I'll join the military if I don't find a new job soon (Blog post)

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SAC

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#51  Edited By SAC

@SwaziSpring said:

I'm also a neoconservative, which is always good.

LOL

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Trains

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#52  Edited By Trains

@BelligerentEngine: Don't look at me. I copy and pasted that off a yahoo answers reply, I just changed a few of the words about to make it fit nicely into this topic lololol

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TheHumanDove

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#53  Edited By TheHumanDove

@Trains said:

@BelligerentEngine: Don't look at me. I copy and pasted that off a yahoo answers reply, I just changed a few of the words about to make it fit nicely into this topic lololol

Trains, you sly devil you. I see a long and glorious existence in your future.

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VictoryBlixt

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#54  Edited By VictoryBlixt

@Stonyman65: None of that is true I'm currently in the process of potentially enlisting also combat deployments end in 2014 so why don't you do some research before spouting nonsense

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stonyman65

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#55  Edited By stonyman65

@VictoryBlixt said:

@Stonyman65: None of that is true I'm currently in the process of potentially enlisting also combat deployments end in 2014 so why don't you do some research before spouting nonsense

Maybe it's a bit different now than it was 3 or 4 years ago when most of my friends went in, but that's how it was for a while, especially during Iraq.

Also, don't believe the BS that recruiters will tell you. They'll say anything they can (without actually outright lying) to get you to sign up. They are just like cops and traffic tickets - they have a specific quota to fill and will do what they can to "make mission".

Like others have said, anything that the recruiter "promises" you you need to get in writing on your contract. Just because you sing up for something doesn't mean that you will get it unless it is written into your contract. And even then, the military (especially the Marine Corps) has a bad habit of putting you where they want you to be regardless of what you want to do. Keep that in mind.

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Everyones_A_Critic

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@McGhee said:

I don't know how anyone can look at the shit our country has been doing over seas and how the troops have been treated, going on tours over and over again in Afghanistan for instance, and look at signing up as a smart and good thing to do.

Yeah, not to be "that guy" or anything but I totally agree with this.

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McGhee

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#57  Edited By McGhee

@Everyones_A_Critic said:

@McGhee said:

I don't know how anyone can look at the shit our country has been doing over seas and how the troops have been treated, going on tours over and over again in Afghanistan for instance, and look at signing up as a smart and good thing to do.

Yeah, not to be "that guy" or anything but I totally agree with this.

Sometimes someone has to be "that guy". :)

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BraveToaster

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#58  Edited By BraveToaster

@RPGee said:

Just be careful. As far as I'm aware, a career in the armed forces is not the sort you can get out of easily once you're in.

Huh? You just sign up for 4 or 6 years and get out when your time is done.

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JNeam

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#59  Edited By JNeam

@Stonyman65 said:

Good luck with joining the military now. Because the economy is down, military enlistment is way up and they've already met their recruitment quota. Even if you are qualified and score good on the ASVAB, you might not even get the chance because they don't need you yet.

At least not in anything with a good career path. For the most part, you're looking at a 3 or 4 year enlistment in an Infantry MOS without the possibility of re-enlistment even if you wanted to.

Think long and hard about what service you join and what you want to do. If you are going into Army or the Marines, YOU WILL get deployed. YOU WILL fight. YOU WILL see your friends get killed. That's just the way it is.

The amount of people that actually see combat is very very very low. So no, most likely you will not "fight" and you will most likely not see someone die.

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GiantLizardKing

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#60  Edited By GiantLizardKing

@Stonyman65 said:

Good luck with joining the military now. Because the economy is down, military enlistment is way up and they've already met their recruitment quota. Even if you are qualified and score good on the ASVAB, you might not even get the chance because they don't need you yet.

At least not in anything with a good career path. For the most part, you're looking at a 3 or 4 year enlistment in an Infantry MOS without the possibility of re-enlistment even if you wanted to.

