The most accurate thing I've seen about the ARMY is "some days I can't believe I get paid for this shit, some days they don't pay me enough for this shit"
Oh yeah baby, this is SPOT ON! For the most part my experience was they don't pay me enough for this shit accompanied by my sadness at counting down the time to my ETS.
It's a great place to exist and never think for yourselves. Government doesn't want people who can actually "think"for themselves. Very much like the Russian army
I served 23 years and have 4 combat tours and I have thankfully discouraged all 3 of my sons from joining the military. The military is currently an fing joke
Poor leadership? Easy standards? Poor living? Hell, I tried in inquiring with 8 different recruiters, multiple times. Only one got back to me, with minimal response. Out of the gate, the recruiters are lazy as hell. Deters people from wanting to join anyhow. And their numbers are way down! You’d figure the recruiters would be grinding even harder
Did it turn you into a man or did it discourage you? I thought maybe I should have joined. I spoke to the naval recruiter and he was talking about putting me on a submarine. I thought about it and I decided not to join. Something just didn't feel right. I spoke to the Marine recruiter and my mother spoke to the naval recruiter about me joining the Marines. The naval recruiter told my mother "they are just going to train him to kill." After she spoke to me she said, Maybe you should go to school. I went to college and I saw alot of guys getting mamed or killed from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. I still felt like I missed something. Can you enlighten me about your experience. You know something i dont.
@@buzzmeanytime war gets people killed. Iraq and Afghanistan wasn't for nothing. We found biochemical wmds and latent nuclear tech in the yards of saddams top ranking men, we also dismantled the AQ khan black market which I think is a bigger win than finding some nukes in a cave.
My dad served in the army and he STRONGLY discouraged me to join the military. After all the shit I hear from people I meet that are vets, I have zero interest in ever joining the military. If there's a draft, I will build a rocket ship and fly to Saturn.
I guess it depends on who you talk to.. At this point it is a 50/50 when it comes to experience in the US military. I have met marines and army vets that say they loved it the whole way through.
I too discouraged my son from joining the military. I served from 1970-1973. It was the army back then. Now it is some form of woke unisex day care center. Judging from the recent decisions made at the Pentagon I can no longer believe that there is any adult supervision. I don't want my son in a position where he could be killed because of no adult supervision. I cannot trust anyone who kisses behind rather than taking a risk and doing the right thing. Biden's rear end has Milley's lip prints all over it.
Obviously, the ARMY is a joke. The ARMY is a military branch that focuses on quantity instead of quality quantity and it is a military branch that is public school like crap and at the same time it is a dead end 9 to 5 job crap and also it is a ghetto, etc. The ARMY is the most pathetic branch of the US military. The ARMY is a perfect example of kiss ass, bullsh*t your way through and act like you are a good role model but aren't.
I know SGMs that never learned the creed, they had their leadership schools waived by their buddy. I’ve got a CZcams vid of me reciting the creed of the NCO Btw.
I regretted joining for over a year. I disliked everything about my situation but I’ve since found some appreciation since I’m living in a great place, I was able to buy a brand new car (only 4.2% interest rate in a high inflation area for anyone who wants to make a joke) and I’ve found people who enlighten my mood. The army honestly gets hard before it gets better and that’s something I experienced for my first year.
I served 4 years in the Marines. Currently in the Army and so far this has been a massive mistake. Being in the military married is a miserable life if you actually care about your family. No one ants to join anymore and I can’t say they’re wrong.
11 years in the military and 14 years being married only got me, the wife left me. I’m glad I finally got out ashamed of my retirement yet the insurance is good. 20 years for……🤷🏼♂️ I love my freedom now. 👍🏻
I served for 12 years active duty Army and got out. I was married with two kids, I don't know if you have kids too but I didn't want to throw that time away, I mean I was 8 years away from a pension so I did 8 more in the Reserves. Even that was a challenge because it's run where things don't get done. For example, if you have a problem with your clearance, well nobody helped me. Anyway I'm just a retired SGT / E-5 and I retired in 2018.
There were times I ached to get out for various reasons, toxic leadership and barracks being the top 2. But even then, I never said I regretted signing up. I now have a house with affordable payments thanks to the VA loan insurance and I have my bachelor's degree thanks to the GI Bill. The Army, for all its faults, was for me anyway, a good place to start, but not stay.
You're one of the lucky ones who actually got what they were promised. I live in a building with roughly 147 other veterans that didn't get what they were promised and were homeless for many years. We average two deaths per month in this building.
@@cactusjack9574work experience from the military is useless. Unless you have support from family when you come back you will be homeless if you live in NYC or LA. You make less money than people working at McDonald's seriously so it's very hard to save.
Thanks for your service. I had some rough times myself, and some medical issues but I served 12 years active duty and 8 more Reserves so I could retire in 2018.
If you look at the military pay charts understand those are just base pay charts. You get housing pay separate it's not on there. If an E-1 Private that's just going into the Army gets a base pay of $23,000 a year that's not including housing pay, usually barracks but it's like getting an apartment. And 3 meals a day (free) and free medical. Know what you're talking about before you just start saying something. Also you'll be an E-3 / PFC in one year or less. You'll be a Specialist / E-4 in 2 years. All promotions pay more. If you're high speed you'll be an E-5 / Sergeant in 3 years. That's the rank I was but it took me a lot longer than that to get it.
@@metalmike570 ahhh no your sharing a room with 2-3 people not only that you could be working 12 hour days the pay is a joke and especially in the army you ain’t staying in no Hilton hotel you staying in some bs
@@tanner9956 I think they get an allotment (pay) for housing, as an alternative to a barracks / apartment. The single soldiers I knew were going two to an apartment off base. The base was in northern Virginia, I was on the base in post housing, for a family. The guys had it pretty good but physical training is always required. It's like see you at 0600 and we did an hour of PT. Then we went to our residences and did personal hygiene and started work at 0900. We were released at 1800 (6pm). In a way you're right because that's 12 hours but there was some time back home in the morning. I don't advise being married in the military until you have like 10 years of service but yeah you won't see her much. Now quite a few women are serving too. I'm retired but I retired form the Reserves because after 12 years for me it was time to get out!!! I started at an older age already so I was ready to go. Then 8 more in the Reserves so I got 20, I'm done.
More like reduce current standing army and increase the pay for the rest. Our military is too big plain and simple and this country has other needs aside from bombing 16yr olds with predator drones.
Do not join the Army if you're spouse is pressuring you to join for their financial security, and you did not want to join before that. That doesn't end well.
The more I watch your videos about the contemporary army I realize that the army I served in was vastly different. I went in out of high school in 72 at the end of Vietnam. I did 6 years, 72 - 78. The draft ended in 73 and things were very relaxed, or "laid back" in the vernacular of the times. Hair was longer, PT was nonexistent. I fired a weapon one time after basic in my 6 year stint. I took part in 3 field exercises that were on weekends, and we didn't do much but erect tents, get some instruction on field duty, take tents down and return to garrison. The workday was pretty much 8 - 5. We rarely had morning formations. Except for the first year, I lived off post and never had a barracks inspection. It was transitional time in the army.
That was literally one of the BEST times in the Army! Nowadays - being in the Army more akin to being in prison. You were seriously lucky to serve then!
I’ll say this, after High School 1987 till after Desert Storm. The Army was outstanding and I missed that. I came back in in 2006 and was shocked how unprofessional it was. I’m glad I retired now, and won’t miss it at all now.
Thanks for sharing, it's a unique perspective. I joined at an older age and served for 12 years, 1998 to 2010. And then another 8 in the Reserves. I was a SGT since 2006, and then in the Reserves the same rank. In the Reserves I had to change units more than once, change MOS's too, all those delays held me back from getting promotable, but instead of going to ALC (Advanced Leaders Course) and then get promoted - because they finally set me up for it, I declined because the 20 years of Service letter came in. So I just retired.
I was blessed with amazing leadership and they informed me on how to be a solid platoon sergeant and eventually (from what I’ve been told) a great officer. The infantry is tough but good leadership makes all the difference in the world.
I wish I was Infantry when I was in because the guys are close knit, much better teamwork than the MOS's I was, except when I was in an Armored Cavalry Unit, when my MOS was 63T. Except I froze around my Sergeant I got alienated by him. Long story and I chose to reclass.
This is a very honest and thoughtful video. I did 24 years, and just retired last summer. How did I do it? I had a priority in my head about location, location, location! When you sign any contract, you need to make sure the location you truly desire is in writing. I came in with orders to Europe because I insisted it be my first assignment. I also had a flexible attitude with “leaders” in the Army. Some were amazing people, some were average, and some were atrocious. I just kept going because I knew eventually I would be working for people in powerful places who not only saw how hard I worked, but they also recognized my abilities both in formal evaluations and personnel/admin requests. It’s one thing to move mountains and be supervised by losers who don’t care. But it’s a whole other universe when you move mountains, and powerful people recognize and support you for what you do. The key is to find a way to work for great people who have power, and kick your own ass while helping them achieve command directives. That’s how I maintained my sanity. Yes, there were a lot of BAD HOURS, where I worked 5 PM to 7 AM for many months on end, but the people I worked for really appreciated my work and helped me out when I needed it.
I realized it was a bad thing when I reported to my first duty station as a medical direct commission officer realizing our civilian counterparts are changing lives, making medical achievements and here we are worrying about a beret and name tapes.
I'm in the army reserves so I only go part time and two weeks a year. I like it because it keeps me in shape, I used my educational benefits, my insurance, and the VA loan.
@@vincentmatlock9115 I figured you were deployed because you said the benefits you're using. I heard that to get them you need 1 deployment. I was in the Reserves for 8 years and didn't need to deploy for the benefits because I was active duty (Regular Army) for several years before that.
@@HelpingUSMilitaryVets That's well worth the 6 year enlistment. Those benefits like the VA loan and the VA healthcare can be life savers. No BS - facts.
8 years of active duty in the early 80's-early 90's as a 19D/19K left me with tinnitus, a bad shoulder and herniated discs in my back. These all happened when I was at my physical peak best shape, so yes if you're in a combat MOS, Army service is hard on the body !! That's not even taking into account the occasional bruise, or stained-torn muscles and other small injuries. They all add up over time.
Oh you Scout guys...! Never understood why you would go Scout when you could go Infantry...same thing same danger, different units and all. Sorry to learn you have all the physical stuff.
Because, if you and cav you ain’t isht, besides that, infantry does a lot more walking , cav gets the fancy hats and spurs and all the chicks at the bar.
If you're in a combat Mos 😂 yaeh okay. 9 months in a year I was in the field sleeping in dirt coveted is jp8 as a fueler. Then I was overseas and lived through an airstrike but yaeh us pogs don't do shit we can just be murdered and it doesn't mean shit
35years ago, I worked six days a week as a mechanic in the Army. Those were twelve hour days. In the field, we worked every day, and sometimes we worked 24-36 hours at a whack. I didn’t need much rest or sleep back then. I never thought my job was hard, but, i recognized, not near everybody worked as hard as we did. Difference was, when I got out, and to this day, I had a job as a heavy equipment mechanic. The Army may not be nearly be the same, but, I am grateful for my short four years
Been in for 13 years. It's a great stepping stone for some. For others it's a career opportunity it's for you to decide. Just make that decision on your own and don't blame anyone else for the choices YOU make.
Or just don't make the decision & don't join at all. For some it means having PTSD, becoming homeless; with drug and alcohol problems after getting out because the VA dropped the ball on them and the military lied to them. Most of the veterans I've met in the homeless shelters where I do volunteer work didn't "choose" to get lied to.
@@liquidbraino if someone feels that they are being lied to when the documents are in their face that they have to sign both with a pen and via digital means in person than that person needs to learn to read. The same applies with those who sign for ridiculous car loans or student loans and cry wolf when they are hit with outrageous APR's. This even applies to mortgages with a variable APR. Everyone is responsible for their own decisions/actions. I've had great times and bad times but I don't blame anyone but myself for the things I do. Accountability of actions.
The Army today, is a means to an end. Mainly for the GI bill. Go in, do your four years, get your free college and get out. Careers are still there but it's just not worth the stress or politics anymore. Go infantry if you want to be tested a bit. Seek other schooling/ courses while in to pamp up the resume when you're out. (Airborne, Ranger School etc.)
