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So, you're thinking of joining the military ...

post #1 of 47
9/27/04 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
Twice now, Chewers have announced that they've enlisted in the military. Both times, I've thought, "Aargh! You should've talked to me first!"

So, if you're thinking about signing up, here's a place to ask your questions. There are a number of Chewer veterans (well, I can only think of one other off the top of my head, but there must be more). Ask us your questions, and we'll give you the straight dope.
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post #2 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:19pm
Is the Coast Guard really the red-headed stepchild of the Armed Forces? How often to they tend to get shipped overseas?
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post #3 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:20pm
My dad and sisters have gone through the Marine Corps, so I might be able to help out with answers to questions.
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post #4 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:23pm
FC, no offense...but I've gotten the OK from my entire family of vets to do what I'm doing...so don't worry yourself on my account. (If you weren't referring to me...then nvm...)

I'm good to go and I'm proud to say it.

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
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post #5 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:25pm
My bro went through the Airforce, non pilot side.
And my best friend in currently in the Navy.

So, ask away, I'm sure I could add a few notes.
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post #6 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:33pm
Are there really R. Lee Ermey guys who yell and berate you 24 hours a day?
I mean sure ... that'd turn you into a tough as nails soldier and all ... but wouldn't it just ruin the whole day?
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post #7 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:37pm
One of my second-uncles beat up a Filipino pimp in Manila once, so I could help answer any questions about the Armed Services as well.
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post #8 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PsYcHwArD101
FC, no offense...but I've gotten the OK from my entire family of vets to do what I'm doing...so don't worry yourself on my account. (If you weren't referring to me...then nvm...)

I'm good to go and I'm proud to say it.
None taken, Psychward. I wouldn't have tried to talk you out of it - just shared some advice on choosing an MOS, setting yourself up for an officer program, screw-proofing your contract, that kind of thing. Sounds like you got plenty of good advice without me.

Rath, I don't know much about USCG's deployment schedules, but I'm forwarding your question to a USCG pilot friend. I'll let you know what he tells me. I do know that USCG's funding prospects have improved since its move from Commerce to Homeland Defense, and that the Service is held in high regard by the people on the working level of the other military branches. USCG saves lives every day.
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post #9 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Freeze
Are there really R. Lee Ermey guys who yell and berate you 24 hours a day?
I mean sure ... that'd turn you into a tough as nails soldier and all ... but wouldn't it just ruin the whole day?
During boot camp, yes. They want to make sure your ass is dedicated to being there. They want your respect.

And best to shave your hair before you go; they'll usually do it by the second day.
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post #10 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:44pm
Actually, I've read somewhere that they're moving away from that approach, and soldiers going through boot camp are encouraged to go to their drill sergeant with any problems or concerns they may have.
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post #11 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L7 Productions
During boot camp, yes. They want to make sure your ass is dedicated to being there. They want your respect.

And best to shave your hair before you go; they'll usually do it by the second day.
NOOO! Do NOT SHAVE YOUR HAIR!

Yeah sure, they do it for you...I was up at MEPS last week and I asked two guys that were reupping if I should shave...response was an immediate "no!"

They said that the ppl that pre-shaved were chewed on twice as badly as everybody else.

I have no idea why that was (and probably still is) the case, but I wouldn't suggest shaving...

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
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post #12 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PsYcHwArD101
NOOO! Do NOT SHAVE YOUR HAIR!

Yeah sure, they do it for you...I was up at MEPS last week and I asked two guys that were reupping if I should shave...response was an immediate "no!"

They said that the ppl that pre-shaved were chewed on twice as badly as everybody else.

I have no idea why that was (and probably still is) the case, but I wouldn't suggest shaving...

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
Cut it short, then. It will make the process go so much easier.
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post #13 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PsYcHwArD101
They said that the ppl that pre-shaved were chewed on twice as badly as everybody else.
Understand that, no matter what you do, they will find something to yell at you about. It's part of the standard package - nothing to get wound up about.
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post #14 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guttenberg Fan Club
Actually, I've read somewhere that they're moving away from that approach, and soldiers going through boot camp are encouraged to go to their drill sergeant with any problems or concerns they may have.
uh huh ... that's probably right before the Drill Sergeant yells "PUT YOUR HAND ON THAT WALL, TROOPER!"
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post #15 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankCobretti
Understand that, no matter what you do, they will find something to yell at you about. It's part of the standard package - nothing to get wound up about.
Exactly.
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post #16 of 47
9/27/04 at 3:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankCobretti
Understand that, no matter what you do, they will find something to yell at you about. It's part of the standard package - nothing to get wound up about.
very true...

