Dear Mister Steelcult

[Itchy]

Hey, i\'m about to loose my job and i\'ve been looking into the military. Talked to the Navy and Army but i figure you know the situation and could give me some insight. How bad are things over there and what branch is most likely to train me to come back alive? i know most of the Operation Iraqi Freedom looses are Army and Marines... (only 18 Air Force men/women lost) but what\'s the training for those guys like? i mean, they all can\'t be grunts right? i have pretty good ASVAB scores, but they\'re more than 2 years old so i\'ll have to retake them, but on the Army\'s sample i scored 96% against the current military. Any ideas for me?

Thanks,
nick-

 

[frenchkid]

I think tylith just enroled in the military so you could also ask him. And does going military means you\'re gona have to go to irak. The whole US army Can\'t be over there can it ?

 

[Jambot13]

Originally posted by frenchkid
The whole US army Can\'t be over there can it ?

Well if you believe the rather sobering counter on this website it certainly seems like rather a lot of manpower\'s being thrown into Iraq.

 

[No Such Agency]

Don\'t do it, man. Seriously. Think about the numbers you see on the news and realize that for every death in Iraq there are probably three or four people coming back without arms or legs. Plus if you just get another regular job you could go your whole life without seeing some guy with half his head shot off.

Collect cans off the side of the freeway if you have to, just don\'t join the military.

 

[Etherion]

Originally posted by No Such Agency
Don\'t do it, man. Seriously. Think about the numbers you see on the news and realize that for every death in Iraq there are probably three or four people coming back without arms or legs. Collect cans off the side of the freeway if you have to, just don\'t join the military.

I\'ll second that.

You know there\'s crab fishing in canada which pays \'bout 10grand per month or something. It\'s as much a musclejob and will test your limits, but it\'s still safer by far. Altought you can loose fingers or drown, but the chance is smaller.
Or Oildrilling in antarctica. Pays as much maybe more you just freeze your ass off. lol
Sorry I cant link to any good info or sign up pages make a search in google or ask the nice peops here. NSA you is canadian, you know about them crabfishingstuff?

Edit: Ok found some info with links: Sorry I meant Alaska not Canada, but its still up there.
http://www.fishermansexpress.com/alaska-fishing-jobs.html

 

[Frustrated Father]

Being a 15 year military brat myself, I have to disagree with the above NSA. I personally didn\'t join the military in any way, shape or form, but I have nothing but respect for those that do and over half of my family has joined either the Army or the Marines.

My personal take on the military is that it is a great way to get structure and discipline in ones life, learn new careers, schooling and other benifits down the road.

That being said though, when joining, know that you are signing on with Uncle Sam and he\'s going to put you to work as he see\'s fit. If your scores are high enough, you can get out of the really dirty ground pounding stuff and perhaps get into the electronics.

If you want something relatively safe, my suggestion would be the Airforce as they are the most lax in general and when it comes right down to it, having your hands in your pockets aren\'t called \'Airforce Gloves\' for nothing.

 

[philologus]

I agree with Frustrated Father. I was in the US Army for 7 years. I was Airborne Ranger Infantry (that would be the gritty groud pounding stuff). After 4 years of that I reenlisted for Aviation and worked as an Apache electrician. That experience and skill helped me get the job I have had for the last 6 years. I am currently attending school with the money I received for completing my contract. I will be able to complete a bachelors degree without spending any out of pocket. The Army was good to me in a number of ways. I got to work with alot of foreign soldiers, and I can say that conditions and pay for US troops are better than those I experienced directly.

Caution: I joined because I wanted to be a soldier and subscribed to certain beliefs. If you join just to have a job, you will be sorely disappointed and will not be much good to yourself or others. The military is more than just a job and the pay will not compare to civilian jobs. In that regard you are likely to be disappointed if all you want is a job. FF is right when he says Uncle Sam will push you to the limits.

If you are still intent on joining and want good tech. training the Air Force or Navy has the best.

I wish you well whatever your decision.

 

[Swordwind]

You know there\'s crab fishing in canada which pays \'bout 10grand per month or something. It\'s as much a musclejob and will test your limits, but it\'s still safer by far.

Was\'nt that the one that was voted as worlds most dangerous job? Astronaught came in at number 3!!!

 

[MarkusTay]

Originally posted by frenchkid
I think tylith just enroled in the military so you could also ask him. And does going military means you\'re gona have to go to irak. The whole US army Can\'t be over there can it ?

I know the first iraq war was fought with only our reserves. We did not deploy any of our standing army, leaving them stationed at their bases all over the world. I think this was to prove a point, that we could defeat the worlds third largest military machine without even touching our real forces. The fact that we bombed the shit out of them for a year with our \'real\' Navy and Airforce didn\'t count. lol

I think this time out we used mostly \'real\' army, although I\'m not really sure. That means anyone who signs up now will most likely end up in Iraq.

Originally posted by philologus
...The military is more than just a job ...

