Is joining the Military safe?

[MrFibbles]

I question the political part now, given Obama won the election. Is our military going to be downgraded in strength, equipment and spending? Is it safe to join, and make a career out of it. Are we getting out of Afghanistan, and if we are I am happy about it. But if I join the Army, and I wanted to make a career out of Infantry. I would not want to go to Afghanistan, period. My opinion is that our guys are dying too much, our special forces were not and still are not used correctly there. And our boys could be doing something more constructive like being home with their families instead of being there with the enemies families. There are more dangerous threats around the world than fucking Afghanistan Taliban. And our Special Forces, just watching them recently... 5 videos of their involvement "Green Berets"... they have absolutely no fight every day. Instead, they get spied on all day and night. Waiting for an ied, does that sound like a strategic way of using our ELITE SOLDIERS?!?!?!?!

I am or 'was' encouraged to join the Army, and make it a long life career. If I had the scores, and success I would attempt to try out the big boys 'Rangers'. And if that went well, then I'd try and do my best to improve my service to what potential may lay ahead. Now, feeling like if I wanted to join... they'd just put me in the position of dying without the ability to fight. Now we cant start fights because we're under the Geneva Convention, and not 'declared' war with Afghanistan. This is Operation Enduring Freedom, not an official war. But a political war, for what reason I do not know. It is the same thing Russia did in the 70's but worse, we can't leave. We're not economically stable to get out, and it will rupture our money and tax payer's dollars. When our military boys come back, they wont have jobs to come back to in the first place. They'll have no idea what is going on, and they'll feel like they're fighting for absolutely nothing. In the end we wont have the money to support the operations going on, and our soldiers wont have enough resources to fight back.

So, does there seem like any other chance of stationing in better places. Or is there a reserve for people who want to go into the Rangers or what ever to protect the homeland. If I wanted to be in the Army and the USA was attacked internally by a strong force, is there a way to not be deployed to some pointless country? If so, I would really make it my life goal. I have absolutely nothing to lose, but much more to gain.

If anything I have said is offensive, I am sure veterans on here know more and have become emotionally attached to the war going on. I haven't got the chance to experience such a shit thing, but I also don't want to. I want to join the Military to protect the homeland, not some smelly ass ex-taliban's family. Those people can't like us because their government is an unstoppable and relentless force. I won't have anything else to input but 'sorry', I wish it was dealt with more carefully. But I want to join the Military and prepare a future for the dangers that lay ahead on our very own land. Or for our comrades in Canada or the UK, France, Australia, Germany... not in the middle east and certainly not in some jungle near Vietnam.

[MickDonalds]

Sounds like you're too opinionated to join. You don't join to agree or disagree. You join to SERVE others. I don't agree with Assramistan and protecting ragheads either, but I wouldn't quit if they sent me to Afghanistan tomorrow just because I don't believe in the mission. Real soldiers don't worry about political bullshit and the outcome of a bunch of civilians that are apathetic towards their existence in the first place. They do the best they can in whatever situation, they close with and destroy those who threaten their lives on the ground and they look out for their brothers wearing the same uniform as them.

After reading your post, I'm thinking it's better for you to continue on your civilian track, Fibbles. Please, for my sake, and other commanders and senior NCO's out there, please, don't join. Your commentary is dangerously in line with IAVA, Veterans for Peace, ReThink Afghanistan and other war-hating, war-resister movements.

[Sixx]

Troll thread?






Join the Coast Guard.
Judging by your post, I do not think you are built for the rest of the Services.

Most likely with that mindset, you'll be hit with an "Failure to Adjust/Adapt" and be out on your ass...or worse.


No offense.



The Military is not a game. You are not afforded the same cutesie rights you had as a civilian and you can die anywhere CONUS, OCONUS, and remotes.

[HooterBro]

Want to join the Rangers, but don't want to experience war?

Go back to your X-Box and play.

[MadeInRu]

Rather strange question. You wanna join the army, the main institution created for war, but afraid to go there?

And on a second note, is it safe to join US military or you can make a career there?

