Poll: Why did you enter the military?

[Mo0o]

I'm sure I'm missing something. Just curious as to the specific reasons people enter the military since it's a job that draws a wide range of people from all walks of life. Obviously people would have multiple reasons but I wanna know the MAIN reason.

Trying to make the answers as specific as possible to avoid the more ambiguous "serve my country answers" . Let me know if there are any choices I should be adding.

 

[MedicBob]

I'll bite. I enlisted in 1988. Mostly it was what I wanted to do since a child. I firmly believe a strong military is needed as a deterrent.

Several conflicts later and that view has skewed a bit. I feel that a strong military is needed for the larger conflicts to be deterred, but needs to be move flexible/mobile for smaller conflicts that have risen and will continue to rise.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Shits and giggles.

I enlisted right after high school in 1998 (I was still 17) into the Navy. Served 8 years, now going to school. I was broke, poor family, couldn't afford college, and it seemed interesting. I got it in my head that I was going to do it, and I went through with it. Never regretted doing it either, even though shit was crazy and I essentially got screwed. But I made out like a bandit in the end of it all.

 

[ChanHo78]

where does killing terrorists fall in? Non-monetary perks of the job?

 

[lupi]

at least one member of each generation has since the 19th century (if not earlier), I kept it going into the 21st doing my duty for the Constitution.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Drafted <-- Doesn't happen anymore, but there may be a few here.
Family Tradition. <-- My father was at Pearl Harbor in the Navy.
Monetary perks of the job (salary, healthcare, etc) <--Better then min wage. But the govt is slowly killing the health care.
Non-monetary perks of the job (travel the world, learn new skills, military tactics etc) <--Perks are good. I loved the travel.
Monetary perks after the job (VA hospital access, GI Bill etc) <-- GI bill can be helpeful. Be thankful if you don't need the VA as they are a PITA.
Non-monetary perks after the job (advantage for future employment) <-- Discipline, self-reliance, confidence, etc. those are good things to have in the future.
Belief that a strong military is needed to address a clear and present danger to America or it's allies <-- Politicians can curb that attitude real quick.
Belief that a strong military is needed to prevent the emergence of a clear and present danger to America or its allies <-- See above.
Top tier college education (through West Point, Annapolis, AF academy) <-- I was enlisted so I wouldn't know. Though I'm sure the ring makes for good convo at dinner parties.

Okay so back in 1984 in a civil court in California;

The judge recommended a 4 year enlistment in the U.S. Marines versus a jail term.
The DA agreed.
My probabtion officer thought it was a good plea bargain.
I agreed.

So began a 20 year career in the Marines.

 

[imported_Imp]

Almost joined last summer because I've thought about doing it since I was a kid, and seriously in college. Also, the doing it for service, helping people in shithole countries, doing something less than 1% of the population has done, adventure and travel.

Put it off, but still want to check out Reserves in the future or go second-line/technical Officer as a career change in 10 years.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Army College Fund - Paid me out close to $35K while I was in college after my 3yr enlistment.

Was an overall OK experience but I matured in those 3yrs and it sure made college a lot easier as the partying was mostly out of my system and I worked part-time jobs while collecting my tax free Govt checks while in college.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: SonnyDaze

Drafted <-- Doesn't happen anymore, but there may be a few here.
Family Tradition. <-- My father was at Pearl Harbor in the Navy.
Monetary perks of the job (salary, healthcare, etc) <--Better then min wage. But the govt is slowly killing the health care.
Non-monetary perks of the job (travel the world, learn new skills, military tactics etc) <--Perks are good. I loved the travel.
Monetary perks after the job (VA hospital access, GI Bill etc) <-- GI bill can be helpeful. Be thankful if you don't need the VA as they are a PITA.
Non-monetary perks after the job (advantage for future employment) <-- Discipline, self-reliance, confidence, etc. those are good things to have in the future.
Belief that a strong military is needed to address a clear and present danger to America or it's allies <-- Politicians can curb that attitude real quick.
Belief that a strong military is needed to prevent the emergence of a clear and present danger to America or its allies <-- See above.
Top tier college education (through West Point, Annapolis, AF academy) <-- I was enlisted so I wouldn't know. Though I'm sure the ring makes for good convo at dinner parties.

