Why did you/why didn't you join the military?

[Guest]

Don't hate please. I'm just gathering people's info on why and how they made their choice. 

 

I'm just curious to if you joined the military, what was the reason? 

 

If you "almost joined" why didn't you join? 

 

If you didn't join for another reason, why is it? 

 

 

 

If you joined because you thought it'd be fun, cool! 

 

If you didn't join because you have the impression that the military kills babies, cool. 

 

I understand some countries like Austria have obligated service that can be fulfilled without military service

 

Your reasons are your reasons. 

Please don't be derogatory.

[Holmes108]

I considered it a fair bit. I was a teenager in the 90s and went back and forth a few times. In my earlier years, I was all about the air force, but that was due to being naïve and thinking everyone in the air force was a fighter pilot, Top Gun style.

 

Then considered the more realistic army/infantry route. I liked the idea of the structure, the education, the travel. I thought the discipline would be good for me. Might help make me a more rounded person. Life/world experience, etc.

 

Then some of those reasons are also why I couldn't pull the trigger. I'm a rules follower in a general sense, but the micro managing would be tough for me. Being away for long periods, also tough. It was ultimately just too large of a decision.

 

And to a much smaller degree than those reasons, the application was daunting. I don't know how it is in the States, but I was kinda surprised at what you needed in Canada, last I checked, regarding personal references, etc.

 

Not that I couldn't have made it happen if I put my mind to it, but between what I perceived to be a lack of a personal network for references (I didn't even have a family doctor at the time), and of course pure laziness, it just never manifested. 

 

I went through a not entirely dissimilar route and went to school to be a police officer, but that didn't happen for a variety of other reasons. Although with the state of the world today, I might be better off in that regard.

 

For those curious, I just ended up in an administrative role with the provincial government, pushing paper. I like my job, for a job. I couldn't really say I'm passionate about it though. I'd certainly retire if I won the lottery, let's just say that, lol.

 

[crazzp]

Conscript here. That said, it was a good  experience learning some skills here and there. Most of us didn't kill (or have the intent to) anyone. But it was fun to fire a rifle at targets, throw grenades and operate a tank.

[IkeaGnome]

So in middle school I was going to go into the Coast Guard. Had great grades, was doing all the extra curricular activities to pick between college or Coast Guard. Had done some talking back and forth with recruiters early on in my 9th grade year. First semester had a 3.8 gpa. Was working on being lined up for flight school through them.

Depression hit.

Drugs hit. 

Suicide attempts hit.

More drugs. 

Barely passed high school.

 

A couple years after I had been out of high school (3) I signed up for the National Guard. Did BCT. Messed up my hips at AIT. Turns out being about 68kg before combat load and 140kg combat load will mess up your hips quickly. Don't regret it. Would do it again. Was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about myself and interacting with others. During trade school I volunteered for the fire department and on the ambulance. I found that helping people made me "cope" with my problems. Seeing they weren't that big in the grand scheme of things. Also helped to keep me off drugs when I was wanting to pick them back up. I went into the guard as a medic. I do regret not getting to spend more time in it. In my state (Alaska) it's mostly search and rescue anyways.

[Arika]

Because i have exactly zero desire for it.

 

while i do enjoy flying around in DCS, it's never something i would want to do for real.

[SansVarnic]

It was for personal reasons. I would like to share but I'll have to leave it at that, only a few know the real reason I joined.

It wasn't for the money, school or bonuses. I never used any of the incentives I was given.

It did, however, do for me exactly what I needed it for, and I am glad I joined. I served, I learned, I grew, and I became honored. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by SansVarnic

[Heliian]

Didn't consider it too much. More money in the civiallian market.  I come from a long line of dedicated servicemen and would always answer if called.  

[trag1c]

As a kid I wanted to be an CF-18 pilot but I was terribly asthmatic well into my teens (to the point where I would never qualify for any military service) so that was pretty much the end of that. Though even if I was perfectly healthy I doubt I could ever get in since the RCAF only has a small collection of planes of which a significant portion are probably inoperable.

 

Now I patrol the not so friendly skies in DCS.

[Imbadatnames]

Needed a shake up, would have earned more doing what I was before or doing what I do now if I left but I was young enough to do it, it’s different and putting you outside of your comfort zone is how you improve which the military does without even meaning to through sheer incompetence/lack of planning. 

[BiG StroOnZ]

I almost joined.

 

My plan was to become a PTL (Physical Training Leader) for the Air Force. I was heavily into fitness at the time, so it seemed suitable. I was in the school Gym frequently throughout High School; from Sophomore year to Senior year, 3-4 days a week. I trained with the Football team (American) and Wrestling team as well. They always wanted me to join, but I was mostly into the Powerlifting and Bodybuilding aspects of training, so I declined. I developed a good relationship with the coaches/gym teachers, and they taught me many things about weightlifting. So I trusted their input.

 

One day I was talking to one of the coaches during Health Education class and he asked me what I planned to do after I graduated (it was Senior year and graduation was not too far off). I told him I was going to join the military, specifically the Air Force. He had a good long hard look at me and was like, "you shouldn't do that." I replied, "Why?" And he said, "go to College, you'll thank me later." I sat there puzzled for quite a while, because now he threw a huge wrench in my original graduation plan.

 

A few months later I had a handful of powerful trips on Psilocybin cubensis (magic mushrooms), that really changed my perspective on life (also changed my personality extensively). The synchronicity was timed perfectly.

