The Military

[mattttherman3]

I considered it once, but I don't respond well to someone barking orders at me, or being a dick for no good reason

 

[Yokomitsu]

I see the military as a good choice for people who would like nothing more than to serve there country

 

[Bofus Teefus]

You think basic training is a stressful mindgame? Wait until you are in real combat - you'll realize that basic training is a cakewalk in comparison.

The deal with basic being so mentally exhausting and somewhat humiliating is that it achieves a few main objectives:

1. You gain pride when you accomplish a task. In your head, you start going, "Yeah, I did it. Fuck you, Sergeant." Trust me, drill instructors know. They can see self-confidence start to form when you start doing things better and faster, just to show them up.

3. It teaches attention to detail. It may seem like a pain in the ass to remake your bed in a certain way perfectly every day and hang all your uniforms in the same way. Or keep your foot locker organized in a particular way. And all the beds aligned, and boots underneath lined up. But think about this - when you do that, how much faster did you pick everything else up? You got in the mindset of paying attention to detail. Of course, no one gives a shit about that stuff out of training except on inspections in barracks.

I'm not trying to be an ass, but I didn't find basic to be a challenge, only tedius. Keep in mind that I was in the Navy, not USAF, so the training was non-combat intensive. I also realize that my opinion is unusual among people who I went through basic with. I didn't really feel a change during basic.

1. I at no time took pride in nor expressed pride in my ability to make my bed and clean, which was almost the entire point of basic. I think I'd gone in thinking that it would be more physically intense than it was.

3. I truly hate the phrase "attention to detail" as used by the military, since it only seems to apply to cleanliness or irrelevant tasks. When we had a vital (as in potential to save many lives) piece of equipment that was non-functional, though, the "attention to detail" was thrown out in favor of "don't submit the paperwork to fix the equipment- it will make us look bad." I'm surprised to this day that my response didn't get me masted. I think my biggest beef was that once training is over, we go into the field and are exposed to unnecessary danger at the hands of poorly run, careless commands.

Before you burn me at the stake for slighting US military and/or it's training, realize that I may be coming back in a year or two. I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I can still keep my mouth somewhat muted in the face of the sheer stupidity of the upper ranks. I think the largest determinant will be whether or not an officer in my area can have an impact. If I don't think I can make a difference, I'm not willing to deal with the BS all over again.

 

[ThaBenMan]

Welcome back, Ares Tyr, glad to see you made it through ok.

I am and always have been way too out-of-shape to ever consider joining the military. I've thought about it some - developing the discipline would be nice, and also the pay and educational aid. But my mom would have a breakdown.

I admire those that are able to go through with it. Good job

 

[doctorwhofan]

I hate it.

Not really, but I hate the training environment that they put you through. I mean, I understand basic combat training should be hard and suck, but I don't see why I need to be treated like a retarded five-old serial rapist/drug dealer in order to learn how to be a proper Paralegal Specialist for the Army. BTW- I just graduated Advanced Individual Training and I am free of that shit.

But enough about my military experiences. Anybody here in the military? Considering the military? Know people in the military?


Also, hello again. I'm back.

One NICE avatar

Two 11 years Naval Aviation

Three: Navy Housewife

Four: That makes me a girl

Five: LOVED IT!

 

[McClaud]

I'm not trying to be an ass, but I didn't find basic to be a challenge, only tedius. Keep in mind that I was in the Navy, not USAF, so the training was non-combat intensive. I also realize that my opinion is unusual among people who I went through basic with. I didn't really feel a change during basic.

1. I at no time took pride in nor expressed pride in my ability to make my bed and clean, which was almost the entire point of basic. I think I'd gone in thinking that it would be more physically intense than it was.

3. I truly hate the phrase "attention to detail" as used by the military, since it only seems to apply to cleanliness or irrelevant tasks. When we had a vital (as in potential to save many lives) piece of equipment that was non-functional, though, the "attention to detail" was thrown out in favor of "don't submit the paperwork to fix the equipment- it will make us look bad." I'm surprised to this day that my response didn't get me masted. I think my biggest beef was that once training is over, we go into the field and are exposed to unnecessary danger at the hands of poorly run, careless commands.

Before you burn me at the stake for slighting US military and/or it's training, realize that I may be coming back in a year or two. I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I can still keep my mouth somewhat muted in the face of the sheer stupidity of the upper ranks. I think the largest determinant will be whether or not an officer in my area can have an impact. If I don't think I can make a difference, I'm not willing to deal with the BS all over again.