I'm glad I am a quitter and got out of basic training of the US ARMY. The army is a joke. It's for people who have not accomplished anything in life, a bunch of nobody's, people that play a lot of Call of Duty video game fanatics as if it is a video game/t.v. show/movie, pathetic people, try hards, etc.
I have a friend who was a scout the hummer he was in hit an IED and landed into a river he jumped in saved the LT but the LT was awarded for saving the squad , the LT was underwater .
Yeah I remember the feeling when I learned the real value of medals/awards. Met my fair share of Officer sycophants that their only job they were good at was ingratiating superiors. For all their d*ck sucking endeavors earned a bronze star for the deployment. If a medal doesn't have a V on it, I'm dubious of their 'achievements'.
It really is, I should have chose Air force which was my original plan. But I was homeless and I chose the army but I got out and didn't finish basic and then homeless again and no I am forced to join army again, I am struggling and don't wanna be homeless again. But I am planning to join army then transfer to the air force.
Best informative channel if you have any questions about the Army bar none. Very happy about my subscription to this channel it really helps. I used to serve and the major downside what was mentioned previously in the video is some of the corruption that does happen in some areas, it did happen in my platoon. Secondly its very hard on relationships and family situations especially if you are stationed in Fort Campbell that has a high deployment rate. My word of advice; DONT ENLIST IF YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO A LOVED ONE. I've seen one guy just fall completely apart when I was in AIT because he joined on a whim without thinking it through when he left his family. Plus if there is something is going on with your family you might not beable to respond right away because you are stuck in the field and your Platoon SgT is being a (you know what) won't let you. P.s. its best to enlist if you are single and just focusing on yourself.
Being a kid and growing up in the crack era, I heavily regretted not joining the military. I’ve always got bad advice about our military. The pride we had in our neighborhood could’ve been spent in serving our country. As a youth, I went to jail for murder and lost countless amount of friends, either long periods of incarceration or death. Even though I was able to get back on track (thanks to The Most High) a part of still somewhat regret not serving.
In 1998 I went in the Army at age 33 after working more than a decade in a casino or 2 or 3 in Atlantic City, NJ. I was a 63T for 4 years at Fort Carson, and reclassed just after 9/11 to a 25S and still stayed stateside. I made E-5 in 2006 and served another 4 active years. Then I went straight in the Reserves I still had a good clearance for only a couple more years, but because of some BS things I lost my clearance but managed to serve 5 years in a unit, but they cleaned house and I served for 3 more years in a totatlly different unit with a year in limbo at a temporary unit that was Supply. That's 20 years still only an E-5. I turned down ALC because of the 20 year completion time. Filed more VA claims and went 100% and mostly retired from everything by 2019. And had gotten a divorce as well. I had average jobs and got fired 4 times in 6 or 7 years. I filed for PTSD but got rated for anxiety and depression and moved away from my family 2 different times. I got rated for a stab wound too that happened before ETsing from active duty!!
1) Technically you can get fired but you have to try reaaaallllllyyyyy reaaaalllllyyyyy haaaaarrrrd. - If one manages to pull off such thing, this may not look good on them in civilian world (depending on severity), however not impossible to get back on their twos unless they got some sort of disability. For example: Paul Whelan. - That guy got Bad Chicken Dinner and by all accounts was total POS, and somehow made it to E-7. However, he managed to work his way up all the way to big corpo "Security Advisor" position. 2) Well... statistically, more people in the military die from non-combat related accidents and diseases, even in war time (even in the past wars, before the advancements of modern medicine). So, dying or getting seriously injuries is there. I got multiple TBIs from being at the wrong place and wrong time and nowhere near (obviously not at my own fault). I am fortunate Uncle Sam did help me. One will have much higher chance of dying from the jelly donut past expiration date after breakfast in DFAC, than being shot in combat. 3) Funny thing. - It is factually proven that very few deaths come from direct close combat in the military. Uncle Sam did studies on it (to address the problem) and found out that, people are simply "Not That Good and Unwilling at Killing Each Other (very Inefficient)". But when it comes to indirect killing, that seems to have massive reversal. - Artillery (including mortars) is No.1 killer, followed by Aviation and Armor. Same goes to civilian world. It is easier to kill someone psychologically, if one can do so indirectly. - it much easier. 4 and 5 nothing to add there. - Pretty much common all across, however also wildly inconsistent. One could be Paper Pusher and work in some backwater hangar with very few things going on, or Infantryman who is stuck on conax duty in the motorpool for eternity. Furthermore, what is not mentioned some "Stupid Shit" one has to do by Recruiters, specifically to avoid recruits from backing out. - It is called Temporary Additional Duty (TAD). That's where one might definitely end up regretting their decision to join. I'll give 5 of my own: 1) High Year Tenure - Means you can only serve so long at certain rank and to the certain point (even with current extensions due to the lack of manpower). HYT adds more pressure (especially for old timers in their time), creating the culture of "Rankism" in the military. US Army used to have Specialist Ranks all the way up to "Specialist E-9" to get around this problem and then done away with it. A lot of kids seem to join the army to "Skate or Wing it through on the breezy ride". I.E. "I do my time and be going". In reality you cannot join military with passive attitude and Uncle Sam heavily encourages it. In The Army and Air Force is the easiest. - Automatic promotion as long someone is not Eff Up based on time in service until the rank of Specialist. Coast Guard, Navy - the same thing until E -3. Then you have to take the stupid knowledge test, that doesn't really measure anything that have to do with aptitude for (Junior E-4 position) Leadership. Marines' kind of runs Army and Air Force to E-4 but it is a bit harder to get promoted there and every marine is scrutinized pretty much through entire promotion process. So, if someone who just too timid, and doesn't have any ambitions with "Uhh... I dunno, I am just here for GI Bill" attitude will have much harder time. 2) Back to the previously Mentioned TAD. - For example, US Navy. Recruiters Loathe to speak about the infamous TAD. The main one is called "Mess Cranking". US Army had similar KP duty, but it was replaced with civilians. in US Navy and Coast Guard.... well, you are stuck working long hours (Forbid whatever Higher Power on Aircraft Carrier) with no end in sight until you get past E-5 with Surface Warfare badge (that you have to study for while operating washing machines, opening tens of thousands of cans of tomato sauce, carrying bags of trash up and down the stairs of the ship). - The only exception to that is if you got the rating or position that badly needs to fill the slot. 3) Banal but needs to be mentioned. - Pay. Steady Paycheck from Uncle Sam, but in comparison to civilian world you could be earning a lot more, especially if you managed to find the jobs in similar fields. For example, 88M truck driver could be earning way past 50,000 dollars starting from some trucking company, from the get-go, unlike Joe Snuffy Private with measly 1000 dollars after taxes. Even EMTs may start with 15 Dollars and hour and get overtime pay. That alone wouldn't come anywhere to mention something like E-1 in rank in any branch Electronics Specialist or some sort of Construction Engineer. Simple rifleman on the guard duty somewhere in Kuwait could earn up to 100,000 from some Private Contractor. 4) Stupid way of promotion. - It's just that. For example, US Navy Advancement Exam. - WTF? Really? Whoever scores the highest and as long as they meet minimum, you are Gold. US Army's NCO board? - Stupidest questions ever (for example I was asked the exact 10-digit coordinates of the room I was in. - Luckily, I had "The Insider" who warned me ahead and learned just that. I also knew the guy who passed The Board simply because he did Combat Roll and saluted the board) and it is not because they want to test you on your skills. The "Senior Peers" are literally psychologically pressuring you, to see how you handle yourself under pressure. Ass kissers and Assholes tend to be promoted the most and the fastest for some reason as well, discouraging many people from re-enlisting all because leadership is either "What can you do for me" or "Like that Girl, who thinks she can change that Bad Boy" when seeing A-hole (who seem more confident on the face value) gunning for promotion. 5) Boredom - A lot of people join military expecting anything in-between "Being Rambo(ing) Fantasy - I get to Travel the World/Exotic Countries, meet exotic people, and... either eff them or kill them?" In reality just like someone described WWI, it does apply to military service. - Even if you are stationed someone (lucky SOB) in Vincenza Italy, or Hawaii it is still "Long if not Months Hours of Boredom, dotted with rare moments of sheer horror (massive mental pressure)". Military for 90% is very predictable and monotone job, unless someone FUBAR something deliberately or by accident. 6) Relationships - Factually military service members have the highest level of divorce rates for very good reason. Lack of proximity (time loss) to close people, to bad and retarded work hours (How about that CQ duty for Christmas when you planned for Threesome with your bi wife and her married girlfriend ideepthroat style? - Just kidding... family Christmas Evening with family giving Gifts to each other).
Actually you don’t have to try really hard to get “fired” from the Army: just don’t make height/weight - and you’ll be out with a less than honorable discharge before you can blink.
@@The-Shadow-Realm I don't know what branch you served in, I can concede that varies, but in something like Navy and in my time US Army (although one of those periods was also where they was downsizing) they'll do anything in their power. Family member of mine for example LS in the Navy, got morbidly obese. Not a bad person and not lazy, just poor food disciple and eating disorder. Got flagged, but passed Advancement Exams with high marks. Did not get selected from promotion. The time was around 2015 and all they did was footballing the said person from one department to the other, while passing sailor's PT tests (the ugly secret about Navy's PT test is scores are counted by battle buddies and not by NCOs), so when it came time for that, the aforementioned person was given "Retests" with alternate events and always marked as passed but flagged for height and weight. Why? Uncle Sam's Navy needed them really bad. This is the normal trend when personnel is short.
I was a 19k tank crewmen for 8 years it was good times and bad after two deployments 15 months in Iraq and 9 in Afghanistan my time being in Germany was the best times of my life and I miss the comradeship the most you don’t find that in the civilian world I regret I did not do 20 years but such as life I have a family now and life is not as stressful
In 1998 I went in the Army at age 33 after working more than a decade in a casino or 2 or 3 in Atlantic City, NJ. I was a 63T for 4 years at Fort Carson, and reclassed just after 9/11 to a 25S and still stayed stateside. I made E-5 in 2006 and served another 4 active years. Then I went straight in the Reserves I still had a good clearance for only a couple more years, but because of some BS things I lost my clearance but managed to serve 5 years in a unit, but they cleaned house and I served for 3 more years in a totatlly different unit with a year in limbo at a temporary unit that was Supply. That's 20 years still only an E-5. I turned down ALC because of the 20 year completion time. Filed more VA claims and went 100% and mostly retired from everything by 2019. And had gotten a divorce as well. I had average jobs and got fired 4 times in 6 or 7 years. I filed for PTSD but got rated for anxiety and depression and moved away from my family 2 different times. I got rated for a stab wound too that happened before ETsing from active duty!!
One thing on the "it's a steady paycheck you can't get fired from," when he said the one downside to that is that you can't quit, there's also the other con of your coworkers can't get fired either.
To me its if you have the motivation and the attitude to join. I have mad respect to anyone who served in the military. You join to serve and protect. You join to lead and become a better person who has no idea. It's a matter of fortitude and honor. That's why I joined doing something most dont have the balls to do
Don’t have the balls to do? If I choose not to ask a girl out, does that mean I am intimidated by her? No it means I’m not interested in dealing with her BS. It means she is such a pain in the butt that the costs outweigh the benefits. Same goes for the military. To some people it is worth it and to others it is not.
Good points... I did 20+ years (starting with a couple RVN tours and retiring in the late 80s) and knowing what I know now, I probably would do a few things differently and would consider 30 years, but no sour grapes... although I wasn't a stellar senior NCO, the Army did okay by me... unlike many, I thoroughly enjoyed field and "exciting" deployments; even when stuck in REMF assignments, I could find enough TDY's to liven things up... but its not for everyone...
@@liquidbraino shit easy do PT go sit in the woods inventory stuff multiple times for no reason shit is easy no thinking required study stupid rules to get promotable/promoted. Go over seas for a couple of months shit easy and brain dead. No fighting going on. Dealing with the people is the hard part and that why I’m getting out. Takes too much time doing task that seem pointless.
One reason I would say not to join the Army, or the military in general, is time away from family. I've seen people go through some horrendous personal problems and no matter what they did were still dragged to the field 1-2 months. Same goes for deployment. You could take a sick day in the civilian world(not sure about people who work in management) and not get bothered the whole time you are off...in the military they can cancel your "time off" and pull you back into the grind if something goes off. Seen that happen too. Yeah there's the threat of getting fired or the company going under in the civilian world and thus while in the military you have that job security, you also have the issue of assuming responsibility of things that aren't your fault. If someone refuses to show up for their shift(in my case) you will get blown up about it. Whenever I took leave, didn't matter even on Terminal Leave, I got harassed because of something that was screwed up.
