person, I can look back and see how he could have made such a statement. Throughout college and even into my early career years, I was not very focused, despite the fact I was one of the top students in our department. In hindsight, I think I would have benefitted from time spent in the military and could have very well made it a career. Of course, I likely would have not met my wife and had two great kids, had I gone into the armed forces.

Life is full of "what ifs" and "if only I....". and that, children, concludes our life philosophy lesson for the day.

Professor Schro