Military?

[ModernSpartacus]

So, after an interesting conversation with I-Jo, I was wondering whether anyone here is in the military, which role do you do, and what advice would you give to someone who wants to apply?

[JeffyB]

I'm retired Air Force; spent 23 years in.  I did Human Resources for the full time I was in.

 

For advice - make sure that you get all the info you can for the jobs your interested in (as they may have different criteria), know what the fitness requirements are (as each service is different), and start writing questions down for the recruiters (or here on the boards).

 

If you have any questions about the AF, let me know.

[Daithi]

I'm not in the Army but I'm in the process of joining the British army. Unfortunitely I've to made an Appeal over my Medical but it is looking hopeful.

 

My only advice is, Learn to run!

[Draken273]

US Army right here. I fix Helicopters, its pretty fun.

Advice, Run and do push ups/Pull ups(for those interested in the marines)

when you sign up, thoroughly research what job you want to do, so when you go in you know exactly what jobs you want, and which ones you dont. and if the job you want isnt available, wait a week. they cycle through, so if you dont see anything that interests you now, come back in a week and take another look.

Other than that, practice self discipline and never quit. 

Any questions about the army, feel free to ask.

[ModernSpartacus]

Thanks gentlemen, I'm wanting to join the British Army as an artillery officer,  but I won't be applying for another 6/7 years as I want to do a degree, A levels and perhaps a masters as well.

[JonDixonYT]

Thanks gentlemen, I'm wanting to join the British Army as an artillery officer,  but I won't be applying for another 6/7 years as I want to do a degree, A levels and perhaps a masters as well.

I was in the Canadian Army for a while in the artillery as a reservist.  I spent a year at Military College as well but left because 9/11 happened and then we declared war on terrorism.

 

Artillery was fun and reasonably comfortable, since you can't do much with the guns without a truck.  With a truck you can carry some gear and a decent place to sleep, which is way better than strapping everything to your back and lugging it around, IMO.

 

Whichever nation/service arm/trade you pick, run run run run.  So much of the fitness evaluation is based on running and pushups/situps.  At least for the Canadian military anyway.  I would also recommend finding an artillery regiment near where you live and going to talk to them about it.  

[Evicious]

U.S. Army here, stateside for a little while yet. Signed up for 4 years, then re-upped for another 3 (can't tell whether that was a good life choice, or a bad one yet!) I'm an NCO in the Intelligence field. All the advise you've seen previously stands to good stead, but I'll add one thing: be prepared for a culture shock, or something close to it. The military is its own world, with its own rules, and its own way of living life. It's one of those things you'll never fully understand or appreciate until you're actually in and living it. Your perspective on the world you know, as well as the people in it, is going to shift and while you'll find yourself at home with it after awhile, be prepared for the way your used to do things - and the people you used to know - to be challenged.

[Daithi]

 

Advice, Run and do push ups/Pull ups(for those interested in the marines)

 

 

For the British army pull ups and push ups are in are basic selection.

[cline]

U.S. Army here, stateside for a little while yet. Signed up for 4 years, then re-upped for another 3 (can't tell whether that was a good life choice, or a bad one yet!) I'm an NCO in the Intelligence field. All the advise you've seen previously stands to good stead, but I'll add one thing: be prepared for a culture shock, or something close to it. The military is its own world, with its own rules, and its own way of living life. It's one of those things you'll never fully understand or appreciate until you're actually in and living it. Your perspective on the world you know, as well as the people in it, is going to shift and while you'll find yourself at home with it after awhile, be prepared for the way your used to do things - and the people you used to know - to be challenged.

 

I grew up military - in a military household (yup lived on base the whole 9 yards).  I wouldn't trade it for the world

 

funny thing is I was going to advise "make sure you really really get it" before you do it.  LIke Evicious says above - cultures shock.  It's a really different world.  some people do really well in it, some don't.  While I had a great life growing up in the militaryand totally get  it from the inside out, military life wasn't for me.  I was able to see that from living on base, hanging with the NCOs etc. 

 

That being said, if it is for you, military can be a wonderful, rewarding career.  or just  job.... 