Well... That's probably the best military to make a career i would say. If you consider both experience and funds.

The are less money going there now, but it blows anything out of the water on this planet.

[BrendenF11]

Please do not join! If someone, a recruiter, tells you he wants you to join he is simply filling his years/months numbers. You have no place in the military, and will most likely hate it quite quickly. I wouldn't even recommend the coast guard for you, you could fall off the boat and drown.

Again, please do not join!

[MadeInRu]

Fribbles, i will try to explain.

You never serve for your country, you serve your country. Army is an instrument to achieve global or local political/economical goals, protect integrity of the country, expand international influence and prevent other countries doing the same to you.

It's like a resource - oil, gold, diamonds or any other.

You can't just say i will do that or this, it's not fucking a whore.

You signed for it, be ready to do as they say.

[MrFibbles]

"Go play your fucking X-Box", "You could fall off a boat and drown", "Afraid to go to war". Each of these comments, ones who illustrated them I am sure would get naked and jump in acid if they were told to. I see the crowd I am asking is overwhelmingly hostile, so I'll go some other place to ask.

The question was if you could do the training, possibly airborne or ranger school and then switch to reserves in-case of a national emergency be called to infantry. Why would I do that??? In case of weather catastrophes, internal affairs. Things that don't have to do with Afghanistan and Iraq I would prefer to join for. Sure I know whatever kind of person who has been in the Army would think I have no word. But I am not in the Army, I can still direct my path a little better from this perspective. It is likely you wont station anywhere but Iraq and Afghanistan. I have cousins who've been injured severely, and I don't want to throw away my family name because I was trying to help some Afghanistan and Iraqi's.

If people here don't find that reasonable, then I wont be visiting this website again.

But I wanted to mention, people training hard and going through all of the toughest things and then suddenly all of those assets thrown out the door. I can't tell you how irritating that makes me feel, who the fuck here wants to see that keep happening?

[MrFibbles]

Sounds like you're too opinionated to join. You don't join to agree or disagree. You join to SERVE others. I don't agree with Assramistan and protecting ragheads either, but I wouldn't quit if they sent me to Afghanistan tomorrow just because I don't believe in the mission. Real soldiers don't worry about political bullshit and the outcome of a bunch of civilians that are apathetic towards their existence in the first place. They do the best they can in whatever situation, they close with and destroy those who threaten their lives on the ground and they look out for their brothers wearing the same uniform as them.

After reading your post, I'm thinking it's better for you to continue on your civilian track, Fibbles. Please, for my sake, and other commanders and senior NCO's out there, please, don't join. Your commentary is dangerously in line with IAVA, Veterans for Peace, ReThink Afghanistan and other war-hating, war-resister movements.


I understand your opinion much greater than others, and I acknowledge that once I were in the military its not a democracy. Choices are usually offered down instead of asked for. I though since I am not enlisted, can still find a way to get around Afghanistan with greater odds. I have the ability to say, Reserves or Active Duty. If I were told I was going to Afghanistan, I'd pack my suit cases and get things ready and be on my way. I don't want to go fight there though, just like everyone else who keeps seeing people leave there with limbs missing and buddies dead. I want to try my ass off until I get specialized training, and make it into something that I will benefit most from. And then going into reserves so my service can be used whenever we need it in a different place... even if I did go active duty. I would make the best out of it, though I simply don't want to make waste of all of the time spent learning.

[BrendenF11]

Those comments all came from Veterans or members who are still currently serving in the military. Your question is not applicable to todays military. I am national guard, and you can get ranger training in the guard, and I have so far done one tour in Iraq, and have another possible deployment in the foreseeable future. If you join the military, you should expect to deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Africa, general middle east, etc. If you go into the rangers/SF community you WILL deploy to a hostile nation some where in the world.


I am pretty sure that most here can talk about a brother they lost in Iraq or Afghanistan. We all know the costs of joining the military, and as Sixx said, it isn't a game. You don't get choices, you don't have opinions, you go where you are told and do your job no matter what it is. Not to mention if you join with those attitudes it is detrimental to the stability of a unit and puts other soldiers at risk. I know plent of guys who didn't want to be there, because they disagreed with this and that. They get complacent, forgetful, it COSTS LIVES.

