If you DO decide to join, read over your contract VERY carefully. Because, my cousin got dooped when he joined. He originally was only signed up for a three year tour of active duty. His third year ended just 12 months shy of the Iraq conflict (11 months & 29 days to be exact), and they decided to call him back to active duty and be shipped off to fight in Iraq because, it stated in his contract that they could call upon him to active duty within one year's time of his discharge date.

The military is a suckers bet. It's designed for those who believe they have no better options. They offer you a minimal paycheck and they get you for life. Literally. Most of the modern contracts are very flexible in that they allow the government to "re-activate" you even beyond your agreed term. Worse, with current conditions, you face a very real risk of permanent disability or death that your hazard pay won't cover. Not a very good deal.

I have friends in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. None like it. One plans to stay, largely because he has no other skills. None of my relatives who have been in the service (included veterans of WW2, Korea, and Viet Nam) and few of my friends who have served (including veterans of Grenada, Haiti, Desert Storm, and the current conflict in Iraq) recommend it for anyone but those with no discipline and no skills.

If you want to go to college, there are many businesses that offer sponsorship or reimbursement plans. You can also apply for hardship and need based scholarships and grants. You will need to file a FAFSA statement for this.

Sadly, a high school diploma won't get you much for a job. Without a pretty stellar personality or the right friends, most of the market consists of hard work and low pay. But if you scrimp and save, pull your overtime and work hard to keep up grades, you can make it through college and shoot for a higher paying job. It's tough, no doubt about it, but doable.

Air Force Rejected Me Yesterday

Don't join just because you want to leave. You will get to basic, and regret leaving home. If you want to join for a career, it is the way to go. Don't be fooled, though. The purpose of the military isn't to give you a future, it's to give the rest of the country a future. If you are doing it for yourself, you aren't going to be happy.

I myself, am enlisted in the USAF. I've signed a six year contract, and I go to basic training on May 24th. I'm going to be a Cryptologic Linguist.

Don't be perturbed by having a warmonger as a president, the military and the president aren't the same entity --sure, there are certain powers that give the president the ability to steer the military, but when you get right down to it, congress holds the reigns after 60 days.

Jmurph's comments genuinely offended me. The military wasn't designed for people who don't have a better bet. The military was designed to keep the idiots who seem to think that they are above fighting for what they believe is right, and that the rest of the world will leave them alone if they just mind their own business. Next, the paychecks are FAR from minimal. Sure, the lowest payrank (E1) is only ~$1200 a month, but think about it this way: Add in $400 for rent, minimum, and add in $200 for food a month, again, minimum. Also, figure in medical and insurance benefits: add in another $200 a month, minimum. On top of that, the discount on nearly everything you buy: take about $100 a month off of your expenses monthly... Well, what does that total up to? About $2,100 a month. Yeah, it still isn't the best, but considering after a while, you will hit E3 and E4 payranks, adding another $400-$500 a month. When you get right down to it, the military is more money than you would be making right off the bat out of college anyway. If you know how to save your money, you can come out of it with enough to buy a house and live for a while. You know what else? It's all tax free.

Somebody else also mentioned a friend that got "duped", well, he didn't get duped, he just didn't read his contract. I read my contract, and the first thing they tell you is that they can, and oftentimes will in times of need re-deploy you for another year at least of active duty. When you sign yourself to uncle sam, that's what you do. You may not like it, but you have to do your duty for your country.

Now, Jmurph also mentioned something about it being good for people with no discipline and no skills. I'm sorry, Jmurph, but that's one of the dumbest things you've ever said. Do you honestly think that someone with no skills or discipline is going to survive six to thirteen weeks of mental and physical hell? The military FORCES you to have discipline, and it TRAINS you in your skill. Your friends that hate it, well, those people joined for the wrong reasons.

Most people also say that they joined so they can go to college. Most of these people flame out in basic. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking you go to college after you get back from the military. The truth is, you have enough free time on the weekends and during the week that you can actually come out of the military with a bachelor's degree in almost anything. Not only that, but the opportunity for education through the military is incredible.

The military is a great way to go --if that's what you want to do. Don't let other people chase you into or away from it. Make the decision you are going to be happy with. I made my decision because I love where I live, and because I hate the idea of being in the real world with no qualification to do anything but cut pizzas. I'm not joining for the money, I'm not joining for the housing, or because I want to go somewhere else. I'm joining so that I can have a career and serve my country.

I love america, I hate some aspects of it, but I can say that openly without the fear of being killed in my bed at night for it. I want to help safeguard it against all who will try to harm those that I love. Sure, politics aren't great all the time, and war is inherently wrong, but it is a neccessary evil. You prevent fires by burning problem areas, it's better than letting it build up until it becomes completely out of control.

Do what you think is right, but if you are going to do it, look at the other branches too, not just the ARMY, look at the Coast Guard, the Marines, Navy, and the Air Force. I'd advise you against checking out the National Guard or the Reserves right now, as you aren't going to be staying in reserve for very long. But again, you just have to follow your heart, analyze your reasons and if you decide to look into it, keep your eyes open, do your homework, and read everything they give you thoroughly, if you don't understand something, ask questions. Don't just shake your head and say "Yes sir", you don't have to do that until you get to basic training.

Best of luck.

Who are you to say that everyone that joins the military isn't happy? What do you do? How old are you? Do you have any idea what life is like in the real world? You can't just sit back and let the bills pile up, watching the debt rise while you stay in your little job, doing the same thing, over, and over, and over again. What happens when your health fails? Who covers the bill? What happens when you have to relocate homes? Who covers your bills there?

How do you honestly think that you can state your opinion without someone shooting you in the back because of it? Do you honestly think that you are protected because everyone loves america and wouldn't want to harm other people? Sweet christ! It's the people you just made fun of that protect you while you sleep at night. You want to know chaos, why don't you try living in Iraq or Korea for a while?