[jfreaksho]

Honestly, the physical part of the military is probably the easiest part, at least at the beginning.  The whole system is designed to take completely untrained people and get them to a minimum level of fitness.  Exceeding that helps, but it's not necessary. 

 

Prepping for basic training would be more about making sure you have good running form (as injuries suck) and building up some strength.  The endurance builds pretty quickly when there are people screaming in your face.

 

Also, officer is a completely different experience.  The officers in the US Army get paid more, take more risk, and mostly do more paperwork.  Enlisted soldiers don't do the "forks and knives" courses.

 

Artillery officer is going to be a lot of paperwork and a lot of math.  Seriously- bad things happen when you screw up the windage/elevation/powder adjustments.  I'm not in artillery, but my commander was, and the math seems to be where a lot of people fail out.  Also, US officers at a certain point have to be very political, showing your face at all kinds of social events and such in order to get promoted with/ahead of your peers.  If you don't get promoted, they boot you far faster than enlisted.

 

My experience was that everyone is changed by the military, some more than others.  Some people just absorb the structure and discipline and stupid rules and really get into it, some people do it because it's easier than not being that way, and some people do it just enough to not get into too much trouble.

[terrormortus]

Loving the advice here. I'm planning on joining the National Guard as soon as I lose enough weight (59pds down so far).

 

Has anyone had any good experience with the Recruit Sustainment Program? I've been looking into it a little bit and liking the idea of it but wanted to know what you guys think.

[mootron5k]

U.S. Army here, stateside for a little while yet. Signed up for 4 years, then re-upped for another 3 (can't tell whether that was a good life choice, or a bad one yet!) I'm an NCO in the Intelligence field. All the advise you've seen previously stands to good stead, but I'll add one thing: be prepared for a culture shock, or something close to it. The military is its own world, with its own rules, and its own way of living life. It's one of those things you'll never fully understand or appreciate until you're actually in and living it. Your perspective on the world you know, as well as the people in it, is going to shift and while you'll find yourself at home with it after awhile, be prepared for the way your used to do things - and the people you used to know - to be challenged.

 

I couldn't agree more. I was a bubble head for 6 years. The absolute hardest part was consolidating what I thought I was getting myself into and what I was actually living. Going to sea on a submarine was the single most rewarding and difficult thing I have ever done. In my experience, those who served in their country's uniformed services have almost always said that it made them better people and wouldn't change a thing. I am one of those who signed up for six years directly out of high school and got out. I enjoyed aspects of my time in, but knew I was not a lifer. I wouldn't change a single day of my career (except maybe being run over by that oil tanker). Good luck in your new career choice and good luck to all those who are already in.

[WordSmith]

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Petty Officer, USN. Four years aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), now entering my 3rd year with Mobile Comms Det Navy Spec War Group 2.

 

My experience was bootcamp is not physically difficult. There was a kid in my division that couldn't do a single pushup when we started and passed the Physical Requirements Test by the end of the 8 weeks. Army and Marine Corp bootcamps are going to be a little more physically demanding of course but I can't really imagine it's that difficult.

 

I think bootcamp was pretty easy in general. You just kind of "turn off." I mean you don't have to think about anything. Someone tells you what to wear, when to eat, what to eat, when to sleep, when to run, when to PT, how to make your bed, how to fold your clothes. Everything is dictated. Easy days IMO.

 

I think the hardest part for most people is being away from home and unfortunately that doesn't really change much. I don't have a wife or kids and even though I love my parents and brothers it doesn't bother me to be away from them but I know some people who can barely deal with it. Being out of country for anywhere between six and 24 months, depending on branch and job, can be hell. I kind of like it myself but that's just me. Just over 7 years and I've seen 23 countries.

[ModernSpartacus]

I had no idea so much math was involved in the artillery! Math is my mortal enemy so I may have to rethink.. Of course, I still have other career options open to me that are non-military related. We shall see.

[Evicious]

Also, officer is a completely different experience.  The officers in the US Army get paid more, take more risk, and mostly do more paperwork.  Enlisted soldiers don't do the "forks and knives" courses.

