Topic: I Wanna Be The Army (Read 3318 times)

Beat Bandit · « **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2012, 02:24:44 PM »

Quote from: Mongrel on August 28, 2012, 09:32:27 AM

Military service being A Family Thing adds a huge dimension that had been left out. So there's that. Doesn't mean that it's any more of a good or bad decision, but it does add something important to any discussion.

Definitely had an impact, but it's hardly a legacy. My grandfathers / great uncles all served in WWII, one uncle served but has since passed, another had civilian-commission into the reserves and two cousins actively served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Quote from: Joxam on August 28, 2012, 11:54:28 AM

What do you want to do in the Marines?

scout/sniper is the obvious "I think I'm the awesomest badass" choice and my safety is unfortunately the equally adonis-requiring reconnaissance. Since those basically require you to be in the top 10% of everyone in the military though engineer corps would be nice. As would trying for an unit leader position, but pretty sure that requires years as a grunt, making it my most realistic opportunity I guess.

A² · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2012, 03:54:30 PM »

Quote from: Beat Bandit on August 28, 2012, 02:24:44 PM

Quote from: Joxam on August 28, 2012, 11:54:28 AM
What do you want to do in the Marines?
scout/sniper is the obvious "I think I'm the awesomest badass" choice and my safety is unfortunately the equally adonis-requiring reconnaissance. Since those basically require you to be in the top 10% of everyone in the military though engineer corps would be nice. As would trying for an unit leader position, but pretty sure that requires years as a grunt, making it my most realistic opportunity I guess.

go pyro imo

Mongrel · « **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2012, 06:26:26 PM »

Oh come on, Heavy + Medic solves war.

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2012, 03:47:48 AM »

If you actually want to be a sniper, I hope you're cool with shitting yourself. Also, incredible amounts of boredom.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2012, 04:59:15 AM »

"Incredible amounts of boredom" is a pretty apt description for just about any job in the military, really.

Beat Bandit · « **Reply #25 on:** August 29, 2012, 05:20:38 AM »

Quote from: Cthulhu-chan on August 29, 2012, 03:47:48 AM

If you actually want to be a sniper, I hope you're cool with shitting yourself. Also, incredible amounts of boredom.

I was told you're allowed to poop outside your pants.

And just to clarify, I don't actually think joining and then leaving the army immediately makes you Arnold Schwarzenator in the good movies. The reason I think recon / scout is a good position for me is because sitting around for hours waiting for the exact right moment almost gives me more boners than girls do. I can only imagine stretching that out over days just makes it tantric.

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #26 on:** August 29, 2012, 06:27:37 AM »

Quote from: Beat Bandit on August 29, 2012, 05:20:38 AM

I was told you're allowed to poop outside your pants.

Of course you are. So long as you don't mind giving away your position.

Also, you are genuinely out of your mind. Literally demented. I'm not saying you are wrong, that it wouldn't be that way for you, just that it says frankly frightening things about you if true.

Beat Bandit · « **Reply #27 on:** August 29, 2012, 07:18:48 AM »

What's frightening is how many times it took typing that before it finally sounded like I wasn't a stalker.

and seriously about the poop thing maybe I'm legitimately misinformed but yeah, sometimes you may piss on yourself but any time you can't move for long enough to hold back poop you are already in a worse spot than pooping your pants.

Shinra · « **Reply #28 on:** August 29, 2012, 07:21:53 AM »

Didn't we have a veteran on these boards with similar ideas about the military going into it who seriously considered becoming a fugitive seeking asylum in Canada half way through his service?

it's cool that you want to serve your country and don't let me stop you, but it sounds like you have a lot of very romantic ideas about military service that are pretty far removed from the real military, where you are going to be doing a lot of shitty, boring jobs in a place where everybody hates you and are as much at risk from your own squadmates killing or raping you as you are from insurgents blowing you up or the local police deciding they liked the Taliban better.

You're too old to make a career out of military service (if you didn't do ROTC you should probably forget about being an officer) so if you really want to serve your country and get life experience that'll help, can I suggest a noncombat role? And don't let them bully you into not using your GI bill, either. It's apparently a huge problem.

Beat Bandit · « **Reply #29 on:** November 14, 2012, 02:03:27 PM »

Went to a recruiter today. The practice ASVAB was a nice reminder that any effort puts me far ahead of the average at the current point. Was surprised to find that my aptitude is apparently artillery operator.

