I've heard they'll tell you pretty much anything you want to hear to get you to sign up. Is that true? I'm really only looking to get free schooling in the future while I get settled financially. Aside from that, this is pretty much my last resort. I'm in a pretty dark spot in my life, Blades. I guess this is my way out. Hooray Government? Any tips/tricks/useful knowledge for a fellow Blade? Please don't waste your time telling me I have other avenues, yadda yadda. I'm no longer looking for ways to get around this, only help to make it through it.
Well, I was in your same position. I had devoted my last 8 months to this girl I was in love with and she broke my heart over and over again. I went to community college but ended up dropping out because school just wasn't my thing. I was broke as fuck and I felt like I didnt have many options. So I joined the Marines. I'll tell you this. Its not going to be easy. And by that, it's going to be really fucking hard. You're basically stripped of everything that you've ever felt really identified you and you're thrown into this culture of people who fucking love The Navy. There are going to be overachieving, ass kissing guys and gals who have wanted to join The Navy since they were 5, so when your whatever navy rank tells you to be up at 5 every morning to clean the barracks, they're gonna be like, Roger that, sergeant! And you're gonna be like, fuck this. I'm not sure what your job is going to be, but please please look into it and ensure that you will enjoy it. I was in administration when I was in the marines and most of the guys and even about half of the females were like, I joined to kill bad guys, not sit in front of a desk all day. I'm sure in the navy it will be slightly different because the Marines is hardcore but I'm sure it's not too different. If you work hard, you can advance pretty quickly. The higher rank you are, the less bullshit you have to put up with and the more money you make. But if your heart isn't into it, you might just go through the motions of promotions like I did. There were many, many people on the marines who killed themselves in the gym, fought to get on promotional boards, studied marine corps history, learned the uniform manual backwards and forwards, kissed sooo much ass by going to work early and staying late, coming in on weekends, ect. If you're willing to do those things, I say go for it. If you have any doubt, I would talk to people that you know who are in the Navy. I have two friends in the Navy and I could ask them some questions for you and get back to you for answers. It's not a picnic. My suggestion for anyone who joins the military is that you can't be the type of person who questions authority. You can't be the type of person who says, this is bullshit. I don't agree with this. I was like that but luckily I had a couple things going for me that allowed me to be that way such as, I was a hard worker, I was always respectful to my leaders, and I was in a job where lives werent on the line so it was a little more relaxed and they gave us leeway to kind of discuss our issues. You won't find that everywhere. You won't find that a lot. I got really lucky and 9/10 you're going to be putting up with a lot of shit for no reason. My last thing will be this. I don't know any person who has left the marines and said, I wish I didn't join. I don't know a single person who ended up regretting joining the military AFTER they got out. When you're in, you're gonna be like what the fuck did I just do? When you're out, you're gonna look back and be proud of what you did. You're going to feel apart of a brotherhood. Every time you see someone with a Navy sticker on their car, you're gonna be like, that's my family right there. I can go up to that random stranger and have a 20 minute conversation and reminisce. I've talked to WWII veterans who were in the Marines when I volunteered one day to get those guys out to tour the monuments in DC, and those men were amazing. We spent the whole day together and didn't stop swapping stories and laughing. You'll be apart of that. If you dont fuck up and you get an honorable discharge, it sets you up for a boatload of decent paying jobs with skills that most people don't have. At 22 years old, I have my own house. No roomates. Sure I struggle but the military set me up financially to be able to get good paying jobs. And I don't have to worry about student loans like your average 22 year old with a college degree. If you have any more questions, let me know. I wrote a huge post. I hope it was helpful. These are just some of the things that I wish I knew before I signed my life away. Good luck to you if you go through with it. Just research, research, research. And since the wars are dying down, your recruiter isn't going to sell you a dream like he did when I joined in 2009 lol. Youre probably not gonna get a bonus or the job you really, really want. Just don't let him stick you anywhere. That you WILL regret:
@trainunderwater Wow, thank you so much. That was an incredibly insightful post, and surprisingly inspirational. I love a challenge, and what you've described will be a huge challenge - with worthy benefits. And honestly.. I've never felt that strong family bond with anyone, not even my own family. Not that I've had bad relationships with my family, they were just never that great. I know a guy who was in the marines and he felt that bond and proudly displayed it, and I never really understood it, but never thought to ask about it. You've given me a glimpse into what that means to both of you, and hopefully will to me as well. I really didn't expect much from GC regarding this matter, but you have done more than help; you've inspired me and given me motivation. Again, thank you so much.
