thinking of joining army at 25

[the last son]

Tired of my dead end job and having not accomplished anything. My family is against it, but I don't care. can someone tell me pros and cons of joining?

 

[Visualiza]

A few questions before I give my two cents. Are you single or married? Kids? Highest level of education? Own property?

 

[Sundancer]

I'd like to add: Why that particular branch of the armed forces?

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Tired of my dead end job and having not accomplished anything. My family is against it, but I don't care. can someone tell me pros and cons of joining?

lol have fun in basic.

Somehow I don't see you following through with this. Talk is cheap. When I was in college after 9/11 (not so much now) I had so many friends talk tough about joining the Army and none did. Send us a picture of yourself in uniform after you join, but try not to sound too tough until then.

 

[Erzengel]

I think I've told a few posters here who were in "dead end" jobs to look into the military as a way out of living at home working a menial job.

I mean I'm not sure what's the minimum amount of time you can put in before you get some sort of benefits. Also if they still pay for your college after you leave.

The reason I kind of stopped recommending is after I watched a special on families visiting their military family members at a Washington cemetery. If you are going to join the Army, there's a real chance you will see combat.

I almost joined the military myself as an Officer. I was offered a job in a private sector so I turned it down.

I have a friend who was in his late 20s when he joined the Navy and does really non combat technical work. Still he's away from his family for months at a time.

I do think it's a way to get yourself out of a dinky job and open some doors for you but there is a real risk and sacrifice.

 

[Teelie]

Based on what you have said it is hard to recommend anything. You might as well said you were bored and wanted to do something exciting so you are joining the Army. Or Marines. Or Navy... Air Force, Coast Guard. There are several branches and even then they each have several specializations and requirements.

If you mean the army itself and not an associated branch, you still have a whole lot of specializations to choose from and you still have a lot to consider in regards to your civilian life.

 

[Doctor Evo]

I can't think of very many pros. I can think of many cons, however. PTSD is likely, if you see combat. Also, the government does a very poor job of looking after veterans after they leave service. They have a hard time following through on promised benefits, and it's notoriously difficult for soldiers to re-assimilate into normal, everyday life.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

If you're 25, my advice would be to get Pell grants to go back to college.

 

[Marvolo]

Try college first. If you do go for the military my advice is do NOT sign a 6 year contract, and if you do make sure you get a bonus for it. Personally, I would choose air force over army and try to do as well as you can on the ASVAB. Oh, and stay out of infantry if you can help it.

 

[Pythenis]

Get precision machining skills (not college) tech school, 600,000 empty jobs in USA manufacturing. Basic skills, can pass a drug test, show up to work, you would make between $35-$40 thousand your first year, and within 5 years of continuing education you could be making $50-$65k at a decent shop with a nice working environment. Some Swiss machining setup guys are beginning to crack six figures, there will be a premium for skilled machinists in5-10 years.

 

[Warhammer]

AIR FORCE, AIR FORCE, AIR FORCE. If not, NAVY, NAVY, NAVY. With an "Eh, f*** it" attitude, don't join the Army. You're just begging to be miserable.

 

[Anita18]

I think I've told a few posters here who were in "dead end" jobs to look into the military as a way out of living at home working a menial job.

I mean I'm not sure what's the minimum amount of time you can put in before you get some sort of benefits. Also if they still pay for your college after you leave.

The reason I kind of stopped recommending is after I watched a special on families visiting their military family members at a Washington cemetery. If you are going to join the Army, there's a real chance you will see combat.

I almost joined the military myself as an Officer. I was offered a job in a private sector so I turned it down.

I have a friend who was in his late 20s when he joined the Navy and does really non combat technical work. Still he's away from his family for months at a time.

I do think it's a way to get yourself out of a dinky job and open some doors for you but there is a real risk and sacrifice.

Especially in this day and age. We don't have a draft anymore (it just wouldn't fly), so they are holding onto anyone who's already in, and sending them out multiple times.

But I agree that if it helps you get out of your rut, might as well give it a shot. In order to get somewhere, you have to start doing something, even if you don't end up where you originally envisioned.

Get precision machining skills (not college) tech school, 600,000 empty jobs in USA manufacturing. Basic skills, can pass a drug test, show up to work, you would make between $35-$40 thousand your first year, and within 5 years of continuing education you could be making $50-$65k at a decent shop with a nice working environment. Some Swiss machining setup guys are beginning to crack six figures, there will be a premium for skilled machinists in5-10 years.

Yeah, some folks just aren't meant for traditional college. There's nothing wrong with going to a trade school. We'll always need plumbers and electricians and people who are able to make stuff.

AIR FORCE, AIR FORCE, AIR FORCE. If not, NAVY, NAVY, NAVY. With an "Eh, f*** it" attitude, don't join the Army. You're just begging to be miserable.