I understand your points to some degree.

For people who already "get" what the military is trying to do in basic, it loses some of its challenge. And I have several friends in the Navy who - like you - also were disappointed. I don't know what the Navy is doing, exactly, but it must be nothing like the rest of the military. Even in the Air Force, I know I got to fire weapons live more times than the Navy did, and spend more time in drills outside and in class learning things. I was shocked when one of them told me, "Eh, we sat around a lot on weekends, just cleaning the bays." I spent my weekends outside, actually doing labor.

Being clean is essential, however, in the military, since you are crammed in with a bunch of other people. If anyone becomes a slob, it impacts the rest of the group. This is how people spread mites, bring in rats and other crappy stuff. We spent our time cleaning the bay once a week, from top to bottom. Otherwise, class, drills or labor. I'm pretty sure the Army is the same.

I'm also with you on horrible commands. Again, I only witnessed it once on my side, and heard about it ten times over from the Navy side. Especially from my friend stationed in Georgia working for Intel. He's super frustrated with the piss poor command structure. My squadron, however, was nothing but a tightly run, efficient machine. General Harris was a no-shit kind of guy, but he also didn't run a shitty squadron. Being liaison officer out of my Intel unit was the most exciting time I ever had (although, when in Bosnia, too damn exciting). But I get what you are saying. Shitty officers make it extremely hard to actually have respect for the chain. Especially if nothing ever gets better.

Let's hope if you go back it's better.

 

[RyantheLion]

I am not in the army but I have met quite a few marines and while I hate to generalize the ones I have met seem...strange to me, I suppose its just an abundence of confidence to a degree but there is just something about them that is offsetting to me. Again though I hate to generalize maybe the ones I met were just weird to begin with.

 

[Tattaglia]

No way I'm joining the army. Maybe if it was, I don't know, a cooler branch of the NZ military - like a Ninja Army or a Flying Purple Hippo Task Force, I'd sign up.

I don't know anyone in the military personally, but my country isn't particularly militaristic.
For New Zealand, the Army is thought of as "Those dudes that show up if the police are really really busy."

This man speaks truth.

 

[The_Prophet]

But enough about my military experiences. Anybody here in the military? Considering the military? Know people in the military?


Also, hello again. I'm back.

No, I prefer my head on my shoulders. And welcome back Ares.

 

[kawligia]

I was in the Air National Guard. I only joined to get free undergraduate college tuition.

 

[ButtonedDownParadox]

I did a month and a half of training with the Marines before my knee went and died on me.

I totally know what you mean about the, "Is all this really necessary?" aspect of training. Do I really need to be all that tough for military journalism? Do I really need to be swallowing all my toothpaste froth because some other guy spit without permission? Do I really need to do two hours of fire watch every night for a week because my rack mate couldn't organize his footlocker? I understand perfectly what they're doing but just from a logical standpoint I'm not at peak training conditions when fatigued, am I?

Also the classes were, for the most part, straight up propaganda and it made me a little uncomfortable. Everybody else is all, "HOO-RAH!" and itching to kill some 'brown people' and I'm just sitting there trying to not attract attention.

We'd be shouting, "Kill, kill!" as we'd stab the dummies in our bayonet course and it all made me uncomfortable. I'd be explaining this to people in my Recruit Separation Platoon and they'd all be like, "...Why the fuck did you even come here then?" and once they put it in such simple terms I couldn't really answer...

 

[ButtonedDownParadox]

No way I'm joining the army. Maybe if it was, I don't know, a cooler branch of the NZ military - like a Ninja Army or a Flying Purple Hippo Task Force, I'd sign up.

Funny story. A friend of mine kept getting calls from this one recruiter so one time he's just like, "Hmm...well do you guys have a Ninja Corp? Like...could I use a staff and ride a horse?" and then the recruiter started threatening him saying how his arms were like cannons and my friend was just like, "You have cannons for arms? You have a Cyborg Corp, don't you?! I'll be right down there!"

My friend was terrified whenever they'd have recruitment drives in the town but at least they stopped calling him.

 

[Tattaglia]

No way I'm joining the army. Maybe if it was, I don't know, a cooler branch of the NZ military - like a Ninja Army or a Flying Purple Hippo Task Force, I'd sign up.

