Thread: Military Service: Tell me about it (or lack of)

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There are forums for each service and lots of vets to answer any question you have.

Are you single or do you have a family?

I'm married with 3 kids (one of the three in the oven) and it's a very hard life to live. I'm going to be deploying to Afghanistan and can only hope that I'll be able to make it back for the birth of my 3rd child. I will also miss many of the developmental stages of my 4 yr old and 19 mo. old.

With a family it is not a commitment to take very lightly (not saying that you are).

Thanks. I'll still stop in here but I'll look into that too.

Originally Posted by fishjoel

Are you single or do you have a family?

I'm married with 3 kids (one of the three in the oven) and it's a very hard life to live. I'm going to be deploying to Afghanistan and can only hope that I'll be able to make it back for the birth of my 3rd child. I will also miss many of the developmental stages of my 4 yr old and 19 mo. old.

With a family it is not a commitment to take very lightly (not saying that you are).

I was considering putting a quick explanation of my situation; 23 in a couple months, no serious relationship and no kids, just out of college with two shit jobs. It's less the lack of pay than it is the lack of purpose that is motivating me; part of it is undeniably a calculation for personal and career advancement, but I couldn't make this decision without a sense of duty toward public service. A sense of fulfillment for me is much more important than monetary reward. If I had a family to support, the two may be conflated, but for better or worse that is not the case; being single with relatively little commitments has definitely had an impact on the way my decision is swinging.

I hope the best for you and your family. I can't imagine juggling the conflicting duties you must endure.

I joined the Air Force out of high school and knew within 2 years that it wouldn't be a career choice for me BUT it was still a good move and I certainly don't regret my decision. During the years that I served (I did 4 active and 6 reserve) there were ups and downs comprable to any other job. My first CO was outstanding and allowed me to learn more about leadership and responsibility than I could have imagined. He was followed by a guy that had no desire other than to make his next rank. I also had a CO who was, in my opinion, psychotic and far, far more dangerous to his own troops than to the enemy. I can tell you with no uncertainty that whether you decide to join the service or not you will be confronted by these same personalities so, ultimately, it will be up to you to get as much out of every experience as you can.

FYI - I joined because the military offered a better prospect than prison. College was an option at the time but I'm pretty sure that I made the right decision in doing active duty first and then going to school afterward when I had worked through some issues.

Fishjoel mentions family issues and, frankly, I found that military and family were not really compatible. There was a saying when I was in; "If Uncle Sam wanted you to have a family he would have issued you one." I'm not saying that it can't be done or shouldn't be done but that, if family is part of your plan, plan well.

I'm not presently disposed to discuss that.

No military service; thought about going the paid university route for free education in return for a few years service but dropped that once I found out that the military was more interested in officers than engineers. I did not want to be an officer, just an engineer.

Worked for 10 years as a civilian employee of the military and several years after that on and off again having the being a sub consultant to a firm with large military contracts, working on military bases across Canada.

Originally Posted by Luap

Hey everyone, I'm just stopping in with a general question for all members here: if you've considered military service, what made you decide to either join or not? I'm not just asking Americans either, and for those with compulsory service, I'd still like your input. I'm asking because I've been considering enlisting in the US military (probably Army or Marines) and I think this forum would offer a lot of perspectives. I'm not looking for any explanations of what I should do, since that is obviously a personal, ethical decision. But I do want advice from those who have been where I'm at: feeling a sense of public service, contemplating the military, but doubtful of it being the right way of serving (for any personal, financial, ethical, etc., reason). What were your expectations, your hopes? Why'd you enlist or why not? Your disappointments and regrets, your satisfactions and fulfillment?

If you feel like writing a lengthy story, please do. I appreciate your advice and time. This is not an easy decision for me and I'd like any bits of information or long-winded stories that might inform my decision.

Some part of me will always regret that I didn't enlist when I was young. I even considered it when I was at the upper age limit, but I had two children at home and decided that had to be the first priority.

I know a number of people who are retired military and it meant most to them in terms of the memories of all the places they got to go. (At least for the ones who stayed sober.) There are many beneifts too, like retirement after 20 years whereas most places you would have to work 30 to get a decent retirement.

Originally Posted by tsquare

I'm not presently disposed to discuss that.

:rolleyes:

Well thank God you "contributed" that.





On topic:

I went back and forth for a while, but since I knew that I wouldn't be able to do what I really wanted to do (pilot) I decided against it. I found other work that helped me with some of the direction like it appears you're seeking.

A buddy's brother joined and became a medic in the Army. He did a tour in Sarajevo back when it was a bit more dangerous. The overall experience was very positive for him. He came back stronger and more disciplined, with a good sense of what he wanted to do.

IMHO, military service can provide significant benefits, but there are some pretty heavy duty risks, especially when we're actively at war.

Originally Posted by pramjockey

Well thank God you "contributed" that.

It was the least I could do.

The very least.

(actually I mis-read the op, thinking it was 'tell us your 'war' stories)

I considered it because of the elite status it has and patriotism, but never did it because Im out of shape, and very independant. I should have done ROTC in college.

During high school, I briefly considered joining the Air Force, even took some kind of placement test. The recruiter was all over me to join after that. I eventually told him that I had decided to go to college instead. The idea of signing some contract, and basically being "owned" by the military, is what eventually scared me off.

I completely appreciate the sacrifices made by others who decided to join, and thank them for their service to our country.

I wanted to join the military since I was 5, mainly because my Dad had been in and I (like most sons) idolized him. Though, as I grew, my reasoning shifted. Being a history buff I started reading more and more military history; learning about battles, different military branches, ideas of honor and brotherhood, glory. I wanted that. I wanted to fight and be part of a brotherhood, to live by a code and crush the enemies of my people. That is why I chose the United States Marine Corps right out of highschool. For me the money for college, medical, etc... was all unimportant and I would have joined regardless of the benefits.