"Army" what do you people think

[iwanttofight]

Hey people, what do you people think about having a fulltime job in the army?
I have a recruiter coming to my house in a couple of days to talk. Do you think being in the Army would be a fun exciting job? Do you think the lifestyle would be good. Will you still have time to enjoy yourself like going out to bars and clubs? I know this is going to be a big decision for me and need a little help from you guys.

 

[OC Speedball]

A recruiter coming to your house? Wtf...

I almost joined the Army this summer, but then decided against it. My friend was in the 82nd Airborne. He hated it. Different people will tell you different things about it though.

Basically, the recruiter WILL lie to you. My recruiters lied to me (I know because I asked my friend in the Army). They said BS like that the FBI was going to come in and give me a background check before I could enlist. They also try to make you feel as bad as you can about your current situation. For example, I am in college and they kept telling me how it's going to get me nowhere.

For me, I love shooting guns, being in dangerous situations, flying in airplanes, etc, etc. But most of the time you aren't even doing that stuff. You are going to be stationed at Ft. Bragg, and there are a bunch of rednecks and ghetto people in North Carolina. People in the Army can also be very annoying from what I've heard. The weather sucks too. You get to go out on weekends and there are almost always bar fights. (There are lots of fights in the Army and Marines. A lot of testosterone). The Rangers fight the Airborne guys, and then the Rangers will team up with the Aiborne guys and beat the crap out of Marines. And then the Marines and Army guys team up to fight any Air Force or Navy guys in the bar, etc.

If you really want to serve your country, and you love doing stuff like that then join. Other than that it gets very boring from what I've heard.

 

[SgtSplacker]

Just read an article this week stating that people with military expereince are having a hard time finding jobs, that companies just dont need the military experience. Personally I wouldnt mind joining as long as i'm not going to be some front line grunt...

 

[the_great_gaia]

Well, I joined the Army in 2005, and it has changed a lot.. for the worse. It's not fun anymore, there are so many regulations and rules. Hell, if I could, I'd ask congress if I could give you my spot, because I want out. If you decide to join, you'll notice a lot of weird things. It seems like they're replacing "WARRIORS" with "WIMPS". I'm a 6-year veteran, with 3 deployments to Afghanistan/Iraq. You'll have a few people that want to kill themselves because they realize joining the Army was a mistake, and believe there is no escape, or they're sooo depressed. But, it depends on what your MOS (military occupational specialty, i.e. job) will be. Other service members may disagree with me, but this is my point-of-view, as you may meet others that would agree with me.

It's a different lifestyle, one in which you must serve, and it's nothing at all like the commercials on TV, or anything that the Army recruiters tell you. Although you will be receiving a steady paycheck, it won't be a GOOD paycheck until you've been in for at least 3-plus-years (E1-E3 pay sucks!) until you decide to get married, and if you're younger than 26 years old, and haven't been in a long term relationship for at least 3 years, your marriage WILL FAIL! I can guarantee you that. Military wives LOVE to cheat when you're away, because you'll never know about it... of course, unless they tell you.

The bars may be a plus for you if you love to drink, but remember what I said about regulations. If you EVER in your military career get even ONE DUI/DWI, they will KICK YOU OUT SO FAST!! And you'll get a General or Bad Misconduct Discharge, so be careful when it comes to the drinking. Make sure you never make fun of any gay person in the military that you may come across because they are now HEAVILY protected by these NEW policies and regulations; when I first came in, the military would kick you out for being gay, but not anymore (btw, I have nothing against the LGBT commuinity). As for the clubs, it depends on your job in the military, where you get stationed, and what kind of friends you have. I'm currently stuck in San Angelo, Texas.. and it's super BORING!! It's so horrible here, and the Army has a lot of horrible assignments, unless you go overseas, then the clubbing gets better.

If you believe that being in the military is a cool way to get more chics, it can, but you can not let the women fool you, because it's not about you, it's about what you do and what you are. You're a soldier, that gets money, with reliable health insurance in a bad economy.. you will get used by many women if you fall in love with them (which is why most service members either marry other soldiers, or fat women).. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. Being in the military isn't entirely too bad, it just depends on your job and luck.

I'm quite sure those recruiters are telling you all of the advantages and good things about joining, so I'll tell you all the BAD things, and the BAD always outweighs the good. But if you want to fight, you can get in on plenty of that. Good luck.