 

To this day, I'm not sure whether or not I made the right choice. But University was the best years of my life. The relationships I developed, the things I learned, the experiences I had. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It really helped me hone who I am today and I like the person I've become because of it.

 

However, I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I joined the Air Force and where it could have taken me. Don't get me wrong, University was a blast, but my life has been a roller coaster ever since. Occasionally I wonder if I had joined the Air Force if my life would be more consistent and stable.

 

Either way, I've come to think perhaps if I joined the military many of the things I know and am good at would cease to exist. Including computers. Which is slightly eerie, because they have been a large part of my life this past decade. There are other skills (and hobbies) too I imagine that might have not developed if I joined. Essentially, if I joined, I feel I would be a completely different person today. Just there are times that I wonder, what that person would have been and the trajectory life would have taken me.

 

[Ultraforce]

I didn't join because I felt confident that I would have issues with some of the ways authority likely works and that it would probably be a bad idea for someone who actively thinks that standing military is a bad thing and instead the education services offered by the military should be available in civilian public service organizations which should do military roles of engineering, disaster and search and rescue operations.

My family also had enough money to go through university without debt without joining the Canadian military which also added on to that, additionally I expected there to be issues in terms of lack of accomodations for people on the spectrum, flat feet possibly being an issue and personally I just have mixed feelings on how much I respect jobs where the intent is to harm other humans such as military and police.

[8tg]

Too brain too big for the Marines, eyesight too bad for the Air Force. And I didn’t want to take any peripheral role, I wanted to shoot things from the ground or the air, not anything else.

Ending up in AFQT 1 after testing and they did not stop bothering me for the entire rest of my senior year of highschool and then still contacted me for years after.

My grandfather still will not talk to me 8 years later because I didn’t pursue it.

[Avocado Diaboli]

Service is mandatory in Switzerland. It doesn't specifically need to be military service, it can be in the civilian sector, but the default is getting drafted for the military. As a woke lefty pacifist, I noped out of that as soon as possible. Worked in nature preserves, retirement homes and with disabled children instead. I oppose the armed service both on moral grounds as well as the fact that most of the tax money spent on defense could be better spent elsewhere and I didn't want to be part of a system that wastes money and resources on purpose.

[Sarra]

I wanted to join the Air Force. I went to a recruiter, and after a short discussion, the recruiter and I both realized I was medically disqualified from joining.

 

So, that is why I didn't join the Air Force. :C

[Levent]

Mandatory service. Interesting experiences all around, I would rather not do it again.

[airborne spoon]

why did i join the Army? I dono, it sounded like a good idea at the time Perhaps it was just a easy process, i really dont know why i joined.

why did i reenlist the first time? to get out of NC and go to AK and for $12k

why did i reenlist the second time? to go to CA and for $15k (tax free this time)

why did i reenlist the third time (indefinite)? Because i was at like 11 years and figured i might as well finish it off and do 20. And I was hoping to be able to stay in Italy for another 3 years but that didn't happen.

 

Looking at my fellow millennials i have to say i made a wise choice to join the Army. I will be 38 in a few months and retire1 Sep 2023, but I start my terminal leave 135 days prior to that which is April.

I'll be collecting a pension, never working again, with no student loan debt, and no debt of any kind. I will drive around the country with my trailer and my dog and go hiking and fishing for the rest of my days.

 

[IkeaGnome]

37 minutes ago, airborne spoon said:

why did i reenlist the first time? to get out of NC and go to AK and for $12k

JBER, or did you get stuck at Elmendorf?

[airborne spoon]

5 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

JBER, or did you get stuck at Elmendorf?

When I was there it was Ft Richardson, we stood up the 4/25th from nothing, my whole battalion was 5 people when i arrived 

[IkeaGnome]

16 minutes ago, airborne spoon said:

When I was there it was Ft Richardson, we stood up the 4/25th from nothing, my whole battalion was 5 people when i arrived 

Yeah, I had a "I'm at work and tired" brain fart moment. Elmendorf is JBER. I meant to ask JBER or Greely. 

I want to say those barracks are over on the north side of base? I was in the AKNG medical detachment, but 1/297. 

You'd be impressed to see how much it's grown over there.

[Senzelian]

No.1 reason: I'm a pussy and about as athletic as a duck.

 

But as long as the U.S. is part of NATO I wouldn't want to join the Bundeswehr.

[Radium_Angel]

Wanted to join, a history of cancer battles put paid to that.

Oh well.

[CommanderAlex]

Couldn't join due to medical reasons...

 

If it weren't for that, I'd go into the Army. 

[Mihle]

There is mandatory service in Norway, but the capacity for people is plenty smaller than the number of people, and plenty people want to. So if you day you don't want to and isn't in the best shape, you don't need to either.

 

I just had no interest for doing it, so I didn't. I also have reasons I didn't know at the time that wouldn't allow me to anyway.

[Zusafek]

Why did I join the Army?  It felt like the right choice for me.  Would have loved to stayed in the full time but due to unforseen circumstances while on deployment....my career came to a quick end.  

 

I don't regret any of it at all.  It taught me to be the man I am now.  I took what I learned and now operate 3 successful businesses.  I'll still be retired within the next 10 years.  So by the time I'm about 50 years old.  No complaints.

[Imbadatnames]

6 hours ago, Sakuriru said:

Because I'm big dumb.

Infantry or logistics?