Hi

Im just considering my options,i'm joinining the military sometime soon.
Im from NZ and im wanting to be a crewman (tank driver), but in the NZ army nothing too exciting happens (on the combat side of things)
I thought for an experience, while im still young I could enlist in either the UK or the Australian army, not tooooo keen on the US but maybe. Then after 5 years or so come back to NZ and be a field engineer in the NZ army.
Ive looked into it and I hear both armies are after more recruits.

So my questions are:

First off, is my plan realistic?
In your opinion what would be better overall?? UK our Australia???
In what army would you get the most deployments, or UN peacekeeping type stuff?? As this is what im keen on.
So what are peoples opinions??

Thanks in advance
(if theres anything else I should add, just say)

jmc -
I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm - but - are you crazy?

Why in the world would you go out of your way to enlist in ANY military service and wish for battle?

Do you REALLY understand what it is that you are wishing for?

You do understand - the other guy is trying to kill you just as hard as you are trying to kill him. (RIGHT?).

Peace keeping would be alright if peace were to continue, but it becomes pure hell when guerrilla warfare breaks out in the area that you are responsible for patrolling and it lead to deaths of fellow crew-mates, friends or relatives. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS KIND OF ACTION?

I will be the last person to tell you to chose a different line of work as I enjoyed most of my 20+ years of military duty, but I still have my "ghosts" which sometimes trouble my sleep even after almost 40 years.

I will HOWEVER tell you to make absolutely sure that the military life is the life that you really want to pursue. It CAN be very rewarding but it can also lead to the adventures out of which living nightmares are made real.

As a father and grandfather it is my VERY ERNEST wish that my sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters will NEVER NEVER NEVER have to go to war.

As a veteran, if peace were to break out in every corner of the world and no more wars were to be fought, I would thank a benevolent god that not one more young man or woman (friend or stranger) would have to die or be maimed because of war(s).

I realize that this wish may seem to be a little unrealistic, but it is my heartfelt prayer - peace in my lifetime and no more wars.

Yeh thanks for that, excactly the kind of input im after.
Yah see, the NZ army only "peacekeep" they dont "fight". So I have'nt heard about other armies and how they do things.

I definately dont wish to go to war. In the Aus and Brit armies are you pretty much certain to go into battle? I didnt realise that it was like that.

I suppose ive got alot to learn about the military in other countries, and this would be a good place to do that. Maybe I should just stay in NZ.

Keep the ideas flowin

JMZ, no matter whose military you join you need to realise that the purpose of a military is to fight and by joining said organisation you may indeed be put in harm's way. This is a big problem with a lot of kids who join during peacetime so don't feel like I am singling you out. But I personally got my fill of "I didn't think I would go to war when I joined. I just joined to pay for my university" back during Desert Storm I. So even though right now NZ is peace loving with few or no enemies things can change rapidly and if you are in the military it is in the job description so you need to be cognizant of this going in mate.

jmc
As buldogg said - the PRIMARY mission of ANY military is to fight if called upon by the government.

Many a young man or woman chose the military during a period of peace, only to find themselves looking over gunsights because the military wing they chose was tasked for a "peacekeeping" mission that suddenly flared into active fighting.

If you still chose to enter active military service don't forget this one fact - sooner or later the military IS called upon to fight. (It doesn't always take the form of war).

jmc,
If you are determined to take a shot at Military life, join for the shortest time you can to "check it out". At your age, I was in the Army and enjoying it. But, there were draftees stationed with me who suffered every minute that they spent in the service. There are people who are just military through and through and can't imagine a civilian life. Maybe it's your calling.

But, like the old saying goes, the Services kill people and break their stuff, that's pretty much the only goal of armed forces. In the process, folks die, that is not something that "lifers" like to think about but it's as real as breathing. You are a man so it's something you'll have to weigh for yourself but you're smart enough to ask those who have been there.

Well, I can't tell you with the UK army, but if you join the Australian army, in a regiment like 2 Cavalry or one of the line infantry battalions as a trooper or rifleman you WILL see service (be it peace making or peace keeping).

If you join as an Abrams crewman you probably wont, because we don't like to send them overseas. Too fragile

But yeah, think if the reason you want to join is to fight, or is for the medals, or the war stories. If it is, then that feeling probably wont last. It's worn off in a big way with a mate of mine from 2nd Cavalry who's just completed his second tour of Iraq.

Just out of curosity, why not the US armed forces. You like those two but dont like the American army?

Originally Posted by Rabs

Just out of curosity, why not the US armed forces. You like those two but dont like the American army?

No offence to anyone here, but I just dont like america and its culture. I went for a holiday there last year, and im sorry to say, I just didnt like it. I suppose its just because its alot different than where I come from.

Now to the matter at hand. Im still keen on being a crewman, despite everyones opinions. Its what I've wanted to do my whole life, but I've now got my doubts. I want to do that thing on the net were you speak to a serving UK soldier but its closed for the holidays

If you really really really want to serve, then pick the branch least likely to be involved in combat - just don't expect that you will NEVER be caught up in combat.

Countries since the dawn of time have asked the young to stand as the wall between the enemy and themselves. Ever it will be so.