Are any of you in the military?

[MrTShoff]

I did Air Force for 4 years and just got out this year.

Best 4 years of my life so far and i was stationed in Vegas. Cant top that

I've heard from multiple sources the Air Force has the best bases! What made you decide Air Force over the other branches?

[MikeW]

You are there to serve Uncle Sam first, you can get smart when you get out.

Funniest, yet truest, thing I've heard said about the military in awhile.

Learn that and "Hurry up and wait". Doesn't make sense now but wait until you're in, you'll understand.

I've found, and heard, both ends of the spectrum. I know people who got great scores and subsequently now have either a great or a great job in a field they love. Their experience wasn't the best but it's BCT for Christ's sake. It's not supposed to be easy, or fun. Necessarily. If you're in great shape, do well under pressure, sometimes extreme pressure, and have family/loved ones you can stand to miss for 3-12 months, I suggest reserves.

Take your ASVAB, find where you score. If you're infantry or something with a high likelihood of going into battle, consider that. Higher pay, but higher death rate. If you have a particular interest like medicine or communications, education can be had without going overseas.

I've found that "Uncle Sam" can sometimes be a pain in the rear and really piss you off. But the experiences can be fun. Bunk/dorm like isn't TOO bad. I saw a lot more screwing around, cheating on loved ones, and debauchery than I thought I would but I just kinda chalked it up to, "Live hard, play harder".

My major suggestions;

1. Consider your education/MOS. Do you wanna go into combat? If so, great. If not, best pick something that won't be doing so.

2. Ditch, or be prepared to ditch, loved ones for awhile. Gf's and wives, in my experiences, are hard to keep during BCT and AIT. Family will always be there though. Usually.

3. Be prepared to be jerked around a little. Not a lot but you may find yourself in situations where you're asking yourself, "WTF uncle same?!?".

Otherwise, the military can be fun. You're young, you're in shape and kt seems you want something that'll give you direction.

[MrTShoff]

Funniest, yet truest, thing I've heard said about the military in awhile.

Learn that and "Hurry up and wait". Doesn't make sense now but wait until you're in, you'll understand.

I've found, and heard, both ends of the spectrum. I know people who got great scores and subsequently now have either a great or a great job in a field they love. Their experience wasn't the best but it's BCT for Christ's sake. It's not supposed to be easy, or fun. Necessarily. If you're in great shape, do well under pressure, sometimes extreme pressure, and have family/loved ones you can stand to miss for 3-12 months, I suggest reserves.

Take your ASVAB, find where you score. If you're infantry or something with a high likelihood of going into battle, consider that. Higher pay, but higher death rate. If you have a particular interest like medicine or communications, education can be had without going overseas.

I've found that "Uncle Sam" can sometimes be a pain in the rear and really piss you off. But the experiences can be fun. Bunk/dorm like isn't TOO bad. I saw a lot more screwing around, cheating on loved ones, and debauchery than I thought I would but I just kinda chalked it up to, "Live hard, play harder".

My major suggestions;

1. Consider your education/MOS. Do you wanna go into combat? If so, great. If not, best pick something that won't be doing so.

2. Ditch, or be prepared to ditch, loved ones for awhile. Gf's and wives, in my experiences, are hard to keep during BCT and AIT. Family will always be there though. Usually.

3. Be prepared to be jerked around a little. Not a lot but you may find yourself in situations where you're asking yourself, "WTF uncle same?!?".

Otherwise, the military can be fun. You're young, you're in shape and kt seems you want something that'll give you direction.

Thanks for the input! Ditching loved ones for awhile bothers me a little bit but im sure I can get over it in time. I wouldnt mind going into combat at all as long as its a kill or be killed situation I see a few MOSes in those links that are on both ends of the spectrum that I like. Im looking into taking the ASVAB right now too but im going to study and take a few practice tests first. Honestly you guys are being a great help and I really do appreciate the input. Its time to get my shit together!

[The G-Man]

I've heard from multiple sources the Air Force has the best bases! What made you decide Air Force over the other branches?

Air Force definitely has bad bases lookup: Cannon AFB, Minot AFB, and Laughlin AFB for a taste.

I am an Air Force officer at Laughlin AFB, TX. I can speak about the officer side, but only if you want because it seems you are interested in enlisting because it doesn't seem like you have a bachelor's degree/or will soon have one, which is a basic requirement for a commission into any branch of service.

[h22sparkle]

Felt good to be in the Marines. Careful though I hear and see them IED's hurt bro them shits hurt.

