Joining the military again
 

I'm seriously considering going back into the military.
I make decent money now--maybe 60 to 70k per year. Not bad considering my location.

Despite all my rage I am still

I think I'd rather defend you guys than the shareholders.
And it eats at me every day non stop.

Have you ever heard the word propaganda?

What for, other than pride in serving?

Sounds like you have a decent life going. 60-70k is alright and Hawaii is even better.

Now, I know a lot of people (myself included) use the military as a stepping stone, getting experience, skills, and education along the way before getting out. What motivates YOU to join (again)?

Spispopd

How old are you and how long did you previously serve?

I joined the Navy back in August and ship out in February. I have a good paying job, it is stress free and I make my own hours. But my job feels pointless, I literally feel like everyday I am here is a waste. So I decided to join something that is much more then me and serves a purpose. I want to be part of something that matters. You also can't beat the benefits, especially if you have a family. But I'm sure you already know this. I also don't want to work the rest of my life. Another biggie is the added security of health insurance for life if I put in my time. As we all know, health insurance is going to be a very important thing for our generation.
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If you are serious about joining, make sure you stick out the 20 years so that you get the benefits for life. My dad is retired Army and seeing the benefits he has because of it is awesome.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me I can kinda point you in the right direction so you get the best deal possible alot has changed in the last 4 years with prior service enlistment. But I say go for it you wont regret it best decision of my life.

Unless you're a commissioned officer, you'll still have to work after 20 years, the pension just isn't large enough (unless you retire to Costa Rica or somewhere ridicuously cheap).

What's the purpose? Keep your good paying job, your safety, and live a good life. Servicemen are the tools of politicians and never used to protect our safety or freedoms, regardless of what the propaganda may say. I enlisted at 18, got out at 22, and I'm just lucky that I got out with no more than an injured back. With that being said, I support our troops 100% because their sacrifices are legitimate.

The other alternative is pick a good MOS and go contractor :)

For benefits I mean health care and such. The best plan of action is to stay for 20 years and get the benefits, then move to DC and pimp yourself out for 6 figures until you hit 65. Then fuck bitches.

I am in the same exact boat, yet my situation is a little more extreme. I want to join again as well, prior Marine--I make around 100K+ contracting yet I am willing to make that sacrifice. Money isn't anything, I have felt the urge to go back and serve it is really hard to describe unless you share this feeling. Even a hump to Iraq contracting didn't fill the void.

That's my plan. Contract and keep an eye out for a GS.

GS jobs aren't contracting jobs, theyre federal jobs. If you want a very good one, I suggest you get a college degree as well, if you dont already have one.

I think he meant, get a contract job and guard a civilian. I know thats what jtothewhat is doing. Or I could be wrong...

Yeah, I shouldn't read posts before I'm fully awake and my contacts are in. :) It appears that he's going to find a contactor position and work in that capacity until he finds a GS job. That's the context that I've always seen "keep a look out for" used in, lol

Re-read what I typed.

EDIT - just saw your next post. My sleepy reading comprehension is just as bad, lol. Neogen - not exactly, I'm not cut out to be anyone's bodyguard. The Army employs me for my nerdiness.

GS spots are nice. don't pay as nice, but it's job stability. i might go that route when i get out since I can get an easy GS13 job where I work currently. The only thing holding me back is that I'm tired of Sierra Vista. I understand I can move after a while, but I much rather get a high paying job in my home town. The Army has done wonders for me, but it's time for me to move on.

Good luck with getting back in. One Theory is my brother, and he knows his shit about getting people in.

Yes. It's what motivated me to get out in the first place. The idea that I was not free; that I was a slave to the UCMJ and to the whims of those in power above me.

Since getting out, I still have to accept in corrupt elections, state and federal laws made in the best interest of big business, and general unscrupulousness. Even the scientific method is not free of political/financial corruption. Military or civilian--someone please point out to me--what's the difference?

There is simply no way that every single American military mission is launched with corrupt intentions. I can't believe that.

If the police chief decides that he or she wants to crack down on jaywalking, maybe as a newly recruited cop maybe I wouldn't agree with that. It would be a very immature point of view to want to get out of the police force because I don't agree with one stupid leader.

I don't know. Is it possible to be a libertarian and be in the military?

All that being said I have nearly 9 years of US Navy. Considering the Air Force, if they'll even take me. From what I've researched I have a narrow window still available.

Gianic is Greek, take his cynicism with a grain of salt.

I do approve of the Greek response to that flotilla issue.

Ok I'll stop now before I DQ myself from any chance of TS again.


