To join or not to join?

C

Csloan

New Member
Hi so I have been thinking about joining the military for a while now. I have gone through a pretty tough life and have made some bad decisions in my life barely graduated high school I went to college and played a semester of softball but then got suspended for underage drinking and then shortly quit. One of my biggest regrets. Since then I've been on a downward spiral with my life I've been living on my own for about 3 years was in a serious relationship that ended terribly and now in a relationship that includes drugs and alcohol and I just want out. I want a better life I want to stand for something. I've always been on sports teams and miss them greatly. I have always looked up too people in the military I love being physically fit, I love uniforms, and structure, I don't exactly like being pushed around but I think I could deal with it until I can move up in rank I want to
Be the best of the best. I mostly want to work with the dogs in the military I'm a very big animal person. But I'm scared my past has messed my future up. I've been arrested, over 5 speeding tickets, and in pretty bad debt. I plan on takin care of most of my
Debt as soon as possible my parents said they would help me but only if I enlisted. Which I don't really have a problem with. But also I have some other concerns. I have slight anxiety it comes from me being short. I'm barely 5 foot and a girl by the way. And I have this ridiculous fat tattoo on my right arm that I regret. I'm pretty scared of being picked on and treated bad because I'm short and have this terrible tattoo. I've had some pretty bad self esteem issues lately I haven't really had them my whole life but I'm afraid since boot camp is so harsh that it might just break me. I want todo this more than anything in y life. I want to be something I want to travel I want to physically challenge myself and be the best I want to fight for this country and show my family I am worth something. Since I haven't accomplished anything but getting a high school diploma I want to do more. I'm not afraid of being deployed I want to see the world and I want to do the best I can. Im also a bit scared about the asvab. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box. But I sure can study my ass off. What is your opinion? I mean I just feel like I have so much baggage and I'm being a bit harsh on myself. But I hear the military is harsh and it's nothing to take lightly. And advise would be awesome. Thanks!
 
Your profile says you're a boy, you should rectify that.

Millions of people have joined the military in similar circumstances to what you're describing. At the same time you need to be crystal clear on your motivations. Nobody in the military gives a crap about your height or your tatoo. They care about results. They care about if you're competent in your job. They care about if you pull your own weight. Do you contribute to the team?

When you join the military, you're life as a civilian is over. All the crap you did as a civilian is virtually meaningless. It's about what you do now. It's about being put in impossible situations that aren't fair and still making sh!t happen. War isn't fair. Combat isn't fair. It's our job in the miltary to know that stuff will go wrong no matter what we plan, yet, we still move forward and get it done. It's not going to be easy. It's quite possibly going to result in some of the most miserable situations you've ever been in. The only thing I can guarantee is that the company will be excellent. They will certainly be memorable. 20 years from now you'll be able to tell some whopping stories that are actually true...
 
Thank you for your response.. Yes I am a female ill have to fix that. One other question in the last 6 months I have made a few enemies where I live some of which are in the military or some that know a lot of
people in the military. Is there anyway this will affect me?
 
It shouldn't have any impact at all. Unless you've made enemies with the Recruiters. You might have a problem or two if that's the case.

Otherwise, so long as you can prove yourself to be a competent and capable soldier (or sailor/Marine/airwoman/etc...), anything that these people might have to say about you won't hold any water.
 
Thank you for the response,
No I have not made any enemies with the recruiters I just don't want to run across anyone while on duty with anyone that might not like me. And want to make my time in the military rough. I know the military is big and there's only a hand full of people in the military that might have a problem with me. I know it's probably hard for this to even happen but it's just still a small thing I worry about.
 
Csloan said:
Thank you for the response,
No I have not made any enemies with the recruiters I just don't want to run across anyone while on duty with anyone that might not like me. And want to make my time in the military rough. I know the military is big and there's only a hand full of people in the military that might have a problem with me. I know it's probably hard for this to even happen but it's just still a small thing I worry about.
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Trust me, there are much bigger things to worry about...especially right off the bat. That Drill Sergeant won't know you at all, but rest assured, they will certainly have a problem with you. They will do more about that problem than any person you've had a problem with up to that point in your life. EVER! Trust me. Deal with what is 6 inches in front of your face. There is just WAY too much in the military to worry about to be worrying about the impossbily unlikely scenerio that you might actually know someone from back home you end up serving with. Well, in the US military at least.

You will likely hate that Drill Sergeant after a while...don't worry though. If you stick around for a while and see it through, it'll all make sense.

At the end of the day remember this. We are in the business of killing and being killed. That's what we in the military do. Whether it's directly involved or on the periphery makes no difference. Everyone takes part in one way or another. It's a very serious business. If you're not squared with that then stay home. A lot of good can come from service. Great friends, great training, school, travel, etc. BUT, someday it may be demanded...not asked...of you to kill or give your life which is something that should not be taken lightly. You will get nicks and cuts..bruises and blisters. You'll be outside in the mud and the rain or the dust and the heat. You'll go months or even years without seeing your loved ones and you may be put in places where the locals very much want you to end up with a knife severing your throat. There is good and bad. The question really ends up being...what's it worth to you?
 
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Thank you that eased my worries a lot. I am just an over thinker. I know there will be a lot
More to deal with I just need to focus on that. I just have a million things I am thinking about and weighing out. I feel like this is the biggest decisions of my life and I really want to make sure I am making the right choice. I research stuff everyday about the military to really get a good understanding on everything. Any advice at all is greatly appreciated.
 
i want to join the military but i want to be a United States Army Sniper or an airborne ranger but they do change that till 2016 i also want to be a drill sergeant. :sniper::drill::army:
 
I ate drill sergeants for breakfast when I was a Royal Military Police Corporal.
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:twisted:
 
CSM Chandler said:
i want to join the military but i want to be a United States Army Sniper or an airborne ranger but they do change that till 2016 i also want to be a drill sergeant. :sniper::drill::army:
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Easy there...if these are things you plan on doing you need to start training NOW. The most important thing would be to start conditioning your feet and getting used to carrying heavy loads over great distance. So, you need to start ruck marching NOW. Since you're a girl this is going to give you problems because your hips are wider and your bones are less dense. This translates into stress fractures. You can make your bones more dense through training but it's going to be VERY challenging and quite painfull. Start with 25lbs and maybe 2-3 miles. Work your way up to 80lbs and 25 miles (over the course of a year). If you can hit that milestone before you graduate(without hurting yourself), and the military lifts the ban on women in combat arms...you might actually have a shot at sniper/ranger. Can you do at least 6 pull ups? Also, look up the ranger school pt test on google so you know what to work towards as a minimum...also, look up zero week in ranger school...make it through that week and you have a fairly good chance of making it through Ranger school.
 
The Highway Man said:
I could only be arrested by a service police officer of a higher rank than mine, an ordinary SNCO or officer couldn't do it, they could report me to my unit but not nick me. ;)
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I'm sure there is a regulation where even a grotty cook or general dogs body could nick you, especially if he's holding an L1A1 with one up the spout, his thumb on the safety and pointed at your wedding tackle.;)
 
BritinAfrica said:
I'm sure there is a regulation where even a grotty cook or general dogs body could nick you, especially if he's holding an L1A1 with one up the spout, his thumb on the safety and pointed at your wedding tackle.;)
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He'd have to shoot me, because the moment he put the rifle down, I'd tear him a new one! ;)
 
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