The Perils of Enlisting?

[lostnfound]

A friend of mine has two teenage boys, and his wife is encouraging the older one to go into the military because she is concerned at his lack of discipline and direction.

Despite my respect for the Marines that I know, I feel that this country is currently treating their service people like logs to be thrown into the fireplace.

I've read on this website a few comments about the risks of being a veteran.. 2-3 times more likely to be homeless, or to spend time in prison, or to commit suicide, etc.

Do any of you have sources for similar information? I'd like to gather it in one place to make available, under the general idea of 'truth-in-recruiting'?

[BOSSHOG]

1. I appreciate your concern

I spent 24 years in the Navy as an enlisted man. I have a beautiful home. I'm happily married. I've never been in prison (except to make courtesy calls to Sailors in trouble). I've never contemplated suicide. However, it is a job which can wear on the body and mind if allowed to. I served one tour in a combat zone. I would not discourage anyone from joining the armed forces but research, research, research. I would also lean toward the Navy, but my prejudice is leaking through. Check out www.vaiw.com , veterans against iraq war. Good stuff on that sight. A young man or woman will get no more discipline or direction than joining the Marine Corps, and while the higher ups may not be totally intune with the deckplate grunt, the Senior Enlisted membership has the best interests of their people at heart. Some may argue with that statement but I know its true in 95% of cases. Its the other five percent which get the pub. Good luck.

[olacan]

2. This is

rubbish, as a 23 year member of the Air Force I can say I do not regret my time on active duty. Were there difficult times yes, were there times away from my family yes, Are we enjoying life now YES. Some people invest in the stock market, some real estate; I look back on my military career and say we invested in time. That investment is now paying back. I have never been in prison, we own a nice home, and I am still alive so that rules out suicide.

[lostnfound]

3. Sorry if I offended you.

Like I said, I have great respect for the Marines that I know (and I just don't know any Air Force guys). They ARE disciplined, they have courage, they know how to get things DONE. They are smart and realistic.

And the ones that I know have done well in their lives.

But does it work out that well for everyone? I'm looking for facts / statistics. Such facts -- about average income, mortality, and suicide rates -- are available for various other occupations. How does a career in the military stack up?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. The folks that tend to have the most problems after combat...

...are the ones that are involved in it "up close and personal". That usually includes people in the special forces and the infantry.

How close were you to combat during your 23 year career?

[shanti]

4. any branch but the marines (and army)!!!

does your friend's wife have a death wish for them? *shaking my head*

[wasichu]

5. its better to have no discipline

than to be dead.

[bedtimeforbonzo]

6. or to be

a killer

[TX-RAT]

7. Heard the same thing in 69

[x-g.o.p.er]

10. Not everyone sees combat

There are a lot of jobs that rarely, if ever, deploy. I just wish I had one, lol.

[x-g.o.p.er]

9. I've served in both the Army and Air Force...

and I am still on active duty, approaching 18 years. Through pure dumb luck, I've managed to start out as an E-1 in the Air Force, became an NCO, switched to the army so I could be a helicopter pilot, then became a warrant officer, and now I'm a commissioned officer back in the Air Force.

I think I have kind of a unique perspective, and I will tell you it's not for everyone. With the operational tempo (OPTEMPO) increasing almost exponentially every year, it's definitely something you have to want to do, IMHO. I was a pain-in-the-ass teenager that had no direction or motivation when I enlisted either, and I will say it helped me immensely to grow up and become a man. But if that's what she wants her son to do, there are other ways than the military to accomplish that. Life in general usually gets people up on their feet, some sooner rather than later. Deployments can be difficult; at one point I was away from home for 24 of 30 months. Enlisted guys are treated the best in the Air Force, by far IMHO. Living conditions are substantially better too, but they pay universally blows for junior enlisted guys and gals. When you are deployed, conditions can be anywhere from bad to plain brutal, add to that getting shot at and bad food and you get a regular vacation paradise!!!

I've served in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and have had the honor to serve with some of the greatest people this country has produced, and they truly are friends for life. I think if Bush gets re-elected things will get worse before they get better as far as deployments and wars go, and that is something that seriously needs to be considered when contemplating enlistment. When Clinton sent us to Bosnia in 1995, we were told one year, and we still have forces there. And that was a peacekeeping action. I think we'll have guys in Iraq a lot longer than Bosnia, and one year remote assignments (places where the soldier goes for a year that he can't take his family) will go up if Rumsfeld's force restructuring gets approved. As for me, I retire in three years, unless I get put on stop-loss.

As far as your concerns about homelessness, etc., I've been married to the same woman for 15 years, we have three great kids, two dogs, and we are truly blessed with a wonderful life. I've never spent a night in jail, I own a home, and I have never thought about killing myself. I'm sure my wife has wanted to wring my neck once or twice, but that doesn't count, does it?

But hey, if you have any more questions, feel free to PM or email me if you want to. I'd be happy to answer or address any concerns you or your friend might have.

[bobbieinok]

11. awesome responses - helpful, I hope - and no personal attacks

quiet, reasoned responses

I really appreciate hearing from vets

one of my brothers was in VN and reserves - his time was up just 7-10 days before gulf war I started

we can't talk about politics because he is so anti-democratic party

10+ years ago we talked some about his experience in the army, but no more