Americans - who has served in the military?

[acgrundy]

or is serving right now?

Whats your thoughts?  Pros and cons?  do you regret it, are you happy with it?

I've always thought about it.  I was never pushed in that direction growing up, I was always pushed in the college direction.  But now I've done the college thing and graduated, and just wondering if the military would be good for me.

There is a lot of things that I think I would like about it.  Certain things I know I would not like, specifically going to war for causes that I don't believe in.  But I hear with having a college degree and knowing what you want to do and choosing the right branch there is very little chance you would ever go to war.

So those that have served, or are serving now, what branch, if your kids wanted to do it would you encourage them, and what are your overall thoughts and advice?

[AndrE16686]

I have been thinking about joining the Australian military after i fin u.n.i.versity. But only if I could do exactly what I want (protocol officer), its a career decision not a 'omg we have to defend the Jewish homeland from those Arabs whom we arrange into naked shit-smeared human pyramids' decision.

[Lieutenant Abdul-Shakur]

If your thinkinf of enlisting, you might like it. your gona be dealing with all sorts of motherfuckers from all four corners of the U.S. there are gona be some shady ass clever mofos. Your gona face some problems at first, ex. pulling of a rank etc.  Once you settle with your platoon, youll love it. You guys are gona be trying to pull each other down, but when it comes down to other people, if someone tries to fuck with you, theyll put their life on the line for you.

Its all fun until you get deployed in the war zone. All kinds of things are gona affect you.


Its esy to say you can pick up a gun, but taking that first shot at someone is a bitch. You will probably break out the first time, cry like a motherfucker, high stress. etc. Happens with 90% of new recruits deployed in the warzone.

But the good thing is, you can pull out after a couple years of service.


If your thinking about getting an education, (a bachelors degree is required) to get into the Cadet Officers program, you are going to be living a happy life, good monthly pay cheque, your gona end up with a good educated rich girl.


But at the same time your gona be fucked in the ass for the rest of your life. Sure, Enlisnted Marines do all the dirty work. But whose leading them ? its an officer.

When they show you in the movies that a Staff. Sgt or a Sgt leads an attack, its all bullshit.

Its either a 2nd.Lt or a Lt. or Capt. leading the attack. Meaning if you guys are entering the wild west, you are going to be the first one to taste the gun powder.

If you have good performance, your going to be assigned your first platoon command at the rank of 2nd Lt(like I did).

Otherwise you get your first command at the rank of Lt.

Till the rank of Capt. you are going to face as much shit as enlisted personnel do.

And you just cannot leave the military once you are an officer. Its a contract, a long term contract, theyre either gona retire you(if you fuck up or fail the tests), or you only leave when you enter the retirement age.


To get promoted, you must take go to Staff Colleges, pass the courses, and than theres a board sitting bullshit,and they promote you.

Anyways, if your interested let me know.


But remember, theyre are thousands of programs to enter the military, pick the one that suits you the best.

You can always enter in the college program, they pay you money for college while your serving. Its a 2-3 year contract i think, not sure.

[Lieutenant Abdul-Shakur]

Oh, and if you have a degree, and you get commissioned, dont think your degree is gona save you from the war zone.

This is how it works. Officers make plans. Soldiers act on it. Officers Command. So basically, you lead your troops into the battlefield.

If you get a degree and your in either Infantry, Artillery, Armoured Core, you are gona be deployed in the war zone buddy.


Unless you get a degree and go towards Military Law or other programs, which are tough, and only 5/100 people get selected for it.

If you think your gona enlist as a cook, or a laundry-man, or whatever, just to be in the military for 2-3 years. Your wrong.

Understand this, every Marine is a Gunny aka Gunner.

No matter what you do, when the war strikes, you have a gun in your hand.

Same goes with the Army, except theyre called Riffleman.


Think over it again, the Recruit Officer is gona put all the pressure in the fucking world on you to join.

[acgrundy]

I have a degree in business finance, which is the area I would try to get into.  I wouldn't enlist in the marines, most likely the Airforce.

[Lieutenant Abdul-Shakur]

I have a degree in business finance, which is the area I would try to get into.  I wouldn't enlist in the marines, most likely the Airforce.

So youve got a bachelors in buisness finance. hmm well your fit to enter the competition for the Cadet Officers program in the Army/Marines/Navy.