 

I just wanted to clarify, at least in the U.S. Army, the 'risks' that officers deal with are more often about the decisions they have to make regarding their troops on the ground than their own physical safety. The responsibility they have for their assigned enlisted soldiers is enormous - hence, the neverending paperwork. My XO, for example, is usually the last person to leave CO (his normal schedule hovers between 2100-2300) and is also the first person to arrive in the morning (usually somewhere around 0300). He's not working those kinds of hours because he has anything particularly special to do for the Army, that's simply how much time the paperwork takes for normal, in-garrison operations! He is, however, one of the better officers I've met in my time in; I know plenty who are the exact opposite, and I have no respect for them.

 

Speaking of respect, you'll want to begin acquainting yourself with the concept of rank. I know that it was extremely difficult when I first joined to "respect the rank, even if you don't respect the person". Basically, that means you maintain professional behavior and speech regardless of whether the person telling you to do something - or chewing your ass - is a complete shitbag or not: if they out-rank you, they're the boss. That doesn't mean you don't have any recourse of action, but it does mean that you aren't allowed to argue with, yell back at, name-call, or stomp off (neither during, nor after) just because they're not living up to the standard somehow. Your best friend in those moments will be the word hooah.

 

Be prepared as well to encounter the all-invasive "Perception is everything" mentality. That means that if someone thinks you're looking at them wrong, speaking to them in a disrespectful tone, or doing anything that they feel isn't up-to-standard in any way, you can get nailed for it. It's not right, and you'll find yourself signing counseling statements and in the front leaning rest for things you never imagined it was possible to punish someone for, but that's how it works. Good order and discipline - that is, the soldiers' ability to obey lawful orders without fail - is more important than how many push ups you do because someone else had a stick up their ass. If you can wrap your head around that and get up motivated in the morning, you'll do fine.

[ModernSpartacus]

I've done some more research and re-thought. I think a better option than the RA for me would be the Royal Military Police. I've always been interested in policing and I'd love to get into Close Protection.

[PrincessHeather]

Just wanted to toss out another possible consideration for those generally interested in the military as someone who is a military spouse who is getting ready for a PCS move (my husband isa SSgt in the US Air Force, almost 9 years in). There's of course lots to consider regarding the career fields open to you, which branch suits you best, and navigating the rank system and understanding your place on the totem pole as you progress in your military career.

 

But it might also be a good idea to consider what type of family life you see yourself wanting and how a military life affects that. I've seen many families have a really difficult time dealing with the stress of deployments, the process of moving from base to base, and how those things affect your ability to settle down, buy a home, get careers established, make friends etc. You should want a mobile kind of lifestyle, for yourself and any current or future significant other and children. It's an exciting and interesting life, but some people only find it difficult and frustrating. Experiences vary (Cline sounds to have had a great experience as a military kid), but it's not for everyone. I'm excited about moving again after only being at our current base 3 years, but some people hate having to pick up and start over every time.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Considering joining the RAF or Royal Navy. Job market's a mess, university's a no go, and Rockets needs his money. Besides, gotta keep the traditions going.

 

It's nice to see others working towards the same thing (especially you Daithi, it's pretty much the same situation). Lets all get ripped and look damn good in uniform.

[jfreaksho]

I had no idea so much math was involved in the artillery! Math is my mortal enemy so I may have to rethink.. Of course, I still have other career options open to me that are non-military related. We shall see.

I'm a random dude on the internet.  Are you really going to let me make career choices for you?  At the very least, talk to someone who knows more about it than, "I know a guy who used to do it".

 

I just wanted to clarify, at least in the U.S. Army, the 'risks' that officers deal with are more often about the decisions they have to make regarding their troops on the ground than their own physical safety. The responsibility they have for their assigned enlisted soldiers is enormous - hence, the neverending paperwork.

*snip*

 

Truth.  The risk is that someone under you screws up and you didn't tell them not to do it, or didn't get them trained properly, or maybe that no one screwed up, but someone got screwed and you have to explain why.