If a family is more important than your oath/service, then avoid the service. WalMart is hiring. I'd be disinclined to start a family, had I taken an oath to risk my life.
@@davidrhoads3023 Cool. I never intended to make the military a career. I don't regret the time served, but it is not for people who want to raise kids. It can be a miserable time if you have a family.
@@davidrhoads3023 lol I’m in the army with a family. It’s not best for families I agree but you don’t know a persons situation for them to join in the first place.
You will likely get enough anger problems in the military as it is. And probably more in the Army than say the Air Force because of the extra crap the Army has that the Air Force doesnt
I enlisted during senior year. I had uneducated parents and in the 90s no internet so didn't know how to make college happen much less afford it. Recruited laid out the road map to college and so I felt I had no choice. Here's My Experience Serving from June 1998- June 2002 (Didn't serve in Combat) Good things: Get VA benefits VA home loan Used every MGIB & Army College Fund + Kicker for College penny No College Debt Got BS In Aerospace Engineering and Also Masters in Aerospace Engineering FREE. Matured a little bit Got interested in Travel Bad Things: Slowed down Civilian career 4 years Loss of Freedom 4 years Annoying Details forever Lack of Privacy Mistreated at times from people who out rank me. Having to take orders from ppl I knew were dumber than me. Separated from Family For me it felt like a decent trade off, but I hated it while I was in. Longest 4 years of my life.
I joined the Army back in 2003 , I was a combat medic my first duty station was Fort Steward GA . To be honest my first duty station wasn’t so bad I actually liked it a lot , we did deploy to Iraq 8 months after I got there and Iraq 🇮🇶 was one hell of an experience 😮💨 . 7 months after after leaving Iraq I got stationed in Bamberg Germany 🇩🇪. I loved Germany but I hated the unit I was in , toxic leadership and everything that comes with it . I did a 15 month deployment to Afghanistan 🇦🇫 with my unit in Germany and after that I got the hell out but in a nutshell I can’t say the Army was bad , it all depends on the leadership and the chain of command that you’ll fall underneath. I can say this as of now I’m 100% service connected now so I’m still benefiting from serving 😉 .
The only reason you've got 100% service connected is because they couldn't find any way to cover it up, deny that it ever happened; lie on their paperwork and deliberately lose documents (like X-rays). But if they could have they would have; they do it all the time, they've been doing it to me since 2013. I gave up and said "screw it, it's not worth the hassle".
@@liquidbraino I used to be this way but did the paperwork. They gave me 100 because I did the medical stuff with a civilian doctor. Hire a lawyer. I am a social worker so I knew what to do to get my benefits.
Sounds like you were a sick call warrior LOL no offense. Im fighting with lawyers with my own mris and xrays but I never went to sick call to have a majority of this stuff documented.
I considered joining, but when the recruiter lied to me, then I called them on it and pulled out my phone showing the opposite of what they told me they said with a quick google search. "That's just how it is in the army." was all they said. I thanked them for there time and told them to F off and left.
I did 6.5 years as a 91b with 2 rotations in Germany and Kuwait. I did not enjoy most of my time because I did not get to go to certain school. You will spend a lot of time away from family so be prepared for that.
I sat around in a motorpool from 0930 to 1700-1800 (that or in the company bay) Pmcs’d the same deadlined truck for months, was told there was no slots for schools but the second a new LT showed up they magically did. It felt like a waste of time.
I get it believe me I was a Bradley Fihgting Vehicle Mechanic the first 4 years I was in. I really began hating that damn motorpoole around the third year there. And I kept getting a medical problem with my left ear but I did have some problems with it even before the Army, The thing was I was stationed at a cold weather environment and it was aggravating the injury and the work, solvent in cleaning parts and draining fluids from them also aggravated me. My sinuses were causing the problem with the ear. I had to re-class because I actually wanted to stay in more. Well I was married and our daughter was born and I wanted to be sure that I had work.
That has to be very rare though. When I threw my grenade in basic the Drill Sergeant pushed me down behind the wall along with him. Other than dropping the grenade next to you there's no other way you could get injured.
Well you actually can "quit" you'll basically out process and receive a chapter 11 discharge for a "failure to adapt to military lifestyle". BUT you have to do it before your 180 day mark in the military because after 180 days you're eligible for veteran benefits and they really don't want to let you go after that because they don't want someone to just quit after 181 days and get veterans benefits without completing their contract. So....
My co-working was in the Air Force. He is a disabled veteran even though he never deployed or saw combat. He said it was because of medical malpractice that he was subjected to.
Regarding some of the wrong reasons to commit yourself to a military service contract, the very worst reason in my opinion (Retired military [Navy and Army and Navy Reserve and Guard]) is using such a means to escape from a personal problem because you're then left with multiple years of extreme regret that can lead to a life of destructive behavior, such as bad conduct discharge behaviors, drug and/or alcohol abuse, and the very worst act of desperation: suicide. That's a lot of drama and trauma because you hastily joined the military immediately after a hard breakup from your girlfriend.
Here is my shortlist of people that should absolutely NOT JOIN THE ARMY: Do NOT join the Army if you’re struggling with mental health issues. It WILL NOT help you overcome it or “find your purpose”. You just become a liability to yourself and the rest of us. Do NOT join the Army if you have thin skin. When you join the Army you are the low man (or woman) on the totem pole. You will be treated like a child. You will be yelled at. You will have to put your ego aside at times and say “Roger that” and suck it up. If you aren’t capable of that, then do not join. Do NOT join if you are someone who can’t accept responsibility when you fuck up, even if it’s something small. Being successful in the military requires you to accept responsibility and be a mature adult. If you’re the “….but it wasn’t my FaULt!” kinda person, then it ain’t for you.
Got yelled at by a major (think he’s a full bird now) and I absolutely deserved it. He apologized later, because I was a good soldier, but I f*d up. Fortunately it didn’t kill anyone, but I definitely could have. Soft skin doesn’t exist. I have bad hearing, my knees suck (I was airborne), my back, my shoulders, I have PTSD to some extent. It isn’t GI Joe stuff, it’s hard, it sucks, you gotta want to do it. Really want to. You’ll get paid crap, the enemy won’t be nice, your friends will die, it’ll be hard… it isn’t for everyone. I’d do it all over again.
Don’t join the army in general. To be concise, don’t join the army because the army doesn’t live up to its own army values. The army has no loyalty to you. A lot of members of the army aren’t going to give you respect; why risk your life for them. There’s too many career soldiers in the army, and that betrays the selfless service. A lot of experienced soldiers are treated with outright dishonor in the Army. Your duty? You’re going to get shit compensation, and you can’t unionize, but you will learn about Shamming. Integrity? The army right now doesn’t have the integrity to check itself of members who violate its so called values. I don’t wish to ramble, but the devil is in the details. All the men who preach about needing a “thick skin” tend to be thin skinned when you throw shit back up at them that they throw down on you. You can be a pt. Stud, you can be a super soldier, you can deploy, and you can bend over backwards for the army, but the Army will fuck you in return. Want proof? Look at the individuals who are literally married to the Army. Then ask the disgruntled family men who get fucked over, and the dependents of the deceased who get whisked off base. There’s two kinds of people, there’s those who love the army so much that they can’t call out it’s bullshit, and they attack people and insinuate the shit like the guy above, and there’s those that see the army for what it is, or learn the hard way through experience how the corruptibility of humans taints the values that organizations like the army ought to live up to. Fuck the Army. P.s Disgruntled vet
I just tell people it really depends on the MOS you pick as some jobs in the Army are more relaxed compared to other but overall they all suck and for me its mainly on rank someone becomes an NCO or an officer and think theyre untouchable and make alot of calls that they dont realize damages the Army in the long run like you talked about "corruption" and now its becoming more of an issure as social media exposes these
@@bdo9285 I said they all suck and some jobs are more relaxed Compared to others Example is that Combat MOS sleep outside during Field exercises compared to "none" combat get to sleep in a building or Tent
I served 22 years in the Army. It was rewarding at the end, but my career was a daily struggle. There were days where I did not think that I would make it. My mental health has suffered at the end of it, but I have a pension, a nice VA compensation check. And I have a pretty good job thanks to Uncle Sam paying for college. But if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would not!!!
Same here, I don't regret the benefits I'm recieving (retirement, disabiliy pay) but if I had to do it over again I wouldn't join. Mental health did take a toll due to the toxic individuals in the military.
@@555125kevin the only thing that sucks is that I have a hard time enjoying life. I have the resources and time to do anything I want, but I just don’t have the energy.
Seems to me that you're doing the Army a real service, not just the casual viewer. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's not just the recruit that doesn't benefit from a bad fit. The army doesn't, either.
The Army is nothing but bad fits. You're acting like the Army a smooth running organization with a few misfits. The whole organization itself is effed up.
@Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO) Shut the hell up. You keep posting this same thing which you cut and pasted on every comment and it never has ANYTHING to do with the OP.
For me, basic morphed into AIT, dreaming of being in "permanent party". From frying pan to the fire, end up in Ft. Polk and Ft. Irwin. Never got easier, just gets you ready for the next day of hell.
I liked your five bad things but its true for all branches , I had really bad NCO,S and some officers at my last assignment and it made me want out fast as possible , I made E5 but had insubordination allowed by my platoon leader it was bad .
You can have the best experience ever, but you can also not have a good experience. It is what you make of it. It’s really not as bad as people make it seem
If you’re being abused there are programs like SHARP and EQUAL OPPORTUNITY that are available for you to confide in. You will be removed from the unit the incident occurred and place in a whole other battalion. If your leadership is bad, there are plenty of other higher up you can go to to make a report using open door policy. You receive support.
If you’re thinking of enlisting, read and consider this first: I’d argue the Army (US) took a nosedive in terms of quality of life and overall worth when Selective Service (the “Draft”) ended in 1973. Why? Well - in the days of Selective Service (the “Draft”), especially from World War I through the Korean War there were: -Basically no mandatory PT Tests or Height and Weight Tests that could stop your military career in an instant. -There were more privileges such as lax uniform regulations. -You could go out on the weekends in Basic Training. -You could smoke and drink in Basic Training. -You could drink in a combat theater. -You didn’t have to do three years active duty plus five years reserve like today - you could do two years and then get out. Those are just a few of the reasons how the Army was better in those days - and these are all things you can’t do anymore. Hell, now you can’t even blink without getting severely reprimanded. So really consider how much you want your life to suck - unless you hate literally no other option.
I’m 13 years old and I’ve been planning to join some branch of the military when I’m older. This video was useful because I’ve been thinking about joining the army. Frankly the only thing I might be stumped on is the first con because I have commitment issues. The rest I don’t have a problem with because I believe I’m a sociopath- so I don’t have any morals that say I won’t end the life of someone else. in self defense of corse. I also don’t value my life too much so the risk of my life being taken isn’t that much if an issue to me. I’m not too sure I’ll join the army. But I did find this video to be very insightful.
Don't listen to this dude, he's full of shit and was a sandbagger his entire career that's why he hates it, I am currently in and am an NCO, I promise you the Army is one of the best things you can do to get your life started
Seeing a lot of folks here regretting the army lol got me double thinking commissioning as an officer. I think the benefits you get after service are a big bonus tho. Free education, VA loans and mortgage, health care etc..
MariNate,don't let others views/opinions determine your decisions,find out for your self.If you don't want to go active military,go RESERVE or GUARD. GO-GET"EM TIGER !!! LOL.
@@powerbad696 I took that in consideration however overall my experience was bad and plus my leadership fail me. I got out after being disgruntled knowing I didn't belong there.
I started out active duty enlisted, and ended up commissioning through OCS in the Guard. The benefits served me well, there’s no way I could have given birth to my three kids, gotten an MBA, and bought a house without my service. However, it all came with sacrifice, hard work, and hard decisions. I mean, doing college online until midnight while reporting to PT at 5:30, and missing so much of my children’s earlier childhood that I now see has impacted them in negative ways. Trying to make up for it now, but I just ended my 17 year marriage, and I’m not doing so well mentally or emotionally after dealing with PTSD related to other parts of my service. Anything worth doing is going to be difficult, and life can also be hard choosing easier paths, in the end, you choose your own path. The army has been the greatest impact to making me who I am today, and I would make the same decision knowing what I know now despite the challenges and hardship.
