Why do people enlist?

[theparsonski]

I am pretty much 100% certain that I'm going to join the British Army. I'd like to join as an Officer in the Parachute Regiment, and I'll be taking a scholarship next year for entry to Sandhurst, where they train officers.
For me, I seek something that I can completely dedicate my life to, while doing something good, all while experiencing a level of risk and adventure that most people never do. I'm certain I'll see some shit that won't be pleasant, I'll probably have to shoot at and kill other people, and I'll run the risk of being shot/stabbed/blown up/beheaded on the internet. But for me, it doesn't matter, because I sure as hell don't want to look back on my life in 30 years and have regrets. I want to live as much as I can, and what better way to do that than by leading men into combat?
Sure, I may die in the process, but better to die living tommorrow than to die in 70 years never having lived.
That's my reasoning, feel free to take issue with it, it doesn't matter to me what people think, I'm not joining to impress anyone or earn respect; I couldn't care less to be honest.

Bloody Para's...misinformed youth; It's all about The Royal Marines! You don't want a pansy Cherry hat...

As for your reasoning, I'd reconsider. I applied for the RM's at 16, straight out of school and the training was the single most difficult thing I've ever done. ( Albeit RM training is longer, 32 weeks instead of 24+P company ) The Para's ain't an easy route. You'll get to a point where you'll be covered in mud, freezing your fucking arse off, soaking wet, sat in a field at night bundled up next to 3 or 4 other blokes who are in exactly the same position - a lot of the lads in my batch dropped after the Wet/Dry rotation; The soldiering part was easy, they enjoyed it, the being absolutely frozen to the bollocks for 2 days? Not so much. I'm not trying to put you off, I'm just saying the only thing that'll keep you going is your drive to WANT that Red beret. It's got to be burned into your mind, hurt and muscle that even when you're so exhausted you can't raise an arm, you still manage it.


OT: My Great-Granddad fought in WW2 as a Paratrooper, My Granddad fought in The Falklands as a Royal Marine, My Dad served in Ireland in the Infantry; It's just something that I felt I had to do seeing as it's almost a Family tradition, I wanted to make them proud and I wanted to show myself that I could do it.

Hell, I've wanted this since I was 6! And red is my favourite colour so y'know... ;-)

But seriously, I'll probably go to Sandhurst first, which will be hard, and then I assume there is extra training for Para officers after, right?
Believe me, I know how hard the training will be, but I'm up for it. I'm sure I won't enjoy it, but the reward at the end is more than worth it. I can drive myself, I had to train for a 10K race in two weeks once, I ran 8 miles a day, and ended up doing it in 45 minutes. I'd never trained before that, and they were a tough couple of weeks considering, but I wanted to do well so badly. And it paid off - and I discovered that the effort is worth the reward.

 

[Nghtgnt]

I am increasingly finding that for discussions on the military on this site I'm better off just reading and responding to the original poster - far too many people commenting on these threads are far too uninformed and just end up trolling.

So, to answer your question, as with a lot of people from the generation that overlaps/is in the middle of generation X and Y, I wanted to make the world a better place (yes, I was young and idealistic in high-school, just like everyone else). I thought the U.S. Army would be the best place to do that, based off WWII and at the time the main things going on were humanitarian missions to Bosnia and Kosovo.

Over time, and with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, my reasons for staying in shifted a bit, but the central goal of trying to make things better remained. I suppose as an example I have no issues with trying to take down people who mutilate a teacher for running a school, but I'm also still interested in helping out building roads or helping malnourished kids (something like the "Strong Food program").

As a side note, I've long given up thinking I could accomplish anything terribly significant to make the world a better place, and have come to accept that the best I can hope for is to have a positive impact on the lives of those around me.

 

[Guffe]

I'm an Israeli pre-draft teenager.
As I expect you to know, we all *have* to serve in the army (of course with exceptions (girls usually aren't sent to the front-lines, and ultra-orthodox Jews, well... Aren't yet integrated)).

Anyway, to the discussion at hand.

Nice to see that people can think positively, it sure helps!
I am from Finland by the way, served my military time of one year and became a sergeant (it's mandatory for minimum 6 months and max 1 year then you must get into military school to continue)
But yeah, thinking positively surely helps as I noted many didn't like it and therefor their time didn't go a fast as for me who tried to make the best out of it.
So good luck and keep going!

 

[Sandernista]

I'm enlisting for the benefits, and I'm thinking of doing the coast guard as a career.

Within ten years I'll be able to buy a nice house. My mom has worked her entire life and will probably never own a house.

 

[RatRace123]

I haven't enlisted, and here in the US, if there was a draft I'd be ineligible for frontline service based on a multitude of medical problems.

But I respect those who do enlist.
And as I can tell I'd imagine those who enlist do so either because:
They actively want to protect their family and their country
They're seeking a purpose in life and feel that the military can provide it
They're looking to do other things, and military service pays for school, not to mention you learn a bevvy of skills while serving
There's a family history that a person wants to honor

I'm sure there are other reasons to serve too, those are the only ones I can think of.

 

[Weaver]

I'm Canadian for reference.

I know a friend who wanted to be a pilot, and the Air Force basically told him "We'll pay for your entire education, so long as you give us 5 years of service". His service is paid as well. So he basically got his education as a pilot for free.

I believe there are also tax benefits after you're service period is up.

 

[Alon Doron]

If I ran my own private country, I think we would have some sort of draft (maybe not exactly a draft but say like 4-5 months in your last year of high school). Mind you I don't know how the Isreali draft is, but the one I envision would be like a mix of physical activity (continuous for the couple months), and a mix of basic survival stuff like:
- swimming
- first aid (the kind that lifegaurds get since it covers strokes, heart attacks, etc)
- maybe some basic self defense or some martial art
- Other stuff that you really should have at least a basic grasp on

After that you're free to go, and we'd have a standing military composed of volunteers. Honestly it would be more of a lifeskills draft than a military draft. Teach the basics so that the students leaving will be well enough equipped to deal with problems life might throw at them.

The Israeli service differs depends on the unit you're assigned to. What you say is taught here during the years of school (swimming at elementary, first aid at high school, encouragement to train in some kind of martial arts). An army service is different than what you describe. A military is much more (in my opinion) than what you speak of. It's a state of mind, with all of it's silly uniforms and customs.

I still don't understand why one would put one's life at risk, when his or her country is in no imminent danger. I've seen that there is a variety of reasons, but still, for economical reasons? If only my draft would be so beneficial...

 

[Ickorus]

I don't want to enlist in the army so I can't give you a proper answer but from the few guys I do know who have done so they do it for the adventure and because they want to be like the soldiers in games and books and such.

I did have one friend who wanted to join the RAF but he wasn't the type you'd expect to do it, actually, thinking it over he kinda reminds me of Captain America in that regard; he was a chubby short guy who suffered constant bullying through high school yet it was pretty much his life's dream to join the RAF and become a pilot.

Last time I saw him he was going for some tests to see if he could join and I haven't seen him since so I really hope he got in.