Military Career. What are the pros and cons of this job?

[thegreenyogi]

I'm not just referring to practical but also emotional and mental health advantages and disadvantages too.

[whiskeyontherocks]

Personally I still think of it as the best worst decision I’ve ever made and I kinda embraced how bad it was. I think of it this way, no good story starts or ends with everything was perfect.
And pushing yourself to your full potential is going to be hard. And the tempo in the military can be stop and go at break neck speed especially in times of war.


Pros
Exposure to multiple cultures personalities and learn to not only get along but thrive with them. Something more people need to learn. The barracks has more cultural diversity than universities.
Tuition assistance or coverage, and other non traditional education that has the potential to assist with life.
More leadership potential when applied in civilian careers.
Friends that will kill for you and trained to do so.
Not all but most hold them selves to a higher standard than when they went in. Think everyone I served with came out a better person overall even with some of the struggles.
Blow shit up and get really comfortable with different weapons systems. Learn defense / offense that can be applied to protect one’s self and family & friends. Including situational awareness to avoid risk.


Being in a club that is currently less than 1% of the population. And all of us have pretty much the same inside jokes across all branches of service.
Really dark humor like dirty jokes at a funeral dark.
Unlimited food a majority of the time…
Paid to be fit




Cons
High probability of PTSD
You’re going to lose friends
You’re broke the first year. It gets better if you manage your money.
Relationships are hard
You’re going to outgrow all your friends they might catch up in about 4-5 years
Family will be a close second while you’re military family/ duty starts taking priority.
You won’t be in the same place for very long let alone the same time zone. This was actually a positive at times.
No one gets it! you really just need to get used to everyone trying to relate to you and it doesn’t matter.


This is the big one when you get out after you get over the excitement of being free you won’t be able to place it something is not right. It took me years to realize it was the loneliness of not living working eating with the same people for years.
It’s not overwhelming or anything it just pokes at you why is it so quiet and where is everyone. I was out for 2 years before that feeling went away.


I could go on with pros and cons but even with the worst of times that I personally experienced
I would definitely do it again if needed

[McLlovin]

Pro

you can stay in the barracks rent free, but depending on your post it may or may not suck its hit or miss. So if you’re smart you can save money up. and also cafeteria provides free food. However They take it out your pay each month which you can opt out, but then you got to pay to eat at cafeteria aka defac

of course you can also go to school while in depending again on the post and current personal demand.

they also provide a thrift savings plan t's the Army's version of a 401(k)—a federal government-sponsored retirement savings and investment plan available to service members and federal employees

CONS

some leaders dont know how to lead well and making the Army experience suck even more.

Very Early wake up every morning

If you don’t like people constantly telling you what to do and keeping close tabs on you. This is definitely not for you.

Going to the field aka camping for training also can suck a hole lot. Taking a dump in the tree line in this scenario is normal. And you usually go for days without bathing. Its all apart of the experience and training.

i could go on and on but if you want advice you can private message me. Im a veteran

[thegreenyogi]

I didn't ask this question because I was looking for advice but thank you just the same. You're so young to be a veteran.

[FreyaRed]

We stay on brink of world war. It seems that going to military is completely foolish in time before the possible upcoming war. However if you think a little bit more and outside simple egoistic thinking patterns, you come to the conclusion that trained military personnel who can maintain war machines is from military perspective more valuable than cannon feeder of untrained conscription solder which land in the meat grinder. It's unlikely someone who can adjust optics of military equipment will be send as cheap drone target on the first front line like some forcefully conscripted """soldiers""" which have nearly zero value for generals.
Of the question is always if and where will you personally stay.

[XXblack88]

Well from what my mom gets in benefits she can go to any hospital and the VA will pay her medical bills she just has to call them and let them know what hospital, some stores/ restaurant offers a military discount usually not very big but every little bit helps, I think the military pay for your college but not 100% sure. down side if your not used to showering with other females your going to have to get used to it, nothing can be out of place, this isn't a job to get rich from. there's probably more that I haven't thought of.