Noah. I like your confidence. This is not for everyone. If it was, everyone would do it. It is for men. Good luck out there. You will have loads of fun and leave your mark in this world. The people negatively commenting are mostly mentally weak.
Simple answer why: THAT IS WHAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE FOR! YOU DON'T NEED FOOT SOLDIERS! The POTUS can simply push a button. That is what Biden SHOULD do to Putin.
Look As a Vietnam veteran here I never thought I would be saying this but, No do not join the military now. I sat and saw the US. Cut and run again last August. Just as we left a message in Vietnam we did it again in Afghanistan. Second between the New retirement plan, the low pay and all these woke agenda classes. I would have not enlisted except for the draft. As of 2022 there is no legal requirement to serve. You need to register for the selective service system and obey the law. If induction was brought back that is an other issue that you would deal with. Plenty of new opportunities to serve others (ie) Volunteer Firefighter and EMT. Plenty of NGO'S to help. Just my take.
Truth be said I went into the army after 9/11. And it is common that most people join the United States military to find romance but they end up with the reality of having to go to war.. I guess you can say I was one of those people in a sense that I didn't expect to get deployed when I went in during my time of service. I never went to war and I'm thankful for that but I never found romance while I was in the military.
@@liquidbraino First of all I don't like dudes. Second, women are known to be fickle minded about a man in uniform. For instance, I am from Yuma Arizona which is where the US marine air station is. All of the local women wanted to marry US Marines especially aviators in the Marine Corps. You have movies like "An Officer and a Gentleman" that explains perfectly that statement. If you are a marine aviator, airforce aviator, naval aviator for instance, you are the answer to the dreams of the local women. So there are men that join the military for that reason.
@@KrazyC2008 Lol! I get that, I thought you were looking for romance IN the military. Yeah they do treat you like a superhero sometimes. I remember in the days that followed 9/11 we were being treated like rock stars and royalty. People honking their horns, waving flags, flashing tits at you while you're trying to stay focused, driving in a convoy (that actually happened to me). I guess everyone joins for their own personal reasons and I can't judge someone for having different reasons than my own.
I joined 4 years ago, and I got out this past February. I did get the GI Bill, and I’m using it now. I have a VA rating. However, I wake up most days questions if it was worth it? The mental trauma and instability changed me as a person, and how I use to function. The Army is full of toxic people, and you have to deal with it. In the civilian life, you have the choice to cut those type of people out of your life. I get people need money for school, but it will be a long 3 or 4 years.
It depends on what kind of unit you are in also . In the motor pool we had a beer tent used to work in during the winter and for storage if two people were at each other's throats take off bdu too and hat no rank you we're even then just settle it there. It was a unit thing that happened here and there but not a lot.Of course we were overseas in the 80 s .
I’m hitting my 2yr mark at bragg and honestly it’s not bad . Yes you will have some toxic leadership or shitty leadership or great one. But there is alot of down time besides being in the field and the shitty pay is a big one that sucks . So it’s what you make out of it . If you know your job and good at it you will be fine . If you’re lazy and have a attitude you will have a hard time
I spent 3 years in the Army and 18 in the USAF. I discouraged my kids from joining the military. I had some good times and a lot of bad times. I saw things get worse over the years. I did 3 tours in Iraq and deployed to multiple other places. It was really hard on my family. The military demands your full loyalty, but they do not reciprocate. I was tossed away like a broken tool after I was injured in the line of duty on my last tour in Iraq. I had to fight to get any benefits. People are quick to say “thank you for your service “, but they don’t want to hire you for a job because they think disabled veterans have too much baggage.
I got out of the army some time ago. It wasn’t a terrible experience but it occurred to me that the military is the only job where if you screw up and get fired ( dishonorable discharge) it affects your chances at getting another job. For example if Amazon fires you , you can still get a job with the public sector. Not so if you get a dishonorable discharge. So give some deep thought before you raise your right hand.
Yeah you can quit in the civilian world but the next job will have toxic shitty people too because it’s everywhere. I’ve been in the workforce for a long time and worked many places and every job has at least one really bad Apple that’s difficult to deal with.
Hey, other than fire you, at least a toxic civilian boss can't do the same things to you that a boss in the military can do to you, and it's arguably more extreme in the Army and Marines.
I joined at age 34 in Ft Knox 2002. I was in for 9 weeks but only lasted 7.5 I failed weapons training test on which one must shoot 23 out of 40 to pass. I only shot 11 due to eyesight. Same for hand grenade tests for distance throwing in order to pass. I was considered unable to adapt to military life and given an uncharacterized discharge on my dd214. I was closeted there and did not talk about gay love or gay news. I am also Buddhist and there were no accommodations for Nichiren Buddhists (nam myoho renge kyo) . I had several crushes on solders and drill sergeants but kept it secret. This was during the DADT. But nonetheless it was tough being there. I was too old to join
Master Sargent 3rd/75th (retired) 1984/2014 4 bad marriages,3 children who don't talk to me, a broken body, nightmares for years, a inability to understand civilian life, constantly hearing from friends and family asking why I bark commands and lack of empathy, people asking me " what's like killing people? I love being soldier, even when I hated a giving situation. But I concur, it's not for everyone. It was just my life, a life I'm proud of. HOOAH!
Rock On, Ranger! You are exactly the type the Rangers want and love. Hate to say it 'cause it's not good for your personal life, but I have seen it for years when I was in the Army.
@@johnstow5613 Because in their minds I loved the Army more than them,I was never home.I missed birthdays,holidays etc. They have alot of issues with me.
@@Gunslinger1875 I’m sorry about that. Were you always deployed far away from home? Did your wife poison their hearts against you? Do you have some kind of PTSD that prevents you from relating with them?
Another thing that makes a huge difference is married versus single' Be deployed on a moments notice is hard on a wife and kids in many ways that I won't go into here. When I was shipped out to Germany in 77 I saw firsthand the stress on families and I was glad I was single
I SERVED 22YEARS RETIRED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD & ALL I HAVE 2 SAY IS FIRST OF ALL IF U R NOT SURE U WANT 2 JOIN THE MILITARY DO NOT JOIN IF U R NOT SURE PLANE & SIMPLE
Actually you can quit. You can go ahead and go to your commander and say “i dont want to be in the army” or your platoon sgt. They can get all the paperwork done for you.
Yep, my soldier did it. The detachment chief said one day before deployment, to get with him offline if you wanted out. A couple weeks to a month later he was out.
Could someone please clarify what abusive leadership looks like so that I can look out for that? I mean I would hope it's not physical (like fighting not constant smoking).
If you're going to join at all sign up for the shortest obligation you can so that if you're not happy with your current unit you can tell the Retention NCO that you're not going to reenlist unless they can promise you a transfer to a unit of your choice and/or a new M.O.S. That's what my plan was except that I signed up for eight years and was going to demand that I got to either try out for Special Forces or PSYOP - or I'm not gonna reenlist. They couldn't guarantee that I'd even get to do SFQ so I said "Fu-Q" and discharged after completing my initial obligation.
Well lets take the fact i was told to smoke myself on deployment, or someone using their rank to not show up to work because "they deserve that" or even the commander went home to chill till 11 at night for an inventory that didnt end till 1 am and told 0630 pt. i have many more but im on meds so its hard for me to remember
It's definitely not for the 37,252 military veterans that are homeless right now. Only 7% of Americans claim veteran status, but nearly 13% of the homeless adult population are veterans.
The most accurate thing I've seen about the ARMY is "some days I can't believe I get paid for this shit, some days they don't pay me enough for this shit"
"don't pay me enough for this shit" is almost every job ive had so far lol
Oh yeah baby, this is SPOT ON! For the most part my experience was they don't pay me enough for this shit accompanied by my sadness at counting down the time to my ETS.
That’s why I say it evens out paywise.
It's a great place to exist and never think for yourselves.
Government doesn't want people who can actually "think"for themselves.
Very much like the Russian army
What’s your MOS?
I served 23 years and have 4 combat tours and I have thankfully discouraged all 3 of my sons from joining the military. The military is currently an fing joke
Poor leadership? Easy standards? Poor living?
Hell, I tried in inquiring with 8 different recruiters, multiple times. Only one got back to me, with minimal response. Out of the gate, the recruiters are lazy as hell. Deters people from wanting to join anyhow. And their numbers are way down! You’d figure the recruiters would be grinding even harder
Did it turn you into a man or did it discourage you? I thought maybe I should have joined. I spoke to the naval recruiter and he was talking about putting me on a submarine. I thought about it and I decided not to join. Something just didn't feel right. I spoke to the Marine recruiter and my mother spoke to the naval recruiter about me joining the Marines. The naval recruiter told my mother "they are just going to train him to kill." After she spoke to me she said, Maybe you should go to school. I went to college and I saw alot of guys getting mamed or killed from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. I still felt like I missed something. Can you enlighten me about your experience. You know something i dont.
@@buzzmeanytime war gets people killed. Iraq and Afghanistan wasn't for nothing. We found biochemical wmds and latent nuclear tech in the yards of saddams top ranking men, we also dismantled the AQ khan black market which I think is a bigger win than finding some nukes in a cave.
Because of Biden.
@@ursulasmith6402 yes
My dad served in the army and he STRONGLY discouraged me to join the military. After all the shit I hear from people I meet that are vets, I have zero interest in ever joining the military. If there's a draft, I will build a rocket ship and fly to Saturn.
Stay away from ARMY mainly.
Join AIR FORCE/SPACE FORCE/COAST GUARD.
I guess it depends on who you talk to.. At this point it is a 50/50 when it comes to experience in the US military. I have met marines and army vets that say they loved it the whole way through.
I too discouraged my son from joining the military. I served from 1970-1973. It was the army back then. Now it is some form of woke unisex day care center. Judging from the recent decisions made at the Pentagon I can no longer believe that there is any adult supervision. I don't want my son in a position where he could be killed because of no adult supervision. I cannot trust anyone who kisses behind rather than taking a risk and doing the right thing. Biden's rear end has Milley's lip prints all over it.
If 99% of the NCOs I dealt with were civilian bosses, I'd quit on them without notice. That stupid creed doesn't mean shit to them.
Yeah buddy! For sure. Thankfully they are lifers who stay in the Army.
@@RivetGardener And never leave and step on you for their own betterment
Obviously, the ARMY is a joke.
The ARMY is a military branch that focuses on quantity instead of quality quantity and it is a military branch that is public school like crap and at the same time it is a dead end 9 to 5 job crap and also it is a ghetto, etc.
The ARMY is the most pathetic branch of the US military.
The ARMY is a perfect example of kiss ass, bullsh*t your way through and act like you are a good role model but aren't.
I know SGMs that never learned the creed, they had their leadership schools waived by their buddy. I’ve got a CZcams vid of me reciting the creed of the NCO Btw.
@@RivetGardenerthose idiots couldn’t make it in the civilian sector.
I regretted joining for over a year. I disliked everything about my situation but I’ve since found some appreciation since I’m living in a great place, I was able to buy a brand new car (only 4.2% interest rate in a high inflation area for anyone who wants to make a joke) and I’ve found people who enlighten my mood. The army honestly gets hard before it gets better and that’s something I experienced for my first year.
Charger? 🤣
@@HateTheIRSor Challenger, Mustang, or Camaro
What are your plans for the car if your next duty station is Germany? ROFL
Army will ship a pov overseas
after the first year, try maybe first contract
I served 4 years in the Marines. Currently in the Army and so far this has been a massive mistake. Being in the military married is a miserable life if you actually care about your family. No one ants to join anymore and I can’t say they’re wrong.
I’m currently trying to decide between a private security job and the army lol. I’m so conflicted
11 years in the military and 14 years being married only got me, the wife left me.
I’m glad I finally got out ashamed of my retirement yet the insurance is good. 20 years for……🤷🏼♂️
I love my freedom now. 👍🏻
Same here, I don't regret the benefits I'm recieving (retirement, disabiliy pay) but if I had to do it over again I wouldn't join.@@handyearly3653
I served for 12 years active duty Army and got out. I was married with two kids, I don't know if you have kids too but I didn't want to throw that time away, I mean I was 8 years away from a pension so I did 8 more in the Reserves. Even that was a challenge because it's run where things don't get done. For example, if you have a problem with your clearance, well nobody helped me. Anyway I'm just a retired SGT / E-5 and I retired in 2018.
