Military?

[Barney]

So you plan on moving to Israel and joining the Military? What do you wanna do in there? Ground forces? Air Forces? IDF?

Yup, that is the plan once I graduate. I want to join the Golani brigade, which usually protects the northern part of Israel.

 

[Dienekes]

US marines aren't that different from the army, in fact, their training is almost identical.

If that were true, the army would be spearheading the offensive in Afghanistan rather than the Marines, considering the army has more personnel, superior technology and more money.

 

[Prozac]

Nothing but respect for people in the military from me.
And to be honest, it appeals to me a lot!
Mostly the grunt work, I find hard physical labor/excerpter to be very mentally rewarding for me. (go figure.)
However, I don't think I could really coop with a real war situation.

 

[Almighty_Gir]

If that were true, the army would be spearheading the offensive in Afghanistan rather than the Marines, considering the army has more personnel, superior technology and more money.

ok, i was just speaking from my own experiences with both branches of the us military

 

[Dienekes]

Some people call other servicemen names due to a degree of jealousy. There's been times when I've been angry and wondered why someone in an airconditioned office is getting paid the same as me when I'm humping miles and miles in the desert with a 100 lb pack on my back. But we all do our part and every cog is necessary.

I've worked with the army too, axman. If they have the same training as us, they've yet to display that. That isn't to say all of their units are bad. Quite the contrary. Some are quite good. They're the needle in the haystack in my opinion, though.

 

[Almighty_Gir]

jealousy would probably be it, i was medically discharged after being hit by a car. otherwise my life would be on a very different tangent right now!

 

[Killface]

Some people call other servicemen names due to a degree of jealousy. There's been times when I've been angry and wondered why someone in an airconditioned office is getting paid the same as me when I'm humping miles and miles in the desert with a 100 lb pack on my back. But we all do our part and every cog is necessary.

I've worked with the army too, axman. If they have the same training as us, they've yet to display that. That isn't to say all of their units are bad. Quite the contrary. Some are quite good. They're the needle in the haystack in my opinion, though.

Well the thing is though.. the guys in the Air Force are actually getting paid MORE than the guys truckin' around in the desert... and it does seem kind of unfair. I guess the boys working in the office get paid more because of the higher required intellect needed to do certain jobs, but I do see the unfairness in the pay and the amount of sacrifice made between Airman, Seamen, and Ground forces. I'd like to say it all equals out... but I fail to see how.

 

[The Deco]

Yup, that is the plan once I graduate. I want to join the Golani brigade, which usually protects the northern part of Israel.

Thanks barney

 

[Dienekes]

Well the thing is though.. the guys in the Air Force are actually getting paid MORE than the guys truckin' around in the desert... and it does seem kind of unfair. I guess the boys working in the office get paid more because of the higher required intellect needed to do certain jobs, but I do see the unfairness in the pay and the amount of sacrifice made between Airman, Seamen, and Ground forces. I'd like to say it all equals out... but I fail to see how.

What is boils down to is how expendable are you? The more training you get, the less expendable you become. Some POG mos schools last all year while the School of Infantry is what? 2 months? So in that sense, I can understand why it makes sense. To a degree, anyway. A lot of grunts don't make bank regardless of how many schools they've graduated from. A lot of the time, you kinda just wait until you're an nco and try to exploit as many options as possible to get the money flowing.

A lot of people don't like hearing it, but we're pawns and will be used as such. Like chess, we're sacrificed for what someone deems to be the greater good, or deems to be a sacrifice necessary for a larger plan to go into effect and succeed.

That said, that doesn't mean I couldn't use a few extra bucks now and again.

 

[kaiz0ku]

I've been in Finnish army. Was stupid. :E

 

[Killface]

I've been in Finnish army. Was stupid. :E

****.. you ****ed the Russians up in WW2! That's nuts.

 

[Killface]

Which border is that, the 40s Northern border, or the border that used to be Palestine's border? Because if it's the latter, you've got nothing to be proud of.
If not good on you have fun in the army.

