Anyone joined the army after leaving school?

Question

what were your experiences good or bad,my 16 yr old son has thought about signing up.

Answer 1

I joined the army after being expeld from sixth form. I had a massive chip on my shoulder and thought i was better than everyone. I was from a council estate in Liverpool and was hanging around with the wrong people. I was the first recruit in my platoon to get pressups, that was a trend the stuck for the first week or two. I soon relised that everyone is good at different things and you need to work together to get things done!

When i came home i'd look at my "mates" who were still doing the same things we did when we were kids the only difference was the drugs they were using were getting stronger (i used to smoke a bit a weed)!

I was only in for 3 years but to this day i say the best thing i ever did was join the army the second was leave when i did. I think national service would sort a lot of this countries problems.

I am now 24 years old. I'm engaged to my childhood sweetheart, i own my own house and nice car, work are currently paying for my Post Graduate Degree and things are looking very good. Oh yer and the lads i used to call friends still live with there parents, most of them still take drugs and most of them (the ones not on benefits) work in factories or other menial jobs!

So after my long winded rant! Yes let him join he'll become a man you can be proud of!

Answer 2

Assuming its the britiish army. I joined up straight after school and completed 23 years. As with all jobs there are good times and bad times, the good far out way the bad. The money is good,( and an excellent pension after 22 years) there are oppurtunities to travel the world, play sport - even up to international level: learn a trade and to gain confidence in away that will make them a better person. Bad things - you can be away from family and friends for long periods - up to 6 month on tours, moving around frequently and possibly working weekends when you want to be enjoying yourself. All you need to do is phone your local Army Careers Information Office and speak to a trained recruiter, they will be honest and open.

Answer 3

My brother did When you join at 16 you are classed as a boy soldier your actual signing on starts at 18 so if he signs on for 6 years tell him to remember the 6 years will be up when he is 24.
My brother did the first gulf war the Falklands plus 6 tours of Ireland he loved every minute but unfortunately ended up paralysed on his left side .He ended up serving 19 years and also had some great postings to Germany and Cyprus .Good luck to your son..

Answer 4

My son joined at 16. He loved it, went to Spain, did the Bull Run, Canada, for combat training, but out in the evenings etc, he has photos, and videos of parachting out of planes, it looked awesome, he LOVED it. He loved the physical side as well, enjoyed it all. Then he was posted to Iraq, he was put up for promotion, he was doing so good. Then, he nearly lost his life in an ambush, he has been reduced to a young man, who drinks too much to forget, he has ptss, and his life is a mess. I don`t want to put you off, but you have to face the reality of the Army. It can make, or break you, my sons life was turned upside down, by one incident. He knew the dangers, but the reality of the situation knocked him for six. He had the chance to go back in the army after treatment, he Wanted to! but could Not! face it. The mental scars have run too deep. Obviously, my son had a very bad experience, this is not to say everyone who joins up will, he loved Army life before this.

Answer 5

i didnt go in the army,i went navy and i had some pretty good experiences overall, i think the most important thing is what you put into it is what kind of experiences you will have, i.e. if you try hard enough and work diligent, you will feel a sense of accomplishment but on the other hand if you dont try to work to hard and just slide by well you are in for some bad experiences in the long run, tell your son to enjoy school while he can and think of other branches also, Navy, Marines, Air Force

Answer 6

Yep ...you got one here .
I did 2 1/2 years of soldiering as part of my National Service and it was an eye opening experience.

1) I've learned to treasure my home more.
2) I had not realised how nice was a home cooked meal until I tasted the army food
3) I came to love my home bed after sleeping in the army bunk with its creaky springy bed.
4) I met many kinds of army folks with different characters ...good or bad.
5) I picked up smoking in the army.
6) Army has taught me lifelong lessons that no where else do.

Answer 7

I joined the army as a sixteen year old in 1974 stayed in for over 23 years and loved it. He will find the start hard going but once through basic training it gets better.

Answer 8

my sister and my father joined the army after graduating from high school. it is a good experience you get to travel all over the world and you also get a check after you retire!

Answer 9

I did....it was/is an experience that I will never regret.

The Military *or Life in general* is what the person makes of it.

Tell your son HOOAH from an Army Vet.

Answer 10

Yes i was their for a few months as a trial i found the experience really hard but rewarding sadly i did not return as i have a twin sister and six younger sisters me and my twin are 18 living at home with mum and six siblingsw so i couldnt go back as my mum needed me and my twin but im hoping that when their older me and my twwin will be able to go back we are both girls luvs kare and keran twins 4 ever lol 2k6