Think long and hard about what service you join and what you want to do. If you are going into Army or the Marines, YOU WILL get deployed. YOU WILL fight. YOU WILL see your friends get killed. That's just the way it is.

Just because you enlist doesn't mean you will have to be in the infantry or any other combat arms MOS for that matter. There are any number of other non desirable MOSs in the Army that I'm sure are available that aren't particularly combat focused. And my friend was Army Infantry when he was shipped out in '06 when the fighting in Iraq was really hot and he was lucky enough to not lose a single guy in his entire battalion. My unit wasn't as lucky and out of around 300 or so of us, a few didn't make it back home.

That said I do not advise a career (or even a stint) in the military. I can almost guarantee it isn't what you expect it to be, especially if you think you are the kind of person that loves that sort of thing. If you must join, why not sign up for ROTC, get your college paid for for free and then begin your career as an officer, and not some piss ant private like I did.

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psylah

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#61  Edited By psylah

I admire those who join the armed forces. I'd like to gain the discipline, the teamwork skills, and the physical training you get from enlisting, but I'm not a big fan of being shot at.

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Trains

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#62  Edited By Trains

@psylah: That's like buying games for the tutorials lolol

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procrasturbate

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#63  Edited By procrasturbate
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sissylion

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#64  Edited By sissylion

@Everyones_A_Critic said:

@McGhee said:

I don't know how anyone can look at the shit our country has been doing over seas and how the troops have been treated, going on tours over and over again in Afghanistan for instance, and look at signing up as a smart and good thing to do.

Yeah, not to be "that guy" or anything but I totally agree with this.

Basically, yeah. Our military is bad and "support our troops" is a dumb thing to say.

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Undeadpool

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#65  Edited By Undeadpool

@verbalmedal: If you're gonna go, go career. Every single friend of mine who just wanted to do their tour and get out wound up going career and apparently it's a lot easier if you just go in with that mentality.

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McGhee

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#66  Edited By McGhee

@sissylion said:

@Everyones_A_Critic said:

@McGhee said:

I don't know how anyone can look at the shit our country has been doing over seas and how the troops have been treated, going on tours over and over again in Afghanistan for instance, and look at signing up as a smart and good thing to do.

Yeah, not to be "that guy" or anything but I totally agree with this.

Basically, yeah. Our military is bad and "support our troops" is a dumb thing to say.

Amazing how someone can read something and then totally invent and insert an entirely different meaning.

I'm not sure if you could have better missed the mark if you had tried.

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sissylion

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#67  Edited By sissylion

@McGhee: We treat our troops poorly and make them do terrible things. Why am I disallowed from both disliking the way America treats its troops and also being critical of the actions they take?

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McGhee

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#68  Edited By McGhee

@sissylion said:

@McGhee: We treat our troops poorly and make them do terrible things. Why am I disallowed from both disliking the way America treats its troops and also being critical of the actions they take?

You are not. This is basically the point I made. I took your first comment as one of sarcasm. Mainly because you said "our military is bad" which was overreaching my original point. Ugh. . .

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JasonR86

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#69  Edited By JasonR86

@SwaziSpring:

Don't join the military because you don't have other options. Join because you really want to. Otherwise you'll just be miserable.

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trav

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#70  Edited By trav

More like NaziSpring.

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fattony12000

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#71  Edited By fattony12000

Talk to

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rpgee

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#72  Edited By rpgee

@BraveToaster said:

@RPGee said:

Just be careful. As far as I'm aware, a career in the armed forces is not the sort you can get out of easily once you're in.

Huh? You just sign up for 4 or 6 years and get out when your time is done.

I meant it in the sense that this person seems like they're aiming for infantry (which may just be me assuming, since there's not a whole lot of information.) I can't speak from experience, but as far as some friends who have been part of militaries have told me, infantry training makes you a very good infantryman, but not a whole lot else outside of that. In a way, it's a niche industry, I guess. After a tour, though, finding work with a different set of skills is difficult unless you already have them. In that case, the discipline of the military would be a bonus.

