Enlisting to Escape

[syndicated44]

I dont really post on here much anymore but I could potentially use a bit of advice from someone with a bit more experiance at life then I. A friend of mine is planning on enlisting into the Air Force to essentially escape his life currently. He plans on selling everything he owns paying off all of his debts then becoming a career service-man until he is about 40-45 then retiring.

Personally I think this is a fool hardy decision and my greatest suggestion to him was to think about it long and hard before he ran off to a recruiting office. What are your guys thoughts on this particular move. I wouldnt really worry about it too much beyond simply being in a rut and a few days later deciding its a decision he isnt going to be happy with and moving on to his next plan on life sustainability. But he has been going on about it for a long while and if that is truly what he wants then more power to him I guess but the way he talks I feel its more just a foolish move to not have to deal with life.

I could be wrong and I could be meddling but he came to me for advice and I feel as though I cant adequately give it without a different point of view. And honestly I would worry about him so I guess my first instict is to say dont do it yet to me I think the best advice I can give someone is to make their own decisions. Like I said just give me some opinions and if anyone has any questions on the situation I will answer to them to the best of my abilities.

 

[Judgement101]

He's an idiot.
With love,
Judgement, making useless posts since March 2010.

 

[Motti]

If I were him I'd do the whole enlistment thing, but minus the part where I sell everything I own. That way, if he wants to back out he always has something to go back to, and even if he doesn't it's nice to have a place to live that isn't on base or run by defence housing (or whatever the american equivalent is). He should be able to pay his debts from his salary if he can budget right anyway.

 

[Rakun Man]

Spoiler: Air Force!Yeah!

Well, honestly, I wouldn't have him sell everything he owns, that just feels unessessary (I probably spelt that wrong, sorry).
The air force can be a great place for a career, but what was your friend looking on doing in the air force?

 

[neonnightlite]

Love the title. Kind of depressing but it fits perfectly.
OT: Hmm... Sounds like he doesn't value his life much. Tell him not to sell all his stuff just in case if he backs out which is most likely. While he's in the air force he will probably value his life more.

 

[syndicated44]

Spoiler: Air Force!Yeah!

Well, honestly, I wouldn't have him sell everything he owns, that just feels unessessary (I probably spelt that wrong, sorry).
The air force can be a great place for a career, but what was your friend looking on doing in the air force?

I dont know I had a semi informative convorsation with him about it the other day. For the most part he just decided on the air force and I dont really know how it works. I always thought they tested you and then put you where you should be.

You make a good point that its unnecessary (i google search words I dont know then copy paste the correct spelling ) and that leads me to think his decision is hasty. He recently left his girlfriend from high school and his dad keeps pressuring him about debts etc. But he has a job and he has a way to go to college which honestly is better then a lot of other people I know.

Please dont get me wrong I have nothing wrong with enlistment and I know for a fact that it can change a persons life for the better. I am going to assume that you joined or are planning to join if you feel like sharing what made you want to do so?

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Better the Air Force than the Army.

 

[syndicated44]

I look at it this way:

Does he see a life in the Air Force as a perpetual escape from his current life? If so, it's a mistake to do it with that frame of mind. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm saying seriously consider it.

Or, does he see it as an entirely new life, or a new part of a new life, pursuing it as a positive new direction rather than as an escape? If so, go for it.

Oh my God bear is driving how can that be?!

This is where I have been hung up for a bit. I would personally say that he is doing it for the wrong reasons. The reason I believe he is choosing to enlist is because his brother has enlisted. But I would say with almost complete certainty he is joining it to get away from his current situation/life. This seems more like a spur of the moment decision and like I said I really wouldnt worry about it but he has been going on about it for a while and I am going to see him tommorrow and I would like to have some sort of position to give him a better perspective then simply saying "uhhh i dunno". But I would feel tremendously better about it if he gave this more thought then he is currently. As it stands his best laid plans are pretty much enlist retire and when he gets a vacation (or shore leave or whatever you call it) stay in a hotel and wait to go back.

 

[Kaymish]

its not a bad life i enlisted when i was 17 and was discharged just at the biginnning of this year

i was quite wealthy when i enlisted but my salery and the airforce perks and subdies covered everything i needed with plenty leftover so i dont think he will have to sell everything he owns if he has a brain in his head which you need in modern armed forces

 

[Devil's Due]

(removed by the National Security Agency)

 

[BonsaiK]

I dont really post on here much anymore but I could potentially use a bit of advice from someone with a bit more experiance at life then I. A friend of mine is planning on enlisting into the Air Force to essentially escape his life currently. He plans on selling everything he owns paying off all of his debts then becoming a career service-man until he is about 40-45 then retiring.

Personally I think this is a fool hardy decision and my greatest suggestion to him was to think about it long and hard before he ran off to a recruiting office. What are your guys thoughts on this particular move. I wouldnt really worry about it too much beyond simply being in a rut and a few days later deciding its a decision he isnt going to be happy with and moving on to his next plan on life sustainability. But he has been going on about it for a long while and if that is truly what he wants then more power to him I guess but the way he talks I feel its more just a foolish move to not have to deal with life.

He's doing shit the wrong way around. If that's what he really wants, he should join the air force, then make sure he's happy there, then sell off what he owns, pay his debts with the money, and then once he's out of the air force he'll probably have enough capital behind him to pursue his next move... assuming he's in good health of course... sure, he might love the air force and never look back but it's not safe to hope for the best without preparing for the worst.

 

[Rakun Man]

Spoiler: Air Force!Yeah!

Well, honestly, I wouldn't have him sell everything he owns, that just feels unessessary (I probably spelt that wrong, sorry).
The air force can be a great place for a career, but what was your friend looking on doing in the air force?

I dont know I had a semi informative convorsation with him about it the other day. For the most part he just decided on the air force and I dont really know how it works. I always thought they tested you and then put you where you should be.

You make a good point that its unnecessary (i google search words I dont know then copy paste the correct spelling ) and that leads me to think his decision is hasty. He recently left his girlfriend from high school and his dad keeps pressuring him about debts etc. But he has a job and he has a way to go to college which honestly is better then a lot of other people I know.

Please dont get me wrong I have nothing wrong with enlistment and I know for a fact that it can change a persons life for the better. I am going to assume that you joined or are planning to join if you feel like sharing what made you want to do so?

Haha, I'm not enlisted in the Air Force, but it has always been a small possibilty for me. However, I do have an uncle who was WWII hero in the Air Force, and an aunt who is currently serving in the AF.
The best advice I can offer is ask him to be patient. The Air Force will still be there, and the war on terror won't be over any time soon either.
Also, he could go to college first (maybe a military academy?), do ROTC in college, which would put him ahead if he joined, and give him a taste of it. That way, he is prepared for both a career and the Air Force.