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Yeah, several of my friends are in the ADF and only one of them loves it, the others are desperate to get out.

I reckon as others have said, you get out of it what you put in, and if you're motivated then you can get heaps out of it.

Regardless if your set on military service in any form, then try and go officer...I mean, you might as well try and start at the top and you'll have better prospects when or if you leave.

But seriously though, I don't know how old you are, but are you really considering all the choices. If you are then go for it, if your just not sure, then keep thinking. One of my best mates, the one who loves being in the army told me a story once about bitching to his corporal about something and the corp turned to him and said, 'Shut up private, you joined us, we didn't join you!'

If that story makes you smile and nod knowingly then join up...if you can imagine wanting to smack the corporal in the face, then do something else!

One final thing...You're in the States...mate, eventually your going somewhere in your career where they WILL be shooting at you...Lots of people join up with the rationale that they won't go to war, and lots end up very disappointed and lots end up dead!

I wish you well if you do decide to join up, but remember, they don't have roadside bombs in warhammer, and the enemy doesn't have to roll to see if he wounds you after he hits you!

Everyone I know who's joined the Navy has hated it. The only friend I had who joined the Army loved it to bits. He was also insane.

Jihadnik wrote:I mean, you might as well try and start at the top and you'll have better prospects when or if you leave.

Officer's don't "start at the top". Far from it.

And those that think they do are quickly wondering why the Enlisted don't really respect them and why everything suddenly went to hell.

Okay, yeah, I probably overstated that...but I mean...you make more money and there's less push ups and the like...also, sometimes you get to sit inside the APC when its raining!

Gotcha.

There is also a whole different world of professional politics and legal issues for officers.

I wouldn't even consider setting foot on a battlefield until I knew three things:

1. How effective modern body armour is.
2. The likelyhood of surviving a gunshot wound.
3. How effective APC armour is.

Soon you'll also want to know the probability of intercept for your particular hardkill APS.

Also, if you're that concerned for your own safety, the military is probably not for you; at least not the portions of it that require regular combat.

If I step onto a battlefield, I also want to know three things.

1) How many wounds do I have?
2) Can the enemy designate the 'squad leader' as targets for wound alocation?
3) Are we doing objectives, table quarters or kill points?

It would be a bad idea for me to be issued an assault rifle, since I am only interested in shooting people who have actually attacked my country. Unfortunately, most of them are the people who are supposed to be our "leaders". (Investigate 9/11!!! Don't drink the koolaid!!!) There now, I feel better.

So you're saying you wouldnt be at all interested in putting good ol bin Laden's brain all over his cave walls?

Cause I sure as hell would.

Is that supposed to be irony about 'not drinking the kool-aid' while downing a big pitcher of conspiracy theories?

Ahtman wrote:Is that supposed to be irony about 'not drinking the kool-aid' while downing a big pitcher of conspiracy theories?

Indeed, the conspiracy theorists are way wackier than even Mr Kool-aid himself.

I see it this way, which is more likely?

a) Religiously indoctrinated terrorists with a burning hatred for Americans flew some planes into two buildings and burning jet fuel caused the structural supports to weaken then collapse from the top down.

b) Free mason affiliated CIA trained Muslim ninjas covertly entered the twin towers under the cover of night and placed explosives, timed to go off around the time that 17 close allies of George Bush were happy to kill themselves to assist him in his goal of invading nations that they have strong cultural ties with by flying hijacked planes into the twin towers and then Osama Bin Laden took the blame for it because Bush paid for him to stay in a secret location with Elvis and Bruce Lee.

Thats a little loaded Matty, option b is obviously far fetched. As you may have heard Bruce Lee and Elvis didn't get on and are in separate locations.

The big reason I want to join the marines is to see the world and to live an exciting life, I have looked at all options but the marines just seem right I also want to join out of some delusion that Ill be like a super hero (not physically unstoppable) in the fact that Ill probably be stopping someone who wants to harm others, others such as innocents, funny thing to I dont actually have any problem with dying sure itd be a bummer but everything has to go at some time.

Once.. But them I realized I just wanted to get a gas mask, so I went and bought one from a surplus store. Problem solved.

Now I want to move to queens and work in a jewish deli

I'm planning to join the navy in a couple of years beacuse everyone who I have asked said that being in the navy is great.

According to Jamie Fox, every day in the Corps is the greatest day of his life.

imnotbruce wrote:The big reason I want to join the marines is to see the world and to live an exciting life, I have looked at all options but the marines just seem right I also want to join out of some delusion that Ill be like a super hero (not physically unstoppable) in the fact that Ill probably be stopping someone who wants to harm others, others such as innocents, funny thing to I dont actually have any problem with dying sure itd be a bummer but everything has to go at some time.

