Current Events > Did any of you here join the military after you graduated from high school?

(+) Yeah! (+)

maybe less high schoolers are going the miltary route these days. Do you consider joining the military a good proposition?

Fuck no. I graduated in '92 in the middle of the Operation Desert Storm bullshit, and at the young age of 17 already knew that dying for the US government was a terrible waste of life

No, but somehow the recruiters got my number and were blowing up my phone after graduation. They also used to hang out in mall and Walmart parking lots trying to recruit anyone who looked of age. I was like nah.

Euripides posted...

Fuck no. I graduated in '92 in the middle of the Operation Desert Storm bullshit, and at the young age of 17 already knew that dying for the US government was a terrible waste of life

You probably wouldn't have died during desert storm.

no

yep. got hurt, got kicked out, but told i can come back after i heal. came back, they said uh so you got hurt, well even tho we said yeah its cool, and you have an all clear report from yer doc(state famous one no less) AND our doc, we uh, just cant bring you back.

I was miserable for about a year, then ive been grateful i didnt get back in ever since. ive had much better jobs, relationships and just all around adventures then if i had been stuck in a uniform.

Yes I did. Joined the Army Reserve. Did a couple years before being discharged on a medical (lung issues).

Nope

I tried since I had no skills or prospects after High School...But could never lose the weight to be accepted so I gave up...

random_man9119 posted...

I tried since I had no skills or prospects after High School...But could never lose the weight to be accepted so I gave up...

There was a min. Weight req?

ThaGuyFromGTA3 posted...

There was a min. Weight req?

The recruiter I was going to used BMI and that puts me at Overweight so they said I had to lose weight to join up...

yep did 5 years active duty Navy and 3 years Army National Guard. There is a lot I miss but WAY MORE that I don't miss.

Junthor posted...

yep did 5 years active duty Navy and 3 years Army National Guard. There is a lot I miss but WAY MORE that I don't miss.

What stuff did you hate?

random_man9119 posted...

The recruiter I was going to used BMI and that puts me at Overweight so they said I had to lose weight to join up...

I don't remember being told of a firm limit. We did have to pass a fitness test before you could ship out. I was overweight at the time too but did the fitness test easily so I got to go.

I was going to right out of high school but my mom convinced me to go to college for a couple years.

I joined a couple years later lol

I've been in the Army for 11 years now.

It's a pretty good career, considering the benefits you get. If you're from a low/no opportunity town, it's infinitely better than trying to scrape by doing something in the same limited economic ceiling.

Nah, I did a few years of comm college first before deciding to join. The credits I got let me enter two ranks ahead.

No.

That's the one career choice that would have made my parents angry.

ai123 posted...

No.

That's the one career choice that would have made my parents angry.

Really?

I wanted to join while I was still in high school but I was 17 and my mom wouldn't sign the paperwork.

Spent the summer after graduation fucking around staying up until 5 AM and sleeping until 1 PM just to play video games and listen to music every single day. My mom told me I had to get a job, took me to the job fair for a local company (that's got global reach but it's like farming and gift baskets and stuff) and we ran into my older brother's friend from high school who was also picking up applications - this guy was like ... at least eight years older than me.

Said screw that, went to the recruiting office on my 18th birthday, started the process, got a delayed start so I could spend more time with my dad before I left home for the first time by myself.

I really wish I had gone to college but I really also didn't feel like I had the tools at the time to be successful at it (nor did I think we had the money). I'm doing online courses now and still think about *maybe* transferring to a local university just to finish out the degree but get at least the in-person interaction with people from outside the military.

ThaGuyFromGTA3 posted...

Really?

Really.

My parents are pacifists.

I wanted to but got talked out of it before I graduated. Basically my grandad didn't want me to experience war. He was a Vietnam vet.

I ended filling that sense of duty/service working in the prison.

LeoRavus posted...

No, but somehow the recruiters got my number and were blowing up my phone after graduation. They also used to hang out in mall and Walmart parking lots trying to recruit anyone who looked of age. I was like nah.

Did you forget registering for the draft. Last I knew they still make all men do that

Kind of wish I did. I went to school first and after I realized working in my career field wasn't as sustainable as I thought, I said fuck it and joined the Marine Corps. Military life really was living on easy mode in some respects. It really helped me catch a break and recover my finances and then gave me the freedom to find a more sustainable career in the outside world. On the bright side, I went to school first so I can just give my GI bill to my kids if I ever have any since I have no need for it myself.

The regiment tried to get me. Dodged twice via kollege, then officially got exempt once I found out what was really going on with my back.

Sufferedphoenix posted...

Did you forget registering for the draft. Last I knew they still make all men do that

Yeah id like to know this as well

SailorGoon posted...

Kind of wish I did. I went to school first and after I realized working in my career field wasn't as sustainable as I thought, I said fuck it and joined the Marine Corps. Military life really was living on easy mode in some respects. It really helped me catch a break and recover my finances and then gave me the freedom to find a more sustainable career in the outside world. On the bright side, I went to school first so I can just give my GI bill to my kids if I ever have any since I have no need for it myself.

Gi bill can be, passed?

Did any of you here join the military after you graduated from high school?

no I didnt. but I had a letter from the navy wondering if I wanted to join. They wrote if I didnt want to I just needed to not respond.
I didnt respond. I wanted to but bailed last second; got scared tbh

plus had these herniated disc for most of my life tho at ages 19-29 I was in great shape and earned a ton of money doing labor work

Smallville posted...