[MrFibbles]

thanks for the straight up answer, I'll keep that in mind. I don't know enough about each part of the Armed Forces to say Army, Marines, National Guard... whatever I can however say I know what I want to do. And its probably not really possible in the first place, but from the approach I made. There are some easier ways of getting the training I want, and keeping it wrapped away in case of the worst situations possible. I am an optimist if I am able to think ahead, if I wing things... I do whatever there is to be done. I don't know what we do in other countries other than providing services for minerals and resources. That has been the American way back to when we founded Hawaii and technically before we were constitutionalized. Anyways, that is all I am going to mention. At least I don't want to go to go directly to Afghanistan or Iraq, and I am not naive enough for it either. I am doing the best thing I can do if I wanted to join the Armed Forces for any reason... thinking ahead.

[Clodius]

I didn't read all of the OP's post because I stopped reading after the second sentence. While the President is the commander in chief of the armed forces he does not control the cash. That is congresses domain. So if you sign up and don't get issued boot laces don't blame the prez, blame congress.

[coltsfan2007]

MrFibbles, you do not go into the Rangers,Seals,Marine Recon, Delta Force,Green Berets for that matter any special ops. without looking for action. These boys are the best at what they do and that is making tough decisions which involve destroying the enemy with no disregard. Think of it this way, you have practiced months for that big game, do you want to sit out or get in on the action. These boys want to get in on the action. Do some research. I do not believe the infantry is for you, let alone special ops. I am proud that you want to serve your country, but there are many ways you can do that. Good luck with your future, I hope you find what you are looking for. P.S. I am not saying do not join the service, just reivaluate what you truly desire to achieve from joining the service. It is no joke when lead starts flying- GOOD LUCK. :USA:

[MickDonalds]

What I also love is how every military forum there are PLETHORAS of idealistic kids that think they can just go career SEAL or Ranger.

That's the disastrous and completely unrealistic effect Call of fucking Duty has had on our naive youth. EVERYBODY thinks they can get through elite SF indoc training because they play video games.

[mrfrosty]

.

[MrFibbles]

What I also love is how every military forum there are PLETHORAS of idealistic kids that think they can just go career SEAL or Ranger.

That's the disastrous and completely unrealistic effect Call of fucking Duty has had on our naive youth. EVERYBODY thinks they can get through elite SF indoc training because they play video games.

Mick, I haven't played a Call of Duty game since 2004. I know where you're seeing this shit, I have nothing to do with them. If someone went into the Army, do you think they just said... oh I am going to join the Rangers, I am bored today. NO, it is a life plan and something worth going for. As everyone here can tell, I don't appear to be Ranger or even Army Infantry material. But if it is something I want, I will do what I have to for me to get there. If you actually want to succeed at anything, you have to set a goal. The first goal is making it through the Army which is already a challenge, no offense to Marines. And if I had good grades and found myself capable for Ranger "SCHOOL", then I wont skip the opportunity of a fucking lifetime.

I don't want people to hate me for saying I want to be a Ranger, and I know the only people who should really say I want to be a Ranger are people who've already done BCT and AIT. But I guarantee, even though from what everyone is telling me. I don't half give a shit I don't have the money for literally anything else but walking to Burger King and working. Just letting you know, I think I am well tough enough for the Army. And if I am well tough enough for the Army I can definitely say the Rangers would be a milestone challenge for me. Don't get me wrong, but not everyone here knows who I am and where I came from. We are all built up differently, I am not afraid to go fight someone if I feel pissed enough. I avoid them as much as I have ever had to, and I would avoid them in the Army too. I think anyone here who truly hates the enemy we fight in Afghanistan would care less about injury or death versus just getting some payback. I think, if I had the shot of going there knowing I wasn't going to get an IED... I'd be 100% sure of myself. I don't think anyone here understands me enough, of all things I see in these videos it is the IED's that get me. I see people burnt alive, imploded... what ever. It looks like something no one here signed up to fight against, so if you ask me. Yeah, I'm damn afraid to go there given that so many people are dying from it constantly. Are we even picking the fights?

