Have you served in the military or thought about it?

a reply to: wantsome

I serve the military by paying federal taxes.

I joined the US Army in January of 2012 and got out in 2016, 2 years short of my 6-year contract as a UH60 Blackhawk crew chief and door gunner.

I was injured in Afghanistan while on mission. After a couple of years of physical therapy and other medical interventions, I was medically discharged from the military.

To me, it was the single most powerful boost in upward mobility both as a man and as a professional that I could have possibly sought.

In the military, among other skills, I learned the concept of servant leadership, integrity, and discipline. I was the only soldier in my rank in the entire army in the position I held that is typical for NCOs or Warrant Officers. I discovered success after success and all of it was a product of the effort I was willing to put in.

That success in the Army has followed me throughout my professional and personal life ever since. If I had to do it over again, I would do it without resignation or hesitation.

Everyone who is resistant to joining the army because they don't like being told what to do are really just leaders who lack the most basic lesson of leadership, LEARN TO FOLLOW. If you can't follow orders, then you can't lead. This is true in and out of the military. You will notice that many of those types either figure it out or flounder in life from failure to failure they thought should have been successes. Don't be those people. You don't need the military to understand these concepts but you will hardly find a better teacher anywhere to learn those lessons.

I got out in 96 due to Clinton's draw down of the military and a few bad decisions. Ok a lot of bad decisions and some issues with alcohol use. When 9/11 happened I tried to re-enlist but due to those prior bad decisions, I wasn't allowed. Still pisses me off that I screwed myself so badly on that. My brother is just about to retire after 20. I did great and loved it when in the field, but didn't do well when I had free time on my hands. I still miss it though.

a reply to: wantsome

I believe it’s an amazing, selfless thing when somebody has the gumption to raise their hand and pledge an oath to defend their country, and their fellow citizens.

However, I believe that it’s a two way street. Soldiers don’t get a choice where they are sent. And in return for that pledge, the politicians who send young men and women to fight and quite possibly die should take a pledge never to send our countries young men and women into harms way unless it is absolutely necessary.

My service showed me that often enough, deployments had absolutely nothing to do with serving my country, or protecting the citizenry. I loved being a soldier, but the politics made me sick to my stomach. I’m proud of my service, but I don’t regret leaving the Army after 8 years I couldn’t take it anymore.

a reply to: wantsome

I started learning to fly at 17, planned on joining the Air Force before I got drafted for Nam, got my private pilot rating at 18.....but war ended

I wanted to join the Navy when I was younger, but my dad didn't want me to end up anywhere near the straight of Hormuz.

a reply to: projectvxn

Thank you btw
Everyone who served on these boards, Thank You. Veterans, great big Thanks!

For everyone else, my 4 uncle's were career Navy. My dad was Air Force, great uncle's were Army. And so many more.
Myself was just R.O.T.C in high school and college. Was able to be part of the Army National Guard very briefly in college but my hearing kept me out after it was apparent it was getting worse after an infection, I received antibiotics and at that time it caused hearing and some heart damage.

Fast forward I was already a paramedic and made a career as a Firefighter/Flightmedic and eventually a Nurse. On my crappiest frightful day working... Will never compare to the stories I've heard from living breathing human beings getting shot at, IED'd, spit on so on and so on...

Thank a Vet. Even if some Pussy doesn't like paying taxes to say "I Support them with taxes" .

Did some time in the Navy. It was fun until I made the mistake of getting married. Then, it sucked. I only enlisted for the GI Bill because I goofed off too much in high school.

Got out and no one cared about my technical experience, finally got lucky making over twice the amount I did while in, and now I'm in a period of rediscovering myself and close to owning my own business.

originally posted by: manuelram16
a reply to: wantsome

I started learning to fly at 17, planned on joining the Air Force before I got drafted for Nam, got my private pilot rating at 18.....but war ended

I got an earlier start. Since my family had 7 kids, we had no spare money, so at age 13 I got a job at the local airport sweeping hangar floors, washing airplanes, pumping fuel, etc. I earned $1.00/hour, half in cash, half in flying lessons. So at 14 I soloed gliders, soloed power (7AC Champ) at 16, Private at 17. So, when I was drafted in 1968, I had about 2000 hours flying time, a Commercial, Flight Instructor (single and multi engine) Instrument, Instrument Instructor ratings and certificates. I was approached by an Air Force Major with an offer. The result was that I was discharged from the Army "for the good of the service" and immediately brought into the Air Force as a direct commission candidate for employment as a pilot. It was the same thing they did with doctors and lawyers. I had to finish basic training at Ft. Knox. I was then sent, without the leave every other basic graduate got, to "Officer Indoctrination School to teach when to salute, what courts martials were all about and other stuff they deemed essential. I graduated and got a set of golden railroad tracks to pin on my uniform as a 2nd Leutenant. I also got an airline ticket to Seattle where I got on a Saturn Airlines charter flight to Tan Son Nhut airbase just outside Saigon. I then caught a Huey to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Udon Thani, Thailand. It was a severe culture shock for a kid from redneck Kentucky. Initially, I was to teach Thai pilots to fly T-28s, It eventually became apparent that these Thai kids just didn't have the background to use the technology. Hell, some of the Hmong cadets had been running around the mountainous jungle in the Highlands in loincloths not too long before they were expected to do time/speed/distance calculations in their head. They were great kids who really tried but just simply couldn't do it. So the first thing I learned in the military is that skin color has no bearing on value as a human. Anyway, TPTB decided that we would have to do the job and made us a part of the 602nd Special Operations Squadron, assigned to he 1st Fighter Wing - Air Commando. They gave us Douglas A-1 Skyraiders, a wonderful brute of a single engine attack/fighter aircraft. We could carry more ordinance than a WWII B-17 4 engine bomber - 250 and 500 pound dumb bombs, napalm, rockets, incendiaries, cluster bombs and 20 mm cannons. One Stars and Stripes reporter said we carried everything but a kitchen sink, so some of our guys talked a mechanic into rigging a kitchen sink to an underwing hardpoint. The engine was a Wright R-3350, 18 cylinder, supercharged radial putting out over 2000 horsepower from its 55 liter displacement. If the Industrial Revolution had a sound, it would be that of a 3350 starting.
We did combat search and rescue of downed aircrews and close air support for ground units. The next thing I learned is that, notwithstanding what the politicians and wannabes and people who never fought said, we were not fighting for country or flag or any of those other faux reasons people harp on, we were fighting for the poor guy who had been shot down and the mud marines and army guys about to be overrun. We were not some kind of uberpatriot. We were simply warfighters trying to survive. I learned other lessons. Killing people isn't glorious. Fear can be ignored or overcome. When they moved us into Phantoms (F-4 Phantom II) I flew with a backseater who was the weapons/radar operator, I was paired with an African-American, who also happened to be gay. I learned that we were much more alike than different. There is not a lick of difference between "soul" food and hillbilly food. The military, and particularly the military in a combat era will mature you. You will learn what is really important and that you can easily overcome petty inconveniences. I don't particularly look back on that time with fondness, but I'm glad I went through it. It paid for a law degree and provided the experience necessary for a career flying 550 ton jets around the world. And my housegirl taught me how to cook Thai food.

By the way, your results may vary.