Should I go marines or army ranger
There were times I ached to get out for various reasons, toxic leadership and barracks being the top 2. But even then, I never said I regretted signing up. I now have a house with affordable payments thanks to the VA loan insurance and I have my bachelor's degree thanks to the GI Bill. The Army, for all its faults, was for me anyway, a good place to start, but not stay.
I agree. it's a good steppingstone, but not to make it a career.
You're one of the lucky ones who actually got what they were promised. I live in a building with roughly 147 other veterans that didn't get what they were promised and were homeless for many years. We average two deaths per month in this building.
@@cactusjack9574work experience from the military is useless. Unless you have support from family when you come back you will be homeless if you live in NYC or LA. You make less money than people working at McDonald's seriously so it's very hard to save.
thats what i’ve been looking for, a place to start
Well said, yes all those benefits mean a hell of a lot in the end.
I was abused in the army. Extremely apathetic leadership that did not care that I tried really hard. Until I didn't
🥺
They dont care about dead civillians and that wasnt a dealbreaker to you so...
😂😂😂
Thanks for your service. I had some rough times myself, and some medical issues but I served 12 years active duty and 8 more Reserves so I could retire in 2018.
I understand and your story will help others.
That is why join AIR FORCE/SPACE FORCE/COAST GUARD.
Increase pay, plain and simple increase the damn pay.
If you look at the military pay charts understand those are just base pay charts. You get housing pay separate it's not on there. If an E-1 Private that's just going into the Army gets a base pay of $23,000 a year that's not including housing pay, usually barracks but it's like getting an apartment. And 3 meals a day (free) and free medical. Know what you're talking about before you just start saying something. Also you'll be an E-3 / PFC in one year or less. You'll be a Specialist / E-4 in 2 years. All promotions pay more. If you're high speed you'll be an E-5 / Sergeant in 3 years. That's the rank I was but it took me a lot longer than that to get it.
@@metalmike570 ahhh no your sharing a room with 2-3 people not only that you could be working 12 hour days the pay is a joke and especially in the army you ain’t staying in no Hilton hotel you staying in some bs
@@tanner9956 I think they get an allotment (pay) for housing, as an alternative to a barracks / apartment. The single soldiers I knew were going two to an apartment off base. The base was in northern Virginia, I was on the base in post housing, for a family. The guys had it pretty good but physical training is always required. It's like see you at 0600 and we did an hour of PT. Then we went to our residences and did personal hygiene and started work at 0900. We were released at 1800 (6pm). In a way you're right because that's 12 hours but there was some time back home in the morning. I don't advise being married in the military until you have like 10 years of service but yeah you won't see her much.
Now quite a few women are serving too. I'm retired but I retired form the Reserves because after 12 years for me it was time to get out!!! I started at an older age already so I was ready to go. Then 8 more in the Reserves so I got 20, I'm done.
More like reduce current standing army and increase the pay for the rest.
Our military is too big plain and simple and this country has other needs aside from bombing 16yr olds with predator drones.
@@tanner9956 I mean lets be honest, whats the difference in the civillian world? I currently work 12s and get shit pay?
Do not join the Army if you're spouse is pressuring you to join for their financial security, and you did not want to join before that. That doesn't end well.
The more I watch your videos about the contemporary army I realize that the army I served in was vastly different. I went in out of high school in 72 at the end of Vietnam. I did 6 years, 72 - 78. The draft ended in 73 and things were very relaxed, or "laid back" in the vernacular of the times. Hair was longer, PT was nonexistent. I fired a weapon one time after basic in my 6 year stint. I took part in 3 field exercises that were on weekends, and we didn't do much but erect tents, get some instruction on field duty, take tents down and return to garrison. The workday was pretty much 8 - 5. We rarely had morning formations. Except for the first year, I lived off post and never had a barracks inspection. It was transitional time in the army.
That was literally one of the BEST times in the Army!
Nowadays - being in the Army more akin to being in prison. You were seriously lucky to serve then!
I’ll say this, after High School 1987 till after Desert Storm. The Army was outstanding and I missed that. I came back in in 2006 and was shocked how unprofessional it was. I’m glad I retired now, and won’t miss it at all now.
Thanks for sharing, it's a unique perspective. I joined at an older age and served for 12 years, 1998 to 2010. And then another 8 in the Reserves. I was a SGT since 2006, and then in the Reserves the same rank. In the Reserves I had to change units more than once, change MOS's too, all those delays held me back from getting promotable, but instead of going to ALC (Advanced Leaders Course) and then get promoted - because they finally set me up for it, I declined because the 20 years of Service letter came in. So I just retired.
@@handyearly3653 The power tripping superiors and random BS always remained though.
Geez, you sure you weren't in the Air Force?
I was blessed with amazing leadership and they informed me on how to be a solid platoon sergeant and eventually (from what I’ve been told) a great officer. The infantry is tough but good leadership makes all the difference in the world.
I wish I was Infantry when I was in because the guys are close knit, much better teamwork than the MOS's I was, except when I was in an Armored Cavalry Unit, when my MOS was 63T. Except I froze around my Sergeant I got alienated by him. Long story and I chose to reclass.
Not blessed but luck
This is a very honest and thoughtful video. I did 24 years, and just retired last summer. How did I do it? I had a priority in my head about location, location, location! When you sign any contract, you need to make sure the location you truly desire is in writing. I came in with orders to Europe because I insisted it be my first assignment. I also had a flexible attitude with “leaders” in the Army. Some were amazing people, some were average, and some were atrocious. I just kept going because I knew eventually I would be working for people in powerful places who not only saw how hard I worked, but they also recognized my abilities both in formal evaluations and personnel/admin requests. It’s one thing to move mountains and be supervised by losers who don’t care. But it’s a whole other universe when you move mountains, and powerful people recognize and support you for what you do. The key is to find a way to work for great people who have power, and kick your own ass while helping them achieve command directives. That’s how I maintained my sanity. Yes, there were a lot of BAD HOURS, where I worked 5 PM to 7 AM for many months on end, but the people I worked for really appreciated my work and helped me out when I needed it.
I kinda regret joining I've never been so disappointed
My father who was in the 25th infantry division tried to unalive himself just to get out
When I went to bct I told myself I was gonna shoot my foot just to get kicked out due to the fact that I didn't know there was a 8 year obligation
I realized it was a bad thing when I reported to my first duty station as a medical direct commission officer realizing our civilian counterparts are changing lives, making medical achievements and here we are worrying about a beret and name tapes.
What side of military do you not understand?
Officer is still the best position to be in especially a medical officer. Congratulations
on this achievement.
I'm in the army reserves so I only go part time and two weeks a year. I like it because it keeps me in shape, I used my educational benefits, my insurance, and the VA loan.
You can be deployed be ready for that.
@@kellentaylor7315 I have been deployed one time and I went to Dubai. I loved it.
@@vincentmatlock9115 I figured you were deployed because you said the benefits you're using. I heard that to get them you need 1 deployment. I was in the Reserves for 8 years and didn't need to deploy for the benefits because I was active duty (Regular Army) for several years before that.
@@metalmike570Those benefits also open up to veterans who served at least a 6 year enlistment in the reserves.
@@HelpingUSMilitaryVets That's well worth the 6 year enlistment. Those benefits like the VA loan and the VA healthcare can be life savers. No BS -
facts.
I regret choosing a combat MOS. Mine was combat engineer & I hated it but the recruiter said I would be a construction engineer. What a POS. 😠
Damn. I would talk people out of combat mos' when they said that's what they want to do.
😂
8 years of active duty in the early 80's-early 90's as a 19D/19K left me with tinnitus, a bad shoulder and herniated discs in my back. These all happened when I was at my physical peak best shape, so yes if you're in a combat MOS, Army service is hard on the body !! That's not even taking into account the occasional bruise, or stained-torn muscles and other small injuries. They all add up over time.
Oh you Scout guys...! Never understood why you would go Scout when you could go Infantry...same thing same danger, different units and all. Sorry to learn you have all the physical stuff.
I constantly listen to a radio or earbuds in order to drown out the tinnitus. I was Field Artillery.
Because, if you and cav you ain’t isht, besides that, infantry does a lot more walking , cav gets the fancy hats and spurs and all the chicks at the bar.
Make sure you file your VA claims so at least you get some compensation.
If you're in a combat Mos 😂 yaeh okay. 9 months in a year I was in the field sleeping in dirt coveted is jp8 as a fueler. Then I was overseas and lived through an airstrike but yaeh us pogs don't do shit we can just be murdered and it doesn't mean shit
35years ago, I worked six days a week as a mechanic in the Army. Those were twelve hour days. In the field, we worked every day, and sometimes we worked 24-36 hours at a whack. I didn’t need much rest or sleep back then. I never thought my job was hard, but, i recognized, not near everybody worked as hard as we did. Difference was, when I got out, and to this day, I had a job as a heavy equipment mechanic. The Army may not be nearly be the same, but, I am grateful for my short four years
Been in for 13 years. It's a great stepping stone for some. For others it's a career opportunity it's for you to decide. Just make that decision on your own and don't blame anyone else for the choices YOU make.
Or just don't make the decision & don't join at all. For some it means having PTSD, becoming homeless; with drug and alcohol problems after getting out because the VA dropped the ball on them and the military lied to them. Most of the veterans I've met in the homeless shelters where I do volunteer work didn't "choose" to get lied to.
@@liquidbraino as I said it is up to the individual to decide. Their life their choice.
@@m0didit And as an already said - nobody "decides" to get lied to.
@@liquidbraino if someone feels that they are being lied to when the documents are in their face that they have to sign both with a pen and via digital means in person than that person needs to learn to read. The same applies with those who sign for ridiculous car loans or student loans and cry wolf when they are hit with outrageous APR's. This even applies to mortgages with a variable APR. Everyone is responsible for their own decisions/actions. I've had great times and bad times but I don't blame anyone but myself for the things I do. Accountability of actions.
@@m0didit So you're trying to say that recruiters NEVER LIE? You never served if that's what you think.
The Army today, is a means to an end. Mainly for the GI bill. Go in, do your four years, get your free college and get out. Careers are still there but it's just not worth the stress or politics anymore. Go infantry if you want to be tested a bit. Seek other schooling/ courses while in to pamp up the resume when you're out. (Airborne, Ranger School etc.)
Well done! It’s always better to think through these things and join better prepared because it is all NOT sunshine and rainbows. Super job!
The guarantee of knee injury if you go Airborne really got me sad : (
@@cornpugg 🥺🤦🏿♂️🤦🏻
Me too :( I got airborne in my contract, will be going to school in may and now I’m a little scared
@@iselaserr RIP
@@iselaserr Ahhh you'll be fine!
@@iselaserr How are you doing now?
I’m glad I got out. Army was definitely not for me
Well, time to try the Marines; and if that also doesn't work, time to join the French Foreign Legion
Would never know unless you tried. Thanks for your service either way brother.
I'm glad I am a quitter and got out of basic training of the US ARMY.
The army is a joke.
It's for people who have not accomplished anything in life, a bunch of nobody's, people that play a lot of Call of Duty video game fanatics as if it is a video game/t.v. show/movie, pathetic people, try hards, etc.
@@garouuchiha4041 I think 90% of them join for the College Fund / GI Bill. So 90% of them get out after the first enlistment.
@metalmike570 Best go to AIR FORCE/SPACE FORCE/COAST GUARD but why ARMY and especially combat MOS's
I have a friend who was a scout the hummer he was in hit an IED and landed into a river he jumped in saved the LT but the LT was awarded for saving the squad , the LT was underwater .
Yeah I remember the feeling when I learned the real value of medals/awards. Met my fair share of Officer sycophants that their only job they were good at was ingratiating superiors. For all their d*ck sucking endeavors earned a bronze star for the deployment. If a medal doesn't have a V on it, I'm dubious of their 'achievements'.
That's BS.
His story is bs
Typical scout behavior.
Sounds like the army. I was a scout too. Enlisted people in the military get treated like crap with zero recognition
I was in the army for 8 years and don’t miss it I strongly discourage people from joining I think navy and Air Force are better options
It really is, I should have chose Air force which was my original plan. But I was homeless and I chose the army but I got out and didn't finish basic and then homeless again and no I am forced to join army again, I am struggling and don't wanna be homeless again. But I am planning to join army then transfer to the air force.
