Joining the Military? Are you in the Military? 10 POINTS?

Question

I have always thought of joining the Military, but I am not sure of what branch or what I really want to do with my life yet.

I was thinking about it earlier today, and I thought I would get some other opinions.

What are the benefits of joining the military?

Aside from risking your life, what are the downsides?

Are you in the military? If so, what branch? Do you like it? What do you do? How often do you "work" (if that is the proper term)?
Do you live comfortably, financially and every other way?

Thanks!

Answer 1

When my young sons were talking about it, I led them to this website:

http://usmilitary.about.com/

Search and search and read and read and read on that site. It is pretty accurate, and it is NOT a selling job, like a recruiter is.

Keep in mind that recruiters are rewarded for the number of people they talk into joining. One of my sons was told that he would be playing the trumpet for the Army... and he wasn't even first chair in the band, so there you go. They lie.

If you are not SURE, don't do it. Military life requires full commitment and desire to achieve the best. You can do that as a civilian, too. Just make up your mind what you want and go for it!! Visit your nearby community college and ask them about a career-planning class or seminar. Most of them have excellent programs that will help you decide what is best for you as a career.

Many young people are like you-- undecided about what they want to do. The job market can be very tricky and very discouraging. That doesn't mean that you necessarily should run out and join the military.

On the other hand.... if you have always thought about doing it... it can be an excellent training and career move. Just get your body and mind in great shape first... get used to getting up at the crack of dawn and making your bed and doing lots of work before you join. Because if you're not used to that kind of life, they will KILL you in boot camp.

Answer 2

Most people have answered your questions regarding benefits of joining... I've seen many people that said that the "benefits don't outweigh the downsides". Have you ever heard that saying that "the grass is always greener on the other side"? That is what you are reading about in those people's responses. The things they are complaining about are things that you can encounter in any job... the guy who said that the military controls everything you do... don't you have a set time to take your lunch in a regular job? Don't they control when you work?? The military has its ups and downs just like any other career field.

I have been in the Air Force for nearly 9 years now and I don't regret joining for a minute! I am a Spanish Lingust, which an Intelligence career field. At my normal job, I work an 8 hour shift (either 7am to 3 pm or 3pm to 11pm); if there is more work, I stay late... if there's not a lot to do, I go home early. I get 2 days off a week and holidays. If for some reason I have to work on a holiday (it happens a lot, but I get compensated with a different day off). It is just like any other job! Right now I am deployed to Iraq so my schedule is quite different!!

I do live comfortably. Our pay is by no means incredible but we get paid for our housing, our food, and we get money for clothing every year. I live in what is considered a nice neighborhood in a very nice apartment (2 bedroom, 1200 sq ft with a carport) and I drive a Lexus and an older CRX. I have a 65" TV and surround sound system and with all that I can still afford to put nearly $400 a month towards my retirement! And honestly, how many kids straight out of high school with no degree can live on their own, pay their bills, and be completely independant? Not many. The military gave me that freedom.

When I lived in the dorms, I really enjoyed it, so don't take what that other guys said too seriously! Every base, every dorm, every person is different so you can't take one person's experience as THE truth!

And yes, recruiters are basically salesmen, so they will tell you want you want to hear. However, that woman said that the recruiter told her son that he could play trumpet-- that is true!! The Army (and the AF, not sure about other services) have their own band, so there actually are jobs like that! There is pretty much a military equivilant to every civilian job-- you just have to know which service to look into and do your research!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. :) Good luck with your decision.

Answer 3

I used to be in the U.S. Army---and the best thing that I can tell you is you have decide where you want to take your life, if you are up in the air about what you want to do you need to think about your options completely. Once you are in the military you are in for how ever long you signed for, its not like a normal job you can just quit.
If I were to go back in, I would try for the air force, because from my experience the air force has it a little bit easier than than the other branches. For example while I was in training and could not have civil things the air force was living it up.
There are a lot of benefits to joining any of the branches like schooling and medical benefits. The pay is not too bad considering you do not have to pay rent or food it is all supplied to you along with uniforms.
The only downside besides the one you have listed is the control that is over you. They basically teach you how to live the way they want you to. This is something that is very personality specific. Meaning if that is what works for you, does not mean it works for someone else.
Personally, I would not go back in, but it depends on an individual if they will like and adjust to the lifestyle.

Answer 4

well there are many more bonuses to the military then what people look at
for example retirement
40% of pay
FULL BENEFITS

how sweet is that
if you make say 4,000 (low rank)a month when you retire
you will be making 1,000 when retired for the rest of your life which isnt bad

also housing allowances
you get paid pretty much to have your own home and family

also travel the world for free

in addition they pay for college
that could save you alot of money then when your done you can become an officer which makes even more money than an enlisted
so they are basically paying you so you can make more money

yes there are alot of down sides but who cares
its a lot more exciting than sitting behind a desk untill your 65
oh yeah and you could retire after 20 years of service which means if you join at age 18 then at 38 you have a all the benefits from the military and you are still young enough to go do w/e you want

you have to sell your life but you do the same in any other job
its like the one song by thursday called for the workforce drowing

military= way to go

Answer 5

I am in the Air Force. I deal with Routers, switches and networking. My particular job right now is Tactical Network Infrastructure. We're the mobile combat comm unit on base. I love my job, but I'm not too fond of the military life. I just don't think its for me. The military is changing and everyone says its for the better but I'm not so sure. Some days I love being in the military though. Getting respect from the community, knowing I'm doing something for the country. I work Mon-Fri 730-430. On Mon, Wed, and Thurs we get off at 3 to go to the gym. I don't have standby (where I might have to come in when something breaks or ever have to work nights)However, not all jobs are this cozy. My bro in law works 12 hour shifts and sometimes has to work swings or mids. The upside is you get great benefits...educational benefits...medical..etc. You can get the GI Bill to pay for your schooling completely. Also, you get T.A (tuition assistance) while you are active that completely pays for college classes all you have to pay for is the books. I am married to another military member so we live comfortably. We make around 60000-65000 a year. Good luck in your decision. Remember its just that YOUR decision.. Don't let someone else make the decision for you.