Ooooh God. I did that? Well, I hope you don't hate me a year from now when you're in the thick of it and you're like, I wish I didnt listen to that GC bitch lol.
If I do, then that will mean a few years from now we could randomly have a 20-minute conversation and reminisce.
My friend joined the Navy, he absolutely hated it and they made his life a living hell until he got a medical discharge for the ADHD he had as a child. He said he was in a really bad situation though, drill sergeants punching people, hazing... shit like that. My ex had a friend that was in the Army and he hates it too, he's gone for months on months on months, he gets repositioned every 2 months or so to a new job, and he doesn't make shit worth money. He said his group wasn't too bad, he liked most of the people he was with, it was just the people in charge dicking him around that he hates so much.
That type of hazing is my biggest fear, but I'm able to be outwardly respectful and maintain that appearance pretty easily, despite what's thrown at me, so I don't think I'll provoke too much. If I do get stuck with something like that, I'll try to just remain as invisible as possible. As far as being repositioned, I definitely wouldn't mind that. I want to travel as part of this experience, so that would only be a plus. Thanks for the info man
Yeah, the only bad part about the repositioning is that he never really got to see anything off of base, so it wasn't that exciting for him. I've read that hazing is really common too, so just be careful and try to make friends lol.
Have fun at basic @ Great Lakes. I was there during the summer, didnt expect that area of the States to be so hot an humid. never had to go on a ship, but was attached to a squadron where I specialized in Avionics. Use this opportunity to position yourself for later on in life thru what the military has to offer (discipline, college money, travel, etc) At times you will get discouraged and be pissed jus grind thru it play the game and focus on doing your job and gaining the respect of your peers. Good luck! Never Again Volunteer Yourself <span style="font-size:14px;">;-p</span>
My friend just got of the Army. He hated every second of it. When he first joined he had tried to get me to enlist with him. Now he says he is glad I was too smart to listen to him. It was especially bad for him because he had to shoot an 8 year old child who had a gun. It made him think "what if that was my child?"
Well I'm hoping that the Navy won't put me in that type of situation. If it does.. well, so be it. But I'll definitely be going for the least amount of war interaction possible.
That's sad ]: There's a full section in one of my school books on dealing with people who went to the army and such, I've looked at some of it and felt sad, which is unlike me.
yea it is sad. last time he was down here visiting right before he got out he said "I joined thinking I would be defending freedom, instead I was just a tool to do the government's dirty work."
I really wouldnt pay much attention to these really sad stories. I know people are gonna be like, train, you're such a steeple person. Whatever. Unfortunately there are servicemembers with extremely sad stories but I don't think that's the norm. Some people mentally can't handle being in the military and all of the stress and a lot of those people break down and feel as though they're being targeted and that everyone's out to get them, ect. No doubt there are no shit hazing experiences but I bet more often than not that most of those people have issues with depression and anxiety and things that were irritated by joining the military. They're targeted because they exhibit behavior that their peers think is 'weak.' Im not saying its right or wrong... It's just what I've seen and it's my honest opinion.
Good luck. The military is a different experience to say the least. Have fun, stay positive, and keep your head down!
in other words if you're psychotic and believe taking the lives of another human being is cool you shouldn't be targeted.
Uhm. In other words that isn't what this thread is about. I'm giving this guy my standpoint on things and I'm telling him the way I see things. If you dont like what I have to say, too bad. This isn't in the politics section and I'm not looking for a debate.