[AI Opinion]

A military career offers structured growth, leadership skills, and a strong sense of duty. It provides financial benefits, education, and travel opportunities. Emotionally, it instills discipline and pride. However, challenges include potential combat exposure, frequent relocations, and time away from family. The high-pressure environment can lead to stress or mental health issues for some. Balancing personal life with demanding service commitments requires resilience. Overall, a military career can be highly rewarding but demands significant personal sacrifices.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Pros: money and a very clear career path


Cons: there is a very real chance you will be buried in your uniform, especially if the nation goes to war.

[OneViewpoint]

You have a very warped view of military service. No one ever joined the military to get rich. With that said, a lot of recruits are kids from poor rural or poor inner city areas with no decent options after high school and no money for a ridiculously expensive higher education. They aren't sifting through offers life a trust fund baby. They are grabbing the only lifeline offered. So from their perspective a lower middle class existence may look like "money".

75% of military never see combat. They are combat service support, combat support, intelligence, and admin folks plus other specialty roles in equipment development and testing. It takes a lot of resources to support combat operations.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Yeah, I’ve always said only 2 kinds of people join the military: the desperate and the stupid.

[OneViewpoint]

Well I was something else. I liked it. And I was very good at it. It took a while and a very high perch to see what we were actually doing. Then I got out. Most people never get to that vantage point to be able to connect the dots between civilian government, corporate greed, and the use of military power.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Okay lol

[OneViewpoint]

Way too lengthy a conversation to post here. There are all sorts of nuances and variables that 97% of the population couldn't even relate to. It's a different universe that has limited overlap with the civilian reality. The learning, the benefits, the risks, the sense of community, the comradery, and the money are all different.

A lot of bases and posts are self contained cities. You could live there without ever mingling with the civilian population. It is not a classless society. Enlisted, Non Commissioned Officers, and Commissioned Officers live different experiences.

Believe me, I've tried countless times to make other people understand what military life is like. They lose interest pretty quickly. It's not worth the effort to correct their misconceptions and biases based on the movies they have seen.

[thegreenyogi]

I can understand your point of view. Thank you for taking the time to post an opinion on this question. It's always best to hear from those who do this job.

[OneViewpoint]

I think I have a unique perspective. I grew up on US Air Force bases all over the world as the child of an enlisted man who became a Non Commissioned Officer. Then I went to the oldest military university in the US, became a Commissioned Officer in the US Army. I left after 15 years and had a career in Fortune 500 Finance, the Private Equity, and now my own consulting firm working with investment banks, hedge funds, and private equity firms, plus a handful of manufacturing clients. There are very few people who have experienced as much of both worlds at the levels I worked at, or as a child and an adult. And the only people who do are ex military like me. No civilian really understands what military life is like.

I'll give you one "Oh Wow" fact. Did you know that there is a lot of classroom time? Especially if you are trying to make a career of it? Enlisted men and women, NCO's, and Officers are expected to keep learning constantly. That can be people skills, technical skills with weapons systems or electronics, tactics at the squad, platoon, company, or battalion level, or strategic planning, politics, and history for senior officers. It's a whole different universe of knowledge that doesn't exist in the civilian world.

[thegreenyogi]

I can understand that. My elder sibling was in the italian military and what you describe military life being like in the way of learning reminds me of the stories he used to tell me. Nobody can understand unless you have actually lived the military life so thank you for your valuable insights.

Do you miss the military life?

[OneViewpoint]

Yes! What I was doing. The intensity. The risk. The level of professionalism. The commitment. The level of camaraderie. It was my first experience as an adult after college at 21 years old. I just assumed life would always be like that. I've spent my entire career (s) after the military trying to find that again. I've never come close.

On the flip side, I recognized at some point, I liked it too much. It changed me. The power became addictive. The adrenaline rush was everything. But... every transition from the "normal" world to a world "outside the normal moral constraints" and back to the "normal" world made me realize I had a little less in common with ordinary people. When I got out, I found I didn't really belong in the civilian world. It was all foreign to me. There was no way to explain it to the average person. So I learned to not talk about it.

I had a hell of an adjustment period. Like most of us do. Picture an alien being stranded on this planet. Maybe the locals aren't hostile. But they aren't your people either. They're aliens.

