Well I have finally talked to a recruiter, that was the easy part. Talking to my girlfriend sucked. She is of course worried, but warming up to it. I talked to the recruiter about Infantry, or something to do with an armored unit (tanks). So now i just have to make a decision. I want to be in the fight for sure though.

Only you know that. Think carefullyabout your reasons and how important they are.

Infantry is not as cool as it looks in the movies or the recruiting videos.

He will learn, in time, to embrace the suck...

Yeah, the Infantry life sucks...
But! You take pride in doing things that most other Sodiers won't touch.

And then you end up with a set of skills related to nothing in real life and no credits existing for it.
BTDT.

The guy in the second pic looks like hes blowing ass hahaha. Sucks

Trailbrake, It can be a wonderful life if you want it.
I've learned a lot.

It has taught me:

How to get along with anybody, in all circumstances and sometimes great stress. Even and perhaps, especially when they are @ssholes.

That sometimes just doing your job means pissing people off.

How to find the humor in any situation. If you can laugh your ass off in the frozen mud in an ice storm, wet, cold, and miserable, you can survive anything.

How not to take youth for granted.

How to outrun at 26 an 18 year old with no conception of what heart is.

How to train that 18 year old to get and recognize heart.

How to seperate those 18 year olds and older who don't have heart and will never get it.

That knowing the previous does not make me smarter or a better person. It just makes me a Royal Marine.

How to argue my position forcefully and with respect with superiors and then salute and execute legal orders I don’t necessarily agree with to the best of my ability. “Sir, I think that’s ****ing stupid, and I reserve the right to tell you I told you so, but we will execute.”

That life ain’t fair.

That sometimes the enemy is smarter than you.

That sometimes I am smarter than the enemy.

That there is no way to tell the difference until it is too late.

That sometimes I am fighting the wrong enemy altogether and the greatest operational distracters can come from us

That life is at its best when it is at its most absurd.

That I can accomplish any given mission given a reasonable amount of like minded marines/soldiers who want to get the job done.

That life sucks sometimes and you still got to do the job. Like on the 3rd day of an operation at 0300 without any sleep and still making it happen. It isn’t pretty and it isn’t perfect but it better than what most could do.

That being cold sucks.

That being hot sucks.

The previous things are absolutely true but not as much as being cold and wet at the same time.

That you should appreciate chow of all kinds and sleep of all kinds whenever you get the chance to get some of them.

How to sleep in any kind of military vehicle or aircraft in any situation. Even in combat.

To always carry a map and know where the hell you are.

To always have a filled radio that I know works.

That the greatest military on the face of the earth can’t deliver fresh bread and eggs without KBR.

That I would not now be as well educated nor as world experienced.

How to wait on line for everything.

How to wait and like it.

That incompetence you can depend on is better than technology you can’t.

How to tell someone that he is full of **** while smiling in his face.

How to say "thank you, sir" when you really want to tell them to drop dead.

How it feels to show up at your 20th High School reunion in shape and fit (even after breaking an ankle on a night jump) and knowing for what your life has been lived. Knowing you did not wander through life and found yourself in a career you never envisioned at 19. Knowing you have seen and done things that most won’t or can’t understand. Knowing that you chose this life and this life chose you.


Good luck, mate.

Originally Posted by 42RM

Trailbrake, It can be a wonderful life if you want it.
I've learned a lot.

It has taught me:

How to get along with anybody, in all circumstances and sometimes great stress. Even and perhaps, especially when they are @ssholes.

That sometimes just doing your job means pissing people off.

How to find the humor in any situation. If you can laugh your ass off in the frozen mud in an ice storm, wet, cold, and miserable, you can survive anything.

How not to take youth for granted.

How to outrun at 26 an 18 year old with no conception of what heart is.

How to train that 18 year old to get and recognize heart.

How to seperate those 18 year olds and older who don't have heart and will never get it.

That knowing the previous does not make me smarter or a better person. It just makes me a Royal Marine.

How to argue my position forcefully and with respect with superiors and then salute and execute legal orders I don’t necessarily agree with to the best of my ability. “Sir, I think that’s ****ing stupid, and I reserve the right to tell you I told you so, but we will execute.”

That life ain’t fair.

That sometimes the enemy is smarter than you.

That sometimes I am smarter than the enemy.

That there is no way to tell the difference until it is too late.

That sometimes I am fighting the wrong enemy altogether and the greatest operational distracters can come from us

That life is at its best when it is at its most absurd.

That I can accomplish any given mission given a reasonable amount of like minded marines/soldiers who want to get the job done.

That life sucks sometimes and you still got to do the job. Like on the 3rd day of an operation at 0300 without any sleep and still making it happen. It isn’t pretty and it isn’t perfect but it better than what most could do.

That being cold sucks.

That being hot sucks.

The previous things are absolutely true but not as much as being cold and wet at the same time.

That you should appreciate chow of all kinds and sleep of all kinds whenever you get the chance to get some of them.

How to sleep in any kind of military vehicle or aircraft in any situation. Even in combat.

To always carry a map and know where the hell you are.

To always have a filled radio that I know works.

That the greatest military on the face of the earth can’t deliver fresh bread and eggs without KBR.

That I would not now be as well educated nor as world experienced.

How to wait on line for everything.

How to wait and like it.

That incompetence you can depend on is better than technology you can’t.

How to tell someone that he is full of **** while smiling in his face.

How to say "thank you, sir" when you really want to tell them to drop dead.

How it feels to show up at your 20th High School reunion in shape and fit (even after breaking an ankle on a night jump) and knowing for what your life has been lived. Knowing you did not wander through life and found yourself in a career you never envisioned at 19. Knowing you have seen and done things that most won’t or can’t understand. Knowing that you chose this life and this life chose you.


Good luck, mate.

Hit it on the head!

I recently had a run in with a few people I went to highschool with. They were individuals that I didn't particularly care for while in highschool because I saw them as stuck up and bully like. They were never that way to me personally, but I witnessed and even intervened a few times when things got out of hand for others who would not defend themselves...

Anyways, I was cordial and so were they. They had grown up a bit but immediately tried to set up a hierarchy based off of highschool where they were on top. I asked how they were doing and they elaborated on their wasted college years, their children(mostly unexpected), current marriage,(after at least one failure), etc. I listened intently while they drank their beer and talked of better times past. Then they allowed me to speak about my last 11 years since I left highschool. I have no regrets, I am happily married with our first child on the way. I have seen and done things that 99% of people will never get to do. I have dealt with people from all over and found that everyone has something to contribute. Most importantly, I have done everything I said I was going to do and more. Life has served some sh*t sanwiches but how you deal with them defines your character. You define the events that happen to you, not the other way around.

Bottom line is that the military is what you make of it. Is it possible to just get by? sure it is... just don't complain about how messed up things are when you are part of the problem. BUT, if you stay motivated, if you strive for excellence in everything you do, and most importantly, if you pick yourself up from the mistakes you will make and learn from them I GUARANTEE you will be among the top 1% and you will absolutely love every second of it. Attitude is everything...it really does make a difference.