[Bcozzi71]

What exactly do you want to do?
If you want to be a solider like in the movies then join the infantry. If you want training for a future career pick another mos. I always tell people the air force and navy are great for building a future career and you dont have to worry about long deployments in combat. If you want to be in combat join the infantry! Marines or army it doesnt matter. I say army because Im in the army but I have worked with marines overseas and have many former marines in my unit and we do the same thing.

Another thing to think about...

Air force deployments 3-6 months
marine6-9 months
army 12-18 months

As much as I bust on POGs (not infantry) we cant do our job with out them supporting us. Just know you will get bust on by infantry guys lol

[SEgirl]

I've worked for the Air Force before, and currently work on a Navy base that serves Marines, Coast Guard, as well as some international military. We used to have Air Force, but they left a few months ago. My husband was prior Air Force and he also works on another nearby Navy base that trains all branches of service but Army. From our experience, the Air Force seems to take better care of its people and seems more advanced in the way they do things. Everyone that hubby and I know who used to be in the Air Force or worked for them, always talks about how frustrating it is to work for the Navy since they seem to be more behind.


Good luck with whoever you decide to go with!

[floored]

Why would you recommend waiting? Could you define stateside bs? Im just very curious as to what its actually like so I can go in as educated as possible...

Deployment was fun, great group of guys. Made the best of it.
Stateside...too much hurry up n wait. Too much nonsense, I dont really know how to explain it.

National Guard is essentially "part time". It's the best way to be enlisted without making it your life. You CAN still get deployed, however.(which, in floored's experience, might be a bad thing! )

I was NG maybe that was part of my problem. If i got a call to redeploy with my squad from befoe Id do it without thinking about it though.

As for MOS its not that easy as saying I was an MP so I will become a cop when Im done. Some departments dont necessarily look at that as a good thing. Also should you deploy, MOS means nothing Infantry can be sitting in towers and not walking around the desert or mountains. I was Motor Transport Operator and Military Police. I ran missions daily when in Iraq and worked out of a COP (combat outpost small in size and less secure) but my platoon was on a FOB and we did some work around there.

[Bcozzi71]

Your right being infantry doesn't mean you won't get a crappy mission being tower guard but most of the time your rotating 2 weeks patrolling 2 weeks tower 2 weeks QRF. You have a much better chance seeing combat and leaving the wire with infantry. Although I know guys who got stuck doing bs for a deployment. Most pogs are Fobbits and don't leave the wire but there is always a chance any mos will earn their CAB. I know mechanics who weren't even issued a rifle but earned their CAB because the fob was mortared once or twice

[Bcozzi71]

Another reason for the OP to join the infantry....

You get to be a part of a small select group. If you like to stand out and are a confident person this is for you. Only 1 percent of Americans are fit for duty and only 1% of that are in the infantry! Plus we are made to stand out from the rest that's why are uniforms are different from everyone else!

[floored]

Plus we are made to stand out from the rest that's why are uniforms are different from everyone else!

I thought you were going to say we were meant to stand out...thats why we wore acus

[bobbycos]

I did Air Force for 4 years and just got out this year.

Best 4 years of my life so far and i was stationed in Vegas. Cant top that

I've heard from multiple sources the Air Force has the best bases! What made you decide Air Force over the other branches?

Air Force brat here.

lived on Travis AFB in cali from the mid 1970's to the late 1980's

as a dependent of an NCO I had a good experience with my father's life in the USAF

TAFB was a basically full service base for service members with families

so that's my two cents on being in the military with a wife/kids


edit

I did try to join up but crap from my past and some S.O.B. schoolmate using my identity got me an entry level separation 18 days into basic at Lackland AFB

still got my laser !!!

[Bcozzi71]

I thought you were going to say we were meant to stand out...thats why we wore acus

Lol acus do make you stand out. Worst uniform ever.... But I was talking about the blue cord and disks lol

[Grumpys93]

I joined the navy because I wanted to fly, also because I would rather be above the war then on the frontline. Plus I'm a navy brat. I'm also an enlisted member as well. Plus its fun to slap around the officers.

I love my job and my deployments are awesome. I stay in hotels and visit nice places. I have been to many countries. As for picking a branch, it's all based on what you want to do for a job.

[The G-Man]

Another reason for the OP to join the infantry....

You get to be a part of a small select group. If you like to stand out and are a confident person this is for you. Only 1 percent of Americans are fit for duty and only 1% of that are in the infantry! Plus we are made to stand out from the rest that's why are uniforms are different from everyone else!

And less than that percentage are Pilots.