hey everybody..

I have been seriously thinking about joining the military..I've asked my parents, relatives and close friends.All they gave were mostly negative comments about it.

So I figured I'd ask the fine people here on TFW for advice. I know it's my call but I'd like to hear from you all about it. I don't have anything really holding me back here in Pennsylvania.No serious girlfriend, no kids to worry about*not saying kids are a bad thing mind you*

What say you TFW ?

crap...mods move this to Gen.Discussion.my bad.

 

Well I think Squirrelcar would be a better person than I to comment on this since he's IN the military but I'd say a few things:

1) You've got nothing holding you back but how would you feel if you were shipped off to a war zone? Could you do that?

2) How long have you been thinking about this? I always say if you want something, wait 2 weeks. If you still want it then, then go for it. Is it just a snap "ooh, I know, I'll join the army!" or have you been debating it for a while?

 

i have actually been thinking about this for the past two months..
I honestly don't know how I would react if sent into battle..Part of me says I could do it, the other says No way..

but I'll give it another couple of weeks and see if my state of mind changes..
Thanks locustreign.

 

I'd say if you've been thinking for 2 months about it, that's pretty positive.

 

well my mom just stopped by my apartment, and said I'm better off joining the reserves then left..heh.that's my mom for ya...

 

Good thought actually. Here in the UK we have something called the Territorial Army, which is kind of like ... it's like the army, except you don't get called to war until we're really screwed basically   It's like "playing" soldiers I guess - all the same training etc. but without actually being sent off to Iraq or wherever. So you do that at weekends and still have a "regular" job too.

Are the reserves a bit like that? Cos if so... might be worth trying to test out the water, as it were.

 

I have a friend in the reserves.. He has drill two weekends a month and two weeks in the summer..He told me that he doesnt have to worry about going overseas unless his regiment gets deployed..

but yeah as you were saying , in the reserves you get to play soldier but still keep your job..at least that's what my friend says..

I just had a brainfart..totally forgot you were over in the UK..lol..

 

Yeah that sounds very similar to our TA. Might be worth looking into that? At least to get a taster. That way at least if you decide it's not what you want, you're not stuck in the middle of a desert with people shooting at you!

 

I'd have thought you'd want to be pretty certain on that kind of thing before joining.

I'm with Locustreign, maybe the reserves (if like our TA) would be a good idea to get a feel without the full commitment...

 

good points guys..thanks..
sometimes my brain says one thing, and my gut says another..
my reserve buddy's going to set up a appointment,meeting, whatever for me with his recruiter..I'm just going in there with an open mind and hear what he has to say..

Private Sideways...hehehe..

 

thanks for the info, Buzzbeak..

one of my close friends is being redeployed to Iraq next year..

but Im definately going to think about it some more..

 

i sure will bro..I know one thing.Im def.not going for the Marines...

im friends with a bunch and they're crazy...well one of them was crazy BEFORE he joined.

 

I joined right out of High school. I will tell you this- it's hard. The main problem is that you now have a lot of freedoms that you may not appreciate to its fullest right now. Not until after I was done boot camp did I realize how much I appreciated listening to the radio, seeing animals, and especially, being around friends and family. You WILL make new friends and such, and things get better, but being in the military can feel like prison to a point, and it will give you a new appreciation for most anything. So, I would ask yourself if you're willing to give up those day-to-day pleasentries. A lot of people aren't and end up miserable their whole term.

EDIT: I wanted to add that if you do join and you do have that feeling like being in prison, just remember that you aren't and that what you're doing is something to be proud of. At least when I was in. I must admit that some people I know feel a little angry and think they're being used for a political agenda not in the best interest of their country.

 

I say join.

If anything, you'll get that macho, no-nonsense attitude and hot killer bod that make women so moist and crazy with manlust they wanna fuck your brains out like all the time.

 

that made me lol, Lance.Thanks!

 

great, my dad caught a gleams of this and now is using me to say this:

'if you want to go join, then more power to ya, you can actually get a good future after joining the armed forces, with enough hard work, determination, luck and an angel on your side, you'll be setting yourself up for a great life after you finish your services. if your not looking for the marines, navy is good, see the world on a ship.'

my dad was in the navy long time ago. I myself am holding back on what to say. i just feel that if i tell you to go that i'll be adviceing you to your end.

whatever you do, good luck to you.

 

Or if you are a hard core Masochist there is always the Marines...