[thegreenyogi]

It sounds like you went through a difficult time adjusting. And how are you doing now? Have you adjusted to living amongst civilians?

[OneViewpoint]

@thegreenyogiI,

I told you this was gonna be a long conversation. Have you ever heard the saying "knowing always comes with a price"?

Well, here's a corollary that may not be obvious to most people. "You'll never understand the price until after you accept the knowledge." It's sort of like making a deal with the devil. He'll give you what you ask for but, he won't tell you the consequences. He'll leave you to discover that for yourself.

Power. The power of wealth. Political power. Military power. The flawed personalities who wield it. The consequences of being near it. The consequences of stepping away from it. Knowing how it all works.

Yes, I have adjusted. But it's probably not the solution you are expecting or what you want to hear. I'm disconnected from most people around me. I can't help looking at them like insects mindlessly doing whatever nature has programmed them to do while they wait to die with very little understanding of the world around them. Hence one reason I hold most people at a distance and make it really hard for them to get to know me. Interacting with them is painful. And trying to make them understand is useless. Hence why I am very selective about the people I surround myself with.

So was it worth "knowing"? Yes. For me. I wouldn't change anything. Blissful ignorance was never gonna work for me.

[thegreenyogi]

@OneViewpoint I don't mind long conversations. From what you have told me it is quite understandable that you keep people at a distance taking into consideration the things you know and you have seen and quite honestly I don't see it as a bad thing. I may not have lived your experience in the military but I tend to keep people at a distance too even if for different reasons.

[MrOracle]

It makes a huge difference what your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) is going to be. Obviously any direct combat related field is going to be dangerous and unpredictable. They also tend not to give you many advantages in the civilian job world. Some technical fields could set you up well for a civilian job afterwards, and things like Intelligence could lead to high-paying government jobs after you retire.

Either way, you will be moved around the world according to the needs of the military (not your own desires, in many cases), and you have to deal with lots of politics and bureaucracy. Not everyone is going to thrive in that environment.

[exitseven]

It can be an opportunity to grow and mature and people can train for careers and attend college. They can retire after 20 years with a good pension and benefits. A lot of people find a home in the military and like to belong to something greater than themselves. There is opportunity for advancement.

However , it is pretty regimented and you could be stationed someplace that is less than pleasant. You can be put in great physical danger and get killed or disabled. There are psychological things too.

[Shiprex]

It was good for confidence building and resolute nature development. Camaraderie and friendships through shared turmoil are another pro.

Cons are that there is a risk of being killed or injured or maimed that can be concerning as well as losing said friends to hostile fire or just mishaps as it's a risky job. Emotionally it can be a challenge when you're not prepared properly or are not of the mind set that killing someone is part of the job and that's hard luck for them and leave it at that then you're gonna take bad with things you may do and see that will mess with your mind.

[HawkPerception]

I would personally avoid the military at all costs. You basically sign up for a lifetime of servitude. You become a dog of the government. Relationships become much harder to maintain. And if you have a family, it makes things harder for your kids as well, not being able to see them as often.

The ONLY benefit I can think of is that it's free education, but other countries have that without having to sign up with the military.

[avery58]

Yes. Especially if it's for the American military and they get sent to fight in a bullshit war that serves no one but the government's political/financial interests.

[HawkPerception]

@avery58 exactly that. I'm Canadian, but honestly I would rather be deserter than fight for this country. The only people I'd fight for are my loved ones.

[Unycorn]

You're gobbling up your brain at the entrance. Maybe you are happy about your salary and are smart enough to save some for your future in case you can no longer work. You learn obedience and submission. Few make it to a higher career. Responsibility in handling weapons is one point. How many veterans feel unsupported, begging on the streets, killing themselves or others in a rampage? It takes extraordinary mental strength and I don't think anyone sees war without retaining trauma

[jshm2]

It isn't really job - more of a sentence.

Just like some criminals love jail because it fits with their mentality - so it is with the military.

You only get a certain mentality that makes it up the ranks. To be fair, I've worked with military highups, and politicians - I see little difference in them with high rank gang leaders and mercenaries.

