Poll: Ever Served In The Military?

[October Country]

I plan to do serve in the military some time in the near future, but mostly to try it; I wouldn't want to serve overseas however.

 

[DC_Josh]

No, for medical reasons. But, maybe in another life I would have attempted to join the RAF. Learning to fly is a very useful skill to have.

 

[The Infamous Scamola]

Wow ... you really are a failure aren't you.
The military is not: 'Learn Ways To Kill People'
And the more i read through your reply, the more I realise that you are a really miss-informed 12 year old who gets his ideas about the military from movies like Full Metal Jacket.
~Frosty.

Are you saying that Full Metal Jacket isn't truthful? You should read up your Vietnam War history, boy.

And no, I'm not gonna be joining the army, at this point in time it doesn't make sense.

 

[New Troll]

I grew up with a desire to be in the Army, so at 17 I joined, mainly for scholarships and the like. But after joining, it turned out my recruiting officer was very, very two-faced, telling my family and I one thing, yet signing me up as another. I was suppose to enter into computers, but ended up entering with no financial aid, as basicly a ditch digger. This, from the highest scoring applicant he ever had. Highest the Army had recieved that year.

After finding out everything, my parents withdrew thier permission, I was discharged (not dishonorably), and my recruiting officer was relocated to the Middle East.

Since that incident, I've had little desire for the Armed Forces. I do hold anyone who serves in high regard though. As long as they're not recruiting officers that is.

 

[Sgt Doom]

Nope, but i'll be doing 6 months military service (Finland) in 2011 (postponed due to studies).

 

[gragimor]

I have a tip for you.

Don't get shot.

Indeed, but if I do it'll be in the line of duty; the most honorable way to die.
~Frosty.

Honor isn't worth anything to a dead man.

Anyway, no. And I never have any plans to, despite most of the men in my family having done so/attempted to do so.

My reasons are simple.
One: I do not care about my country. It is a piece of land. It is not worth dying over.
Two: I have massive authority issues. The first time someone "ordered" me to do something, I would use the training I had just recently acquired to teach them the folly of doing so, preferably with a high-powered rifle.
Three: It is unreasonably hot in Iraq. As long as there is even a .01% chance of serving anywhere nearly that hot, I will not be serving. I do not do well in warm climates - I would die.
Four/Three B: There is nothing worth dying for.

More or less that. Whenever someone says the quote "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees," I laugh. Because I'll be the one at their funeral, laughing. I'll take my knees, thank you, and stand up later.

I'd be okay with the military, long as I wasn't going to be in long. I'd like it just to get some training in firearms and the like... Respect from others for my service... It could be useful...

My grandpa would beat the living **** out of you if he caught you saying that, ALOT of good people died fighting for a chance to create a better world (not saying that the millitary is always fighting for the right cause), and joining the army KNOWING you might get killed (talking about the high risk wars, WW 1, WW2, not the low casualty stuff we have now), asks for more backbone that most people have nowdays.
At least realise that and pay the dead the respect they earned.

 

[BigKingBob]

Frosty, I'm with you.

I'm currently in the process of joining the RAF as an officer (currently this involves learning a fuckload of seemingly random facts about the RAF, oh joy of joys!)

Well, my reasons TO join are as follows:
-Get Fit. I'm already in really good shape, but it could be better.
-Learn skills you can learn nowhere else.
-Experience the comradeship which my family has been telling me about for years.
-Get some discipline. Everyone can use some more discipline, no matter how much you hate it at the time, you'll thank whoever gave it to you later.

The military pretty much carves you into a great person: Strong, Courageous, Good Morals, etc.
You can go in an average 18 year old, come out a better 19 year old with $40,000 in his pocket; for just one year of basic training.

~Frosty.

And I have to say that I'm joining for about the same reasons as yourself. I want to get fit and disciplined. Having spent most of my life as a sofa dwelling wargames geek with a ridiculously high IQ and a ridiculously low amount of motivation means that this will be a challenge, one that I'm looking forward to.

I screwed up my degree (theoretical physics is shit boring) and the RAF is my second chance, so to speak. After a 6 year commission I should come out of it with a lot of experience with stressful situations and a truckload of skills (not to mention a degree) and the satisfaction of having served my country, albeit in a different manner than both my father and grandfather.

The morals bit is not one I'd agree with, but that's just me, I'm already a moral person with my own little code and while the RAF my add to that they won't be the ones instilling it in me.

Anyway, to cut my rant short (I just felt the urge to write this, its been very cathartic) good luck to you Frosty, I hope you do well and make Queen Liz proud!

 

[LongAndShort]

Good onya Frosty!

I'm at uni right now, but am gonna join the australian army reserves this year or next (depending on my employment situation) then go into the regulars when i finish my degree. And to all those nobs who reckon there's nothing worth dying for, what about stopping the holocaust or the dozens of other genocides throughout history or keeping your loved ones from being butchered and tortured?

some famous politician (can't remember his name or the exact wording) said that a worse thing than war is a society that has become so degenerate that thinks there is nothing left to die for, and they need to pray that there are far better men (and women) standing by to protect them.

You lot don't deserve the military's protection, but you get it anyway!

 

[Yudas]

Im pretty much against war in all its forms and shapes. I did serve my country in a sort of conscription based emergency/fireman thing we got going for us in Denmark, but that wasn't the military much less the armed forces.