It\'s an adventure. lol

But seriously, it\'s not the risk of death that bothers me about a military career... it\'s the idea of being seperated from everything you\'ve ever known and being thrust into a hostile environment where all the natives hate you...



Hey! That sounds a lot like New York! lol

 

[philologus]

Originally posted by MarkusTay: I know the first iraq war was fought with only our reserves. We did not deploy any of our standing army, leaving them stationed at their bases all over the world.

Active duty Army units did indeed deploy to Desert Storm. Units like the 101 Airborne in fact.

 

[No Such Agency]

Originally posted by Frustrated Father
Being a 15 year military brat myself, I have to disagree with the above NSA. I personally didn\'t join the military in any way, shape or form, but I have nothing but respect for those that do and over half of my family has joined either the Army or the Marines.

I don\'t disrespect people in the military at all, which is why I think it\'s unfortunate when they\'re sent into harm\'s way for less than the noblest of reasons. My dad was in the Canadian forces for 35 years and I served two years as a weekend warrior, in comms and EW.

My personal take on the military is that it is a great way to get structure and discipline in ones life, learn new careers, schooling and other benifits down the road.

While all this is true, I also maintain that it\'s a great way to get your ass shot off. That\'s really my only point here, I do NOT want my fellow CMONers being shot at.

I joined because I wanted to be a soldier and subscribed to certain beliefs. If you join just to have a job, you will be sorely disappointed and will not be much good to yourself or others.... FF is right when he says Uncle Sam will push you to the limits.

If you are still intent on joining and want good tech. training the Air Force or Navy has the best.

Now those are both very good points. It\'s not just a job. I\'d say it\'s a way of life.

 

[MarkusTay]

I had a feeling someone would correct me...

I was only going by what CNN was reporting, I had a feeling we might have had some \'real\' troops there.

Not to take anything from the \'weekend warriors\', they seemed to have done a bang-up job for irregulars...

Thank You for correcting me Phil, I know What we are told doesn\'t always match the truth of the situation...

 

[No Such Agency]

We did not deploy any of our standing army, leaving them stationed at their bases all over the world. I think this was to prove a point, that we could defeat the worlds third largest military machine without even touching our real forces.

(OFF-Topic) - That reminds me of a Bill Hicks line:

People say \"Iraq had the fourth largest army in the world\". Yeah, maybe, but you know what, after the first 3 largest armies, there\'s a REAL big fucking drop-off. The Hare Krishnas are the 5th largest army in the world, and they\'ve already got all our airports.

 

[Evil Dave]

Navy.
You are on a ship in the water.
The terrorists have no chance of getting a ship.
Plus it is one of the best ways to see the world.

When I was in the Navy I was stationed in San Diego.
We\'d head out to Tiajuana every weekend while in school.
While in the fleet, I\'ve been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Acupolco, Australia, Vladivostok, Hawaii, Italy, Panama, and almost all of the middle eastern countries, most of these places twice or even three times.

Just be sure to pick a rate that will have application outside of the military.
Electronics is good, as are a few other rates.

Other benefits.
The GI bill, which will pay for your college.
Full health and dental.
Advancement through knowledge (ass kissers don\'t get very far in the military)

If I\'d have known then what I know now I\'d have stayed in and be retiring in 6 more years, retiring at 38.

 

[philologus]

@Evildave:

The same here about retiring; I could have retired at 37! Arrghhh. Also right about the asskissers.

Being on a boat is why I didn\'t join the Navy.

BTW I could tell you were military; but I didn\'t know you were a squid.

 

[Evil Dave]

Originally posted by No Such Agency
Don\'t do it, man. Seriously. Think about the numbers you see on the news and realize that for every death in Iraq there are probably three or four people coming back without arms or legs.

Which still doesn\'t add up to the murder rate in New York or California.
All life is a risk no matter where you are.
And without that risk life would be mighty boring.

 

[MarkusTay]

But isn\'t the Navy like 99.99% gay? That\'s what I\'ve heard. lol

So there are like two straight guys... who was the other one, Dave?

lol:bouncy::flip:

 

[monolith]

Uh, Evil Dave, Wasn\'t there a terrorist bombing of a U.S. Ship a while back? People were killed in that one, I think.

I\'ve worked for the Australian military, as a computer operator in their Simulation department. Yep. I played wargames for the australian govenment for $12 an hour, and all the vanilla slice I could eat in half an hour at morning tea. That was a dangerous job, too. I\'m sure my arse is bigger for having done it, and my arterial walls a little bit harder.lol

 

[MarkusTay]

Australia has a military?

I thought all you guys did down there was wrestle crocodiles, drink Fosters, and throw shrimp on the barbie. Boy... am I gonna have a talk with Paul Hogan...

lol

 

[monolith]

Nope, there\'s a little more to life down here than the common misconceptions. lol

I\'ve never touched a crocodile other than a steak on a plate. Fosters is the crap we sell overseas. We keep the good beer for ourselves. Suckers! lol

I\'ve never barbecued a crustacean, either. I like yabbies, though. They\'re an indigenous freshwater prawn.