Honestly considering joining the Military, what should I seriously expect?

[Mizango]

Chair force baby!


Edit: lol @ that picture. I know im a horrible person for that but holy shit.

[Maaglin]

The military can be a great choice for anyone. It will provide you with a lot of valuable life tools, can pay for your college, and provide a career path for you both in and when you get out.

You'll have the opportunity to see and experience things that most people never do and you can work towards and be part of something you can be proud of.

[Woozie]

What do you want to do in life? What are your goals?

[Senoska]

Being shot at.

[Faris]

damn, thats messed up bro.

I hope it works out for you, try your best to find something other than the military, if not, noone is going to tell you to die of poverty and hunger.

a man gotta do what a man gotta do.

[Demosthenes11]

joining the military is never a poor choice to make
they take care of you

[weeder]

No money? you'll get enough in the military. no friends? you'll make plenty in basic training and when you get to your unit. a place to live? they have barracks. Your unit will be your new family. not the greatest, but it's one that will help you in every way they can. I can't tell you which branch to go for, guy, but i was in the Army. I was a hooah motivated paratrooper in the 82nd airborne, but i had my issues. 5'10" and 130 lbs?! haha dude i was 5'3" and 130 lbs when i went it. i came out at 140 lbs and in damn good shape!
ok the deal about running 5+ miles in basic. that's true, but they ease you into it. it's not like on your first day they make you run that far. take care of your knees, drink milk, and stretch right and you'll reduce your chances of stress fractures. the yelling? lmfao! the idea is not to let it get to you, and don't take any of it personal. that's how a lot of new recruits get depressed and all emo.
you sound like someone who would probably like the air force or coast guard. but the army and marines aren't all about the front lines and dying like everyone makes it out to be. I was an 11B-P (infantry; parachutist qualified), that's the front lines. Try getting into civil affairs, being a chaplains assistant, some type of desk jocky job. oh and cooks sometimes do act as front line soldiers, so that rumor about cooks not doing anything isn't true. join the band if your good with instruments.
All i'm saying, guy, is do what you feel you'd be good at. And if you don't want to see combat, don't enlist in something like the infantry or special forces. No matter what you do, you'll deploy. Don't freak out, everyone else around you is too, so you won't be alone. its only a year. 12 months. unless you get a 15 month deployment. As long as you keep yourself motivated, make good friends, and set goals, you'll make it through basic like nothing. look for the funny things in the military. like all the stupid sights that repeat themselves like everyone is an idiot. or your drill instructors big ass hat. or the guys who start crying when they are being yelled at. hahaha I loved that stuff. oh! or when your drill instructor gets in your face and his face is all red.
the best part of it all is when your in the field, everyone is suckin'. no one has it better than the guy to his left or right. that's what builds your camaraderie and is the basis of all those good stories you can talk about on a boring night in theater.

Well that's my two cents. check out recruiters, don't give into their BS, tell them what you want, and make it clear. And then choose which one you think would best suit you. If you decide the military isn't for you, start out at a community college like Waef said. just remember: you make the military what you want it!

[Mojo]

If you're serious about enlisting then you should make sure that you're prepared to do so. Study for the ASVAP as much as you can, it goes a long way. You should also be aware that the recruiters aren't held to anything they say unless it's written down and agreed upon (i.e. they tell you you'll end up with a nice position but after you enlist you get assigned some shit position.) There are lawyers who specialize in dealing with that, so make sure you consult with one before you sign anything. The branch that you join really depends on what you want to do although from what I hear the Navy is a good place to be these days.

[Faris]

No money? you'll get enough in the military. no friends? you'll make plenty in basic training and when you get to your unit. a place to live? they have barracks. Your unit will be your new family. not the greatest, but it's one that will help you in every way they can. I can't tell you which branch to go for, guy, but i was in the Army. I was a hooah motivated paratrooper in the 82nd airborne, but i had my issues. 5'10" and 130 lbs?! haha dude i was 5'3" and 130 lbs when i went it. i came out at 140 lbs and in damn good shape!
ok the deal about running 5+ miles in basic. that's true, but they ease you into it. it's not like on your first day they make you run that far. take care of your knees, drink milk, and stretch right and you'll reduce your chances of stress fractures. the yelling? lmfao! the idea is not to let it get to you, and don't take any of it personal. that's how a lot of new recruits get depressed and all emo.
you sound like someone who would probably like the air force or coast guard. but the army and marines aren't all about the front lines and dying like everyone makes it out to be. I was an 11B-P (infantry; parachutist qualified), that's the front lines. Try getting into civil affairs, being a chaplains assistant, some type of desk jocky job. oh and cooks sometimes do act as front line soldiers, so that rumor about cooks not doing anything isn't true. join the band if your good with instruments.
All i'm saying, guy, is do what you feel you'd be good at. And if you don't want to see combat, don't enlist in something like the infantry or special forces. No matter what you do, you'll deploy. Don't freak out, everyone else around you is too, so you won't be alone. its only a year. 12 months. unless you get a 15 month deployment. As long as you keep yourself motivated, make good friends, and set goals, you'll make it through basic like nothing. look for the funny things in the military. like all the stupid sights that repeat themselves like everyone is an idiot. or your drill instructors big ass hat. or the guys who start crying when they are being yelled at. hahaha I loved that stuff. oh! or when your drill instructor gets in your face and his face is all red.
the best part of it all is when your in the field, everyone is suckin'. no one has it better than the guy to his left or right. that's what builds your camaraderie and is the basis of all those good stories you can talk about on a boring night in theater.

