Considering Fighting the Good Fight

[Underground_Killah]

I've been fighting with myself internally as to if I should attempt to join the Armed Forces. I have some health issues which I was once told that they wouldn't accept me (scoliosis and asthma to name a few) however since i watched the daily show and Jon (the host) brought to my attention the Army has dropped the health standards to join, I've rethought it.

I was once quoted as to saying "If i could choose a war to fight in, it would have been WWII because of those damn Nazi's. In a wierd sick way, it's looking like this will become sooner or later WWIII and The "nazi" scum has been reloaded as those al queda scumbags.

Just a thought of course, and i've already sent info to the Army as to my concerns... I don't want to go off and die of course, but I feel this urge to fight. I am just scared that since i'm getting married soon, they may bring me to iraq and I not make it back.... seriously hindering my future plans.

But that's a fear all of our soldiers have now.

Anyway, just my

[TatII]

i know alot of people in the armed forces. i know 10 people and 7 of them are my very close friends. my friends joined because they were highschool and college drop outs who felt they got no where else to go. i'll tell you this much, if your gonna be in the army and you really want to shoot someone or see action, you need to be in the armored division, medic, or infantry. other then that you'll just be sitting around doing nothing.

now if your going to fight in the infantry and try to use that skill as a civilian, its going to be useless. however if your smart about it, usually when they get out of infantry when they served, they can be security guards and they pay really good.

most of my friends do not enjoy the army and will never re enlist every again. only one of them is very proud to be in it and hes a medic and hes in iraq right now for a whole year. no clue if he will survive since hes always on the front line. he loves the job and have pride because hes a born follower and is easily minipulated ( i hope he doesn't read this cause he will kick my ass when he gets back =).

also if you decide to go infantry and you see your combat buddies get fragged up, you'll have post war tramatic stress disorder. and you'll either end up being really mean to your family because your life doesn't mean shit to you anymore and nothing matters not even your girl friend/ wife. or you'll just end up killing yourself in suicide.

of course your smarter than that so i'm sure you'll come back fine. but the money you make is not very good either. if your gonna be a grunt your base pay is not good, most of my friends didn't save any money at all, and they've been there for 3 years. they all spend it on alcohol and partying to pass time.

i hope i am not offending anyone who is in the armed service here because i believe that we do need someone to fight our war. but thats just my thought and observation of the whole thing.

edit: if you want to make money in the army, you need to be a officer. that means you need a college degree and you'll start off with E5 pay, and will see less action.

[xXxRocker5150]

why don't you join the air national gaurd mang... you can go and refuel the aircraft that go and bomb the hot spots; not only will you be doing a service to your country, but you won't be put in a grunt type position in Iraq, but you'll also get to travel.

[2000LS1Z28]

Well I can't speak to highly of the Armed Forces to be honest. Also they will ask you at the moment of truth if you have asthma or any other severe dibilitating disease. Asthma isn't that big of a deal if you don't have it that severe. I know a few people that were pulled for it though.

When the military drops you you have to wait awhile before you are returned home. I believe the Army and the Marines are rather quick about it. I ended up joining the Navy, and it took over a week and a half to get me back home. It gets really aggravating when you are within a barracks with over 100 people that are complaining about wanting to go home (Most people went home due to severe depression).

Be prepared to get yelled at alot, and essentially be treated like a child when you first go in. I personally didn't mind the RDC's. I can ignore people yelling at me quite a bit. However, be extremely prepared for people peeing all over toilet seats, very little hygiene time, and adolescent recruits around you cutting farts repeatedly, and thinking it is funny.

I don't think you are gonna like it personally. I say this primarily cause you are going to go to Iraq. Almost everyone going through boot camp, be it the Marines, Navy, well maybe not Air Force, are going to Iraq.

If you wanna fight, try to go MMA or something a little safer. In Iraq you are more or less going to be ambushed. Most of the time you don't know who or where your enemy is (Atleast that is what I am seeing).

[TatII]

hahah 2000LS1Z28 your absolutely right about the yelling. one of my friends jsut recently joined the navy like 6 months ago and when he came back, he was liek this

him: you get yelled at alot

me: even when you do good

him: yeah even when you do good, they'll be like "you can fucking do better!!!"

me: hahahah

most people who join don't end up doing what they're suppose to do.

that friend that i just mentioned is suppose to go into the submarine to be a chief ( kinda like under seige 2 ). but he ends up painting ships at the yard most of the time.

my other friend who just finished his 4 years signed up for demolition, and bomb squad. he ended up driving a bulldozer in korea for years. when my medic friend was in for being a medic, they made him change the oil on tracked vehicles for a little bit.

the only guy who actually did what he was suppose to do was this other good friend of mine whos in the air borne division, but he ended up getting stuck keeping track of supplies.

[Underground_Killah]

I wanted to origionally join the Air Force, however due to the scoliosis, they never returned my phone call.... It's that sense of "if i don't do this now i will more than likely regret it" I'm not wanting to go out to iraq to shoot em up or anything, hell i've also thought about the reserve so that i can do more homeland security. Something besides "well i graduated college, bought me a brand new house and car, and retired"

The army i believe is the only branch that would accept me and how lovingly my cousin said (he was in the air force for 8 years) "Any BODY can join the army.... They just want bodies"

[Right_LiRrr]

The fact u mentioned world war 2 is very interesting

I have always been in love with that whole idea of bravery, honour and all that but times have changed.