Gi bill can be, passed?

Sort of. Unfortunately they make it a harder process than it needs to be. It can be transferred to family members so long as you've done at least 6 years of service iirc. And you can only transfer it while still serving. So as long as you stay reserves, it's pretty flexible

Yeah I was in the delayed entry program through my senior year and joined about a month after graduation. I had no idea what I wanted to do outside something technical so gathering debt in school wouldnt have been a good choice.

Ended up doing 20 and pulling a retirement for the rest of my life at the old age of 38 isn't bad. But I certainly wouldn't recommend it for everyone.

I joined 3 years later. Went to a two year college to learn IT, couldn't find a job, joined the Air Force. Let them pay for a real degree, commissioned in 2020.
Been doing it for 18 years

No, though the recruiters really did try.
Graduated in 2004, so yeah, they were still looking to throw people into Iraq.

For my classmates who did, none of them came back from it for the better (one got killed in combat and lost another to suicide because of PTSD, too...)

Yes, although I myself never called or even thought of seriously joining and calling a recruiter, my teacher did after we all did a presentation in class for our future career prospects.

And I did mine on the military. Mostly because I couldnt think of any else Id be able to do. Dont remember how I came to that conclusion but my teacher contacted a recruiter who came to my school and not able to do anything else just kind of went along with it.

Nope. I'm medically ineligible for service.

Yes, ten years US Army

Yep, signed up rat the beginning of 12th grade cuz I knew I had to leave as soon as I graduateda week after graduation I was on my way to Great Lakes for boot campI just wanted to travel and get the GI Bill so I enlisted for 5 years, that changed in year 3 when I was medically discharged due to my spine literally popping out 1/2 way..it sucked but the benefits I get for being 100% permanently & totally disabled makes it worth it.

I joined three years after High School.

Joined the Navy.

fsurb28 posted...

Yep, signed up rat the beginning of 12th grade cuz I knew I had to leave as soon as I graduateda week after graduation I was on my way to Great Lakes for boot campI just wanted to travel and get the GI Bill so I enlisted for 5 years, that changed in year 3 when I was medically discharged due to my spine literally popping out 1/2 way..it sucked but the benefits I get for being 100% permanently & totally disabled makes it worth it.

3 yrs you still got gi? So you disliked like your home life...etc....?

One of my friends went to the Army.

The way things are going around the world I'm definitely glad I didn't join. I've been told my degree and experience would be invaluable but I kinda don't want to risk it.

That was so long ago. I remember somehow they got ahold of me. Maybe it was at the mall. I literally don't remember. They were going to buy me a free lunch and even came to my house for this but I think I got scared and my mother told them I wasn't interested anymore.

I should have went to the lunch at least this had to have been mid 2000s. I was getting frustrated with some living situations so it could have been something to try though I definitely would not have wanted to be in a direct combat situation. I am sure there were other things I could have done if it even went that far.

Smallville posted...

3 yrs you still got gi? So you disliked like your home life...etc....?

No GI Bill because since I was rated at 100% I qualified for ch. 31, thats when the VA pays for everything for school and you also get a monthly tax free check/deposit while enrolled.they basically cancel out your GI Bill for the better deal.my mom left when I was 3, havent seen her in 45 years, my dad raised me, he did 27 years in the Air Force so thats why I love to travel after growing up through that and am currently driving trucks..lets just say when a child is literally treated like the black sheep its time to leave asap so thats why I choosed the Navy.

SailorGoon posted...

Sort of. Unfortunately they make it a harder process than it needs to be. It can be transferred to family members so long as you've done at least 6 years of service iirc. And you can only transfer it while still serving. So as long as you stay reserves, it's pretty flexible

Yes it is a minimum of 6 years active duty.

There's an additional requirement though - you have to commit to another 4 years of service to transfer. I.e. you can't be at the 18 year mark and planning to hit the retire button at 20.

From personal experience though they can let you do it as long as you have at least 4 years left on your contract. I signed a contract that would take me just past 20 and was nervous I was outside that "committee for 4 years" time frame (usually the transfer is done around the same time you sign a new contract), but they still processed my request since I had over 4 years obligated service left.

Even kid me knew about the horror stories, no

FL81 posted...

Even kid me knew about the horror stories, no

What horror stories though?

Smallville posted...

What horror stories though

My grandad found a boot with a foot still in it.

Stuff like that I imagine for a non-combat soldier. Worse id combat.

Army and Navy went at me hard (Navy kept at it for years)

But there's 4 things I really hate
1) Waking up early
2) Being yelled at
3) Not questioning what I'm told to do
4) Jogging

It's a moot point anyways, I never would have passed boot camp at 5'10 120lbs with a hearing disability. There's zero way I could have worn my hearing aids and not got them wrecked in the field.

Shamino posted...

Army and Navy went at me hard (Navy kept at it for years)

But there's 4 things I really hate
1) Waking up early
2) Being yelled at
3) Not questioning what I'm told to do
4) Jogging

It's a moot point anyways, I never would have passed boot camp at 5'10 120lbs with a hearing disability. There's zero way I could have worn my hearing aids and not got them wrecked in the field.

Getting yelled at a lot? The guy from full metal jacket, instr.