It's A Pretty Interesting Question If You Ask Me.

I Have More Then A Few Friends In The Military As It Is, And Their Opinion Range From Being Super Excited About Being "One Of The Few, The Proud, The Marines " To Being Pissed They Can't Get Out Any Sooner With Going AWOL.

Back When I Was In High School I Was Looking Forward To A Career In The Military Until I Had A Talk With My Father About It.

I Asked Him What His Opinion Was About Being In The Military, Since He Was In The Army For 13 Years Before Retiring.

With A Smile On His Face, He Answered Me In The Shortest Possible Terms..."Don't"

What's Are Y'alls Opinion On Joining The Military?

My father in-law spent 20 years in the Army and served in Vietnam. My husband spent 4 years in the Navy and served during Operation Desert Storm. They both had different motives for joining the military, my father in-law joined because his parents could no longer afford to support/feed him. My husband joined because he wanted the money for college. I believe that choosing to serve your country is a very honorable thing to do but it isn't for everyone.

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Win $$$ for having a BIG mouth!

As a 10 year vet I'll put it this way,

Are ya' nuts?

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Be a
It's the early bird that gets the worm - So what happens when the worm will learn - It's the older ways for new we will discard
For such a villain I am criminally underpaid.

It doesn't look from your posts that they choose to serve their country, but to :

I said that they joined for various motives. To which I also stated that I believe that choosing to serve your country is a very honorable thing to do. Regardless of the ulterior motive, they served.

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Win $$$ for having a BIG mouth!

If I had my time over again I would certainly join up. The training they give you is second to none and I think this sets you up for the rest of your life.
My father was also in the military for quite a few years and he loved it.

i would never serve to kill for a country (US) that unjustly invades a nation (IRAQ).

F*** no!!!!

I served 10 years in the Air Force and I must say that if I had to do it all over again, I would not hesitate. It teaches you discipline, pays for your education, free travel to many places around the world. You get to see and experience things the ordinary person does not.

For example: it's an awesome experience looking down into a missile silo at an ICBM missile 80 feet underground; experience flying in different aircrafts, being qualified on many different types of weaponry, making very important decisions that the ordinary person could only dream of; this is just a few examples

Sure it's not all glamorous but you certainly do learn a lot. I hope I don't sound like a recruiter.

I enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1996. I was proud then and I am proud now.

Now that I am older and a bit wiser, it is easy for me to say, without ANY shred of doubt, that I would NOT fight for the government of the United States.
I would, however, fight and die for the people and the country of the United States.

When I enlisted in '96, we had a different administration running the show.

No way would I fight and die in the Bush/Chenney Oil War.

The military is NOT for everyone.

My dad was a Sgt USMC, Uncles: US Army, USMC, Grandfather:US Army, brother:US Army, and myself: US Army.

Leaving all of the political bullshit out (which ALWAYS creeps in........sigh....) I think that if you can endure the training and the demanding life-style of whichever country you live in.....then, that is great.

Would I do it all over again? Yes!

Only I would do it even better this time around.

Is everyone suited for it? In one word NO!

Anyway, for ANY of you who have served your countries, a BIG HOOAH!!!!!

Let's leave the politics out........Soldiers and Marines and Airmen (as well as Squids) NEVER get to choose the politics or war to go to.........that is not part of the job.

I remember well the day our Sgt told us "go pack a bag, you aren't going anywhere tonight" and we thought he was joking......."we are going to war and you could be there tomorrow".......we turned on our TV's and he wasn't kidding!

It was Grenada and the US Army had the Medics on full alert, ready to roll.

Did I want to go? No.....would I have? Yes, I would. I had my bags packed and ready to roll.......was I scared? You have to be stupid, not to be........

When my Grand father had his leg blown off in France in WW 2 and my great uncle who had to burn people alive in the hell holes of Iwo Jima, Saipan and Okinawa fighting the Japanese...........did they get to choose the "la guerre du jour".........nope, they just went. Whenever and wherever........it was horrible, but they did their jobs.

Anyway, you have to measure all the parts of the equation.........before you make that choice.

Military life is harsh and it has to be that way. The job itself demands it......

Semper Fidelis for all of my Jar Head friends!

I have never been in the forces, but if I had to do it all over again, I would join in a heartbeat. I do not agree with our government all the time, but hey, who does. However, I think that the people that put themselves in harm's way everyday for my freedom are often overlooked and under appreciated. My only concern when graduating high school and college was to get a good job and make as much money as possible. I now think about how I can give back to those that give so much for me and my family to be safe and how we should not take them for granted and thank them every chance we get!

I've debated this over and over again ever since i was 18 to join the Marine Corp or not. And i have to say, at 21 i'm still thinking about it. ALOT more.

But i will say, once i make a couple hundred grand, have some fun and enjoy it. I will go in.