I don't know why people want to join the army though. Most people I know in real life do it for a secure career path and an easy pension, but some people I meet online want to do it for some sort of nationalistic pride. Alls I know is the will to fight is about the most precious thing you have and it shouldn't be given away freely, whether they're securing the future 52nd state or patrolling our latest weapons trade cargo to Israel I don't want to be my own government's tool. If I ever fought for something it'd have to be something I cared about, which would probably be very much against the interests of my government.

Not that all soldiers fight and those that do don't spend all that time fighting, even if (speaking American troops) you get shipped to Afghanistan you'll probably just hand out food to orphans, dig holes, walk a lot and guard some checkpoints, spending all day looking at passports.

The government uses me as their pawn for the next 6 years, and in turn, I use my government to further benefit myself.

Hell, they're giving me good pay, free medical, dental, housing, food.. AND they're paying for the bulk of my Bachelors degree, all for what? Protecting our countries assets? Not to mention, once I'm out, I'll have my degree AND one of the best looking resume's out there.


If that's a bad thing, then I'd love to see a good thing.

 

[Deman]

As I'm not too familiar with how the AF works, I may be wrong with what I'm about to say:

Be wary about going buckwild with the money you get. I've got several friends in the army who've alreadly blown most of their retirement and have 3 or 4 years left to serve.

 

[Killface]

As I'm not too familiar with how the AF works, I may be wrong with what I'm about to say:

Be wary about going buckwild with the money you get. I've got several friends in the army who've alreadly blown most of their retirement and have 3 or 4 years left to serve.

Yeah, If i buy anything.. it's gonna be a Camaro and college and that's it. I don't really wanna spend it on anything else.

 

[Killface]

"Protecting our countries assets"? You realise you're involved in TWO offensive wars right now? Yeah you're finishing one up but you're getting ready for war with Iran at the same time.

You certainly won't be sent to Iraq, but you could be sent to Afghanistan or even Iran- and *that* wouldn't be guerilla fighting- or, you might sit around in an airbase all your career flying test planes or whatever role it is you're up for.

But if you are asked to fight, what will you fight for? When you're under fire from desperate nationalists or religious extremists trying to kick you out of their country, when you're forced to take their lives will you ask yourself what you're fighting for, why you want to hurt these people?

Is it for the money? Is it for the medals? Is it for the rush of adrenaline and fear, or the war-hero social status you'll receive when you get back home? Do you really understand why these people are fighting, do you understand why you're even there? Do you know why you're being asked to kill people, do you believe that if every last moment in your life, everything you've ever done and ever achieved amounted to you being killed in a foreign country by a burried IED with your vehicle left to burn by the roadside, do you think you're satisfied with that prospect? If your whole life accomplished just that, is that enough for you, is that what your life is worth? What have you even accomplished, dying for this cause? Couldn't your way of life have continued normally if you had not gone there, if you and so many others hadn't died?

If I'm asked to fight.. (and since 2008, Airman have basic combat training) then I'll fight. No question about it. Yeah, I won't agree with being an occupational force there, BUT it's still my job, and I'm damn well gonna do it. Besides, If they start firing at me or my base, I'll be straight with you, I'll have remorse for killing them.. but It's war. It ain't all hunky dory.

True, we are the pawns of the U.S Government, but one has to take that into consideration before one signs those papers. It isn't our jobs to go "oh.. well damnit i dont agree with this occupation. I'm gonna lay down my arms and HUG everyone who's trying to kill me" **** that. My job is to serve my country, even if i disagree with the means of how we go about that. Yeah, if and when we invade Iran, you bet I won't agree with it, but I still gotta do my job.

And for the record, yes... it's for the money, the medals, the health care, and for the increased edge I'll have over everyone else when I compete to get a job in the field of Meteorology. This is a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to ensure that I come out on top. Call me an *******, or call me a hero, but that's how it is.