 

[5string]

I was in the Infantry. A great time in my life but it's changed now as gaia said. They are now letting women into combat arms!

Can't even get away from the fatties in your foxhole!

 

[the_great_gaia]

Another thing, about Fort Bragg (I was there for 4 years), the crime rate in the city of Fayetteville (basically, Fort Bragg) has risen TENFOLD! The army prepares you for war, but the people of Fayetteville will try to mug you, or fight you, jump you, break in your car, etc. They don't care if you're military or not, because they are dumbfvcks that are broke as h3ll and they want what you got. They couldn't join the military, so they'll take it out on you. but thats just on Fort Bragg..

 

[the_great_gaia]

I can counter everything an Army Recruiter is probably telling you...

The college deal?
I'm assuming you're trying to join the Active Duty Army.. and they tell you that you can go to school for free, and get the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, right? Well, this is what they don't tell you..

THE MISSION COMES FIRST! This is what I got told when I tried to "go to college on the Army's dime".. but they gave me an option:

I can find a college to attend online, and I can take 1 or 2 classes a semester. I soon discovered that the college I was taking courses from wasn't credible, and doing the courses from the dull college credit hours would help me get promoted to Staff Sergeant or Sergeant First Class, Master Sergeant in the future.. and that I'll actually need a Master's degree to be able to be a Sergeant Major/E9. Wow, the Army has changed from that alone. Basically, college is a waste of time, until you finally decide to get out of the Army, then you'll be able to go to any college using the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.. if you get an HONORABLE DISCHARGE (which they are making impossible nowadays with their retarded regulations).

Did they ever say that you can PICK where you want to go?

Thats a lie, you only go where the Army wants you to go. Would you like to know where all the "deployed" assignments are?

-Fort Hood, Texas (sucks)
-Fort Bragg, North Carolina (sucks)
-Fort Bliss, Texas (really sucks)
-Fort Campbell, Kentucky (so-so)
-Scholfield Barracks, Hawai'i (good)
-Fort Drum, New York (sucks)
-Fort Polk, Alabama (sucks)
-Fort Richardson, Alaska (sucks)
-Fort Benning, Georgia (good)
-Fort Stewart, Georgia (good)
-Germany (good)
-Italy (173d ABN)
-Fort Carson, Colorado (so-so)
-Fort Lewis, Washington (good)
and many others.. I guarantee you'll end up at one of these places. I put bad or good, as my rating with the women and nightlife nearby.. some people may disagree with me.

I can't wait to hear your response. Btw, I'm at work, on duty in the GOOD OLE ARMY as I'm writing all of this.. I hate my life.

 

[SgtSplacker]

Interesting replies I always suspected it sucked. I mean those recruiters are so aggressive it just makes sense they are trying to sell you a crap deal. In this world everything is designed to make it just baaaaarely desirable for you, and downright profitable for them. The easier it is to get the worse it is. The american people have been milked like cows for labor and money for a looong time now... were cattle.

 

[HalfAddict]

Terrible idea, they treat you like dirt, the job sucks and you die for corporate interests.

 

[Leopold]

I wouldn't personally would like to try to see someone on the army. Its just not a good idea.

You'll get the... "my country is before you" attitude or "i have a duty that comes before you".

I have met a lady who is old now and she regrets to have married her husband who was on the military. She never could settle up due to the traveling and all. She gave up so much. Now she's old and cant do nothing about it. :/

 

[iwanttofight]

I heard that Obama has gotten rid of the military paying for your college now, is this true?

 

[the_great_gaia]

Also, those corporate interest that SgtSplacker mention is 110% correct

They even profit from how many soldiers get killed in Afghanistan/Iraq in a month's time. LIKE, THEY WANT US TO DIE BECAUSE IT BETTER SERVES THEM!

Another interesting fact about being in the military...

If you do 20 or more years in the miltary, whether it be Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines.. you will only get a 60% pension-paycheck from whatever your longest/highest paygrade was during your time of service. But if congressmen and senators only have to serve ONE term (which can consist of 2 to 4 years), and they get 100% pension-pay for LIFE. And their children can get free admission to ANY college in the United States, and not just the ones online.. but the actual sit-your-ass-in-your-seat classes.

This is so fvcking funny to me! I want OUT!