Answer 6

Well my husband is in the Marines, and has been for the past three years as an infantryman. In all honesty he loves his job for the most part, espically when he gets to train the new recruits to the unit. He goes into work every day and works from 05.00 to 18.00 or later. Usualy he has weekends off, unless he has to be on gaurd.

As far as income goes, when he was single it wasnt all that bad. He lived on base like every other single marine, and the income goes up along with every rank. If you're married life is by no means easy, but there is a fair amout of money given. Depending on where you are you get a housing allowence if you live off base for a certain amount.

Every man I have ever met that was in the Marines has a pride for it. Sometimes they "hate it til they love it" but all in all they would never join any other force. You will never have a better brother or a better friend then that of your fellow Marine. It's hard work, it's a thankless job, it's dangerous, and you can be away from your family for months at a time... but if your heart is in it, it is something you could spend 20 years doing.

My advice to you is to find out what you want to do within the military. Do you want to be on the field helping in war efforts? Or do you want to stay away from that? Once you decide that, then you will find it much easier.

Best of luck to you, God Bless, and Semper Fi

Answer 7

I am in the military. I am in the Army Reserves. I did one tour in Iraq in April '03 to April '04.

If you're thinking about joining the military you have to realize that you are giving your entire life away for the length of your contract - even if you're joining the reserves.

The benefits of joining the military do not outweigh the downsides, in my opinion. You have the benefit of saying that you served your country - big deal - I'd give that back today if I can just walk away from my contract. You get really crappy medical benefits - just look at Walter Reed and once you get out of the Military's medical system you go into the hands of the Department of Veterans Affairs and they could screw up a train wreck. I don't even go to the VA for help anymore - I pay for my own medical insurance and I go to see a real doctor.

If you ever wondered what it would like to live in a communist society - it is the military. They control where you eat, when you eat, how fast you eat, what you eat. They control where you sleep, how long you sleep, and the type of blanket you get to use to keep warm. Even when entering the military - based on your test scores they can tell you what jobs you can do and what jobs you can't do.

The military is all politics too. You have to be part of the "in-crowd" if you ever want to get promoted. The military is one big high school where the "Seniors" get to control everything that you do.

Are there fun times? Sure. We laugh about how screwed up the military is.

I enlisted before 9/11 in the hopes of getting money to pay for college. I ended up fighting in a war that had nothing to do with freedom or protecting the constitution. I was there and I did what I was told and it was scary as hell.

Oh, and if you're a pretty smart guy, which you seem to be - you will have commanders above you that litterally could not read the words that I am writing right now. I am not joking. My Captain is basic training read like a 1st grader. If you don't mind having morons in charge of you and responcible for your life - go ahead and sign up.

Financially - you only make *decent* money when you are deployed in a combat zone - otherwise forget about trying to raise a family. Sure, thousands of soldiers raise families - but it is extremely hard. You pretty much have to be Active and live on a base that provides housing for families because if you try to live off-post - it ain't gonna happen.

You don't live comfortably, you don't control anything that you do, you work when they say you work, you sleep when they say you sleep and you have sex how they say you can have sex (I'm not joking - UCMJ has rules on sex).

Oh and you get shot at and you don't get to shoot back unless they say you can shoot back.

Fun stuff. Call your recruiter.

One other tip - everything that your recruiter tells you is a lie. I swear to God do not believe a single word. God help you if you do. They get paid when you sign up.

Answer 8

First of all, you realize that by asking this question you open yourself up to cheap shots from the ignorant liberals. Having said that, I wasn't in the military myself due to health reasons, but I have several relatives and friends who have been. Some of them even served in the Iraq and Afghanistan. They have different opinions about the various branches they were in, but in general they thought it was worthwhile, although very hard at times. If you are serious about joining, talk to people who have been, or are, in the military to get a better idea of what you would be getting into and then make your choice. Your question here is a good start, but you want to go into a lot more detail. Make sure this is something you seriously want to do, and then go for it after you have enough information to make a smart choice. Good luck!

Answer 9

I am active duty Army, going on 4 years and and it has had its ups and downs, I was deployed for 16 months and all this time, but once you get some rank and are put in charge of new guys the army actually makes sense because you see the bigger picture. You live as comfortably and financially secure as much as you make it. If you are stupid and dont save your money and waste it all on booze and strip clubs you will be hurting on the dough, but if you put some away into savings and get things that really are important(and alittle booze) you will be financially secure.
I am a tanker in an infantry world, we did a 14 mile ruck march yesterday with 60 pound rucks on our backs, it sucked but the feeling to finish it was great! Some downsides, well when you first get in you will be treated like the "new guy". You will be in the field regardless of weather. And some really stupid country folk could be in charge of you, even though you know in the real civilian world they would fail at working at Wal-Mart

Answer 10

I unfortunately was just medically discharged from the Army. I loved it. The benefits outweigh the downsides by far. The military pays for your housing, you get full medical and dental, you can continue your education at a much lower cost to you. Both me and my husband were active duty Soldiers. Lucky he's still in. I can still be in that military atmosphere. I was in the Public Affairs/Journalism field.I loved my job. I usually worked six days a week, and always worked late, but I loved it. It's the job I wanted. My husband is a transportation specialist, his work hours vary depending on units deploying and coming home. Either way we both love our jobs and would never want anything else. If you have any other questions feel free to email me!