Best informative channel if you have any questions about the Army bar none. Very happy about my subscription to this channel it really helps. I used to serve and the major downside what was mentioned previously in the video is some of the corruption that does happen in some areas, it did happen in my platoon. Secondly its very hard on relationships and family situations especially if you are stationed in Fort Campbell that has a high deployment rate. My word of advice; DONT ENLIST IF YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO A LOVED ONE. I've seen one guy just fall completely apart when I was in AIT because he joined on a whim without thinking it through when he left his family. Plus if there is something is going on with your family you might not beable to respond right away because you are stuck in the field and your Platoon SgT is being a (you know what) won't let you.
P.s. its best to enlist if you are single and just focusing on yourself.
Being a kid and growing up in the crack era, I heavily regretted not joining the military. I’ve always got bad advice about our military. The pride we had in our neighborhood could’ve been spent in serving our country. As a youth, I went to jail for murder and lost countless amount of friends, either long periods of incarceration or death. Even though I was able to get back on track (thanks to The Most High) a part of still somewhat regret not serving.
I’m so glad I’m a Weekend Warrior with the National Guard
my boyyyyyyyyyyyy lmaooooooo same here
How long did it take you to get Sgt?
Im thinking about going guard and becoming an officer within the next year!
In 1998 I went in the Army at age 33 after working more than a decade in a casino or 2 or 3 in Atlantic City, NJ. I was a 63T for 4 years at Fort Carson, and reclassed just after 9/11 to a 25S and still stayed stateside. I made E-5 in 2006 and served another 4 active years. Then I went straight in the Reserves I still had a good clearance for only a couple more years, but because of some BS things I lost my clearance but managed to serve 5 years in a unit, but they cleaned house and I served for 3 more years in a totatlly different unit with a year in limbo at a temporary unit that was Supply. That's 20 years still only an E-5. I turned down ALC because of the 20 year completion time. Filed more VA claims and went 100% and mostly retired from everything by 2019. And had gotten a divorce as well.
I had average jobs and got fired 4 times in 6 or 7 years. I filed for PTSD but got rated for anxiety and depression and moved away from my family 2 different times. I got rated for a stab wound too that happened before ETsing from active duty!!
1) Technically you can get fired but you have to try reaaaallllllyyyyy reaaaalllllyyyyy haaaaarrrrd. - If one manages to pull off such thing, this may not look good on them in civilian world (depending on severity), however not impossible to get back on their twos unless they got some sort of disability. For example: Paul Whelan. - That guy got Bad Chicken Dinner and by all accounts was total POS, and somehow made it to E-7. However, he managed to work his way up all the way to big corpo "Security Advisor" position.
2) Well... statistically, more people in the military die from non-combat related accidents and diseases, even in war time (even in the past wars, before the advancements of modern medicine). So, dying or getting seriously injuries is there. I got multiple TBIs from being at the wrong place and wrong time and nowhere near (obviously not at my own fault). I am fortunate Uncle Sam did help me. One will have much higher chance of dying from the jelly donut past expiration date after breakfast in DFAC, than being shot in combat.
3) Funny thing. - It is factually proven that very few deaths come from direct close combat in the military. Uncle Sam did studies on it (to address the problem) and found out that, people are simply "Not That Good and Unwilling at Killing Each Other (very Inefficient)". But when it comes to indirect killing, that seems to have massive reversal. - Artillery (including mortars) is No.1 killer, followed by Aviation and Armor. Same goes to civilian world. It is easier to kill someone psychologically, if one can do so indirectly. - it much easier.
4 and 5 nothing to add there. - Pretty much common all across, however also wildly inconsistent. One could be Paper Pusher and work in some backwater hangar with very few things going on, or Infantryman who is stuck on conax duty in the motorpool for eternity. Furthermore, what is not mentioned some "Stupid Shit" one has to do by Recruiters, specifically to avoid recruits from backing out. - It is called Temporary Additional Duty (TAD). That's where one might definitely end up regretting their decision to join.
I'll give 5 of my own:
1) High Year Tenure - Means you can only serve so long at certain rank and to the certain point (even with current extensions due to the lack of manpower). HYT adds more pressure (especially for old timers in their time), creating the culture of "Rankism" in the military. US Army used to have Specialist Ranks all the way up to "Specialist E-9" to get around this problem and then done away with it. A lot of kids seem to join the army to "Skate or Wing it through on the breezy ride". I.E. "I do my time and be going". In reality you cannot join military with passive attitude and Uncle Sam heavily encourages it. In The Army and Air Force is the easiest. - Automatic promotion as long someone is not Eff Up based on time in service until the rank of Specialist. Coast Guard, Navy - the same thing until E -3. Then you have to take the stupid knowledge test, that doesn't really measure anything that have to do with aptitude for (Junior E-4 position) Leadership. Marines' kind of runs Army and Air Force to E-4 but it is a bit harder to get promoted there and every marine is scrutinized pretty much through entire promotion process. So, if someone who just too timid, and doesn't have any ambitions with "Uhh... I dunno, I am just here for GI Bill" attitude will have much harder time.
2) Back to the previously Mentioned TAD. - For example, US Navy. Recruiters Loathe to speak about the infamous TAD. The main one is called "Mess Cranking". US Army had similar KP duty, but it was replaced with civilians. in US Navy and Coast Guard.... well, you are stuck working long hours (Forbid whatever Higher Power on Aircraft Carrier) with no end in sight until you get past E-5 with Surface Warfare badge (that you have to study for while operating washing machines, opening tens of thousands of cans of tomato sauce, carrying bags of trash up and down the stairs of the ship). - The only exception to that is if you got the rating or position that badly needs to fill the slot.
3) Banal but needs to be mentioned. - Pay. Steady Paycheck from Uncle Sam, but in comparison to civilian world you could be earning a lot more, especially if you managed to find the jobs in similar fields. For example, 88M truck driver could be earning way past 50,000 dollars starting from some trucking company, from the get-go, unlike Joe Snuffy Private with measly 1000 dollars after taxes. Even EMTs may start with 15 Dollars and hour and get overtime pay. That alone wouldn't come anywhere to mention something like E-1 in rank in any branch Electronics Specialist or some sort of Construction Engineer. Simple rifleman on the guard duty somewhere in Kuwait could earn up to 100,000 from some Private Contractor.
4) Stupid way of promotion. - It's just that. For example, US Navy Advancement Exam. - WTF? Really? Whoever scores the highest and as long as they meet minimum, you are Gold. US Army's NCO board? - Stupidest questions ever (for example I was asked the exact 10-digit coordinates of the room I was in. - Luckily, I had "The Insider" who warned me ahead and learned just that. I also knew the guy who passed The Board simply because he did Combat Roll and saluted the board) and it is not because they want to test you on your skills. The "Senior Peers" are literally psychologically pressuring you, to see how you handle yourself under pressure. Ass kissers and Assholes tend to be promoted the most and the fastest for some reason as well, discouraging many people from re-enlisting all because leadership is either "What can you do for me" or "Like that Girl, who thinks she can change that Bad Boy" when seeing A-hole (who seem more confident on the face value) gunning for promotion.
5) Boredom - A lot of people join military expecting anything in-between "Being Rambo(ing) Fantasy - I get to Travel the World/Exotic Countries, meet exotic people, and... either eff them or kill them?" In reality just like someone described WWI, it does apply to military service. - Even if you are stationed someone (lucky SOB) in Vincenza Italy, or Hawaii it is still "Long if not Months Hours of Boredom, dotted with rare moments of sheer horror (massive mental pressure)". Military for 90% is very predictable and monotone job, unless someone FUBAR something deliberately or by accident.
6) Relationships - Factually military service members have the highest level of divorce rates for very good reason. Lack of proximity (time loss) to close people, to bad and retarded work hours (How about that CQ duty for Christmas when you planned for Threesome with your bi wife and her married girlfriend ideepthroat style? - Just kidding... family Christmas Evening with family giving Gifts to each other).
Actually you don’t have to try really hard to get “fired” from the Army: just don’t make height/weight - and you’ll be out with a less than honorable discharge before you can blink.
@@The-Shadow-Realm I don't know what branch you served in, I can concede that varies, but in something like Navy and in my time US Army (although one of those periods was also where they was downsizing) they'll do anything in their power. Family member of mine for example LS in the Navy, got morbidly obese. Not a bad person and not lazy, just poor food disciple and eating disorder. Got flagged, but passed Advancement Exams with high marks. Did not get selected from promotion. The time was around 2015 and all they did was footballing the said person from one department to the other, while passing sailor's PT tests (the ugly secret about Navy's PT test is scores are counted by battle buddies and not by NCOs), so when it came time for that, the aforementioned person was given "Retests" with alternate events and always marked as passed but flagged for height and weight. Why? Uncle Sam's Navy needed them really bad. This is the normal trend when personnel is short.
I was a 19k tank crewmen for 8 years it was good times and bad after two deployments 15 months in Iraq and 9 in Afghanistan my time being in Germany was the best times of my life and I miss the comradeship the most you don’t find that in the civilian world I regret I did not do 20 years but such as life I have a family now and life is not as stressful
In 1998 I went in the Army at age 33 after working more than a decade in a casino or 2 or 3 in Atlantic City, NJ. I was a 63T for 4 years at Fort Carson, and reclassed just after 9/11 to a 25S and still stayed stateside. I made E-5 in 2006 and served another 4 active years. Then I went straight in the Reserves I still had a good clearance for only a couple more years, but because of some BS things I lost my clearance but managed to serve 5 years in a unit, but they cleaned house and I served for 3 more years in a totatlly different unit with a year in limbo at a temporary unit that was Supply. That's 20 years still only an E-5. I turned down ALC because of the 20 year completion time. Filed more VA claims and went 100% and mostly retired from everything by 2019. And had gotten a divorce as well.
I had average jobs and got fired 4 times in 6 or 7 years. I filed for PTSD but got rated for anxiety and depression and moved away from my family 2 different times. I got rated for a stab wound too that happened before ETsing from active duty!!
One thing on the "it's a steady paycheck you can't get fired from," when he said the one downside to that is that you can't quit, there's also the other con of your coworkers can't get fired either.
rather be in the army than end up homeless because I can't get a job and don't have enough money for college education 🤣🤣
To me its if you have the motivation and the attitude to join. I have mad respect to anyone who served in the military. You join to serve and protect. You join to lead and become a better person who has no idea. It's a matter of fortitude and honor. That's why I joined doing something most dont have the balls to do
Don’t have the balls to do? If I choose not to ask a girl out, does that mean I am intimidated by her? No it means I’m not interested in dealing with her BS. It means she is such a pain in the butt that the costs outweigh the benefits. Same goes for the military. To some people it is worth it and to others it is not.
@@jgtheman84
Exactly
Yeah, I’m someone who’s in it currently and wants to get tf out
Good points... I did 20+ years (starting with a couple RVN tours and retiring in the late 80s) and knowing what I know now, I probably would do a few things differently and would consider 30 years, but no sour grapes... although I wasn't a stellar senior NCO, the Army did okay by me... unlike many, I thoroughly enjoyed field and "exciting" deployments; even when stuck in REMF assignments, I could find enough TDY's to liven things up... but its not for everyone...
I signed a 12 year national guard contract. Dear lord I want out
You messed up by going national guard. 😂
I think im ok. I leave September 12th and I know some days are just gonna suck but I believe I'm mentally prepared for that just got to embrace it
What’s your MOS?
I ship out on the 12th too, I’m going to South Carolina for boot camp
Don't worry, you'll still be surprised. Shit happens and it gets ridiculous.
good luck, 😔
Just do your BEST,TROOPER. And enjoy the RIDE !!! LOL. I served in both the navy & army,if I can do it,ANYBODY can do it !!! LOL.
I enjoyed my time in the military, I was a Infantryman. Loved it. I would do it again.
7 years of service i get out in december work wise is the easiest thing i have done in my life. Dealing with some of the politics its not worth it.
Definitely the easiest job. Feel lazy
Facts
Easy?
Ok POG, Lol!
@@liquidbraino shit easy do PT go sit in the woods inventory stuff multiple times for no reason shit is easy no thinking required study stupid rules to get promotable/promoted. Go over seas for a couple of months shit easy and brain dead. No fighting going on. Dealing with the people is the hard part and that why I’m getting out. Takes too much time doing task that seem pointless.