But see? That's just the thing. Who do you want watching your back? Someone who will do whatever the government says because they are dumb assed-sheep? Or someone who knows the difference and in times of distress will stick to principles and will actually shed blood to defend the constitution. Who do you want to be holding that gun? And I'm not talking about a silenced shotgun either. lolz.

I'm in the Air Force and my job is cake. I've been in 5 years now and for how young I am I think I make pretty good money(45K). I didn't join for the money. More the experiences, benifits, and the chance to better myself.

I'm deployed for my second time in one year to Afghanistan for another 6 month tour. I volunteered both times and don't regret my decisions for a minute. Yea, it sucks donkey dick out here, but I'm living in a nice room(with five other guys:greddy:), have a shower and bathroom in my building, and I work in an a/c building doing a easy job working on pilot gear.

IMO, if you can, go Air Force. It's the easiest branch and they make sure everyone has the best living condtions and the best out of the branches. Not dogging on the others but I've seen how they lived.

Yeah no shit. I remember a port call many years ago on deployment (you 6 month deployment sailors are fags) during an 8 month excursion. We stopped at Diego Garcia for vacation. You Air Force fuckers called that deployment (all 3 months of it and tax free combat zone to boot). What a deal!

Seriously though, another one of the greatest motivating points for me in getting out was the loneliness. I could never understand how a man could leave his wife to go out to sea. In the ultimate contradiction, I have somebody now. There is a huge difference, IMHO, in being lonely and in missing somebody.

Yep, some of our deployments are cake! I'm still single but it's funny how once I'm gone I'm the envy of a lot of women. :giggle:

Me too, in a roundabout way. :giggle:

AF/Navy are more about the quality of life, Army/USMC more about advancing in rank at the expense of quality of living. IMHO, of course.

If I had this to do over again, I might have tried to go into the Navy or AF. Seems you could do 20 there and not lose your mind.

Yea, just depends on your job. Most guys stay in for the 20 and then some. That's what I'm planning on doing. I might be a low rank still but that's quite fine with me really. I'm happy with what I do and where I live.

I did 4 in navy and ran for the door because no one wanted to work it was all about looking good and sucking up.I on the other hand enjoy working hard for a honest pay but when the guy the same rank as u does nothing and makes what u make it gets old. Military isn't for everyone it takes a toll on u mentally and physically. But u do come out a different person be it a good or bad thing. More power to those guys who make a career out of it.

So I walked into an Air Force recruiter's office the other day.

Fuck me there were like 4 other dudes in that tiny office!
Lazy looking, kinda guessing.


If you want to be in the military go after that shit.
******s.
Anyways, only special forces are open this year so fuck that.

If something in life intrigues you. . . Go after it. Pin it down and win. You are #1 and you will win. You are faster and smarter than everybody else so bring it now! No Taffingbody else can compete right now. . ,.

lol, They wont make it. Air Force doesn't toerate laziness or slackers. Their trying to kick lots out so they wouldn't make it past Basic.

I thought qualification and selection could only be applied for after reaching the rank of corporal? SF requires a combination of physical fitness, military education, and civilian education that a typical enlistee wouldn't possess at the time of enlistment.

Fixed :)

You'll find that everywhere. I'm fed for 20 years now. Same shit. If I was female and worked on the 8th floor instead of the 9th where I am now, I'd be making 30K more for running the software I write and support.

We programmers always joke that our software should simply pop up a big button on the user's screen that says "Do my job".

I've got friends in private industry who deal with the same shit. It's not what you know, it's who you blow.

My dad was 20 year Army. He's a triple dipper now after retiring Army, retiring NSA, and pulling SS. Not a bad payday for a dude who spent a week in college.

When the economy is good, recruiting standards are relaxed and we get fat. When the economy sucks, waivers go away and we start booting people for whatever... it's called "force shaping".

Right now is a tough time to join. The "average" guy with a high-school diploma who has never fucked up too bad can get in, but have limited choices for M.O./designator.

Promotion rates in the Navy are at record lows. A lot of rates are in the low single-digits. There are some rates at 100%, but are very few people. Guys who work on the flight deck promoted at a rate of like 8%.

If you're going to join, you need to make a very calculated decision about what you want to do. Being a jet engine mechanic sounds cool, until you've been in for 10 years and are still an E-4 because nobody is getting out and everybody is as good as you are... it's happening right now in some Navy rates.

I was just reading up and you don't enlist for the 18 job series, but you can get the opportunity to try out for special forces specified in your enlistment contract. If you don't make it through SFAS or any of the training, you're classified as an 11B, infantryman. Things have changed a little bit in the last couple of years.