Joining the army?

[JillLars]

Ok, I called my boyfriend up tonight and he tried to play an april fool's joke on me, saying that he was joining the army.  He told me it was a joke, but then we got to talking and decided that joining the army might be a good thing.  We are both going to visit an army recruiter tomorrow.  I am very nervous about it, I have a lot of questions, but I think that joining the army would be a good thing.  We both agree that it would be a really honorable thing to do, to be able to tell our children how we served our country.  We also would like the education and training experiences.  I am open to different MOS's but both my boyfriend and I are leaning towards something in the Military Police field.  I want to be a social studies teacher someday, and I think it would be nice to have some more life experience, and more knowledge, first hand, before I'm a teacher.  The thing that worried me the most was the physical aspects, I'm kinda wimpy, I don't know if they would even accept me cause of some knee and back problems.  But, I printed out the requirements for the army physical fitness tests, and a training schedule to help get myself up to par.  Please pray for me while I'm making this decision, and for my boyfriend as well.  Any thoughts?

 

[MetalBlade]

Well, it's really up to you. But know this, if you see an army recruiter, they will never leave you alone. They are worse than the blood donners. I myself think that the army, or any branch of the military, would be a wonderful experience. Especially if you love your country!!!

 

[altya]

Pray about it and listen to God

 

[Gerry]

I will tell you something you have not considered. You mention what you want to be someday: a social studies teacher. Know that this is what YOU want to do. But YOU that goes into the Army will not be the YOU that comes out. Every aspect of your life will change and you will never be as you were BEFORE you went into the Army.

It is admirable to serve your country. I did. I was in the Navy, so I speak from experience. And while this idea of yours and your boyfriend is very romantic, it is not practical, and I suggest you forget it or come up with another reason for joining.

 

[Wolseley]

I spent 5 years in the Air Force, and I will echo what Gerry said: you will be a totally different person when you come out of the Army than who you were when you went in. So bear that in mind.

The second thing I'll say is this: do NOT go into the Army just because you think "it's a good thing to do". You'd better have some kind of idea about what you want to do in the Army, and make some smart decisions about your choice of training. You wouldn't go to college and tell the academic counsellor, "Oh, I'll just take any old course of study, it doesn't matter. Sign me up for whatever classes you want. I'm just looking for life experience."

Nobody would do that, and you shouldn't do that in the Army, either. The Army will give you a battery of tests to determine what your strengths are and how those strengths can best be used by the Army, so your choices will be partially shaped by that, but you should also have some sort of an idea about what you want to do as well. If you think you wouldn't be too happy spending your tour changing tracks on tanks (lot of sledgehammer work, there ) and loading gasoline cans on six-bys, which is what you'd be doing as a vehicle maintenance and supply technician, then you'd better not tell the recruiter, "Oh, just sign me up for whatever you happen to need. It doesn't matter, I'm just looking for life experience." You might end up doing just what I described.

I don't know where your interests lie, but you might think about looking into military law, or electronics, or medicine; the possibilities are really endless---but do NOT settle for "whatever the Army wants". If you do that, the Army will slap you into whatever slot they have open, and you might end up spending three years with a rifle in one hand and a shovel in the other, with grease under your fingernails and corns on your feet. There's nothing wrong with that if that's what you want, but don't take it simply because you're looking for life experience.

Unless you plan on making a career out of the military (which is not a bad idea and I would never discourage anybody from making that choice---I wish every day that I had), try to choose a Military Occupational Specialty that you can build on and use in your later, post-Army life.

 

[GodOwnsMe]

mhhhhh I personally am pretty critical towards the military... I mean I'm not sure what's wrong or what's right...........ya know you 'gotta' do whatever your government tells you to !
Father, please show JillLars and her boyfriend what to do, what your will is. Please draw them all close to You and guide them all the way, keep them safe and fill their hearts with Your love, peace and joy. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen

 

[Didymus]

I think you have been caught up in the patriotic fever of the war. why not look into the national guard or rotc first ? i have never been in the military. they would have to be pretty hard up to take me. the spirit is willing byt the flesh is weak.

