broke/ unemployed and out of options so i signed up for the military.

[moneymonger]

Quote from economicZero:

thats strange/disturbing.. i guess there is a supply/demand for war and death.. OK.. well im getting excited about that first paycheck and my signing bonus.. not exactly sure how much yet.. but feels good.

This is not to say that these Marines are bloodthursty killers-they
are definitly not. They have a passion for what they do in a way most of us cannot understand. After all , most of us could not make the cut for this type of career. One particular soldier I know
was assigned the task-along with others in his unit- to protect an all girls school from attack by jihadists who had previously
attacted several times before. This was a moral mission civilized
people could all agree. It should not be disturbing that several jihadists were killed in this effort to protect children going to school.

 

[LEAPup]

Quote from economicZero:

im joining the marines and i plan on being on the front lines. im going to protect freedom- funded by china- in Afghanistan. i have nothing to lose really. if i die my last hoorah will be screwing some securitized student loan investor

you damn right i have a shitty attitude.. i might even try to start trouble and see if they just throw me in a military jail to serve my time... do i still get paid?

i might even write a book.. something like: 'Undercover anarcho-capitalist economist' - the real story how a econ wizard exposed the fallacy of defense spending from the inside.

Prior USMC Mustang here. (Enlisted then Commissioned later in life.)
I can assure you that if you take a bad attitude to PI (or MCRD SD if you're in the west), that will be "adjusted" for you by guys who wear green belts, one with a black belt (your SDI), and they all wear the Smokey Bear.

Best of luck

 

[Wilt]

Quote from LEAPup:

Prior USMC Mustang here. (Enlisted then Commissioned later in life.)
I can assure you that if you take a bad attitude to PI (or MCRD SD if you're in the west), that will be "adjusted" for you by guys who wear green belts, one with a black belt (your SDI), and they all wear the Smokey Bear.

Best of luck

EconomicZero,

It appears to me that you are full of shit. You are probing us for information on the military. If you go in with the attitude that you have, you will get your ass whooped; plain and simple. You won't make it. Marine corp. boot is too hard for the non-committed. Given your attitude, you (purportedly) picked the worst branch you. Someone who feels as negative as you about the missions you'll be performing will will quit due to the sleep deprivation by week 8. Once your back in the position that you're in now, you can find a sympathetic ear to your anti-war politics. If I were you, I'd try to sell a reality show about how long you can last in marine corp. boot camp.

 

[retaildaytrader]

Here are my random thoughts on the military...

The military is one of the hardest professions in the world...of course...depending upon your assignment. Most any Army post is going to be hard to live on. Ft Hood, Ft Drum, Ft Bennington, Ft Knox etc. are all basically hardship tours unless you grew up and enjoy those areas of the Untied States. The Marines and Navy have nice coastal bases like in San Diego. The Air Force is certainly more tolerable then the Army, but they also have some of their bases out in the middle of nowhere.

So you could get stuck up in Alaska or out in Korea where its a tough life OR you could be stationed in a place like Hawaii or over near Washington DC. Probably you will have to do a tour over in Afghanistan. None of this is either easy living or easy working unless you luck out and get a good assignment which no one usually gets their first 4 years in.

The military pays well nowadays. An 18 year old with just a high school degree can make about 35k with incredible benefits. A college graduate with 4 years of experience in the military can make about 75-80k as a Captain commanding 200 men in an infantry company.

Its best to choose an occupation that can be used after the military. I once knew a guy who lucked out and his job in the Air Force was to negotiate contracts over near Redondo Beach. He basically sat in an office all day long with an occasional phonecall and then would travel to meet with Department of Defense contractors from time to time. After the military, he could probably use his contacts and clearance to get a nice six figure job at say Lockheed or Boeing. This was probably the luckiest man in the entire military. He was living the life while in the Air Force and probably got a choice job when he got out. I would not expect to get that lucky though...

Talk with the recruiter openly about this. Do some research before you decide. You really cant do anything with Infantry skills after the military. However, you can do something with construction and engineering. You can do something with a security clearance and knowledge about the DoD contractors like the guy in the previous example.

What about the Coast Guard?

