Perhaps it's the circles I run in these days (or type in as the case may be) but I notice a lot of people in my generation are thinking of military service. Now, being that I'm not an immortal, I don't know if this is historically unique here in America. I DO know that since 9/11 military pride and enlistments have been higher than before. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but many people fail to remember a couple crucial points;
#1.Recruiters are there to fill quotas. They WILL lie to you. That's their job.
#2. Service life is not for everyone.
Now, I'm not knocking the military. It did great things for me as a person. But I joined with a sense of altruism in the beginning and knew that it would suck, many others in my generation did/do not. So if you read this and are considering the military, ask one very important question;
WHY?
Is it because you were a poor student or don't have college prospects? That will not make the military, which is increasingly looking for better educated people, a good option. It also is a good indicator (though certainly not universal) that you have a problem with certain authority. That will absolutely be a detriment to you in the military.
Or is it perhaps because you want good benefits/the G.I. Bill. While the new G.I. Bill is probably the greatest benefit anyone in this country can get, the others are not so good. VA medical care is poor in most areas. You will almost certainly be physically older (I.E. more worn and injured), and mental health may deteriorate as well (PTSD for example).
But what about the job market? Well, think of it this way. If you are having trouble finding a job now, how will you fair when you are 4 years older, have no college education, and no real transferable skills. The last part isn't universal and there are several military skills that are highly desirable in the current job market, but by and large it isn't transferable or isn't skilled labor. You WILL have to get out of the military at some point, whether after 4 years or 30. It will happen. And honestly with the huge group of returning vets we have today, saying you served honorably is worth at most a handshake when you go for a job interview. It looks nice, but it means little. Companies want someone with skills.
I'm saying all of this because so many of my fellow vets are unaware of the outside world until it comes and bites them square in the ass. At least 25% of the people I EASed with are trying to get back in. They got out and were unprepared for reality.
Now, with all that being said, there are upsides to service. You will experience things that very few other people will. You will, if you let yourself, learn about other people from our very vast and diverse country. You will make friends that you never would have made anywhere else and some of them will be the best friends you could possibly have. People that you would love unconditionally and fight and die for if needed. You will, if you do your service honorably, live for the rest of your life knowing that you have a reason to be proud of yourself. And you might get some sweet tattoos too.
But all of these are intangible things. They won't make the rest of your life easier. Indeed, in some instances it will make your life much harder. You have to go in knowing WHY you want to, and knowing that it most likely will suck. And whatever you do, if you enlist, get an education. A valuable skill or trade. Something to show for your time.
Well, that's the end of my rant.