Funny story. A friend of mine kept getting calls from this one recruiter so one time he's just like, "Hmm...well do you guys have a Ninja Corp? Like...could I use a staff and ride a horse?" and then the recruiter started threatening him saying how his arms were like cannons and my friend was just like, "You have cannons for arms? You have a Cyborg Corp, don't you?! I'll be right down there!"

My friend was terrified whenever they'd have recruitment drives in the town but at least they stopped calling him.

Wait... so you're saying the Army has arm-cannons? Do they have leg-shotguns too? And laser eyes? So many possibilites... *gargles*

 

[LOOY]

I hate it.

Not really, but I hate the training environment that they put you through. I mean, I understand basic combat training should be hard and suck, but I don't see why I need to be treated like a retarded five-old serial rapist/drug dealer in order to learn how to be a proper Paralegal Specialist for the Army.

Why did you join the army then?

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

I'm seriously considering it. I'd likely go into General Infantry, or enter as a Combat engineer. The training is the only qualm I have about it.

My buddy O'Conner joined the marines and said as long as you are in good shape then it's not that bad. You just have to accept all the bullshit for what it is and everything is fine.

Pretty much this. If you're lucky enough to go into a unit that doesn't do all the bullshit, you're pretty much set .

I joined to keep my fitness up somewhat, and to get to play with stuff that would otherwise be illegal here in the UK. CCF never suited me since there was too much bullshit for a kid to handle .

 

[The Cheezy One]

id love the "work together" and "organisation" thing, but im unfit, short sighted and have asthma i sound like a typical nerd


<-------------------- i do look like this tho

 

[Sewblon]

I hate being yelled at, I hate waking up before 10:00 A.M, I can't run very fast, I don't work well with others and I am a determined coward so, no. The only way I would do well in combat would be if we started Monkey Island insult fighting so I could lay waist to third world countries with puerile insults and caustic mockeries.

 

[Labyrinth]

Excellent to see you again, good sir. Welcome back to the world.

I can honestly say that I've never even considered the military. I don't take orders well, I don't agree with "my country" and I sure as hell couldn't cope with the idea that I don't question what I'm told. In short, I'm unsuitable.

I have also been known to actively discourage my friends from joining the military, even if it is only so they can have all their fees paid for. It's just not something I understand the appeal of.

Edit: Forgot this bit. I've lost count of the number of people I know in the military, many militaries. From the Canadian navy to the NZ air force actually.

 

[meatloaf231]

Oh, you're back! Hooray!

Yeah, the military tends to be a bit filled of suck.

 

[McClaud]

I can honestly say that I've never even considered the military. I don't take orders well, I don't agree with "my country" and I sure as hell couldn't cope with the idea that I don't question what I'm told. In short, I'm unsuitable.

There is a point in the military where if you are told to do something illegal, or something unethical, you can question the order. It's not like military law says, "You will break laws and follow blatantly unethical orders or die."

I challenged an order in Bosnia. Saved a convoy of trucks from driving into a minefield. Even when the Colonel tried to have me court martialed later, it never happened. Because the truth and right was on my side.

Granted, I can't decided as a soldier what country my country is at war with. I also can't tell them I'm not going because I think the war is a bunch of bullshit. I do call my Senators and get involved politically, though, to try and change the fact that I'm fighting in a war I think is bullshit. Which is the same thing that every civilian can do as well.

I did a month and a half of training with the Marines before my knee went and died on me.

I totally know what you mean about the, "Is all this really necessary?" aspect of training. Do I really need to be all that tough for military journalism? Do I really need to be swallowing all my toothpaste froth because some other guy spit without permission? Do I really need to do two hours of fire watch every night for a week because my rack mate couldn't organize his footlocker? I understand perfectly what they're doing but just from a logical standpoint I'm not at peak training conditions when fatigued, am I?

Also the classes were, for the most part, straight up propaganda and it made me a little uncomfortable. Everybody else is all, "HOO-RAH!" and itching to kill some 'brown people' and I'm just sitting there trying to not attract attention.

We'd be shouting, "Kill, kill!" as we'd stab the dummies in our bayonet course and it all made me uncomfortable. I'd be explaining this to people in my Recruit Separation Platoon and they'd all be like, "...Why the fuck did you even come here then?" and once they put it in such simple terms I couldn't really answer...

I think the issue is you joined the Marines. Marines are bullet-sponges first and foremost, and then their career tracks second. Which is so weird to me. You guys go onto a beach after it's been shelled, bombed, torched and blasted and take the remaining soldiers' fire so the Army can land behind enemy lines and drive around? That makes no sense to me at all.