Joining Army and people think Im crazy!..............=(?

Question

I've wanted to be in the military since I was in high school. Its taken me 7 yrs to join but Im finally going in (Army) and feel confident about the decision I've made. I know deep in my heart that this is my calling in life and am happy. Im always getting down because some people just believe I've given my life away since Im joining during war right now! Why are people so ignorant when they do not understand (I guess I don't expect them to) why I want to do this? You can't knock someone for wanting to live their dreams!! Why are people so stupid?!!

Answer 1

I understand completely.I'm 17 and I told my dad(who has not been in my life)that I wanted to join the Army he started getting mad and talking bout I need to wait to the war is over.My boyfriend is in the Army he told me to do what I feel is best for you and he support me 100%.So,I tell you fulfill your dream who knows you might turn out to be an officer who makes alot of money and who is well respected for making it through all that hard training!!!

Answer 2

It's great that you've wanted to be in the military since high school. I was just the opposite but I ended up joining when I was 25 (7 yrs out of high school with all those youngsters in basic training haha). I don't regret joining and had a really great time during most of my 6 year army career but as was said already there is good and bad you need to know that (not that it should effect your decision I hope).
Don't get down when you hear those others say things like that. Ignore them. I know a man now who finally was able to become a citizen of the US and as soon as he did he got his lifetime dream job....working on helicopters for the Army in the Reserves!! He came to this country primarily to have the chance to do that and I think it's great that he's living his dream (he's in his early 30's) and it's great that you'll be living your dream to. I say give it your best and tough it out through the good and bad of what the military has to offer.

Answer 3

It's one way to beat the recession if one is coming. and retiring with half pay at 50 sounds good too, especially if you get into a high paying MOS. If the new GI Bill passes, you will be in good shape when you leave at 50 to start a new career. If it is a career move and you worry about the war, maybe you should join the Air Force. Except for the pilots they are usually able to stay protected on bases I think, rather than going out chasing the enemy. They also have a lot of high paying MOS, at least after you leave and do those jobs in civilian life. Good luck.

Answer 4

I know exactly how you feel. All my friends thought I was crazy too. After I went in and they heard about all my adventures and all the traveling I got to do they were all jealous. All they were doing back home was scraping by on minimum wage, dead-end jobs and wasting their parents money going to college, not even knowing what they wanted to do with their lives. Do not let anyone get you down. You are living your dream. The Army life is awesome. I speak from experience. Thank you for deciding to join. Best Wishes.

Answer 5

When I joined right out of high school all my friends said "see you in a month". They called me Private Bejamin ( that goldie hawn character). They told me I couldn't do it. I proved them all wrong. I did what I wanted and I wouldn't change a minute of it. It was the hardest thing I've had to do physically and mentally and I am better for having done it. Good Luck to you.

Army Vet Army Spouse Army Recruiters wife

Answer 6

Tell them all to eat a flaming bag of (expletive deleted!).
If you feel that this is your life's calling then you go for it. If it is your family, they will eventually come around. My mother was the black sheep of her family for joining the Marine Corps. They got over it.
Advice for basic:
1. When the DI says "You owe me!" Do NOT pull out your wallet! That will just piss him off even more. Yes I know from experience.
2. LISTEN UP if they say something more than once, write it down, this materiel will come back to haunt you.
3. Let it go in one ear and out the other when they are reaming you. In other words, don't take it personally. They are doing their job of trying to get rid of you the individual, and make you think as a part of the TEAM.
4. In your barracks, lay under your bunk with your fingers in the springs and get some shut eye. Then when they come in, you will be crawling out from under there and it looks like you were tightening your covers (they like that). But it won't work if you are a heavy sleeper, or if you snore.
5. RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN get used to it.

Good luck, be safe, stay alive.

Answer 7

They aren't stupid, they just care about you and your life. I am an Army veteran myself and I applaud your decision to join, but, yes usually only the extremely patrioticly outraged )tor the suicidally insane) join during a war which is proving to be so unpopular for everyone involved.

May I ask what MOS you chose? Not that it matters, they will assign you to whatever they need at that moment, these are the extingencies of a wartime Army. One of the reasons I asked you what MOS you chose is, some MOS' have a higher ratio of females than others. I was in Military Intel where the ratio of males to females was like 3 to 1, where in the Military Police its closer to 43 to 1. Not to put too delicate a point on it, the more females in your unit, the less likely you are to be sexually assaulted or sexually harrassed by members of your own unit.
http://www.huliq.com/1239/us-soldier-walks-away-from-her-post-in-iraq-due-to-sexual-harassment
http://www.iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/79520

Thank you for your patriotism, I wish a lot more of the less responsilbe Reps (at least in Yahoo Answers) would follow your example. They might not be so eager to consign others to war if they have to share in the bloodshed in a real, undeniable way.

Answer 8

when I joined my farther was not the most understanding person,he theought i was being stupid and we did not talk for my first 2 years in. People have a negitive look at it because of the war In Iraq,and they dont have the same mind set as you and i did when we joined and why.Its sad people feel that way since what we do its a very thankless job at times and that when we need support from familys and friends they will sometimes turn a blind eye.The people around you where ever you get staction will understand and will understand the best.I feel we need to have laws like Japans has where everyone serves 2 years to fully understand what people in the millitary give up to protect this country and it makes me very angery when people talk sh!t about the millitary and no nothing of what we give up for them to have that voice.

Answer 9

I think after you have been in the army for a couple of weeks you will see that people are not as stupid as you think they are. Good luck from a retired military man.

Answer 10

Too many people are sheep, they are manipulated by the media, they just don't think for themselves.

The men of women of the United States armed services, who are the defenders of our nation, are some of the best people I have ever known.

The saddest thing, is those people who ridicule you for joining the Army, are the very same people who would never consider service themselves, (they feel they are above that), yet they would be the first ones to complain.

Duty, Honor, Country, they have no concept of what these things mean, but you apparently do.

Best of Luck.