Im not sure about Chair Force, I think theyre requirement is also a bachelors degree in any program, but im not sure, ill bet back to you on that.

Air force wives, umm yeah !!

But where can you possibly land with that degree into other departments of the Forces ? There are not many departments. Maybe the Finance/Budget department, but I think theyre all civilians.


Unless you wanna go into the chair force as a GDP(General Duty Pilot). You can be commissioned in the Navy and Marines and Army as a pilot too you know. Navy has a strong aviation department.

[acgrundy]

So what branch were you in?  Are you still in?  What was your job?  Are you glad you did it?

[Lieutenant Abdul-Shakur]

So what branch were you in?  Are you still in?  What was your job?  Are you glad you did it?

I was an enlisted Marine. I was in the 1st battalion/7th Marines. My M.O.S was Infantry Rifleman. I had a M16A2 service rifle, the M203 grenade launcher, and the squad automatic weapon (SAW).

.Than I enrolled in the college program. Did my bachelors in Computer Systems Eng. and got commissioned recently as an officer at the rank of 2nd Lt.

I could have gone to the Signals Core or the Logistics etc. (engineers divisions BTW). But it was another ball game and long story short, it wasnt my thing. Although if I went there, my chances of ending up in Iraq or any other war zone would be as good as 3-4%.

Anyways, now im an Infantry officer, got my command. Im still in the U.S though.

And well its a man's life. Medals on your chests, the uniform...aaah. But I hate being in wars that are one sided. I wont be going into the war anyways, im working my way into the CentCom

[big mat]

when i was a kid i dreamed of being a f-14 tomcat pilot on a aircraft carrier

[Mr. O]

i was in military intelligence section 94

[IRAN iz Gangsta!]

My boi Jerome is still serving as a Marine but he used to be in iraq until last year.  Im proud of him for that and I got mad love for his fam.

[Narrator]

I had a M16A2 service rifle, the M203 grenade launcher, and the squad automatic weapon (SAW).

Hey, Abdul Shakur, I would love to get ahold of some heavier military-grade weaponry to use in my revolution against the devils.  If I paid you, would you be willing to smuggle M16s, M249s, LAW rockets, whatever for me?  I hear weapons turn up missing all the time.  Oh yeah, and ask any of your homies in Iraq if they can send me some captured Iraqi AKs as well.

My revolution needs choppers...send em my way, son.

[Raspass]

Only bums join the military.

[Primo]

The only branch I would join is the airforce. Its my only area of interest. I'm not going to throw all that conservative patriotic bullshit at you because I would just use the airforce to get a good career out of it and i like to exercise.lol. I would like to work on advanced propulsion systems and all that good shit up in Edwards AFB in LA. As for Kains ignorant reply about bums joining. Some people don't have mommy and daddy wiping there ass for them and the only way they can make it is the military.People have no idea what life is until they have to fend for themselves. It takes a man to get somewhere in life on your own and without financial help from mommy and daddy. I have more respect for people that can handle shit on there own more than people who have life handed to them. I can't even go to school because everybody I know has bad credit and can't co-sign a reasonable loan without me having to stuggle with a fulltime job to pay tuition while going to school. I have had to fend for myself since I was able to work. My parents don't let me borrow money but I let them borrow money..Especially at 21. What you know about that son.

[Mr. O]

The only branch I would join is the airforce. Its my only area of interest. I'm not going to throw all that conservative patriotic bullshit at you because I would just use the airforce to get a good career out of it and i like to exercise.lol. I would like to work on advanced propulsion systems and all that good shit up in Edwards AFB in LA. As for Kains ignorant reply about bums joining. Some people don't have mommy and daddy wiping there ass for them and the only way they can make it is the military.People have no idea what life is until they have to fend for themselves. It takes a man to get somewhere in life on your own and without financial help from mommy and daddy. I have more respect for people that can handle shit on there own more than people who have life handed to them. I can't even go to school because everybody I know has bad credit and can't co-sign a reasonable loan without me having to stuggle with a fulltime job to pay tuition while going to school. I have had to fend for myself since I was able to work. My parents don't let me borrow money but I let them borrow money..Especially at 21. What you know about that son.

I respect anyone who makes it  regardless what their background is.