Military Service

[Vestr-Norig]

I've been called in, so I will be serving in the military in a year (We have compulsory military service here in Norway). I guess you should join if you want to and find yourself fit for the military. There is no good reason not to, really.

[Grand Britannia]

Most of my family has been on the military at some point.

This is partly way I joined the AFROTC.

[Dyakovo]

I plan on going to have a chat with someone at the Recruiting Office, I still haven't made up my mind yet.

What were you thinking of doing in the Guard?

[Northern Dominus]

Well to answer Gen's questions...

What do you think of the military?
Whether people like it or not, the US Military is a nessecity now and will be until...I really can't see a point in the near future where it won't be needed. As a culture it's definetly a strange place, but for the most part as long as you do the job and support the man or woman on your right or left, generally you're treated as an equal, psychotic noncoms and pissant junior officers aside.

The only thing that really pisses me off about the US Military is the armchair warhawks that have the idea that every single man and women serving in the military is a christian soldier of some kind campaigning for their personal beliefs, and you have to listen to these assholes while in uniform because the second you tell them to go fuck themselves because you defend the constitution and all citizens of the US rather than their asinine monkey belief you can bet a big fat complaint comes rolling into your CO's office in some form.

re your first point...

Needless to say I do agree wholeheartedly with you. However there is another type who is not the armchair general wanking himself silly with religious zeal. That would be the actively serving officer (including Generals). They scare me more than the armchair bootboi.

Generally people who are as zealous as the armchair generals don't make it into upper echelon positions where they could affect much other than a few numbers. Per several mandates the US Military is mostly EOE when it comes to most jobs (yes there are some that women aren't allowed to fill just yet, all in due time), and even your most evangelical senior officers and noncoms are more interested in who can do the job rather than who they approve of on a narrow personal level. Suffice it to say most evangelical armchair generals wouldn't get far in the US Military despite their grandiose and sometimes rather disturbing fantasies.

Of course this is all thrown out the second the US Marines are mentioned. They're a very "special" case indeed

(Let's see, bait's out, now all I have to do is wait for a passing Dyakovo-Fish...)

[Dyakovo]

re your first point...

Needless to say I do agree wholeheartedly with you. However there is another type who is not the armchair general wanking himself silly with religious zeal. That would be the actively serving officer (including Generals). They scare me more than the armchair bootboi.

Generally people who are as zealous as the armchair generals don't make it into upper echelon positions where they could affect much other than a few numbers. Per several mandates the US Military is mostly EOE when it comes to most jobs (yes there are some that women aren't allowed to fill just yet, all in due time), and even your most evangelical senior officers and noncoms are more interested in who can do the job rather than who they approve of on a narrow personal level. Suffice it to say most evangelical armchair generals wouldn't get far in the US Military despite their grandiose and sometimes rather disturbing fantasies.

Of course this is all thrown out the second the US Marines are mentioned. They're a very "special" case indeed

(Let's see, bait's out, now all I have to do is wait for a passing Dyakovo-Fish...)

*examines hook, ignores bait*

[Bodobol]

What do you think of the military?
I think, although I believe war to be normally wrong, there is no reasoning with some people. It is justified in those cases. Therefore, a military is necessary and it is a nice alternative for those who can't afford college.
Do you know anyone who's in it?
Several. My father, two of my uncles, my grandfather, my great-great-great grandfather (or great-great-great-great grandfather, I'm not sure)
Are YOU in it?
Nope.
What were some of your experiences?
Don't really have any, despite my family's long lineage of military service.
And what should people like myself who are considering joining expect?
Tough boot camp- very tough boot camp, and lots of work.

[Northern Dominus]

Generally people who are as zealous as the armchair generals don't make it into upper echelon positions where they could affect much other than a few numbers. Per several mandates the US Military is mostly EOE when it comes to most jobs (yes there are some that women aren't allowed to fill just yet, all in due time), and even your most evangelical senior officers and noncoms are more interested in who can do the job rather than who they approve of on a narrow personal level. Suffice it to say most evangelical armchair generals wouldn't get far in the US Military despite their grandiose and sometimes rather disturbing fantasies.