The number one reason why I don't want to serve there, is because of the condition involved. They use IED's, and are extremely difficult to fight back. They aren't very predictable, and hard to see. And the chances of me killing some kid or citizen would make me feel like I just created more enemies. I simply do not agree with that fucking war, and I don't want much of anything to do with it. Sorry...:eusa_snooty:

[HooterBro]

Fibbles, if you only knew.

The biggest, strongest, muscle bound "tough guy" is usually the first one to quit.

The second one to quit is usually the run-of-the-mill sized guy who said for years he was tough enough to be a Ranger, SF, SEAL or PJ, and then he gets there, sees how they have to live and train and the MENTAL toughness needed, and they quit.

Two years after I joined the Army, I set my goals on getting into, and serving in, the absolute BEST aviation outfit the Army had to offer. Why? I dreaded the Selection and Training process. I didn't know if I was strong enough. I knew, deep down inside, that I was mentally tough. But I didn't know if I was tough *enough*. But most importantly, I considered the lifestyle once being IN that unit. The currency training alone can easily get you killed. Helicopters are NOT inherently safe and even with the best trained pilots in the world, we still lost some guys to training accidents. Not to mention combat.

The thing about Special Ops is that you don't always know WHY you're doing the given mission. But you have a job to do and it's game time. You put your personal shit aside and get it done. You're not there because you care about the politics of it. You're there because you wanted to be among the BEST. You wanted to be counted amongst their ranks and earn their respect. And on a mission, ALL you care about is getting your customers in and getting them out, no matter what it takes, up to and including your life. It's a drive, a personal passion, a competitive streak, a testing of yourself to see just WHAT you really ARE made of.

If you take one moment to worry about your own life, that's when you get hurt or killed. And you do mission after mission knowing that.




The number one reason why I don't want to serve there, is because of the condition involved. They use IED's, and are extremely difficult to fight back. They aren't very predictable, and hard to see. And the chances of me killing some kid or citizen would make me feel like I just created more enemies. I simply do not agree with that fucking war, and I don't want much of anything to do with it. Sorry...:eusa_snooty:

You don't have to. You just have to do your fucking job so that the people around you can count on you to cover down on them when the shit hits the fan. If you don't agree with how this country does things, the Service is DEFINITELY not for you. I served through four Presidents. And I didn't agree with Clinton fucking us in Somalia, Bush going after WMD's or, Obama taking the touchy feelie approach. But under each President, I did my fucking job because my buddies were counting on me. If you cannot understand that, then really, find a different line of work.

[MickDonalds]

Mick, I haven't played a Call of Duty game since 2004. I know where you're seeing this shit, I have nothing to do with them. If someone went into the Army, do you think they just said... oh I am going to join the Rangers, I am bored today.



I'm telling you EXACTLY what I see and hear coming out of new recruits mouths. They think "Oh, I'll just get up off the couch, join the Army and be a Ranger or SEAL."

I'm in the Army currently, and it's absolutely astounding, the amount of "ass and trash" recruits that aren't even Army material think they can just sign up and go to Ranger School without paying their dues or training to earn a slot. I blame USAREC (US ARMY Recruiting Command) for having some serious ethics issues.

Take it from me and HooterBro. We know what we're talking about here. You're not Army material. Don't join up, I humbly ask you, please don't join up. It's not for you.