Well that's my two cents. check out recruiters, don't give into their BS, tell them what you want, and make it clear. And then choose which one you think would best suit you. If you decide the military isn't for you, start out at a community college like Waef said. just remember: you make the military what you want it!

Caution: Forum army bot

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

If you're serious about enlisting then you should make sure that you're prepared to do so. Study for the ASVAP as much as you can, it goes a long way. You should also be aware that the recruiters aren't held to anything they say unless it's written down and agreed upon (i.e. they tell you you'll end up with a nice position but after you enlist you get assigned some shit position.) There are lawyers who specialize in dealing with that, so make sure you consult with one before you sign anything. The branch that you join really depends on what you want to do although from what I hear the Navy is a good place to be these days.

Ya I forgot that, get it in writing. But if you score high enough the recruiter will place you in a better spot. He gets a bonus for successfully recruiting intelligent, tech savvy candidates that take about 1 1/2 years just to train for before heading out to fleet.

[Bikpik]

i'm in the exact same situation as the op, except i'm in canada. no money, no friends, no place, sleeping on a couch, no family, $10k in educational debt with nothing to show for it, unable to afford to go back to school even if by some miracle i was admitted with my poor academic record. currently redoing some high school (at age 21) hoping to get back into a school, even though i know i can't afford it. been considering the military life for awhile now. i happen to live in an airbase town and the only respectable thing anyone in my family ever did was serve, so i guess that sways me in that direction a bit.

Look into the reserves first, then if you like it go into the Regular Force (Navy or Air Force). The Canadian Reserves will give you half your tution or $2000 a year (which ever is less). Also, with the Reserves, you work contracts, so when your contract is over, you're eligable for Employment Insurance, which in turn makes you Eligable to get funding for some colleges (not a loan, so you don't have to pay it back).

One word of advise though. If you do plan on staying in the Forces for long term, go into the Regular Force. Their benefits are much better than the Reserves.

ps. I'm a retired Master Seaman from the Canadian Navy Reserves, so PM me if you have any other questions.

[Kayen]

Thank you all so much for not trolling me first off. I've been looking into fields and there are a too many to choose from.....so i'm going to sit down and look into them all and narrow it down. I'm going to exercise and try to get in a somewhat decent shape. Running isn't my thing, but i'm going to give it a shot voluntarily, since if I enlist it will be manditory.

One other question, do you have to shower with a bunch of different guys? Because that's just not something i'm in to.

[weeder]

i'm not a forum army bot fool! hahahaha!

[Casty]

One other question, do you have to shower with a bunch of different guys? Because that's just not something i'm in to.

You'll get over it.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

You'll get over it.

lol seriously everyones so tired and mentally beat down the last thing you need to worry about is getting raped or gazed at in the showers.

it's literally bed at 12, reveille at 4 ( 330 or 3 if your division fucked something up to be taught a lesson ) then into the showers.

[aduidarnenye]

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - Winston Churchill

If you want to join the military, make sure you do it for the right reasons. Not because you need a pay cheque.

[Cream Soda]

Not because you need a pay cheque.

What other reason is there?

[Fhloston]

I love these threads, good info and I love hearing from those who have served.

I'm considering enlisting in the (ch)Air Force after getting married in March. Two of my best friends served (army, navy) and they have told me nothing but good about their branches, and they're both doing well for themselves. My decision for the air force came from visiting my fiancee's sister, who's husband is currently enlisted, at Patrick Air Force base in FL. Great housing, and awesome benefits.

I'm not looking to be a combat grunt, and hopefully want to get in to working with computers in some method. Plus, my fiancee would be able to make use of the GI bill to further her education, and have great health benefits too. Plus, I'm just sick of the everyday routine (get up, work, go out with fiancee when I can afford it..), plus I would like to travel and say I've done something adventurous in life. These are my reasons.

I know my biggest challenge will come from basic, since I'm currently out of shape. (5''6, 240 lbs) but this will also give me a chance to greatly improve me health, which is always good in the long-run.

My apologies for deferring from the OP. I wish you all the best, and I hope this path leads you to where you want to be in life. I invite any advice though from former Air Force, PMs are welcome!

[Clash Perez]

I was in a similar situation a little over six years ago. I got out of high school, spent a few years in shitty jobs, while trying college several times without really having my heart into any of my studies. After wasting almost four years, I decided to join the Navy.

I took the ASVAB, scored well enough to enter the Nuclear program. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't horrendously hard. Chances are good that you'll work for every dollar you make regardless of your rate, at least at first.

To make a long story short, I did my six years without getting into serious trouble and got out with experience and a skill set I lacked prior to it all. I do well enough (~$65k/year at the job I just started, which will become ~$72k/year in another few months, and then ~90k/year in a year or two). If I choose to drop the job and go back to school, I'll have a fairly sizable amount of money for it, due to the new Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

Bottom line: The military is what you make of it. There's no 'magic bullet' (lolpun) which will force you to become something you are not already. It takes work, regardless of where you go. If you need some extra time to figure out what to do with yourself, the military will give you room, board, and some spending cash while you're doing that.

(p.s., if you don't feel like having people shoot at you, join the Navy, Coast Guard, or Air Force.)

Like a few of the people here have said, feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions you'd like to have answered.

[Milton]

so i made my application to the air force today, and i just wanted to thank the people who posted in this thread for their advice.