@@CydonianKnights11 What's your M.O.S.?
You will never get paid for what your worth.
One reason I would say not to join the Army, or the military in general, is time away from family. I've seen people go through some horrendous personal problems and no matter what they did were still dragged to the field 1-2 months. Same goes for deployment. You could take a sick day in the civilian world(not sure about people who work in management) and not get bothered the whole time you are off...in the military they can cancel your "time off" and pull you back into the grind if something goes off. Seen that happen too.
Yeah there's the threat of getting fired or the company going under in the civilian world and thus while in the military you have that job security, you also have the issue of assuming responsibility of things that aren't your fault. If someone refuses to show up for their shift(in my case) you will get blown up about it. Whenever I took leave, didn't matter even on Terminal Leave, I got harassed because of something that was screwed up.
🤔
If a family is more important than your oath/service, then avoid the service. WalMart is hiring.
I'd be disinclined to start a family, had I taken an oath to risk my life.
@@davidrhoads3023
Cool.
I never intended to make the military a career. I don't regret the time served, but it is not for people who want to raise kids. It can be a miserable time if you have a family.
@@davidrhoads3023 lol I’m in the army with a family. It’s not best for families I agree but you don’t know a persons situation for them to join in the first place.
First tour for a combat guy will end any relationship you are in. Trust me. Your life is in the field!
I‘m getting out in 7 months and that’s all I’m thinking about. I would not encourage anyone to join.
Don't join if you hate running and if you have anger problems.
You will likely get enough anger problems in the military as it is. And probably more in the Army than say the Air Force because of the extra crap the Army has that the Air Force doesnt
No, not really but it's more like don't join ARMY if you cannot put up with dumbsh*t. The stupidity.
I enlisted during senior year. I had uneducated parents and in the 90s no internet so didn't know how to make college happen much less afford it. Recruited laid out the road map to college and so I felt I had no choice. Here's My Experience Serving from June 1998- June 2002 (Didn't serve in Combat)
Good things:
Get VA benefits
VA home loan
Used every MGIB & Army College Fund + Kicker for College penny
No College Debt
Got BS In Aerospace Engineering and Also Masters in Aerospace Engineering FREE.
Matured a little bit
Got interested in Travel
Bad Things:
Slowed down Civilian career 4 years
Loss of Freedom 4 years
Annoying Details forever
Lack of Privacy
Mistreated at times from people who out rank me.
Having to take orders from ppl I knew were dumber than me.
Separated from Family
For me it felt like a decent trade off, but I hated it while I was in. Longest 4 years of my life.
I joined the Army back in 2003 , I was a combat medic my first duty station was Fort Steward GA . To be honest my first duty station wasn’t so bad I actually liked it a lot , we did deploy to Iraq 8 months after I got there and Iraq 🇮🇶 was one hell of an experience 😮💨 . 7 months after after leaving Iraq I got stationed in Bamberg Germany 🇩🇪. I loved Germany but I hated the unit I was in , toxic leadership and everything that comes with it . I did a 15 month deployment to Afghanistan 🇦🇫 with my unit in Germany and after that I got the hell out but in a nutshell I can’t say the Army was bad , it all depends on the leadership and the chain of command that you’ll fall underneath. I can say this as of now I’m 100% service connected now so I’m still benefiting from serving 😉 .
I had a very similar experience in my active duty time, in my active reserve unit I like it a lot now.
The only reason you've got 100% service connected is because they couldn't find any way to cover it up, deny that it ever happened; lie on their paperwork and deliberately lose documents (like X-rays). But if they could have they would have; they do it all the time, they've been doing it to me since 2013. I gave up and said "screw it, it's not worth the hassle".
@@liquidbraino I used to be this way but did the paperwork. They gave me 100 because I did the medical stuff with a civilian doctor. Hire a lawyer. I am a social worker so I knew what to do to get my benefits.
Sounds like you were a sick call warrior LOL no offense. Im fighting with lawyers with my own mris and xrays but I never went to sick call to have a majority of this stuff documented.
@@XsteiN187 Goodluck
I considered joining, but when the recruiter lied to me, then I called them on it and pulled out my phone showing the opposite of what they told me they said with a quick google search. "That's just how it is in the army." was all they said. I thanked them for there time and told them to F off and left.
I did 6.5 years as a 91b with 2 rotations in Germany and Kuwait. I did not enjoy most of my time because I did not get to go to certain school. You will spend a lot of time away from family so be prepared for that.
The other thing is if people don't like you for whatever reason they have 24/7 /365 access to you until your contract is done.
True, that is why best to know how to fight, don't trust anyone.
I sat around in a motorpool from 0930 to 1700-1800 (that or in the company bay)
Pmcs’d the same deadlined truck for months, was told there was no slots for schools but the second a new LT showed up they magically did. It felt like a waste of time.
I get it believe me I was a Bradley Fihgting Vehicle Mechanic the first 4 years I was in. I really began hating that damn motorpoole around the third year there. And I kept getting a medical problem with my left ear but I did have some problems with it even before the Army, The thing was I was stationed at a cold weather environment and it was aggravating the injury and the work, solvent in cleaning parts and draining fluids from them also aggravated me. My sinuses were causing the problem with the ear. I had to re-class because I actually wanted to stay in more. Well I was married and our daughter was born and I wanted to be sure that I had work.
Because this country isn’t worth fighting for anymore.
You dont have to pick a combat job.
If that's how you feel you find you a new country!
@@kenbradshaw7585 go back to school
@@garyhochstetler7082 any country that my family lives in, is a country worth fighting for.
Why are you here then?
When I was in basic a soldier and drill sergeant got killed during live grenade training, he didn't even make it out of basic training.
That has to be very rare though. When I threw my grenade in basic the Drill Sergeant pushed me down behind the wall along with him. Other than dropping the grenade next to you there's no other way you could get injured.
Well you actually can "quit" you'll basically out process and receive a chapter 11 discharge for a "failure to adapt to military lifestyle". BUT you have to do it before your 180 day mark in the military because after 180 days you're eligible for veteran benefits and they really don't want to let you go after that because they don't want someone to just quit after 181 days and get veterans benefits without completing their contract. So....
I met a guy that got 100 percent from basic training. Lol lucky sob.
My co-working was in the Air Force. He is a disabled veteran even though he never deployed or saw combat. He said it was because of medical malpractice that he was subjected to.
Regarding some of the wrong reasons to commit yourself to a military service contract, the very worst reason in my opinion (Retired military [Navy and Army and Navy Reserve and Guard]) is using such a means to escape from a personal problem because you're then left with multiple years of extreme regret that can lead to a life of destructive behavior, such as bad conduct discharge behaviors, drug and/or alcohol abuse, and the very worst act of desperation: suicide.
That's a lot of drama and trauma because you hastily joined the military immediately after a hard breakup from your girlfriend.
You can always quit, but there are consequences.
Here is my shortlist of people that should absolutely NOT JOIN THE ARMY:
Do NOT join the Army if you’re struggling with mental health issues. It WILL NOT help you overcome it or “find your purpose”. You just become a liability to yourself and the rest of us.
Do NOT join the Army if you have thin skin. When you join the Army you are the low man (or woman) on the totem pole. You will be treated like a child. You will be yelled at. You will have to put your ego aside at times and say “Roger that” and suck it up. If you aren’t capable of that, then do not join.
Do NOT join if you are someone who can’t accept responsibility when you fuck up, even if it’s something small. Being successful in the military requires you to accept responsibility and be a mature adult. If you’re the “….but it wasn’t my FaULt!” kinda person, then it ain’t for you.
Got yelled at by a major (think he’s a full bird now) and I absolutely deserved it. He apologized later, because I was a good soldier, but I f*d up. Fortunately it didn’t kill anyone, but I definitely could have.
Soft skin doesn’t exist.
I have bad hearing, my knees suck (I was airborne), my back, my shoulders, I have PTSD to some extent. It isn’t GI Joe stuff, it’s hard, it sucks, you gotta want to do it. Really want to.
You’ll get paid crap, the enemy won’t be nice, your friends will die, it’ll be hard… it isn’t for everyone.
I’d do it all over again.
Don’t join the army in general. To be concise, don’t join the army because the army doesn’t live up to its own army values. The army has no loyalty to you. A lot of members of the army aren’t going to give you respect; why risk your life for them. There’s too many career soldiers in the army, and that betrays the selfless service. A lot of experienced soldiers are treated with outright dishonor in the Army. Your duty? You’re going to get shit compensation, and you can’t unionize, but you will learn about Shamming. Integrity? The army right now doesn’t have the integrity to check itself of members who violate its so called values. I don’t wish to ramble, but the devil is in the details.
All the men who preach about needing a “thick skin” tend to be thin skinned when you throw shit back up at them that they throw down on you. You can be a pt. Stud, you can be a super soldier, you can deploy, and you can bend over backwards for the army, but the Army will fuck you in return. Want proof? Look at the individuals who are literally married to the Army. Then ask the disgruntled family men who get fucked over, and the dependents of the deceased who get whisked off base. There’s two kinds of people, there’s those who love the army so much that they can’t call out it’s bullshit, and they attack people and insinuate the shit like the guy above, and there’s those that see the army for what it is, or learn the hard way through experience how the corruptibility of humans taints the values that organizations like the army ought to live up to.
Fuck the Army.
P.s
Disgruntled vet
what about if you come from a bad place (streets) n have bad mental health issues but its the only escape for someone like me
I just tell people it really depends on the MOS you pick as some jobs in the Army are more relaxed compared to other but overall they all suck and for me its mainly on rank someone becomes an NCO or an officer and think theyre untouchable and make alot of calls that they dont realize damages the Army in the long run like you talked about "corruption" and now its becoming more of an issure as social media exposes these
@@bdo9285 I said they all suck and some jobs are more relaxed Compared to others Example is that Combat MOS sleep outside during Field exercises compared to "none" combat get to sleep in a building or Tent
I served 22 years in the Army. It was rewarding at the end, but my career was a daily struggle. There were days where I did not think that I would make it. My mental health has suffered at the end of it, but I have a pension, a nice VA compensation check. And I have a pretty good job thanks to Uncle Sam paying for college. But if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would not!!!
Same here, I don't regret the benefits I'm recieving (retirement, disabiliy pay) but if I had to do it over again I wouldn't join. Mental health did take a toll due to the toxic individuals in the military.
@@555125kevin the only thing that sucks is that I have a hard time enjoying life. I have the resources and time to do anything I want, but I just don’t have the energy.
Seems to me that you're doing the Army a real service, not just the casual viewer. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's not just the recruit that doesn't benefit from a bad fit. The army doesn't, either.
The Army is nothing but bad fits. You're acting like the Army a smooth running organization with a few misfits. The whole organization itself is effed up.
@Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO) Shut the hell up. You keep posting this same thing which you cut and pasted on every comment and it never has ANYTHING to do with the OP.
For me, basic morphed into AIT, dreaming of being in "permanent party". From frying pan to the fire, end up in Ft. Polk and Ft. Irwin. Never got easier, just gets you ready for the next day of hell.
Never ever going to miss Fort Polk and getting eaten up by fire ants! We are never ever getting back together!😅😂
I liked your five bad things but its true for all branches , I had really bad NCO,S and some officers at my last assignment and it made me want out fast as possible , I made E5 but had insubordination allowed by my platoon leader it was bad .
You can have the best experience ever, but you can also not have a good experience. It is what you make of it. It’s really not as bad as people make it seem
If you’re being abused there are programs like SHARP and EQUAL OPPORTUNITY that are available for you to confide in. You will be removed from the unit the incident occurred and place in a whole other battalion. If your leadership is bad, there are plenty of other higher up you can go to to make a report using open door policy. You receive support.
Doing 5 safety briefs wasting an extra hour of time before HBL.
You CAN quit. I did. They don't want to keep you if you don't want to be there.
#1 should be if you are not good at taking orders (or even direction), the military is not the place for you.
No...not necessarily because the list goes on.
Let congress fight the wars
As a overall take...it sucks in general, that's why i got out. Take what you can get from it if you're in and get out.
If you’re thinking of enlisting, read and consider this first:
I’d argue the Army (US) took a nosedive in terms of quality of life and overall worth when Selective Service (the “Draft”) ended in 1973.
Why?