 

[Susan]

Please! Don't do it! You'll only die in an unjust war, either this one or our next war. ;;^.^;;

 

[Memory's Flame]

LOL! Jill; I think you and Josh have things worked out...

As for the noter above me... sorry but not EVERYONE thinks this war is unjust...

 

[JillLars]

2nd April 2003 at 10:54 AM Didymus said this in Post #7

I think you have been caught up in the patriotic fever of the war. why not look into the national guard or rotc first ? i have never been in the military. they would have to be pretty hard up to take me. the spirit is willing byt the flesh is weak.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  That is how I'm feeling now.  I will give a little update.  Josh and I went to the recruiter's office and spent 5 hours there.  We had careers picked out, we filled out applications, were signed up for our physicals, and aptitude tests.  We were ready to sign on the dotted line.  The thing I was most worried about was the physical aspect of it, I'm kinda wimpy, bad knees and a bad back.  When I got home I went to sleep, got up to go to work that night and was still really wanting to do it.  Not just because it's a good thing to do, but because there are good career oppurtunities and financial benefits.  (Man I'm starting to convince myself again).  Then I started thinking, I live w/ Josh, we spend every moment together, and I don't think that I could handle being apart from him for months or longer.  I was so willing to do it until I started thinking about my family, friends, and Josh.  I decided that all of the benefits would not be enough to make up for the time I would lose with my family, friends and Josh.  Now I just had to tell Josh this, he was still really wanting to join.  Now, I know girlfriends are supposed to be supportive, but I had to be honest, I just called him up and said "I don't want to join, and I don't want you to either" We talked about it and decided that it wouldn't be good for us to join.  I know that we both have an even huger respect for those who do serve in the military...I thought I could do it, but emotionally, I couldn't handle it.  I still think that if there was a draft, if they needed me, and I mean really needed me, I would go in a heartbeat.  I love my country, and this was a really hard choice to make.  So, God bless those who are strong enough to serve in the military!  I will try my best to honor them by getting my teaching degree and teaching social studies!  Thanks for all the responses.

P.S.  Susan, you may think this is an Unjust war, but I do not.  I support our country 100%, and as I mentioned above, if they needed me, I would go.  (I know my boyfriend would too).

 

[Mr.Cheese]

I am sooooo glad you thought about this before you signed the dotted line.
Good thinking Jill!
*hug*

 

[Smilin]

2nd April 2003 at 05:40 AM Gerry said this in Post #4

I will tell you something you have not considered. You mention what you want to be someday: a social studies teacher. Know that this is what YOU want to do. But YOU that goes into the Army will not be the YOU that comes out. Every aspect of your life will change and you will never be as you were BEFORE you went into the Army.

It is admirable to serve your country. I did. I was in the Navy, so I speak from experience. And while this idea of yours and your boyfriend is very romantic, it is not practical, and I suggest you forget it or come up with another reason for joining.

Jill,
I agree with Gerry on this.
After you've met with that highly polished, slick as a wet eel recruiter...
you might want to consider talking with those that have been there.

Gerry's right.. when you emerge... you won't be who you were before. Relationship wise, you can expect to never see your boyfriend again (until your enlistment is up). The 'adventures, education, and training' they 'promise' you could result in a 50 pound pack of survival gear crawling on your belly in the sand facing an enemy firing at you.

Your life will no longer be your own. You'll face situations where you'll be given 24 hours notice.. then find yourself halfway around the world in an environment you never envisioned.

My motives are neither to scare you, intimidate you, or influence your decision. I spent 8(+) years serving, and emerged totally changed as Gerry pointed out. While I'm very proud of what I did, I wasn't prepared for what I had to face.

I suggest you rent the movie 'Saving Private Ryan' if you haven't already. That will give you a reality check of worst case scenario you'd experience.

just my 2 cents worth...

I felt compelled to counter the picture that recruiter is going to paint..

Only you can decide whats right for you... noone but you