They probably wouldn't take him anyway. A friend of a friend was in the Navy and was stationed in Korea most of the time. Nothing exciting really happened, but he did get to travel a lot. I can't guarantee the same for the army....

 

[Marvolo]

Buddy of mine joined the army and was deployed to Afghanistan immediately following AIT. He is up for another deployment. If you don't want to be deployed to a **** hole or want to reduce the chances of that happening and in the event you are deployed would like to have somewhat decent living conditions and accommodations join the Air Force.

In terms of relative comfort it goes like this:

Air Force
Navy
Army
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Marines

And there is always the coast guard. It pays well (I've read it pays better than the military) and you will stay in the states living like you would if you were a civilian.

 

[Hotwire]

First off, there are tons of different jobs in the military. If a job is what you want, choose one that will give you a real world skill. See, I joined the National Guard straight out of high school and went into the infantry. It had the highest enlistment bonus and offered the most money for college. However, it's not a job with with any real world counterpart. Plus, with the college money, had to pay for classes upfront and pass them with a certain GPA before they would pay me. So, yeah, pick an MOS that will benefit you once you're out.

 

[X-Ray]

Con: Afghanistan. But that's avoidable if you choose the right M.O.S.

My younger brother recently re-enlisted with the Marines for another 4 years. He originally re-enlisted for a tanker position. Budget cuts axed that. So he settled with artillery. He enlisted in 2008 after 2 years at a junior college where he got his associate's degree. He has been taking online courses working towards his bachelor's degree.

As a supply guy he has never been deployed, yet. My cousin also a Marine and a supply guy has been deployed twice (Iraq & Afghanistan). He has traveled a lot though. To North Carolina for 3 months after combat training in Oceanside, California. A month in Washington D.C., next month it's Oklahoma before he calls Hawaii home in October for the next 4 years. That sounds like a nice trade off after being stationed in a small desert city (29 Palms) for the last 4 years. As an artilleryman there's a chance he might go to Japan one day. The artillery division does a 6-7 month rotation out there. But also there is a greater chance to see a war zone.

He had his struggles along the way. He wasn't making as much as he did before enlisting. I know there's a probationary pay period that made it rough for him for that 1st year. A DUI charge made it even harder. He had two punishments to deal with. One from the civilian court and one from the corps. But he got through it and is off to Hawaii where a lot of family reside.

 

[vindrow]

For someone that spent 7 years in the Army, take my advice try for the Air Force instead. Depending on the MOS that you select the Air Force you will have a better shot of getting an MOS that will translate to a civilian job when you get out and if you decide to work.

In the Army they will try their best to get you to take Infantry, Cook, Combat Engineer, POL driver, Tanker and a few others that don't translate very well in civilian world.

Whichever branch you settle for make sure you include the G.I Bill in your enlistment, and take college courses while you are in who knows you might want to try OCS.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I say go all out and try for the best of the best. Try the SEALS or RANGERS etc etc.

 

[Anubis]

Or you could stay home and play Call of Duty instead.

 

[DareDemon]

I've been in the Army for almost 6 years. I have a love-hate relationship with it. It is hard to explain. I have yet to figure out how to get the student loan repayment plan to work. I'm in the Reserves, and going back and forth between civilian life and military life sucks. It makes you realize how much the media lies and how wrong politicians and the public are.

On the other hand, I've been to Italy and another nation I don't feel like naming. Both were fun, and I got paid for it.

One other thing: unless the people producing/writing it really did their work, you'll never be able to watch a military themed movie or book again. Lots of stuff is wrong.

 

[jaqua99]

25 years old? Breath in, look at yourself. Save up, get grants, or take out a loan, go back to college

 

[captainrogers]

I joined the USAF at 25.
I'll be 32 soon and trying to decide whether or not to stay in or not.
Just make sure you get the 'job' you want.
Talk to a recruiter. See what's available.
Do some further research, because sometimes they won't give you all the options.
It's been a interesting time for me.
And I would recommend the Air Force if you had to pick a branch.

 

[Hotwire]

One other thing: unless the people producing/writing it really did their work, you'll never be able to watch a military themed movie or book again. Lots of stuff is wrong.

Oddly enough, In The Army Now got basic pretty close to right.

 

[DareDemon]

Oddly enough, In The Army Now got basic pretty close to right.

I don't think I've seen it. It's not the movie with Bill Murray, is it?

 

[Teelie]

I grew up with my father in the Navy and while not in the military itself I can see plenty wrong with the way they depict military life. It's just like watching virtually any movie that takes place in space. You know a great deal of it is ******** but it's fun to watch anyways.

In The Army Now is a Paulie Shore movie, shockingly.

 

[Hotwire]

I don't think I've seen it. It's not the movie with Bill Murray, is it?

Nope. That's Stripes. In The Army Now stars Pauly Shore, Andy Dick, and Lori Petty!