is there a way to join the military and be involved but not go to war?

Question

i want to get involved with the military: army, navy, marines, but i want to do something that doesn't involve going to war overseas or something like that. is it possible to do non-combat related things without having to do active service?

haha very funny ;) but i'm serious...is there a way to get involved with something like a desk job or perhaps like advertising or something??

ok, i want to help out with our nation's military, but there's no way that i am strong enough to be a soldier!! there are many different things that i can do and i was just wondering if there was any way i wouldn't have to fight in combat, but i didn't think there was so don't call me stupid or say like "you are joining the military and don't want to fight?"

ok, ok i get it! there's probably no non-combat jobs, i was just wondering so i asked a stinking question! do people even read this anyway??

once again, i plead someone to answer this question: does anyone READ this??

i was just wondering since i would like to get involved with the military (maybe not join...) and not go to war, because as i said before, i don't have the confidence in myself that i am strong enough to be a soldier!

Answer 1

I have worked in Veterans Law. I can tell you that there is no way that you join any branch of the Armed Forces, including National Guard or Coast Guard, and be assured that you will not be called to serve in a combat zone -- especially now. You say that you are not strong. Well, at enlistment, they will examine you. If you are just not particularly strong, you will still be found fit. You'll be trained and get strong. If you have a severe problem, like you have very poor vision or have polio, you will either have restrictions or be rejected. Even with restrictions though, you may be positioned in the Theater of Operations, doing non-combat work (but you can be shelled at or subject to a suicide bomber). If you have an advanced degree, you will get more administrative duties, or even be a physician or a Jag (lawyer in the military). Still, no guarantee you won't be sent to the Gulf, including Iraq or Afghanistan.
Active service, by the way, means all kinds of things, including no combat zone service, like spending all your time in Germany. And also by the way, the Army and the Marines are the most likely people to be in combat in the current conflict. So you might want to join another branch.

Answer 2

With the problems going on with the 2 wars we already have going on, Your chance of being in the mess are probably very high! And now with the problems with Iran, better chances yet you'd be in the mess!

When wars are going on, and for a long time! There's no guarantee's at all! As long as the Iraq war keeps dragging out, it wouldn't be wise to enlist if you don't want to help fight the war on the battle fields!

Once you enlist, They tell you what your going to be doing! You really have no say! The service owns you now and there 100% in charge of you and tell you what you can do and what you can't! But on the other hand you could maybe a great access to them! If you grew up being a hunter and know guns and a good shot, and did alot of camping and are pretty smart at fixing things they may use you for stuff like that! But like I said NO guarantee's!

Answer 3

I would highly doubt that there is a way to join up but not serve. Service means being in the military. You'd at least have to attend basic training and fire a weapon, learn defensive techniques, etc. Not going overseas and not doing combat is really being a civilian.

Consider why it is that you want to join and what kinds of "non-combat related things" you'd want to do. There are very likely civilian jobs that support the military that you can do.

I live in Washington, DC and there are many, many civilians that support the military (some even work in the Pentagon), without being in the service. I'd recommend looking at defense contractors.

Answer 4

I think that if you join the nation guard and you pick a job like letter opener for your company commander then i figure you can still come home and say that you are in the military and have people thank you withou having to actually do any gruntwork.If thats what you want. Or you could join the marines or army and tell them that you have a massive load of sand in your clit and you cant fight.

Answer 5

Volunteer with Red Cross or USO.

Good Grief: The Guard, the Reserves, the Coast Guard, and yes, even the Band, are all subject to combat deployments.

(Bands usually become site security or EPW guards in a combat theater.)

Answer 6

Depends on specialty. Most of the jobs in the military are non-combat or support related. There is the chance that no matter what you choose that you may actually be deployed to a war zone.

Answer 7

Join the civil service and work on a military installation. You would still be contributing to the nation's defense, but wouldn't be a uniformed member.

Answer 8

getting a civilian job on base is darn near impossible. it literally can take YEARS before you can get into the system.

If you want to help the military, than volunteer at the local USO or Legion

Answer 9

You must be crazy, whats the point in joining to serve your country if you don't want to go to war. any service will put you in harms way no matter what job you do.

Dude, we're are not trying to insult you, we're just trying to get a point across as sailors, soldiers, and marines, that when you join, you do it for your countries benifit, not your own. That comes later. so no hard feelings

To be serious you can join as a contractor to do certain jobs, just go to yahoo and search for the contractor jobs. hope that helps.

Answer 10

i went to an air force recruiter at school one day and he was talking to someone who wanted to join but didn't want to do alot of combat and the recruiter said that the only people that really ever carry weapons in the air force are mp's