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
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post #17 of 47
9/27/04 at 4:11pm
I just hope you don't mind having to use a toilet (with no stalls) in front of 80 other guys.

Or is that only in Navy boot camp?
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post #18 of 47
9/27/04 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacob Singer
I just hope you don't mind having to use a toilet (with no stalls) in front of 80 other guys.

Or is that only in Navy boot camp?
No, my father (not sure about my sisters) had the same thing in Marine boot camp.
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post #19 of 47
9/27/04 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guttenberg Fan Club
Actually, I've read somewhere that they're moving away from that approach, and soldiers going through boot camp are encouraged to go to their drill sergeant with any problems or concerns they may have.
Away from the cussing?

In the Airforce the Drill Sergeants were not allowed to cuss.
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post #20 of 47
9/27/04 at 4:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L7 Productions
No, my father (not sure about my sisters) had the same thing in Marine boot camp.
it'll be just like ROTC and the Boy Scouts...no big deal...

latrine duty...bad memories!

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
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post #21 of 47
9/28/04 at 10:10am
I'm not thinking of joining the military.

I call you a liar, sir. A big, mean ol' liar.

And I bet your feet smell.
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post #22 of 47
9/28/04 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 
touche
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post #23 of 47
9/30/04 at 11:51am
What the hell.

I was a 98C Signals Intel Analyst and Korean Linguist for the US Army. Top Secret SCI clearance and all. I'll answer anything I can as well, to help out Frank.

Hoorah!
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post #24 of 47
9/30/04 at 12:17pm
If boot camp will mean that Psychward is nowhere near a keyboard for several months, then for Chrissakes, don't talk him out of it.
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post #25 of 47
9/30/04 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slater
If boot camp will mean that Psychward is nowhere near a keyboard for several months, then for Chrissakes, don't talk him out of it.
I love you too, Slater.

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+

...I don't have cancer...
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post #26 of 47
9/30/04 at 3:45pm
NAM...
It's like it was yesterday...
Why, why, why..?
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post #27 of 47
9/30/04 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ixnayray
NAM...
It's like it was yesterday...
Why, why, why..?

Because someone keeps brining it up every day so they can try to convince people that they were a "hero".

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post #28 of 47
9/30/04 at 3:51pm
Hey, save that dirty-talkin' for the politics forum, chappy.
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post #29 of 47
9/30/04 at 4:02pm
oh I dunno, I loved that comment...

+~~Do I smell like fish?~~+
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post #30 of 47
9/30/04 at 4:34pm
Thread Starter 
Regarding the only actual question that's been asked here, my one buddy in the Coast Guard hasn't gotten back to me, so I'm no good to you, Rath.

Sorry.
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post #31 of 47
9/30/04 at 5:25pm
All I know is you have to be at least seven feet tall to join the Coast Guard.

That way, if your ship sinks, you can walk safely back to shore.

<rims shot>
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post #32 of 47
9/30/04 at 5:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale 'Grifter' Wicker
Because someone keeps brining it up every day so they can try to convince people that they were a "hero".
Yeah. Don't even consider yourself a hero unless you lose all your limbs. And even then, don't be a filthy democrat like Max Cleland.
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post #33 of 47
9/30/04 at 6:35pm
I'm considering joining the marines, anything I should know before I go off to boot camp?
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post #34 of 47
10/1/04 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale 'Grifter' Wicker
Because someone keeps brining it up every day so they can try to convince people that they were a "hero".
My favorite joke:

Q: How can you tell the naval aviator at a cocktail party?
A: Don't worry about it - he'll tell you!
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post #35 of 47
10/1/04 at 8:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingus
I'm considering joining the marines, anything I should know before I go off to boot camp?
Quite a bit, actually. Have you spoken w/a recruiter yet?
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post #36 of 47
10/1/04 at 9:04am
Is there any chance of getting stoned with Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker and Keith David?
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post #37 of 47
10/1/04 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingus
I'm considering joining the marines, anything I should know before I go off to boot camp?