[serpa6]

Ok so you want to, Join the military, all of the replies I have read and everyone of them is on the mark.
I know when some one asks me, I want to join the military which one should I join I have one answer from them and I say it without a flinch or shudder. I asked them this. Do you know that you might have to shoot somebody someday? I can go on and on, By your post i see that the military is not for you. It is not some job where you think you can get a good occupation and not be ready to use it.
Remember, Just because we are fighting in Afghanistan today, it don't mean we wont be there next year or the next.
You can get killed on any training exercise, deployment, some nut bag in Germany where you could be deployed.
When you join you take an oath If its army navy marines air force coast guard.
That oath states in all of them, I will defend this country from all enemies foreign and domestic.
You want to be trained to be a ranger or seal, You can put in for this but its up to higher ups to see if you have the quality's to be ranger or seal its not a choice.
I would wish you luck in joining but You say you don't want to waste your life in some foreign place like Afghanistan or Iraq. What about North Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Israel, China the Persian gulf even in the gulf you could get shot patrolling the waters in a Coast Guard cutter What about Somalia and how about your own backyard and all the places that you think that could not be a battle zone.
Today you never know where you will be deployed.
Do you think that for one minute that, our Men and women want to be in any war zone. NO!! but they where ordered to do so.
They answer the call without provocation!!!
Mickdonalds answer was right on the money. If you where to be deployed and the people in your unit knew you had these thought about where there at They will take care of you but as everyone takes care of each other no matter what. They will expect the same
If you join be ready to fight you might have no choice. Its bad hearing about what you said about friends family coming home missing limbs they knew there job and I guarantee they did there job they best they could. Just like every soldier does
Its an all voluntary service and everyone knows what can happen Just face it there are no guarantees that you might have to go and shoot someone and kill them If you know this, Good luck

[MrFibbles]

alright, thanks for everyone's feedback. I wont make any quick decisions, and I take it by popular vote that I am not Army Material. But that is ok, maybe I'll mature a little more one day... or maybe I wont. Whatever, I can't tell you what an honor it is to talk to some of you about this. Even though I pissed off half of you and I am a little freaked out about the results, I am still eager to get in shape and I wont give up. It's the only motivation I think I have, is to go do something difficult and different. I want the challenge so I can grow up, and maybe if I had that chance to serve with other people who will do anything for this country it would help me adapt. I would agree that my ideology is far from the reality of fighting a war. I worry about the amount of people who die there, not the amount of people who need to serve there. Sorry...

[Clodius]

...I am a little freaked out about the results...I worry about the amount of people who die there...

I would counsel another career path.

Having said that, both Alvin York and Audie Murphy were not considered ideal soldier material either...Good luck with your decision.

[HooterBro]

No one wants to die for their country. We want to make the other motherfucker die for his.

Seems like you've sobered quite a bit in this thread. Good. The fact that you've not gotten too offended is also a good thing.

Being in the military is much more about mental strength than physical. When I was at my peak, I didn't think ANYTHING could phase me, I had already seen the worst I had thought. Then, as an E7 with 16 years in the Army, something happened that shattered a part of my mental well being. I suffer from PTSD and a TBI and am 100% disabled due to both. But if my brothers called upon me, I would do everything I could to serve them and this country.

This country isn't always right in what they do. But we do the most "right" out of any other country on the planet. Not every mission is worth the losses. But the overall goal is worth the service. Many people disagree with us going into Iraq. I know I sure do. That is, under the pretenses presented to us, WMD's. But the good we also did in that country, the overall goal of what we, as a generally caring and civilized people wanted to accomplish, is there.

Wars aren't fought and won by politicians. They are fought and won by people. If the people can't find a reason to be there, then Vietnam happens. The Middle East has not been a Vietnam for us.

[Ripcord]

I have to agree with the general sentiment here...you are not in the right mindset for the military and definitely not for the Rangers.

Maybe the Coast guard...National Guard or some reserve unit possibly, but not regular Infantry and absolutely not SF.

Sorry

[Clodius]

HooterBro

Being in the military is much more about mental strength than physical. = Truest statement I've ever seen on these forums.

When I was at my peak, I didn't think ANYTHING could phase me, = Me too. I thought I was the baddest mofo since Hitler's mom fucked Pol Pot's dad!

This country isn't always right in what they do. =True, but what country is? Absolutely NO need to apologize bro!

Many people disagree with us going into Iraq. I know I sure do. = Agree. Fundamentalist religions are the enemy of all mankind and Saddam wasn't their friend.

Wars aren't fought and won by politicians. = Fuck Politicians