Also surprising is that the recruiter actively tried to dissuade me from preparation for the initial screening. Both from purchasing the ASVAB practice manual because my "scores were already high enough" and from physical training. Is there an actual good reasoning behind this anyone can think of / knows of? or just the recruiter's of them not being too demanding on new recruits and not to fret? Because that sounded like the worst advice ever.

Ted Belmont · « **Reply #30 on:** November 14, 2012, 02:54:57 PM »

Not sure about the physical training, but a lower ASVAB score would limit your options, making it easier to push you into a combat arms MOS, which always need more fresh recruits.

Tefari · « **Reply #31 on:** November 14, 2012, 03:07:57 PM »

At the risk of hijacking the thread, what are the downsides to being an EMT? What kind of horror stories and shit-that-leads-to-drug-addiction does that job entail aside from dealing with large amounts of people in various states of not-doing-so-well? Not to downplay the effects on the psyche that dealing with such a morbid job entails mind you. Someone mentioned it upthread and that kind of feels like something I'd be interested in doing from the same wanting to make a difference angle as BB here. So please, shred the idea if you think its terrible but I'd love to hear about it good and bad.

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #32 on:** November 14, 2012, 03:32:55 PM »

Quote from: Beat Bandit on November 14, 2012, 02:03:27 PM

Also surprising is that the recruiter actively tried to dissuade me from preparation for the initial screening. Both from purchasing the ASVAB practice manual because my "scores were already high enough" and from physical training. Is there an actual good reasoning behind this anyone can think of / knows of? or just the recruiter's of them not being too demanding on new recruits and not to fret? Because that sounded like the worst advice ever.

Physical training wouldn't hurt, but basic will put you where you need to be. Unless there's something physically wrong with you that they don't catch on medical.

As to testing practice, yeah, I can't think of any reason this would be a bad idea. It is important to remember that no matter how friendly and amiable a recruiter may appear, they are worse than used car salesmen. The only thing they care about is their quota.

Brentai · « **Reply #33 on:** November 14, 2012, 05:44:36 PM »

There's actually a valid argument to be made that aptitude tests should, you know, test your aptitude, and not your ability to study. Fudging around with the results is a good way to elevate yourself to a level you'll hate.

THAT SAID, the reality is probably more in line with what has been said before: if you're going for enlisted, be ready for the brass to subty and not-so-subtly try to make you feel stupid almost constantly.

(As for the physical it's because military PT is fundametally different from any private training you're likely to recieve, so starting at a blank slate actually puts you ahead.)

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #34 on:** November 14, 2012, 08:58:39 PM »

Eh, only thing different about it is the relentlessness. Ain't nothing magical about the basic PT program. Honestly, if you wanted to do any physical preparation, work on running endurance. That'd save you the most grief.

Classic · « **Reply #35 on:** November 14, 2012, 09:31:21 PM »

How bad is boot anyway? Like, 2 90 minute sessions a day, every day?

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #36 on:** November 14, 2012, 10:53:43 PM »

That's probably not too far off of actual PT, but far more often than not, anything else you do the rest of the day involves some not insignificant amount of physical exertion. Rifle training (near the end of basic) is probably the least active you'll be the entire time, but you'll be in proper shape by then, anyway. I recall that sundays were ours, and by that I mean we got to scour the barracks clean and do laundry.

Classic · « **Reply #37 on:** November 15, 2012, 12:01:38 AM »

Outside of the actually requiring discipline part that sounds almost fun.
Something is wrong with my idiot brain.

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #38 on:** November 15, 2012, 12:12:11 AM »

It wasn't.
There is.

François · « **Reply #39 on:** November 15, 2012, 02:28:00 AM »

I think some people might be attracted to the idea of essentially not being in charge of their own day-to-day activities, to not have to decide on their own priorities or schedules, and just doing what they're ordered to do when they're ordered to do it. To become a creature of action rather than decision, even if said action happens to be scrubbing latrines. I'm not even passing judgement on that; I'm not that kind of person, but I think I understand how some could be. Of course there are the obvious dangers that come with surrendering one's will to another, and I assume at some point you realize you're scrubbing a latrine, or shooting a dude, or whatever. But in some small way I get how the whole thing could be attractive to a particular mindset.

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Author Topic: I Wanna Be The Army (Read 3318 times)