That's why I think, if you're going to join armed forces, you should go in for a section where you might actually learn a vocation. That way, when you do get out, you have something concrete you can apply in other places.

Then again, this is all based off of assumption and limited knowledge, so really I could be talking out of my arse.

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Flawed_System

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#73  Edited By Flawed_System

@takayamasama said:

Every time a military discussion gets brought up on Giant Bomb, I always enjoy them.

Lots of misinformed, Holly Wood based assumptions on what being in the military is. Always fun to read

I agree.

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dichemstys

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#74  Edited By dichemstys

If I wasn't 300 pounds, I'd so join the military.

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Masin

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#75  Edited By Masin

@sissylion said:

@McGhee: We treat our troops poorly and make them do terrible things. Why am I disallowed from both disliking the way America treats its troops and also being critical of the actions they take?

Do you know how the troops are treated? Have you been mistreated while serving in the military? I didn't think so. Don't make assumptions based on our parts when you aren't the one that even joined.

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McGhee

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#76  Edited By McGhee

@Masin said:

@sissylion said:

@McGhee: We treat our troops poorly and make them do terrible things. Why am I disallowed from both disliking the way America treats its troops and also being critical of the actions they take?

Do you know how the troops are treated? Have you been mistreated while serving in the military? I didn't think so. Don't make assumptions based on our parts when you aren't the one that even joined.

I recently heard the story of a former marine who is a frequent customer where I work. Some of our people have got to know him pretty well. After leaving the military he was receiving benefits for an injury/trauma. He recently wanted to re-enlist but to do so he had to go in and take a physical. He passed the physical and you know what happened to him? He was told "Well great, since you passed that physical you don't need those benefits anymore. And you know what? We still also will not accept your re-enlistment." Great treatment, huh? Don't make assumptions that just because you were treated well, that others have been so lucky. I mean, shit, you ever heard Project Shad?

I've never been a starving orphan. That doesn't mean I can't fucking care about what happens to them.

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Masin

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#77  Edited By Masin

@McGhee: I have not. What is Project Shad?

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sissylion

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#78  Edited By sissylion

@Masin said:

@sissylion said:

@McGhee: We treat our troops poorly and make them do terrible things. Why am I disallowed from both disliking the way America treats its troops and also being critical of the actions they take?

Do you know how the troops are treated? Have you been mistreated while serving in the military? I didn't think so. Don't make assumptions based on our parts when you aren't the one that even joined.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestoryamericas/2012/08/201284114116811951.html

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/10/for-transgendered-soldiers-dont-ask-dont-tell-carries-on/264225/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57394452-10391704/study-suicide-rates-among-army-soldiers-up-80-percent/

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McGhee

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#79  Edited By McGhee

@Masin said:

@McGhee: I have not. What is Project Shad?

The government tested chemical/biological weapons on troops without their knowledge. Just look it up, man. There's tons of that shit out there. You know when they were testing the first atomic bombs that they had soldiers march through the recently bombed areas to see how the radiation affected them? You think the government suddenly got a conscience and quit doing shit like this? And this is just one aspect of this whole "how the troops are treated" issue.

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SathingtonWaltz

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#80  Edited By SathingtonWaltz

@EpicSteve: I actually have some specific questions for you. I'm not thinking of enlisting, but I do have some questions about military combat in the real world vs its portrayal in games. Granted, I'm assuming you've been in combat before?

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PillClinton

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#81  Edited By PillClinton

You and I wouldn't get along, at all.

Yes, I know my comment's worthless provocative trash that adds nothing to this thread, but that's ok with me.

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Sanity

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#82  Edited By Sanity

Nothing wrong with it, just make sure you know what your getting into. I think if not for my heart problems i would have joined, theirs not shit for jobs right now and i think i would take great satisfaction out of it. Think things over first and talk with your friends and family though, its not a decision to make lightly.

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Masin

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#83  Edited By Masin

@McGhee said:

@Masin said:

@McGhee: I have not. What is Project Shad?