The number one thing, for any branch, is to remember that boot camp / basic / etc.. is all a head game. That's really all it is. The core foundation of any military unit is teamwork. The old adage of "there is no I in team" is never seen more than in the military, for the most part. The whole premise of basic is to teach you how to work within a team, and the value of accomplishment as a team. So, the 8 - 13 weeks of mind fuck is just that. A head game to get you out of yourself, and into the team. Nothing more. It may seem miserable, but it all depends on how you look at it.

You can't look at it as "this guy is being a prick to me", it's not like that. You must keep in mind that "this guy is being a prick to EVERYONE". That's the key. It's not you. It's not the guy next to you, or behind you. It's not personal. As they say "everyone's green" in the military so everyone is in the same boat. That promotes the teamwork.
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post #38 of 47
10/1/04 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingus
I'm considering joining the marines, anything I should know before I go off to boot camp?
The only thing you'll get out of the marines is a bad haircut.
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post #39 of 47
10/1/04 at 4:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ixnayray
The only thing you'll get out of the marines is a bad haircut.
Well, that and self discipline. Dedication to purpose. Attention to detail. A refusal to accept anything other than achievment in life. Pride. Comraderie. A sense of self.

Well, yeah. All of that and bad haircut.
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post #40 of 47
10/1/04 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles B
Is there any chance of getting stoned with Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker and Keith David?
Bill & Keith have both dropped out of the scene, but you can still find Forrest hanging around.
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post #41 of 47
10/1/04 at 5:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale 'Grifter' Wicker
Well, that and self discipline. Dedication to purpose. Attention to detail. A refusal to accept anything other than achievment in life. Pride. Comraderie. A sense of self.

Well, yeah. All of that and bad haircut.
They'll also teach you how to eat real fast.
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post #42 of 47
10/18/04 at 11:31am
Thread Starter 
Hey, I finally got an answer to that Coast Guard question! Here it is:

I wouldn't call us the red headed step child of the military. We're really doing other stuff and we're growing quite a bit. Pre-9/11 the CG was focusing it's efforts off shore (and passing the navy on its way to the littorals) Basically looking at doing migrant and narcotics interdiction further out to sea. Now port security has really become a big focus. As for deploying: not a lot, but some over seas. We've had one CG member killed in Iraq in an attack on an oil platform. We've got a cutter and two or three patrol boats over there along with some port security folks. If you end up on a cutter you will get underway. The cutters working the Bering currently are all out of California. And I'm sure there are a bunch of East Coast cutters down around Haiti. But like the Navy, the guys on ships have it the worst. Aviation and port security types don't deploy much and have some OK quality of life. If the kid you talking too is looking for oh-ra stuff, there some, but not, a lot to be had in the CG. We are standing up some SWAT type units, for opposed boardings (HVBSS in Navyese). But I doubt (hope)they see much in the way of real world ops. The Sierra Hotel stuff in the CG is either in aviation or small boats. We're the ones doing rescues on regular basis.

My short answer. I'm enjoying the CG now. It's a good balance for me at this point in my life between time for family and being involved in interesting stuff professionally. AK flying definitely gets interesting. But, I'm glad I did the carrier/deploying thing when I was younger.

If you have more detailed questions, let me know. My buddy'll be happy to tell you more.
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post #43 of 47
10/19/04 at 9:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacob Singer
They'll also teach you how to eat real fast.
Yeah, what the hell is up with that anyway? It's not like that 20-mile forced hike is going to be any easier with indigestion. I say let that Marine take his time, chew his food and get hydrated properly. He'll need it for the that freakin' mountain they have to climp at LeJuene.
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post #44 of 47
10/19/04 at 12:08pm
Nothing quite like mile 16, in Texas, in July, on Spaghetti day.

Ah, good times, right there.
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post #45 of 47
10/19/04 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
Yet another reason to join the Navy.

Well, that and the whole, "Would you rather sleep in a rack or in the mud?" thing.
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post #46 of 47
10/19/04 at 12:41pm
See, I prefer the whole: "That's not rain, it's liquid sunshine!" school of thought. However, you do make a good point!
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post #47 of 47
10/19/04 at 3:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale 'Grifter' Wicker
See, I prefer the whole: "That's not rain, it's liquid sunshine!" school of thought. However, you do make a good point!
I like mud...
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