Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that we have the military and I'm glad that we have people who are willing to serve. However, I can't imagine having to live such a regimented life and having someone scream orders to me. Any thoughts?
2007-07-16 08:27:07 · 18 answers · asked by tangerine 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I actually loved it. Spent the first 3 years in Germany serving in the Army. Then 2 more in California.
Had a great roommate. Furniture, electronics, 3 meals cooked for me. Got to go camping a lot (on Tanks). Got a paycheck and had no bills to pay. Clothing allowance every year to buy new uniforms. Women loved me (thanks to the uniform). Great friends and families.
I was in a combat unit while on the M1A1 Abrams tank. We partied a lot because we could (and was) be deployed at any time.
I was only 17 when I joined and the Army gave me the opportunity to grow and mature. Find out who I really am and what I want to do with my life.
We worked hard and played even harder. No one yells at you. We work as a team and I knew what I was doing and would be doing. 1 month paid vacation, travel on holidays, etc...
I could go on, but unless you've tried, I don't think you could really understand the feelings and pride I have.
US Army Veteran 1990-1996
2007-07-16 10:45:19 · answer #1 · answered by Rawbert 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We are a military family with 14 years as a family, 17 years in for my husband. It is a tough life..no doubt about it. The military has control of things most people don't even realize..how you dress off duty, how your family dresses (especially overseas), the fact that even when on leave, you are actually on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The money isn't great, the benefits are better but the system can be frustrating. Not all branches are especially family friendly and I have known many members to miss funerals for grandparents or siblings when their command would not grant emergency leave. All of this aside, I wouldn't imagine any other life. I was not the best military wife for the first few years. I got frustrated and angry with the demands on my husband. However, once I began to understand more how it works and why it was so important, I began to feel pride in both the achievements and sacrifices we all had to make. We lived in Japan for 7 years, coming bck only 2x, but we loved every minute of it. I live in one of the most fascinating areas on this country, but it is so exspensive that we, like most militrary families, struggle to make ends meet. My kids have friends and "family" on nearly every continent (Antarctica and Africa being the only two without someone at the moment). Our family traditions are full of the bits and pieces we have learned in our travels and from the people we have shared out lives with. I know that I can pick up a phone and, even if the person is half a world away, the conversation will flow as if it never stopped. And, I have the wonderful gift of knowing that nearly any person I run into who has lived this life will share many of the same feelings and experiences...it is a fraternity and sisterhood like no other. My kids wear the "military brats" title as proudly as thier Dad wears his ribbons and decorations and I love them all.
2007-07-16 09:04:32 · answer #2 · answered by Annie 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
uhm first off im going to say i am yes 16 but i know a lot of people in the army and that's most likely my career choice so I've done a lot of research through way to many books and websites and recruiting centers. So the military is a good career because you do get discipline and learn good life skills for example leadership and being part of a team. (but everyone knows that from the commercials). but a few nice things about the military is that if you do it short term you don't have to worry to much about if you can make your money stretch the month because most housing and food is paid for through an allowance. plus you get your monthly salary. down side is you are signed to a contract that if you don't complete one way or another your kind of frowned upon. but if you choose to do this for i believe it's 20 years or more you get a pension and i believe you can still collect social security. (not a 100% but pretty sure) so after you retire you could be a little better set off than the average guy out of high school working in a factory their whole life. i am also going to say that its best to go into a tech job in the military if your an aggressive thought person because on the Field aggression could cause misjudgment and put you and or your squad in danger. basically do some research and make sure this is exactly what you want be for you enlist because if you go in and you hate it you got to finish your contract.
2016-05-19 03:29:37 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love the military lifestyle.
Once you are out of training, the life isn't so regimented. You only have someone scream orders to you for a little while.
I joined in 2003 and now I scream orders to people.
2007-07-16 10:36:36 · answer #4 · answered by Daniel R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As you pretty much have read the military life is not that bad. The only complaint I have I just wish our enlisted men and women were paid better for their sacrifices. I am an AF and I enjoy my life I don't have any kids. It is just me and my husband and I have gotten to live in some cool places. I also have seen parts of the country as well as Alaska and Canada that I may not have seen otherwise. My husband believes if he didn't join the military when he did he might have strayed down the wrong path.
2007-07-16 16:22:39 · answer #5 · answered by carebear 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I spent 25 years in the Navy. I was treated more fairly by my military superiors than any of my post-service civilian supervisors. They treated me as an adult and expected me to act like one. I was also part of something larger than myself, where everyone around me had a sense of purpose in their lives. I had a chance to travel all over the world, meet people from other cultures and ways of life. Throughout it all, I came to realize the "quiet power" this nation exercises on the planet.
Now that we are at war, I would got back on active duty in a heartbeat. But, the laws prohibit my being recalled off the retired list past a certain age. Still and all, the fact that we are at war brings to mind a joke which illustrates the difference between the military life and the civilian life:
"When there's danger here, we answer the call. The civilian goes to the mall".
2007-07-16 08:45:18 · answer #6 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You only get screamed at for a short while and it has it's reasons. I am a 27 year USAF veteran and the Military lifestyle has many, many advantages. The main one being consistency. You know exactly when, what and where every thing happens and how to do it. The civilian world is one of chaos and un-organization.
2007-07-16 09:34:52 · answer #7 · answered by Tommy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are those (myself included) that thrive in a military environment. It has good and bad things just like every other facet of life. I'm guessing but I think you have a mis-perception of military life from movies or TV? Take a few minutes and actually talk to someone that has been in for awhile or has retired from the military and learn what its about. Then you can make an informed decision about what its like.
2007-07-16 08:48:18 · answer #8 · answered by Michael J 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
as a military spouse I really enjoyed it. we lived a very normal life with kids and family and had lots of friends in and near the base. Lots of activities. Yeah, he deployed some, but no different than someone going on a normal business trip. You learn to adapt. And you could always count on the paycheck in the bank on a certain day. Good medical.
2007-07-16 08:58:56 · answer #9 · answered by Molly 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Love the military wish I could go back in. Life is structured in basic training and tech school after that its ALMOST like any regular career
2007-07-16 10:24:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