Well, where do I start? I guess with the simplest thing- I'm an eighteen year old guy who is currently about to graduate high school and join the US Army.

Well, the Staff Sergeant that is helping me with the process just left my house about twenty minutes ago and...here's the overwhelming part: In order to join I have to fill out a mountain of paperwork, leave my town to go to the actual offices to be examined, tested, and sworn in, then I have to go to college in order to be able to advance to the officer ranks. It's what I want to do and I'm prepared for the 9-10 weeks of BCT and the 3 weeks of Jump School, but the sheer amount of work I have to put in before I'm even fully enlisted is a bit...well, a lot. The bright side is I need very little extra schooling to go to OCS (Officer School) but, as a young guy to the rest of you, how would you guys react in my place? Keep in mind all the stipulations and rigidity of what service actually is all about. And also, what do you all actually think about military forces in general, all politics aside?

Military good, terrorism bad argh! Pew pew pew.

I'd go about my task stoic, and unbending.

Congrats on enlisting smart move if you ask me, regardless if you see combat or not enlisting in military opens more doors then simply heading straight to collage. I wish I could have joined but fate just wasn't on my side----it seldom is . Still good for you hope you make it .

What do you think about the military forces? Why are you joining in particular?

A friend of mine's son went through this. Make sure if you want a specific path for your carreer, that you get that in writing, with specifics, from the recruiter. They will make any and all kinds of promises about the great things you can do, but without that paperwork before you sign up, they can throw you into the Infantry or Latrine Corp no matter what they verbally promised you when you talked to them. Make sure the DD4 form has any stipulations you want in writing, and these stipulations say what you want them to say.

Point Three: "The agreements in this section and attached annex(es) are all the promises made to me by the Government. ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE HAS PROMISED ME IS NOT VALID AND WILL NOT BE HONORED." This quote is from Page 1 and repeated again on Page 3 of the DD4 document

http://www.truth-in-recruiting.info/

They want you to be away from your support and family when signing the final paperwork as things are so overwhelming that you can overlook things that are important. Remember, the Army wants your body to use as they see fit, not how you want them to. They have no vested interest in giving you freedom of choice once your in.

My friends son went down 3 times to Denver (300 miles one way) and each time the path he wanted was not being offered to him in the paperwork. He refused to sign up and never actually went into the army because of the duplicitous actions of them.

I won't play dumb and pretend recruiting stretched the truth quite a bit in ways, but that site just seems a bit nutty/anti-military, which surprises me coming from you CCNA.

Anywho, anyone signing up to joining the military thinking they aren't going to be a cog in the machine has a rude awakening coming.

@OP- Why would you want to be an officer? Wouldn't you rather work for a living?

Ask Old Andy.

My only thing about the military is...

Do it for your family, your country, your friends, and so on...

Don't do it for yourself, for the greed of those in charge, and so on...

I think that's all I can say about my thoughts on the military. Oh and my best friend EVER went into the military (U.S. Navy).

Well you're in for disappointment bub. That first line? That's only secondary. A lot of the people I've known who've gone in and most in boot camp weren't there to play poster boy for patriotism, most of them did it because it was a better opportunity than what working retail or service industry was capable of offering.

I'm not disappointed with my best friend ever at least. That's all I gotta say.

Pretty much. I considered the military my last resort if I couldn't do anything else.

I can't even use the military as a resort at all anyways so... *shrugs* (Due to my mental state).

Well it's certainly a lot of work, but anything worth doing will require that - any career path worth pursuing. Just keep your motivations in mind and work your way through it. Remember, you'll only ever have to deal with one step at a time, so don't look at the entire mountain and feel overwhelmed, instead just focus on clearing each individual step. Before you know it, you'll be on top and you'd never have faced the stress of anything more than conquering just one small step.

While I'm not in the military myself, I come from a military family so I have an idea from the stories my dad and grandmother have told me (uncle passed away during service) and while it can be gruelling, it can be very rewarding and satisfying as well. (Keeping all political opinions aside of course)

That's a fair enough question. I actually admire and respect servicemen and I have a few family members that are in or have been in the military, so I'm doing it on those grounds. Along with bettering myself as a person, getting more discipline which is lacking in a lot of people today, and I guess partly for some of the old honor and glory that used to come with the position. I know it's not like that so much these days, but I already have the morals and determination so, I don't see why I can't have that either.

It's also a good way to see the world without having to pay to travel yourself, and there are plenty of good people in the Army. To me that lifestyle just fits everything that I want out of life.

Of course, those are values to live and die by. How long has your friend been in the Navy, if you don't mind my asking?

Thank you. The Staff Sergeant actually encouraged me though to at least get an associate's degree; that's the only way I can qualify to become anything higher than one of the Sergeant ranks. I already have the brains and determination (not to mention my aim) so, I'm not too worried about that. The only thing that really worries me is Jump School. I've never jumped 1200 feet before, or with forty pounds of equipment (not including my M4). It's not the falling part, it's just the initial jump that makes me nervous.

Well...I'm not sure I can speak for all the military but, the Sergeant's I've met have been pretty friendly and don't mind my family being there to help me decide on what to do. But yes, I have it all in writing. The Sergeant was at my house for over an hour and a half going over everything thoroughly. He even wanted to go airborne as well, but the Army doesn't really let canine units be airborne .

Not long. It was rather recent but he has done boot camp and all of that stuff. He is currently somewhere near Chicago at a base, if I'm correct.

Great Lakes. It's the only Navy boot camp left.

And I already said he is DONE with boot camp... So why does that matter?

I can't speak for the Army, but when I first started joining the Navy, the paper work is kind of overwhelming but not really. It's a [censored] ton of John Hancock's and initialing. MEPS (where they do your physical and drug testing and bloodwork and where you swear in) can be overwhelming if you're anti-social, but it also depends on where you are (that determines how many people will be there).

All I gotta say is go for it. There isn't a better feeling than knowing that you've made one of the best choices in your life by joining the military.

I think its a great thing to devote yourself to, i cant help but to respect people who can take stand like those in the service, all service, like care flight even, they fight for us here at home, but those in the service you speak of, they have to be strong and determined, and no doubt you are. I think of the military sometimes too, it might be something i have to do someday, for my family. Anyway, i wish you the best, and stay strong. Just be sure of everything that needs to be done, funny coming from someone who cant even find a job, so pass this off if you wish.

Do you know how long he plans on staying and if he's wanting to go through OCS? That's what they told me to do since I have a great grade point average. For Airborne they'll be sending me to Savannah, Georgia for BCT and that will probably be where I spend my first deployment, if they don't send me to Kuwait or any other base in the states.

Oh yeah..the Sarge spent a good fifteen minutes telling me all about that examination and how they'll ask you the same thing, over and over again. It'll be a little awkward standing in a room with a bunch of other guys but, I'm kind of used to that anyway from having gym and weight training classes.

Sorry, Captain Jerkass. Excuse me for trying to add a little tidbit to your post.