Anybody have any advice for someone joining the military?

Get out while you still can.

Don't die.

Well, he's enlisted in the Navy, so he stands a pretty good chance of NOT dying, as compared to other branches of the armed forces, notably the Marines and Army.

For the type of war the US is currently fighting a Navy is pretty much useless in terms of an actual weapon of war. Sure, cruise-missle strikes are called in every now and then and aircraft carriers still see lots of action, but most of the work of the War on Terror and the war in Iraq is being done by the grunts right now. As Bush said, MAJOR military combat is over. You can't really call in cruise-missle strikes against insurgent positions that are constantly changing like you could with Saddam's palaces or Republican guard strongholds.

A position in the Navy stands the least chance of being killed or wounded. Sure, the USS Cole, but that's not something that happens often. Navys are not what they used to be in war today. The advent of long-range air-power cancelled out the effectiveness of most types of war-ships.

Remind me to volunteer for the navy if there is gonna be a draft so that I can escape that pesky grunt work.

My exact advice.

Navy or Air Force is your best bet lately, because last time I checked Osama doesn't exactly have a dearth of submarines and jet fighters at his disposal. Used to be National Guard but they're getting sent over-seas more and more these days.

Watch 60 Minutes right now (on the East Coast).

Air National Guard Worked for Me! Now if only I could get hooked on phonics to do the same...

Watch out for your cornhole, buddy. Oh wait. That's prison. Never Mind.

Is it the name that led you to that conclusion? Or the similarity to the typical SP pattern?

Well, the idea of joing the Navy to get out of the house wasn't the sharpest, but it did accomplish it purpose. He won't be around the house anymore.

Well, I think that sometimes a career in the armed forces to could be preferable to people who aren't really going anywhere in the private sector or lack the neccesary education to land a decent job. It's not easy, and it certainly isn't for everyone, but it is steady work, which is worth quite a lot to some people. It comes with a lot of mental, physical, and moral strains, but to some it is better than not working or doing shit desk work.

Hell, I'm still considering it as a possibility and I'm in college. It'll probably never happen, but I bet I could get lots of chicks if I were in the Coast Guard or something.

Don't sign up. If you do don't get suckered into the 6 year contract. Do minimal to get your GI bill and benefits and get the hell out.

Seriously my brother got suckered into 6 years of service in the Air Force and hated it. And my best friend got suckered into the Navy for 6 years of service and already hates it.

Ah. I was not aware of that distinction.

I'd've played it safe and taken the job as the guy pushing the buttons or making sure the poop deck was clean.



Poop.

If the war in Iraq is still going on when I graduate from college (something that these days seems to be very likely), then I am probably gonna join the grunts. It's part "Do my part for my country, even if I hate the Bush Administration," and part Ernest Hemingway fight-in-a-war-so-I-can-say-I-did. I mean, if this ends up being a major point in history and my grandchildren ask me where I was then, I'd like to be able to say I was fighting for my country, not still living with my parents as I worked shitty jobs and put off the beginning of my screenwriting career for the next night.

Needing to get out of the house is a terrible terrible reason to do anything that supports the U.S. military.

you do realize that this could also end with you not having any grandchildren, or any children either for that matter, because you may get blown up at some point, right?

joining the military to get out of the house sounds like a peachy idea in switzerland, not in the US in this day and age.

my uncle served in Northern Ireland during the height of the IRA troubles for pretty much the same reasons. He came out a changed man, (didnt' know him before as i wasnt born). Not always the brigthest thing to do

I'd rather my kid stay around the house than go off on a fool's mission that Iraq was/is.

Right, because I'd rather have patriots than previously-disgruntleds guarding the border.

Oh wait...nobody's doing it now anyway...sorry...forgot.

yeah, but in this case it didn't sound like the kid is enjoying staying with his folks, regardless of ongoing wars in the middle east.

Well, my kid's 10...it's irrelevant until some other idiot about 9 years from now goes off on a fool's mission...

You sound like I did at 19 when I was dumped by my girlfriend and flunked out of college within the span of a week. There was no fucking way I was going to hang around the home town until I got my shit together, so I joined up.

For me, it was the best thing I ever did. It got me away from home. I also learned that there are about 100,000 things worse than 8:00 a.m. classes and studying. The change in perspective is a good thing, especially if you're young and haven't really seen much of the world.