WW2 was diff because most soldiers were civilian soldier. They're normal ppeople trained to fight. You join the army now and it'll be a bunch of nutjobs, especially below officer level, who are total dropouts.

Also the method of fighting is not honourable anymore either. u used to defend a line with the enemy in front and the friendlies behind. Now you just get ambushed every day and see friends drop off one by one be it enemy or friendly fire.


Last of all, you have health issues. The only reason the army has relaxed standards is because they're starting to get a bit desperate.

Do you really want to be in battle when u know u're not in the avg person's peak physical condition??

If you have to join, join an elite division/battalion, that way u won't be stuck with a bunch of total idiots who are going to get u killed.

And i know u're thinking about how honourable it is to fight terrorists like al-qaeda now, but once u're on the battlefield, all sense of purpose like that goes out the window. it'll just be about keeping u and ur friedns alive.

[BlackGT2000]

Well I guess this is one topic I have lots of info on. Right now I am serving in the Navy and I just reenlisted. I swore that it was only going to be one enlistment but when it came down to it I realized how well I am doing and how well taken care of I am. In 4 years I went from E2 to E5 and the pay is decent. I have been to Iraq and a handful of other countries (never a ship actually). I work in a shop with all 4 services and honestly it isn't all that bad for anyone. I say go for it. There is no job on earth that you are going to walk into and make 100,000 dollars a year and buy ferraris all day. The military will allow you to live fairly comfortably and the quality of life will improve as the years go on. Sure its tough at first but you get through it. PM me if you want to talk about it more.

[BlackGT2000]

By the way the Army's advancement speed is astonishing right now. 2 years ago an army guy in my shop was an E4 at the same time that I was and by the time he left he was E6, meanwhile I was surprised I made E5.

[Right_LiRrr]

when u advance that fast in the army, either those above u are getting killed, or the army is exapnding in size. if that's the case, u r being placed into a position u r not ready for, or you're hell good at ur job. I would bet on the former.

and actually, there are jobs u walk into and make 100K a yr. 1st year Graduates at the big investment banks get paid 80-90K with up to 40K in bonuses. They may not buy 500K ferraris every day, but $3mill assets in bonds, shares and options i would guess is very similar ;-)

and buy no means can u describe military life as fairly comfortable unless u're a major and above. Your life friggin belongs to the government....by no means can that be comfortable.

No offence, I respect wholeheartedly those who fight for their country and i think it's is a very honourable and brave profession, however, making it sound comfortable or a good quality of life - we all know is bullshit. One too many recruitment officers doing their jobs well =P

[TatII]

damn black2000gt, your in E5 in 4 years? thats where you actually start making decent money, which most grunts won't make it to in 4 years. you must be damn good in what your doing.

[VR43000GT]

Originally Posted by Right_LiRrr

No offence, I respect wholeheartedly those who fight for their country and i think it's is a very honourable and brave profession, however, making it sound comfortable or a good quality of life - we all know is bullshit. One too many recruitment officers doing their jobs well =P

Just because you go into the armed forces doesn't mean its not a good quality of life. To many maybe not. I have friends in the armed forces who have it very hard. But you know what, even though it is not comfortable they still find it a "good quality of life" just because they enjoy serving proudly for their country no matter how hard it is. Just because something is tough and very hard to do both physically and emotionally doesnt mean it is nessecarly a bad life for someone. I've talked to people both young and old who have said how excrutiating it can be but how much they loved serving for the country and how much satisfaction the got out of it.

[Chad82]

If you feel that the military life is your calling, I say go for it. I have a few buddies in right now, about half love it, half hate it.

2 were in the army, one in infantry, the other was wanting to train for airborne rangers, but ended up in the infantry. Both got deployed to Iraq and hated it. Neither re-upped.

Another friend was promised to be a nuclear technician on a nuclear submarine, and I believe right now he is working in the docks. His time is up in 6 months and he isn't re-upping.

Another friend is in the navy and is on a SEAL program. Already completed his demolition/underwater demolition/under water salvage/and other training. Spent 1 year in Afganistan as a volunteer, has re-upped and will likely be a career miltary man.

Another friend went through ROTC in college which paid for all of it, and is last I heard, was preparing for pilot training for bombers.

Final friend of mine that was in was a marine. Said he like 80% of military life, but when he would have duty to be armed guard on military bases, that stopped him from wanting to re-up. Said if he could go back, he would do navy/airforce.

Its going to be tough work, but what job worth having isn't? If you get into a job that trains you well and has an similar position in the civilian world, it can be great for you and your career.

[fivepointohhhh]

yo black gt I heard for the most part of the navy its port to port partying, is that true at all?

[CassiesMan]

Originally Posted by Right_LiRrr

Last of all, you have health issues. The only reason the army has relaxed standards is because they're starting to get a bit desperate.

Actually, at the last check coupla days ago, the Army and Marines released their enlistment figures, both of them were far above the 'happy with point' and even above the 'we'd love to get' point.

I have three family members in the military, and they all love it, but I'm to tired to talk now, so I'll ramble on more tommorow.