Oi, a countryman!
But yeah. This is what I want to do. Upon further research, I found that you do not have to be a citizen, just to have lived in the country five years or more. Happycat is happy.

Halløj! Oh and do join the Beredskabsstyrrelsen. You'll have a blast.

 

[UltimatheChosen]

Nope, I would make a terrible soldier. I'd ask far too many questions about everything, and I'm not brave. I have a deep and abiding fear of pain, too.

 

[iJosh]

My great grandfather served in WW1 and WW2.

 

[electric_warrior]

my dad was in the army during the 80's, said it was the worst decision he ever made.

 

[Thimblefoot]

No, i have never been in military and never plan to be, i have no interest in "defending" this country (Scotland) as i don't particularly like it. Simple as that.

 

[Skeleon]

Nope, but I substituted it with civil service in a hospital's OR-area.
You know, something that's actually useful for my later education.
In Germany you are free to choose whether to serve the country as a soldier or as a social worker.

 

[Biek]

I actually thought about joining the militairy years ago. I thought it would look good on my resumee for when i'd apply for a job of policeman. (the training for it, ofc.) And physical fitness, discipline and fighting knowledge would certainly come in handy. But later, I realized I didnt want to put my balls on the line to secure other people's political and economical interests.

In the event that the netherlands should get invaded, ill gladly sign up. (in fact, ill have to. Everyone gets a letter at the age of 18 saying you can be drafted till the age of 35 should a war break out. At least that what I thought.)

 

[Zacharine]

Sure I've served. But in Finland over 90% of all males over the age 18 have served. The law says every male serves either in the military (6, 9, or 12 months, depending on what level of training they give you) or does civilian service (like become school assistants, helps in med. clinic cafeteria etc etc.).

I myself am a medic sergeant (NCO).

EDIT: And let me tell you, you don't give weapons the respect they deserve until after you've listened for 10h/day for a whole week of doctors telling you in great detail precisely what a pistol shot, shotgun shot, rifle shot, grenade shrapnel, mine explosion etc does to you innards and bones when it hits.

I don't fancy myself having a too weak of a stomach, but the graphic images they showed about children having stepped on landmines still make me feel ill. And it's been close to 5 years since those lectures...

A real war is hell on earth. And like we all know... War never changes.

 

[Ajna]

I have a tip for you.

Don't get shot.

Indeed, but if I do it'll be in the line of duty; the most honorable way to die.
~Frosty.

Honor isn't worth anything to a dead man.

Anyway, no. And I never have any plans to, despite most of the men in my family having done so/attempted to do so.

My reasons are simple.
One: I do not care about my country. It is a piece of land. It is not worth dying over.
Two: I have massive authority issues. The first time someone "ordered" me to do something, I would use the training I had just recently acquired to teach them the folly of doing so, preferably with a high-powered rifle.
Three: It is unreasonably hot in Iraq. As long as there is even a .01% chance of serving anywhere nearly that hot, I will not be serving. I do not do well in warm climates - I would die.
Four/Three B: There is nothing worth dying for.

More or less that. Whenever someone says the quote "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees," I laugh. Because I'll be the one at their funeral, laughing. I'll take my knees, thank you, and stand up later.

I'd be okay with the military, long as I wasn't going to be in long. I'd like it just to get some training in firearms and the like... Respect from others for my service... It could be useful...

My grandpa would beat the living **** out of you if he caught you saying that, ALOT of good people died fighting for a chance to create a better world (not saying that the millitary is always fighting for the right cause), and joining the army KNOWING you might get killed (talking about the high risk wars, WW 1, WW2, not the low casualty stuff we have now), asks for more backbone that most people have nowdays.
At least realise that and pay the dead the respect they earned.

When did I disrespect them? Hrm? I said that I'd rather live than die, and if you disagree with that, I see no point in talking to you. I've always found war to be pointless, for reasons I've stated elsehere, and feel that if you sign up for something *knowing* you may die, you probably weren't that bright to start with. Also, if you had read more than just a small part of my post, you'd know I intend to join the military in the future. I could use the training, and if I have to fight in a war in exchange, I can live with that.

I humbly submit before the jury that your grandfather would beat the living shit out of you, for putting his genes to such poor use.

(Apologies for any grammatical errors. I typed this from my phone, and the auto spellcheck hates big words.)

 

[Evilbunny]

I was actually planning to serve in the military for a few years after college but unfortunately I got cancer and they had to replace much of my right leg so now I can't run. Obviously a man that can not run does not make a good soldier so I can't enlist. I respect the military though, and I very much respect you for what you are doing. I just can't join. Oh well.

 

[Evilbunny]

I have a tip for you.

Don't get shot.

Indeed, but if I do it'll be in the line of duty; the most honorable way to die.
~Frosty.

Honor isn't worth anything to a dead man.

Clearly you do not have even the vaguest idea of what honor is. Honor is something that transcends yourself. Honor does not benefit you in any way, rather it is something you attain when you let go of your selfish needs and believe in something bigger than yourself. No one does the honorable thing because it helps them get what they want or even because it gives them a good feeling. They do the honorable thing because they believe the idea they are fighting for (their country, in this example) is more important than their own life. People remember honorable men, and quickly forget cowards.