 

[the_great_gaia]

I heard that Obama has gotten rid of the military paying for your college now, is this true?

I'm not sure about that one. But he is trying to get it to where service members won't receive a cent of their retirement pension until they're 65 years old, just like everyone else that retires, regardless of how many wars you've been in, how many times you've been blown up or lost body parts.

He doesn't think it's fair...

 

[MaddXMan]

I dunno, I'm older and see a lot of my parent's friends who are retired army and doing really well financially. They were in forever though and retired with a higher rank.

 

[the_great_gaia]

Yeah, if they were in the military a while ago and retired, thats when it was GOOD.. but today's military is not that way. The retirement rate will drop in the next 15 years, I guarantee. But if you retire as an Officer, then life must be pretty good, because they're treated like royalty. Enlisting in the military is fvcked up, but getting a commission in the military is bliss..

 

[wait_out]

The military is full of brilliant, brave, and inspiring people, both commissioned and in the ranks... who are continually dealing with stupid, spineless, and shameful people in a system which inexplicably ignores this fact and insists on treating everybody equally. Mismanagement is usually rampant. At worst you are encircled by mountains getting shot up because no sanity went into planning your platoon house (this was Wanat in Eastern Afghanistan). At best you will be cowboying around the third world with an amazing team like a frankenstein mashup of Band of Brothers, Lawrence of Arabia, and MW2. You get no say in this of course -- if you are screwed, you really have no options but to suck it up. I guarantee you spend a lot of time around paperwork, powerpoint, mandatory CYA, garrison routine -- as Gaia stated the legal sillyness has multiplied and it is frustrating, you will only feel any team camraderie deployed 'outside the wire' or on grueling training courses. Further reading:

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=90's%20officer%20%20gwot&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Frobertali.org%2Fimages%2FREFRAD_Justification_Paper1_1_.doc&ei=DmmwTv6KAofw0gGt7p3HAQ&usg=AFQjCNGOvxD3Gjr8DL1ouXKYYp95ioeQpw

Do your research outside this forum. About girls, partying, etc -- it won't disappear but you will not have the same opportunities as a civilian at home. If you are deployed, your 'normal' life is essentially in stasis. At the end of the day though what the military offers is hard to find elsewhere -- just be sure you can live through the tradeoffs if you end up with a bad boss and terrible posting.

 

[HalfAddict]

I mentioned the Corporate interests Gaia... you ought to tell them about KBR.

 

[perseverance]

Why are you asking this question? Other people's opinions shouldn't matter, if you truly want to serve in your nation's military, then I say go for it. I'm in the process of enlisting to join mine. I've wanted to join the Armed Forces of my country for quite a few years and I'll be delighted once I've started basic training.

You just need to know what you're getting yourself into first, you need to realise that you'll be posted to Afghanistan. Over 1700 Americans have died in Afghanistan and thousands more have been wounded, many losing limbs, some losing two or more limbs from Improvised Explosive Devices. Progress is being made in Afghanistan, but the threat from the Taliban and the Improvised Explosive Devices are still very prominent.

If you do decide it's what you want then I wish you all the best for the future.

 

[The_411]

I think he's asking because he wants to know from people who have been there or know people who have done it and what the experience is like and not the fantasyland that recruiters sell to a kid.

I have a few friends in the Army and they say it sucks because there's no discpline and people aren't verbally dressed down or punished by their peers as they were many years back.

There's nothing wrong with serving your country but it would be nice if the leadership could cough without being sued.

 

[FairShake]

I was in the Navy and I had a good time. Made a little money, saw some of the world, came out safe and pretty much intact.

I want to cosign the people that said the recruiters lie to you. I went into the navy as an Electronics Technician on Submarines. I was told my experience would open so many doors to me both in the service and in the civilian world. While I could've stayed in the service and done nicely it wasn't for me and I left after my 4 years. I found out that my experience in the Navy didn't count for much and all I could find was pretty simple assembler jobs for a long time. I finally had to go back to school to actually get a career.

So if you go in without believing half the bullsh!t they will try to sell you I think you can do some good things. You will get some money for school and you will probably be exposed to real teamwork for the first time in your life. You can have some fun but only at the military's discretion. You seem pretty interested in the fun part. If that's your main goal or even a really big one the Navy and especially the Army are not the best places for you. It is really secondary for your tour.