The government tested chemical/biological weapons on troops without their knowledge. Just look it up, man. There's tons of that shit out there. You know when they were testing the first atomic bombs that they had soldiers march through the recently bombed areas to see how the radiation affected them? You think the government suddenly got a conscience and quit doing shit like this? And this is just one aspect of this whole "how the troops are treated" issue.

Well, isn't that just fucked up. I was talking more along the lines of living conditions, I didn't even consider this. Hell, I'm exposed to a probably extremely dangerous amount of radiation and beryllium on a daily basis. Working on jets has more dangers then just getting sucked into an intake and walking behind jet engines. It doesn't help that the F-22's stealth coating is extremely toxic. I'm pretty sure I probably already have cancer. But, like I said, I was referring to living conditions (lodging, food). Although now that I look at it, that is definitely very narrow window of what he was talking about.

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lazyturtle

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#84  Edited By lazyturtle

@RPGee said:

Also, considering going into an area where you'll learn a trade. In many places, mechanics are in much larger desire than soldiers, for example.

You have to be REALLY careful with this sort of thinking..for a weird, but specific reason.

Many military certifications are not recognized in the civilian world. I have no idea why, I assume the military doesn't come up with a memorandum of agreement (yea..I work for the government). So you may have the skills and experience to work in a particular field but not the required qualifications. This may not be much of an issue if its just an exam or something, but some trades require apprenticeships and such. Do your research.

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rpgee

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#85  Edited By rpgee

@lazyturtle said:

@RPGee said:

Also, considering going into an area where you'll learn a trade. In many places, mechanics are in much larger desire than soldiers, for example.

You have to be REALLY careful with this sort of thinking..for a weird, but specific reason.

Many military certifications are not recognized in the civilian world. I have no idea why, I assume the military doesn't come up with a memorandum of agreement (yea..I work for the government). So you may have the skills and experience to work in a particular field but not the required qualifications. This may not be much of an issue if its just an exam or something, but some trades require apprenticeships and such. Do your research.

Is that right? Well then, that's another barrier to entry. That seems kind of dumb, but I guess it is about safety procedures and all that.

Of course, those last three words make the most sense of any of this.

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TheVideoHustler

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#86  Edited By TheVideoHustler

War is hell.

Also have fun with no money, no benefits, and a system that is inherently against you.

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core1065

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#87  Edited By core1065

In most jobs in the military your not going to be kicking down doors and shooting people. It can happen, but it's a myth that most people have about the military. Even though I fly UAVs in the army people still think I ruck though the mountains of Afghanistan, which isn't true. The most important thing you can do is to do well on the military entrance exam, the ASVAB. If you well you can pick any job you want if you get high enough. But if your looking to get a job (or MOS) were you do kick down doors and shoot people in the face, if you get too high on the ASVAB they'll bar you from doing so unless you go 18X (special forces). Last note the military is cutting back & it's getting harder into the military. It's not a walk in the park getting in, if you get in trouble during training, there's a good chance you'll be kicked out. In UAV Operator school, we had 1/3 of our barracks being kick out for stupid crap. So walk on egg shells till your done with your training.

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core1065

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#88  Edited By core1065

As for benefits. You can receive the Gi bill which can pay for school as well as your housing up to 1500 dollars a month and many military schools are offering college credits for your AIT (your army MOS training) that can be applied to a degree. In some cases you'll hand you a college degree or close to it after your training has been completed. I received a UAV degree from a national accredited college at my AIT graduation.

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Spaceyoghurt

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#89  Edited By Spaceyoghurt

Sounds like a terrible idea. I would not willingly set myself in a position where I would be forced to kill. Sounds like a great way to mess up your head though, if you're into that sort of thing. Think it through, carefully. Any other possible occupation seems like a better choice than this. Guess we're all different when it comes to war and violence. Just hoping we can evolve beyond this crap someday. But yeah, that's just like my oppinion, man.