Go for it. Get everything your promised by the recruiter in writing.

lol, just lettin you know OP, what the recruiting ads and the recruiters themselves DONT tell you about is the working parties, the mass punishments, the "field days", and the disgruntled NCOs who are out to make life hell for their men.

I'm not saying don't join the Marines, I'm saying if you do, don't go into it expecting it to be one big motivated party. I have some friends who are grunts and they have all said that most of their time in garrison is basically spent drilling, cleaning their barracks, doing b!tch-work for the company officers, and the like.

As the only person in my nuclear family who as not joined the military, realize it is a huge commitment. The marines will push you to your limits and you get to deal with the navy and their noise in addition to the marine noise. But I have yet to meet a marine who has not regretted join up so, there is that. However if you do not want to join the US military there is always the French Foreign Legion, they are always looking for good men.

ha ha ha ha ha ha funny thing I havent talked to a recruiter yet I read about the training they do talked to a few marines ( I did talk to an army recruiter and a few others) but I am planning on talking with a recruiter soon.

Corvus wrote:lol, just lettin you know OP, what the recruiting ads and the recruiters themselves DONT tell you about is the working parties, the mass punishments, the "field days", and the disgruntled NCOs who are out to make life hell for their men.

I'm not saying don't join the Marines, I'm saying if you do, don't go into it expecting it to be one big motivated party. I have some friends who are grunts and they have all said that most of their time in garrison is basically spent drilling, cleaning their barracks, doing b!tch-work for the company officers, and the like.

Or you could join the Air Force and eat really, really, well. Too well, in fact. Plus you get these super duper nice barracks that arnt even really barracks! Icing on the cake is you dont even have to work that hard physically!In fact, you'll barely notice that your in the military!

Working parties, mass punishments, field days and bad leaders are common throughout the military. Well, at least in the Navy, Army and Marines. The Marines expect a higher standard of fitness and discipline than the other branches, and yes, sometimes the "Oohrah" gets annoying, but its part of being in the Corps. Some of my best memories are from working parties and the "hurry up and wait" lifestyle.
Bottom line is your experiance is going to be different depending if your grunts, arty, air wing, motor t, admin, etc... Grunts are moto, Air Wing less so.


Please don't attach non wargaming, even awesome ones, to Dakka. ta.

That AF section of the pic looks like the average night at my house.

Except they're all in the AF an I'm not.

Platuan4th wrote:That AF section of the pic looks like the average night at my house.

You're the guy taking the picture aren't you?

Ahtman wrote:

Platuan4th wrote:That AF section of the pic looks like the average night at my house.

You're the guy taking the picture aren't you?

Pictures are for Enlisted.

Officers get much harsher penalties.

Planning on air force, only branch my dad will let me join. An army recruiter called and asked for me and my dad said I was gay. He plans to tell the marine recruiter that I'm gay and also a commie. My dad was NAVY and said that there's no way in hell he would let me join.

The smartest friend I have joined the air force and my younger brother wants to join it as well so peer pressure helps. Live near a lot of NAVY guys and they all hate it pretty much.

Also, if I join the air force my family will have been in every military branch.
Mom=ARMY
Dad=NAVY
Uncle=ARMY
Grandpa=Marines
Uncle2=Marines
Great Grandpa=ARMY

A lot of reasons for it, some don't make a lot of sense, but they're good for me.

halonachos wrote:Planning on air force, only branch my dad will let me join. An army recruiter called and asked for me and my dad said I was gay. He plans to tell the marine recruiter that I'm gay and also a commie. My dad was NAVY and said that there's no way in hell he would let me join.

I'm sure you love your Dad and he wants nothing but the best for you and all buuuuut...... for the love of god man grow some balls. When you turn 18 you are a legal adult and by law can make your own decisions. Crazy, I know. Standard term in the service is 4 years active/ 4 years IRR, thats a long time to be doing something you dont like. Figure out what you want to do for YOURSELF, and if that means Air Force, go for it! It's your decision.
Oh, btw. Your Dad sure sounds like he's being a punk in this regard.

Still thinking about it, to be honest. I'd be looking at doing another 3-year degree, thru RA engineering corp, the standard deal being you give them as many years back plus one.
That's seven years, and would put me dot on thirty... so obviously it requires a hell of a lot of consideration.

One thing: if you are joining the military in order to pay for college down the line, make sure you read the terms set out in the GI bill. They are not favorable.