What is Your Stance on Joining the Military?

[Dwemyrn]

What do you think about the military?

[Dwemyrn]

okay then, I don't think I was solely working for your amusement.. .-.

[Big Brother]

Where I live, we have conscription which in practice means that once you turn 18, you can be drafted for 12 months mandatory military training. It's mandatory for women as well as men, although not everyone is drafted right away, and they won't do it if you're in the process of completing some kind of education. You can also choose to do community service instead.

 

Personally, I would gladly complete the training because you can gain a lot of useful experience from it. However, I would only take up arms as a part of the military (or otherwise) if my country was being attacked, and we were fighting a defensive war on our own soil.

[Hirohito]

I joined, and then went to Canada to protest the war. I don't recommend it.

[Anneal]

I am not amused with the seventh choice.

> Votes for seventh choice just because.

[Kurdanak]

Voted for:

• I would only join if it were for a cause I saw as worth fight for.
• What are the circumstances of the war being fought?
• Killing people sounds fun. Pew pew 'Murica! (!@#$ da police harminator)

I respect those who join up for honourable reasons, but it's not my cup of tea.

[Sailor Jerry]

Seeing as I'm retired U.S. Navy with 20 years of active duty (10 aboard 3 different ships) enlisted time under my belt, I would do things differently if I knew then what I know now.  First off, serving is not for everyone, I get that.  In the U.S., the general thought right after Vietnam was that military members were garbage and were looked over or whatnot, now folks are all about supporting the troops but bad mouthing the government/president.  Well, if you support the troops, that means, by default, you have to support the president, after all, he his the Commander and Chief of all the Armed Forces in the U.S.  Sure there have been times when I don't agree on what's going on or why are we doing what we're doing, but like with any other job, you follow the orders and rules that come along it.  Second off, if you are going to join the military, especially if you're in the U.S., I would highly suggest you join as an officer.  If you are able to go to college by having the grades, the military will pay for your college through the http://www.military.com/rotc'>ROTC program.  After college, you serve a minimum of 4 years and your obligation is done.  This way if you are done after your 4 year OBLISERV (obligated service) you'd be about 26-27 years old with leadership/managerial experience and NO college debt!  Also, if you stay in for a minimum of 20 years, you get 50% of your base pay every month for the rest of your life.  I only retired as an E-6 (Petty Officer First Class) and my current monthly is about $1750/month.  As a 20 year officer, you'd be around the O-5 level so either a Commander (Navy) or Lt. Colonel (Army, Marines or Air Force) and their 50% comes out to almost $4000/month.  For every year you go beyond 20, you earn another 2.5% until you reach your 30 year mark and 75%.  For an enlisted, you're probably an E-9 so that would be close $5100/month and as an officer, you be either 1 or 2 star which would be about $9200/month.  Retired at 52 years old with a $9200/month pension and free medical.....can't beat that!!!!! 

[Spite]

Considered joining, everyone convinced me not to. Not really bothered either way. If my country was attacked I'd join up. If I'm going to get shot at/bombed, I'd rather have the ability to shoot back.

[Red Huxley]

I love my Country and I will die for my Country. I would not fight some proxy war or political war. A militia I would be

[WISD0MTREE]

-snip-

Thanks for the advice!

[Solomon]

As a fortunate son, it's not a question I have to ask myself, but I'd be willing to pin medals on the corpses of those that do.

[Placentica]

or an enlisted, you're probably an E-9 so that would be close $5100/month and as an officer, you be either 1 or 2 star which would be about $9200/month.  Retired at 52 years old with a $9200/month pension and free medical.....can't beat that!!!!! 

You've got to be !@#$ing kidding me?  I guess that explains why the US is going bankrupt.  Who cares if we can or can't defend ourselves.....if we don't have any money to pay anyone.

[Jodo]

As a former Navy man myself, Coach said pretty much exactly what I would have.

[Hirohito]

Retired at 52 years old with a $9200/month pension and free medical.....can't beat that!!!!!

Which is why I don't thank veterans for their service, donate to their charities or otherwise feel like I owe them shit. You guys are well taken care of from my tax dollars anyhow. If people are dumb enough to sign up, and lucky enough to live to retire they are set for life. If they die during service, I feel sorry for them and their families, but I didn't ask them to enlist.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Sindorin

[WISD0MTREE]

I'm an !@#$.  

 

Yeah, that was 20 years. You do realise how long that is, right? 

[Hereno]

all of the military guys i know got completely !@#$ed over by the VA

 

Military men are 'dumb, stupid animals to be used' as pawns for foreign policy.

i can understand signing up because you've got to or because it's the far best of your options, but if someone wants to die for their country (see: this guy's country), i wish them all the luck in the world

[Hirohito]

Yeah, that was 20 years. You do realise how long that is, right? 

 

Does it matter? Somebody who doesn't serve in combat can serve for twenty years retires, and he is treated as any other veteran. It's a class in the United States, all it's own.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Sindorin

[WISD0MTREE]

Does it matter? Somebody who doesn't serve in combat can serve for twenty years retires, and he is treated as any other veteran. It's a class in the United States, all it's own.

Define "combat". You can still have close calls without combat. (Training exercise gone wrong)

Edited March 3, 2015 by WISD0MTREE

[Franz Von Dietrich]

I would die for my homeland for the right cause, not personal greed.

[LordStrum]

My view on the military is pretty simple. I'd join as long as I didn't have a kid. My father's been in and out of Africa/Middle East pretty much my entire life. Jaded a little bit, but love the people. 

[vonnorman]

Fight to protect poppy fields used to medicate our youth into uselessness.... Fight to destabilize a region so its prices rise leading to more profit domestically.... Fight to defend a government who spits on its own constitution... I am very well satisfied with watching it burn personally. Good luck on my soil even after it burns

[Franz Von Dietrich]

Fight to protect poppy fields used to medicate our youth into uselessness.... Fight to destabilize a region so its prices rise leading to more profit domestically.... Fight to defend a government who spits on its own constitution... I am very well satisfied with watching it burn personally. Good luck on my soil even after it burns

Violence is the only way to bring permanent peace, if you can't understand that, then what will stop dangerous militants and organziations such as ISIS?

[Reginald III]

Seeing as I'm retired U.S. Navy with 20 years of active duty...

 

Respect.

Green to Gold baby.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Reginald III