If I had to join the military and I was in my 20s, I would stay away from the Army and focus on the Air Force. Air Force is high technology and the living conditions are far better then the other branches. You can find an occupation that will translate to a civilian occupation in the Air Force. Check out the Army corp of Engineers. People in construction out in the civilian world make six figures... Try to get into an occupation that requires a Top Secret clearance. Having a Top Secret clearance translates to a six figure job out in the civilian world. Even a secretary or file clerk with a clearance makes good money. Its very tough to get a security clearance and a DoD contractor will be on top of you if you can get that clearance.

 

[blackjack007]

he's joining the military not because he wants to, but because he feels he hasn't any other options. he won't survive boot camp. they weed out people like him quickly.

maybe you should become a civilian police officer. they generally want people with college degrees but that aren't too marketable. (i'm not being sarcastic -- it's true.) it pays better and is far safer.

 

[Trvlwanderer]

Hey retaildaytrader....

Fort Bennington? Try a google search moron.

"Hardship tour". The only thing left to consider as a "hardship" tour is the dmz in Korea or current combat zones. You are an idiot.

You have no credibility and your thoughts are almost entirely wrong.

I'm not a chemical engineer so I will refrain from giving my vast chemical engineering experience.

Two idiots.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Quote from economicZero:

im joining the marines and i plan on being on the front lines. im going to protect freedom- funded by china- in Afghanistan. i have nothing to lose really. if i die my last hoorah will be screwing some securitized student loan investor

you damn right i have a shitty attitude.. i might even try to start trouble and see if they just throw me in a military jail to serve my time... do i still get paid?

i might even write a book.. something like: 'Undercover anarcho-capitalist economist' - the real story how a econ wizard exposed the fallacy of defense spending from the inside.

Dumb move! As a former Marine I would encourage you to join the Coast Guard, maybe the Air Force, nothing else. This assumes you're not some bored kid with nothing better to do than jerk our chains. If that is the case, join the Marines, fix bayonets and CHARGE!

 

[caementarius]

I'm 33 and I'm starting to think those guys I thought were blockheads joining the military at 18 are actually super geniuses. Having a pension at 38 can be a great wind at your back for future endeavors.

It sounds like you are already signed up. So, I would focus on getting some red blooded American spirit in you. Go rent 'Red Dawn' or something.

 

[retaildaytrader]

Some police officers make six figures and retire at a greater pay then what they were making while working. Their health benefits are payed for 100%. Whatever incidents they get themselves into in the workplace are usually defended by the unions and the administration. I have read quite a few articles where the cops tasered someone and there was absolutely no disciplinary action against the officers. Most of the time they just sit around except for the occasional call.

Pay raises are usually negotiated by the union. I read that some California towns had 7-9% contractual raises.

Getting into a police department is as hard as getting into Harvard. There are thousands of applicants and only a few make it in. They usually have 3-4 different wait lists.

Quote from blackjack007:

he's joining the military not because he wants to, but because he feels he hasn't any other options. he won't survive boot camp. they weed out people like him quickly.

maybe you should become a civilian police officer. they generally want people with college degrees but that aren't too marketable. (i'm not being sarcastic -- it's true.) it pays better and is far safer.

 

[retaildaytrader]

I mispelled that purposely. Thats just a nick name for the place to call it out as a leisurely post. There is a nick name for each post such as "Hard Knox"...

I consider places like Ft Drum, Ft Hood, Ft Huachuca and Ft Knox hardship tours...I dont care what the military or anyone else thinks they are...these are places out in the middle of nowhere. Unless you grew up in those places and enjoy those types of settings then you will consider it a hardship tour. I would say that 90% of the Army posts are a hardship.

The Coast Guard, Navy and Marines operates by the coast so chances are you get a decent place to live with a semi-happening life.

Quote from Trvlwanderer:

Hey retaildaytrader....

Fort Bennington? Try a google search moron.

"Hardship tour". The only thing left to consider as a "hardship" tour is the dmz in Korea or current combat zones. You are an idiot.

You have no credibility and your thoughts are almost entirely wrong.

I'm not a chemical engineer so I will refrain from giving my vast chemical engineering experience.

Two idiots.