Of course this is all thrown out the second the US Marines are mentioned. They're a very "special" case indeed

(Let's see, bait's out, now all I have to do is wait for a passing Dyakovo-Fish...)

*examines hook, ignores bait*

Oh, there's my problem, there was writing involved that was multi-syllabic

[Genivaria]

I plan on going to have a chat with someone at the Recruiting Office, I still haven't made up my mind yet.

What were you thinking of doing in the Guard?

Well lets see. I'm not technically or medically inclined and I only speak English.
That limits my options.
I wouldn't at all mind being an MP, but a part of me (the masochistic part) just wants to join either Infantry or Armor and Field Artillery.
Logistics Support looks easy, but it sounds so boring.
http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/mos-guard-jobs

[Forsher]

What were you thinking of doing in the Guard?

Well lets see. I'm not technically or medically inclined and I only speak English.
That limits my options.
I wouldn't at all mind being an MP, but a part of me (the masochistic part) just wants to join either Infantry or Armour and Field Artillery.
Logistics Support looks easy, but it sounds so boring.
http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/mos-guard-jobs

See, this is funny when MP generally means Member of Parliament.

Isn't this the lot that were sent in with all those integration of school cases (e.g. Little Rock Nine)?

[Dyakovo]

What were you thinking of doing in the Guard?

Well lets see. I'm not technically or medically inclined and I only speak English.
That limits my options.
I wouldn't at all mind being an MP, but a part of me (the masochistic part) just wants to join either Infantry or Armor and Field Artillery.
Logistics Support looks easy, but it sounds so boring.
http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/mos-guard-jobs

Okay, I guess a better question would be: What do you want to do when you get out?

[Zijeme]

Do the CIA or Border Patrol count as military service?

I may join those, I'm leaning more towards the CIA though.

That's a bit Big Government, innit?

[Dyakovo]

Do the CIA or Border Patrol count as military service?

I may join those, I'm leaning more towards the CIA though.

No, neither is military.

[Ostroeuropa]

Recently I've been considering joining the American National Guard for various reasons, this of course like many other things I think about led me to an idea for a new General topic. (I'm obsessed with NSG I tell you, OBSESSESED!) Ahem.
Anyway I thought I'd start a topic on Military Service.

What do you think of the military?
Do you know anyone who's in it?
Are YOU in it?
What were some of your experiences?
And what should people like myself who are considering joining expect?

I personally have a sister who joined the National Guard and a cousin who used to be in the Navy and worked on an Aircraft Carrier.
(No I don't remember the name of the ship)

It's a fine institution.
I know a pilot, a sailor, and and a soldier. I should really hook up the sailor and the soldier come to think of it. Only the pilot is one i'd describe as a friend, the others are more friends of friends.
Not in it, but I wouldn't mind being so if they'd allow me. (terribly unfit)

[Genivaria]

Well lets see. I'm not technically or medically inclined and I only speak English.
That limits my options.
I wouldn't at all mind being an MP, but a part of me (the masochistic part) just wants to join either Infantry or Armor and Field Artillery.
Logistics Support looks easy, but it sounds so boring.
http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/mos-guard-jobs

Okay, I guess a better question would be: What do you want to do when you get out?

Thats the thing. I don't know.
As I said though, my interest is History and other Social Sciences. Maybe I'll end up as a teacher. I don't know.
A family member of mine asked me if I ever thought about being a cop because I know how to handle people and I'm good at keeping calm, I hadn't thought of that option.
I figured the military will help me figure it out.

[Genivaria]

Well lets see. I'm not technically or medically inclined and I only speak English.
That limits my options.
I wouldn't at all mind being an MP, but a part of me (the masochistic part) just wants to join either Infantry or Armour and Field Artillery.
Logistics Support looks easy, but it sounds so boring.
http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/mos-guard-jobs

See, this is funny when MP generally means Member of Parliament.