The same people you just said have no skill or discipline, I have seen some incredible results from in the last month. I'd like to see you take the ASVAB, or the DLAB and even score half as well as some of these people you just basically called useless morons riding a gravy train. Sure, tests are subjective, but you know what? They do prove what you can and cannot do.

I don't believe for a minute you know half as much as you claim to. Anyone I've talked to that just got out of the service said they hate adjusting to Civilian life, I know people that went back and enlisted again for another 20 years, built up a retirement, and don't work any more --still living well, I might add. And by the way, you know how old these guys are? 45 years old, and they can already afford to not work and live well. I could actually have a retirement fund built up by the time I'm 38, I could afford to send my (I don't have them, but I know I will in a few years) kids to college before they are done with grade school. I know that I won't have to worry about my health failing and my family footing the bill, and I know I won't have to worry about getting laid off or losing my job.

Yeah, you go get your job, you go work nine to five and be miserable, I've got a career that makes certain my standard of living is high. Sure, you may hate the military, but you can't deny that they keep your freedoms safe.

I don't know anyone in the service that have no skills. Your friends can't be much of a credit to their service, as they sure as hell don't represent the standard, or the norm. Most people I've spoken with love their job, and most of them didn't even think about the military as a possibility until they actually looked into it.

Oh, and another thing, "a very real risk of permanent disability or death that your hazard pay won't cover"... You have NO CLUE what you are talking about. Not every job in the military puts you in harm's way --as a matter of fact, the number of jobs in the service that actually put you in harm's way are outweighed a hundred-fold by those that have a 0% casualty rate. Plus, hazard pay and injury and death have nothing to do with each other. The only relation is that you get bonuses for being on the front line, but your hazard pay isn't all you get. You have 100% medical coverage from the military. It won't ensure that you stay alive, but it pretty much knocks out the possibility of serious longterm injury --aside from missing limbs, but injuries and fatalities in this war are incredibly low.

You are only saying half of this because you are an anti-war idealist. I can't stand people who honestly believe all people are good, and won't hurt them if they just mind their own business. If you let the rest of the world become a time-bomb, you are going to be caught by the backlash. Look at World War I, look at World War II. BOTH of those wars were worsened by isolationism.

I have friends in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. None like it.

I can't get over this statement. I've got literally DOZENS of friends and acquaintances in the service, and not one of them hates it. Those people don't make it past basic training. What nobody likes is being in the front line in actual combat, but those guys have my respect. Anybody that does it of their own volition is in my mind a complete hero.

But you have low to no expences while in the millitary. Someone I know joined the millitary and got sent over seas (ended up in iraq). During his time, he saved up enough money to buy a car and live well for a while (even with all that money, he lived with his mom, that bum).

Ter13 wrote:

You can't just sit back and let the bills pile up,

nope thats why you pay them

watching the debt rise while you stay in your little job, doing the same thing, over, and over, and over again.

well its a good thing you get paid for working, or else those bills and debts would be rising!

What happens when your health fails? Who covers the bill?

your employer (or your parents' employers) may offer health benefits. if not, you'd have to pay them yourself, but you'd know this ahead of time. if its important to you, then look for a job that does offer benefits.

What happens when you have to relocate homes? Who covers your bills there?

well i guess usually you'd have to. but thats where the money that you get from your job comes in handy. though, if you're forced to relocate (for job reasons?) then your employer would probably offer some help, though not necessarily financially.

and quite unsurprisingly, some people enjoy the military and some do not.

Yeah, you go get your job, you go work nine to five and be miserable

not everyone hates their job. you apparently like your career, why would it be impossible for others to enjoy theirs?

I've got a career that makes certain my standard of living is high.

my employer breaks the windows on my house and steals my car every morning, ensuring that my standard of living is low.

Sure, you may hate the military, but you can't deny that they keep your freedoms safe.

i agree! but you know, thats what most jobs are about.

i'd hate to be in the military myself, but i surely appreciate the military protecting me.

i'd hate to be a garbage man myself, but i surely appreciate garbage men picking up my trash.

i'd hate to be a circus clown myself, but i surely appreciate circus clowns entertaining me.

being in the front line in actual combat, but those guys have my respect. Anybody that does it of their own volition is in my mind a complete hero.

likewise, garbage men and clowns are my heroes.

Ter13 wrote:

but garbage men, quite surprisingly, earn good money.

It's not that surprising when you think about it. Horrible hours doing horrible work that has to be done equals great pay.
It's probably the number one reason why we have robotic arms on the garbage trucks here.

Ter13 wrote:

I dunno about clowns

They can actually earn a pretty good salary if they're acrobatically skilled enough.

garbage men, quite surprisingly, earn good money.

Not suprisingly at all. Garbage men work hard, and have long hours. Also, nobody would be a garbage man if it didn't pay alot. Think about it. Have you ever seen a little kid who says, "When I grow up, I want to be a garbage man!"?

look at the Coast Guard, the Marines, Navy, and the Air Force.

I'll change that: LOOK ONLY AT THE NAVY OR AIRFORCE OR AND NEVER LOOK AT MARINES
~James
P.S. The only reason I said never look at the marines is b/c the marines are strict and most the people who come out of there end up getting divorced and are just as strict with any kids meaning the kids will turn away from you forever. My dad was in the Navy, but my uncle was in the Marines. Based on what I've heard, he used to be a fun-loving, affable guy. But now, not even a dog will stay with him.

I said Marines not the millitary in general. The millitary is cool, especially AF and Navy. The marines turn most of the people I have met who went there psycho. I only used my uncle as an example b/c he was the first one I thought of offhand since he is related to me and I am doing a Genealogy report.
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