Well - in the days of Selective Service (the “Draft”), especially from World War I through the Korean War there were:
-Basically no mandatory PT Tests or Height and Weight Tests that could stop your military career in an instant.
-There were more privileges such as lax uniform regulations.
-You could go out on the weekends in Basic Training.
-You could smoke and drink in Basic Training.
-You could drink in a combat theater.
-You didn’t have to do three years active duty plus five years reserve like today - you could do two years and then get out.
Those are just a few of the reasons how the Army was better in those days - and these are all things you can’t do anymore. Hell, now you can’t even blink without getting severely reprimanded. So really consider how much you want your life to suck - unless you hate literally no other option.
I’m 13 years old and I’ve been planning to join some branch of the military when I’m older. This video was useful because I’ve been thinking about joining the army. Frankly the only thing I might be stumped on is the first con because I have commitment issues. The rest I don’t have a problem with because I believe I’m a sociopath- so I don’t have any morals that say I won’t end the life of someone else. in self defense of corse. I also don’t value my life too much so the risk of my life being taken isn’t that much if an issue to me. I’m not too sure I’ll join the army. But I did find this video to be very insightful.
Don't listen to this dude, he's full of shit and was a sandbagger his entire career that's why he hates it, I am currently in and am an NCO, I promise you the Army is one of the best things you can do to get your life started
same
Military is not for everyone. Juss do one 4 yr Contract . Right place at the right time in the right uniform n get tf out wit them benefits 🫡😉
I only need 1 reason to join and that is to serve my country.
But no one cares, 98% Amerocans don't care.
Seeing a lot of folks here regretting the army lol got me double thinking commissioning as an officer. I think the benefits you get after service are a big bonus tho. Free education, VA loans and mortgage, health care etc..
That’s if you only reach 20yrs full active.. for those benefits your talking about.. if you don’t, you still got to pay some of the fees..😕
MariNate,don't let others views/opinions determine your decisions,find out for your self.If you don't want to go active military,go RESERVE or GUARD. GO-GET"EM TIGER !!! LOL.
@@powerbad696 I took that in consideration however overall my experience was bad and plus my leadership fail me. I got out after being disgruntled knowing I didn't belong there.
@@IFUKNOW123 the education is for everyone I thought?
I started out active duty enlisted, and ended up commissioning through OCS in the Guard. The benefits served me well, there’s no way I could have given birth to my three kids, gotten an MBA, and bought a house without my service. However, it all came with sacrifice, hard work, and hard decisions. I mean, doing college online until midnight while reporting to PT at 5:30, and missing so much of my children’s earlier childhood that I now see has impacted them in negative ways. Trying to make up for it now, but I just ended my 17 year marriage, and I’m not doing so well mentally or emotionally after dealing with PTSD related to other parts of my service.
Anything worth doing is going to be difficult, and life can also be hard choosing easier paths, in the end, you choose your own path. The army has been the greatest impact to making me who I am today, and I would make the same decision knowing what I know now despite the challenges and hardship.
I’m still joining but thanks for the video
I am planning on joining rangers like my father but thank you for the input.
I'm telling you, 11X is NOT the way to go.
From 11B at Fort Drum. Trust me, i've seen people tried.
@@tudo7762 I have been training every day I am prepared for this.
Noah. I like your confidence. This is not for everyone. If it was, everyone would do it. It is for men. Good luck out there. You will have loads of fun and leave your mark in this world. The people negatively commenting are mostly mentally weak.
@@tudo7762 Should’ve gone airborne at the least, leg can be a bad time
Simple answer why: THAT IS WHAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE FOR! YOU DON'T NEED FOOT SOLDIERS!
The POTUS can simply push a button. That is what Biden SHOULD do to Putin.
Look As a Vietnam veteran here I never thought I would be saying this but, No do not join the military now. I sat and saw the US. Cut and run again last August. Just as we left a message in Vietnam we did it again in Afghanistan.
Second between the New retirement plan, the low pay and all these woke agenda classes. I would have not enlisted except for the draft.
As of 2022 there is no legal requirement to serve. You need to register for the selective service system and obey the law.
If induction was brought back that is an other issue that you would deal with.
Plenty of new opportunities to serve others (ie) Volunteer Firefighter and EMT. Plenty of NGO'S to help. Just my take.
Yeah,the Afganistan with drawal was BS !!! And leaving all that GEAR was also BS !! US even went SOFT on terrorism in Iraq.
Thats exactly how i feel all those deaths then you just give up and let the enemy take it back.
What new retirement they have
@@sithninjacowboyranger9803 blended retirement through TSP.
Some of the most racist people I met in my life were in the Army and wanted the "woke" people to "know their place."
Loud noises, mandatory gym, feels I wouldn't have control of my life were some my reasons
Truth be said I went into the army after 9/11. And it is common that most people join the United States military to find romance but they end up with the reality of having to go to war.. I guess you can say I was one of those people in a sense that I didn't expect to get deployed when I went in during my time of service. I never went to war and I'm thankful for that but I never found romance while I was in the military.
Why the hell would anyone join the military to find romance unless you like dudes? And if that's the case why'd you join the Army instead of the Navy?
@@liquidbraino First of all I don't like dudes. Second, women are known to be fickle minded about a man in uniform. For instance, I am from Yuma Arizona which is where the US marine air station is. All of the local women wanted to marry US Marines especially aviators in the Marine Corps. You have movies like "An Officer and a Gentleman" that explains perfectly that statement. If you are a marine aviator, airforce aviator, naval aviator for instance, you are the answer to the dreams of the local women. So there are men that join the military for that reason.
@@KrazyC2008 Lol! I get that, I thought you were looking for romance IN the military. Yeah they do treat you like a superhero sometimes. I remember in the days that followed 9/11 we were being treated like rock stars and royalty. People honking their horns, waving flags, flashing tits at you while you're trying to stay focused, driving in a convoy (that actually happened to me). I guess everyone joins for their own personal reasons and I can't judge someone for having different reasons than my own.
I joined 4 years ago, and I got out this past February. I did get the GI Bill, and I’m using it now. I have a VA rating. However, I wake up most days questions if it was worth it? The mental trauma and instability changed me as a person, and how I use to function. The Army is full of toxic people, and you have to deal with it. In the civilian life, you have the choice to cut those type of people out of your life. I get people need money for school, but it will be a long 3 or 4 years.
Toxic people is right. People I would never ever associate with in the real world. Combat arms has the worse of the worse.
It depends on what kind of unit you are in also . In the motor pool we had a beer tent used to work in during the winter and for storage if two people were at each other's throats take off bdu too and hat no rank you we're even then just settle it there. It was a unit thing that happened here and there but not a lot.Of course we were overseas in the 80 s .
I’m hitting my 2yr mark at bragg and honestly it’s not bad . Yes you will have some toxic leadership or shitty leadership or great one. But there is alot of down time besides being in the field and the shitty pay is a big one that sucks . So it’s what you make out of it . If you know your job and good at it you will be fine . If you’re lazy and have a attitude you will have a hard time
I spent 3 years in the Army and 18 in the USAF. I discouraged my kids from joining the military. I had some good times and a lot of bad times. I saw things get worse over the years. I did 3 tours in Iraq and deployed to multiple other places. It was really hard on my family. The military demands your full loyalty, but they do not reciprocate. I was tossed away like a broken tool after I was injured in the line of duty on my last tour in Iraq. I had to fight to get any benefits. People are quick to say “thank you for your service “, but they don’t want to hire you for a job because they think disabled veterans have too much baggage.
*WHAT!? THAT WE SHOULD JOIN AS AN 11B!?!? OK*
WHAD YA SAY??
Callese
11B ALL THE WAY
I got out of the army some time ago. It wasn’t a terrible experience but it occurred to me that the military is the only job where if you screw up and get fired ( dishonorable discharge) it affects your chances at getting another job. For example if Amazon fires you , you can still get a job with the public sector. Not so if you get a dishonorable discharge. So give some deep thought before you raise your right hand.
Yeah you can quit in the civilian world but the next job will have toxic shitty people too because it’s everywhere. I’ve been in the workforce for a long time and worked many places and every job has at least one really bad Apple that’s difficult to deal with.
Hey, other than fire you, at least a toxic civilian boss can't do the same things to you that a boss in the military can do to you, and it's arguably more extreme in the Army and Marines.
I joined at age 34 in Ft Knox 2002. I was in for 9 weeks but only lasted 7.5 I failed weapons training test on which one must shoot 23 out of 40 to pass. I only shot 11 due to eyesight. Same for hand grenade tests for distance throwing in order to pass. I was considered unable to adapt to military life and given an uncharacterized discharge on my dd214. I was closeted there and did not talk about gay love or gay news. I am also Buddhist and there were no accommodations for Nichiren Buddhists (nam myoho renge kyo) . I had several crushes on solders and drill sergeants but kept it secret. This was during the DADT. But nonetheless it was tough being there. I was too old to join
Check! Airborne!!
Master Sargent 3rd/75th (retired) 1984/2014
4 bad marriages,3 children who don't talk to me, a broken body, nightmares for years, a inability to understand civilian life, constantly hearing from friends and family asking why I bark commands and lack of empathy, people asking me " what's like killing people?
I love being soldier, even when I hated a giving situation. But I concur, it's not for everyone. It was just my life, a life I'm proud of. HOOAH!
Rock On, Ranger! You are exactly the type the Rangers want and love. Hate to say it 'cause it's not good for your personal life, but I have seen it for years when I was in the Army.
Why don’t your children speak to you again?
@@johnstow5613 Because in their minds I loved the Army more than them,I was never home.I missed birthdays,holidays etc. They have alot of issues with me.
@@Gunslinger1875 I’m sorry about that. Were you always deployed far away from home? Did your wife poison their hearts against you? Do you have some kind of PTSD that prevents you from relating with them?
Rainbow flag is the US new flag
Another thing that makes a huge difference is married versus single' Be deployed on a moments notice is hard on a wife and kids in many ways that I won't go into here. When I was shipped out to Germany in 77 I saw firsthand the stress on families and I was glad I was single
I SERVED 22YEARS RETIRED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD & ALL I HAVE 2 SAY IS FIRST OF ALL IF U R NOT SURE U WANT 2 JOIN THE MILITARY DO NOT JOIN IF U R NOT SURE PLANE & SIMPLE
You can easily leave the situation in the army you can get moved to another unit
Pops told me... Join whatever service you want...""Just Don't Join the Army"...….Marines Corps?
Weak
Actually you can quit. You can go ahead and go to your commander and say “i dont want to be in the army” or your platoon sgt. They can get all the paperwork done for you.
I’m not in the military but that sounds easier said than done
Easy for you to say!
Yep, my soldier did it. The detachment chief said one day before deployment, to get with him offline if you wanted out. A couple weeks to a month later he was out.
Could someone please clarify what abusive leadership looks like so that I can look out for that? I mean I would hope it's not physical (like fighting not constant smoking).
Micro managing is a big one
If you're going to join at all sign up for the shortest obligation you can so that if you're not happy with your current unit you can tell the Retention NCO that you're not going to reenlist unless they can promise you a transfer to a unit of your choice and/or a new M.O.S.
That's what my plan was except that I signed up for eight years and was going to demand that I got to either try out for Special Forces or PSYOP - or I'm not gonna reenlist. They couldn't guarantee that I'd even get to do SFQ so I said "Fu-Q" and discharged after completing my initial obligation.
Well lets take the fact i was told to smoke myself on deployment, or someone using their rank to not show up to work because "they deserve that" or even the commander went home to chill till 11 at night for an inventory that didnt end till 1 am and told 0630 pt. i have many more but im on meds so its hard for me to remember
Don't join. It's a waste of time. Everything Andrew Tate said about joining the Marines, applies to the Army as well.
Gonna be forced to take the v too
Not sure how it's a waste of time or how Andrew tate is a reliable source for information.
1-5 Sounds like I would finally getting paid for my everyday life
This new woke Army is not something I would be a part of.
Yes. There are bad things about it but that’s why they say: it’s not for everyone.
It's definitely not for the 37,252 military veterans that are homeless right now. Only 7% of Americans claim veteran status, but nearly 13% of the homeless adult population are veterans.
@@liquidbraino SMH 🥺
@liquidbraino If you become homeless after being in today's army, then you probably just suck at managing your money.
@@liquidbraino their fault, I know plenty of vets that have houses they wouldnt be able to get without the VA loan
Ship out on the 12th, so wish me luck!