Okay so back in 1984 in a civil court in California;

The judge recommended a 4 year enlistment in the U.S. Marines versus a jail term.
The DA agreed.
My probabtion officer thought it was a good plea bargain.
I agreed.

So began a 20 year career in the Marines.

So... background story?

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: ChanHo78
where does killing terrorists fall in? Non-monetary perks of the job?

:roll:

 

[Proprioceptive]

Because I'm going to be the first to take out one of those Somali pirates with a SLINGHSOT. :Q

 

[nakedfrog]

Eh, it seemed like the thing to do at the time. Helped me get back on my feet after hard times, I suppose. Yeah, lots of history in the family, but that wasn't really a factor.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: SonnyDaze

Drafted <-- Doesn't happen anymore, but there may be a few here.
Family Tradition. <-- My father was at Pearl Harbor in the Navy.
Monetary perks of the job (salary, healthcare, etc) <--Better then min wage. But the govt is slowly killing the health care.
Non-monetary perks of the job (travel the world, learn new skills, military tactics etc) <--Perks are good. I loved the travel.
Monetary perks after the job (VA hospital access, GI Bill etc) <-- GI bill can be helpeful. Be thankful if you don't need the VA as they are a PITA.
Non-monetary perks after the job (advantage for future employment) <-- Discipline, self-reliance, confidence, etc. those are good things to have in the future.
Belief that a strong military is needed to address a clear and present danger to America or it's allies <-- Politicians can curb that attitude real quick.
Belief that a strong military is needed to prevent the emergence of a clear and present danger to America or its allies <-- See above.
Top tier college education (through West Point, Annapolis, AF academy) <-- I was enlisted so I wouldn't know. Though I'm sure the ring makes for good convo at dinner parties.

Okay so back in 1984 in a civil court in California;

The judge recommended a 4 year enlistment in the U.S. Marines versus a jail term.
The DA agreed.
My probabtion officer thought it was a good plea bargain.
I agreed.

So began a 20 year career in the Marines.

Wow, quite a story (well, short story heh) man!

Somewhat like Imp, I thought about doing it after I graduated college and couldn't find a job until about 6 months later. I was thinking of joining the Air Force that summer.

But now that I've got a job, I dunno, I've thought about getting into the National Guard, at least, maybe at some point. My older brother is in the Guards, and has been to Iraq three times, so I'm sure he could answer any questions.

 

[Born2bwire]

/obligatory I wanted to be the first kid on my block with a confirmed kill.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Where's the option for civic duty?

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Where's the option for civic duty?

That's about the closest two word summary that would fit why I joined - currently Army ROTC, contracted, looking to go career.

If I didn't have a lot of studying to get done, I'd write another traditional destrekor novella detailing my reasons.
I'm gonna make it short and sweet for this thread though: civic duty. Far deeper than that, but whatever. It's at the root.

 

[KK]

No real reason, well none that you listed. As a senior in high school, I didn't really know what to go to college for. I filled out my applications and was accepted at most of where I applied at. I was ready to go to penn state, but for some reason, that didn't feel right. My brother, 2 yrs my senior, enlisted in the AF right after highschool and was stationed in germany. I thought it would be cool to travel, and not have to be bored sitting in a classroom for four more years. I went ahead and enlisted, but when I put down my choices in tech school, I picked all state side assignments. So much for traveling, I did though get to go to saudi twice. In the end it worked out good for me, it helped me get my current job. I don't regret that decision at all and I would recommend it to anyone that doesn't really know what to do after highschool.

 

[adairusmc]

Originally posted by: KK
No real reason, well none that you listed. As a senior in high school, I didn't really know what to go to college for. I filled out my applications and was accepted at most of where I applied at.

Pretty much the same for me as well.