Isn't this the lot that were sent in with all those integration of school cases (e.g. Little Rock Nine)?

I don't know anything about that but in this case MP stands for Military Police.

[Nazis in Space]

I think soldiers need to receive more handjobs in return for living entirely on the taxpayer's payroll and joining up for all the shiny post-service benefits because they spent a few years in a datacenter in Ramstein coordinating drone strikes occuring half a planet away.

[Souseiseki]

As I said though, my interest is History and other Social Sciences. Maybe I'll end up as a teacher. I don't know.

do this

I figured the military will help me figure it out.

this is not a movie where the military will take the young boys without a purpose and then the corp will turn them into men and then they will get pretty wives

[Dyakovo]

Okay, I guess a better question would be: What do you want to do when you get out?

Thats the thing. I don't know.
As I said though, my interest is History and other Social Sciences. Maybe I'll end up as a teacher. I don't know.
A family member of mine asked me if I ever thought about being a cop because I know how to handle people and I'm good at keeping calm, I hadn't thought of that option.
I figured the military will help me figure it out.

Well, in that case my advice is to choose a MOS that has civilian applications... That way you'll be learning job skills in addition to earning money for college.

[Czechanada]

I strongly oppose the army for ethical and practical reason. An army is the embodiment of all what I despite : strong hierarchy, uniformity, blind obedience, harsh and cruel punishments, using violence, killing people, giving lots of importance to tiny insignificant details, ...

Humans should be diverse, free, emancipated, taking decisions together, challenging authority, and not using violence against their brethren.

My man.

I can't stand the fact that humans are being indoctrinated into living weapons.

If we had Reapers, Dread Lords, Tyranids, Romulans, or the Vaygr banging on our doorstep, then yeah, a military should be a necessity.

[Genivaria]

Thats the thing. I don't know.
As I said though, my interest is History and other Social Sciences. Maybe I'll end up as a teacher. I don't know.
A family member of mine asked me if I ever thought about being a cop because I know how to handle people and I'm good at keeping calm, I hadn't thought of that option.
I figured the military will help me figure it out.

Well, in that case my advice is to choose a MOS that has civilian applications... That way you'll be learning job skills in addition to earning money for college.

Maybe, and this is a big maybe, maybe I'll decide to stay in the military long-term. Maybe try for officer.

[Divair]

I strongly oppose the army for ethical and practical reason. An army is the embodiment of all what I despite : strong hierarchy, uniformity, blind obedience, harsh and cruel punishments, using violence, killing people, giving lots of importance to tiny insignificant details, ...

Humans should be diverse, free, emancipated, taking decisions together, challenging authority, and not using violence against their brethren.

My man.

I can't stand the fact that humans are being indoctrinated into living weapons.

If we had Reapers, Dread Lords, Tyranids, Romulans, or the Vaygr banging on our doorstep, then yeah, a military should be a necessity.

But all we're doing is banging at each other's doorsteps.

[Czechanada]

My man.

I can't stand the fact that humans are being indoctrinated into living weapons.

If we had Reapers, Dread Lords, Tyranids, Romulans, or the Vaygr banging on our doorstep, then yeah, a military should be a necessity.

But all we're doing is banging at each other's doorsteps.

Exactly. If we didn't have militaries, we couldn't bang on each other's doorsteps.

[Divair]

But all we're doing is banging at each other's doorsteps.

Exactly. If we didn't have militaries, we couldn't bang on each other's doorsteps.

The solution:

Put Canada in charge of the world.

[Morrdh]

Exactly. If we didn't have militaries, we couldn't bang on each other's doorsteps.

The solution:

Put Canada in charge of the world.

I like the idea of a Canadian Empire but I realize it would mean Prince Charles becoming the Emperor of Mankind.

[Divair]

The solution:

Put Canada in charge of the world.

I like the idea of a Canadian Empire but I realize it would mean Prince Charles becoming the Emperor of Mankind.

Disconnect the royal family from Canada when they are promoted.