Pro's and Con's about military life?

Question

I know I asked the question before about what you missed about military life. This one is about the pro's and cons about military life, well my own anyway. What were your pros and cons?

Pros:
-Free everything(meals, medical/dental, free housing)
-blowing stuff up
-being able to travel
-great friends
-being able to serve my country
-jumps
-days are never the same
-being respected
-being a PT stud =)
-spiffy uniforms and shiny boots
-Bragg Boulevard

Cons:
-the 10:1 male to female ratio (fort bragg and surrounding areas)
-the 8 hours leading up to jumps
-the nearly twice a month random drug tests
-having to salute an officer every 5 seconds walking to the DFAC at lunch
-having an SOP for every single thing
-battalion/division runs
-holding the guidon on battalion/division runs
-ruck marches
-E4 pay
-no showers out in the field
-police calls
-being away from family back home
-Bragg Boulevard
-a CO with a Napolean complex
-being cramped in C130's

to resource_miser: I understand there are different lifestyles to be had in the military. Its just that we were taught that we should have a lot of pride in being airborne, and I was proud to be airborne, for its history, and well.. because it was fun to jump out of perfectly fine plane while in flight. I didn't mean to sound cocky about it, I apologize if I did. I have absolute respect for anyone who serve or has served. Politics in the military was one thing I couldn't stand. I see your point about promotions and such because of connections. I was passed over a few times and got denied PLDC just because I wasn't a kiss-a** to my CO. I never had my own squad to run, but still there was very little personal time only because there was so much work to be done. School was most definitely out of the questions because the schedules were so erratic. And yes, often times our leadership was pathetically below standard, but despite all that, I don't have any regrets.

Answer 1

CON: you cant be gay.

if your a gay American you can not enter into the millitary.

There are many people that would love to fight for this country that cant, but far more people would choose not to.

Why not???

Answer 2

Well I try to ans. from the Navy man's point of view. I was stationed overseas and the travel was great. Our homeport was Japan and I liked it but the biggest problem is you have no home life unless you are married and can afford to bring your wife over to live on base.
Next I think it's the long working hours at sea.
I liked serving my country and would have liked to ship over and become a electronics welfare tech but I had been overseas for 40 months and so decided to come home.
I think the best thing the service has to offer is the 20 year retirement and medical benefits you get and my ship had pretty good food.

Answer 3

Dear N.M.,
If a gay really wanted to join... it's sort of a "don't ask don't tell policy"...
Here's a few of my pro's and con's... (my hubby is a Marine)
Pros-
Commissary & PX
Military Discounts off-base
Tricare
Base Housing
My hubby has made some great friends.
Marine Corps. Ball
Bragging rights!!!

Cons-
My husband and I have only spent about 5 months together (literally) out of the 3 1/2 years he's been in.
Base housing... but it still beats the barracks from what I hear!
Inspections out of nowhere for no reason -- pain in the ***.

Answer 4

Working at a Naval Hospital was kinda' like having a civilian job, except for the saluting and the possibility of being deployed as a field corpsman at the whim of Uncle Sam. pros- We were fed great for free.
-Had my own room with no rent.
-We had a few hot Navy nurses.
-travel
cons-bagging placentas in a biohazard bag after a woman gave birth. This was extremely disgusting especially when the placenta falls out of the bag and onto my foot.
-homesick.
-not being able to locate the friends you served with once you are discharged

Answer 5

I think you hit the nail on the head there with most of those. I'm not military myself but grew up navy brat for a while and what I remember being the worst was being somewhat isolated from everything that wasn't military (we were overseas untill I was 14). Once we moved back to the states though that went away. So I guess if you're overseas, theres that, but if you don't mind being surrounded by that life all the time, you're good. Thanks by the way.

Answer 6

airborne...

there are many other lifestyles in Army or other branches

for my own experience...I had little 'personal time' and lots of time spent in service to country that was abused by leaders over us for thier own reasons, because they could

lots of training, lots of deployment, family became enstranged

however: 2200 (take home after deductions) every 15 days, got out of debt, saw other parts of world, 100% tuition if you can find time to go to school while in combat (as SSG and squad leader over 14 yrs pay)

but if money isn't your bottom line, there are othe ways to serve your country just as honorably

politics is HUGE in military, many people get promoted not for skill but on politics and survivor skills to outwit fellow soldiers and suck up or go to military schools

Answer 7

Let's see: Pros- Travel
Help with college education

Cons- Be a hired hitman, paid to kill other human beings
because some moron tells me to
Being told what to think
Being told what to wear and how my hair should look
Being told when to eat, when to sleep, when to get up
Being stripped of any sense of individuality
The worst thing is being ordered to kill people and trusting that the person who gave the order is not insane or grinding his own personal axe.

Answer 8

30 days paid vacation annually.

3 day passes

EMs salute you every time they pass.

Gay EMs have the advantage having to sleep in the same room with 50 other guys who are not allowed to see women.

Answer 9

well my husband is in the Air Force and we love it, its the best decision he ever made!

Answer 10

The pro's most of the stuff you listed.

The Con.......

Getting killed
.
.
.