A word of advice. Keep a low profile and stay focused on what you want to do after you get out. In a lot of ways, its the easiest job you'll ever have (show up on time, cut your hair and wear the correct uniform). You can either skate through your enlistment, and nobody will give a damn, or you can plan ahead, work toward your long-term goals and take advantage of the resources available (i.e., correspondence courses, GI bill, etc.). Nobody will give a damn if you work your ass off and take advantage of what the Navy has to offer, but you'll have something to show for it once you return to civilian life.

Anyway, just my 2 cents' worth. Good luck.

Just on a side note (sort of), I was wondering if you, Get Aids Now, actually believe in any of the reasons that people join the military for? It didn't sound like you were too enthusaiastic about the whole thing, but then again you didn't actually say much. I could definitely defend you if you were joining for something that you believed in. Just a thought.

good luck, and get to know the people you're serving with, their in's and out's, the way they act, favorite things, habits, mentalities, be able to predict their moves so you can get out of the way because they're more likely to get you killed than the enemy, friendly fire, the silent killer...

Advice? Don't ask, and don't tell.

Re: Anybody have any advice for someone joining the military?

What exactly is a Hospital Corpman?


And women like Marines, not Coast Guards. Think about it: what woman do any of you know would willingly want to date a guy that looks like Marty McFly in Back to The Future? Oooo...raaahh!

Here's your advice:

Be #1 rolling out of Basic, then be #1 rolling out of A School. That'll set you up to compete for a college program, which means a free education and a commission on the back end.

Whether or not you break out at #1, work as hard as you can. Try to get assigned to sea duty for your first tour. Initially, you'll have to spend some time mess cranking, then pulling "heads & beds" shifts, but if you distinguish yourself here you'll get responsibility early. This will lead to early promotion and a few awards, which you'll want as you rotate into shore duty and continue to hustle for those officer programs. Whether or not you get picked up for a formal officer program, take advantage of Navy Campus and Tuition Assistance to get some credits under your belt.

When you're in Basic, you'll be given the opportunity to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, which is a kind of 401k. Pass up buying savings bonds and max out your investment in TSP! Your contributions won't be taxed, and compound interest will work wonders for you. By the time you're ready to retire (yes, it will happen eventually), that pittance you've socked into TSP will have turned in to some real, substantial money.

The Navy, like any other large organization, breeds two cultures: those of mediocrity and excellence. It's up to you to determine which culture you wish to join. Choose well, and you'll be set for life.

One more thing: don't get married, don't sire any children during your enlistment, and don't buy a new car. Divorce rates are astronomical among the junior enlisted ranks - there's just too much time away. Additionaly, the junior enlisted pay scales aren't geared toward parents or people with large car payments, and you'll be setting yourself up for major financial hardship if you fall into either of those common traps.

Your pal who joined the Navy to get out of his one-horse town and has since been around the world twice, had plenty of adventures, finished one master's and is working on another (on the Navy's dime), makes significant money in private industry, and still flies in the Navy Reserve because it's more fun than renting a Cessna,
FrankCobretti

There are more options in military than combat roles.

No, no ... that's actually some good advice. Who knows what hazing rituals those lonely guys cook up on those long nights at sea.

I have a friend who was also in your situation. He hated his hometown (probably lives in a smaller town than you do, and in Southern Illinois), absolutely despised his father and wanted to leave really badly. You know what his decision was? He opted for further education. I know, it might not sound too appealing, but it's another venue in life that you could take. He's starting his Masters degree this fall in Windsor, Canada and he's really looking forward to it, not just leaving his home, but also finding a new one.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're not excited about the possibility of enrolling in the armed forces, then don't do it. Do something that you ARE content with.

My friend signed his life away to the Navy for 6 years, the dumb fuck. Joining the Navy might seem like a good idea now, but I guarantee you after a couple months you'll want to a) go awol or b) kill yourself

Yes yes a thousand times yes.

Boredom is abslolutely no reason to give your freedom up to the fucking government.

RD

my brother got kicked out of the navy...
my other brother was in the navy
my other other brother was in the navy
and my nephew is currently in the navy...
..
my advice is to not be in the navy and stay on the computer all day and night giving advice and jerking off to the sex forum of this here chud thing...
i so wish i had my own apartment and a phone line... they've got big booty hoes and veronika zemanova over there and i can't do shit about it from the library...