The military just get a parade for their killings, is all.

[Richardjd]

The recruiters don't tell the whole story they say join the army see the world meet new friends they don't say that you will watch your friends blown to pieces and killed and see things you remember for the rest of your life and probably end up homeless because you can't find a job because of the mental torture you suffer. Apologies and great respect to all the veterans in the world

[Pudsmucker]

There are some good points and bad points. You get and and plenty of food. You got decent decent room. You also have the opportunity to have have your Healthcare taken taken care. One disadvantage is having having to battle. Your mental Health can go if you cannot handle combat combat stress.

[Tarifa]

I almost signed up for a military career, that was the option I was given after compulsary military service. I decided against it, as making a career in the military takes a long time and depends to a large extent on the ranks you obtain.

[Agape93]

Pro: Steady employment, might look good on applications, can travel the world and get free college.

Cons: Likely to end up injured for life, likely to get raped with no justice if you're a woman, you become property etc.

[katiesmuff]

I think many more disadvantages than advantages of most military careers. Constant moving, can be extremely dangerous at times, never know when leaving family or returning to family.

[abc3643]

Retire early.
Free housing.
Free medical.

... basically, it's socialism at its finest.
The US military is the largest socialist program in human history.

[D_Bone_Steak]

You'll give up a lot... good luck if you're weak. I'm going on 30 years now dealing with this lifestyle. You're basically a slave... you serve. Some people are not made to deal with it.

[Fireguy17]

no much.
I have relatives that have retired from the military, then gone on to civilian jobs and retired from that.
They are doing very well and have a great life.
Some like it, others not so much.

[Sunrising]

No wars while in a military career a cushy secure job.

Involved in wars in a military career the possibility of being killed.

[Staximus]

The cons are you have to kill or be killed for your government, they own your ass and you have to follow orders and the chain of command, or you go to the stockade or the brig. The pros are you get to travel

[StevenMcGarrett]

If you can put your twenty years in. You can get some retirement money and healthcare for life. The toughest part is boot camp. After that, you don't do that much. Just pick a job that doesn't put you in the front lines.

[jazzy34]

When the fucking current Commander-in-Chief uses them at his disposal for the things he "doesn't like" What a fucking disgrace. -___-

[Jerre]

I was in the Air Force for many years, went to a college to learn Russian, 9 months 5 days a week, 40 hours a week. Loved the Air Force, loved the job

[Jerre]

@thegreenyogi Thank you for the Like

[mysteriousNicholas]

@thegreenyogi it's a job I'm glad others do, because personally, and I can say this now as I'm past my 20*s - I wanted to do other things with my 20s, which I did do. Partying, friends, ordinary working life.

[mysteriousNicholas]

@thegreenyogi becoming a military recruit seems a very regimental way to live - like a nursing home or a prison block - there's a schedule, a hierarchy, and minimal room for independent thought / making the schedule to as you please - so I'm glad not to be in that strict environment - so I'm glad others enlist 👀😈 and not me

[dustybiker2]

I wouldn't serve under trump. You end up cleaning parks. Complete misuse of professional power.

[AngryCarl2]

Cons: Once you've signed up you can't get out until you finish your stretch.

Pros: You might get to learn some skills which won't ever be useful again, plus cheap travel maybe.

[Miristheiss]

For what country?

In Russia you get to go to Ukraine and get blown up by a drone.

[Twalli]

Pros: Physical fitness, free college (if you choose to go to a military college), good pay, veteran benefits.
Cons: possible PTSD, vacation is not always given or denied, not enough benefits

[msc545]

Assuming that you can enter as an officer or shortly become one, and there is no shooting war going on and a low probability of one starting, it can be a reasonable career.

[LiamJHayden]

Cons: long hours, can be low paying, might have to risk life and limb at any moment.

Pros: decent pension after 30 years.

[Dreamclouds]

You retire faster decently payed, pros

Cons.. little freedom, always respect orders from higher ranks, even risk of dying for others ideas, may be forced to kill another human being

[Anonymous]

No advantages all disadvantages possible loss of limbs lose your life ptsd possibly taken hostage tortured and killed left homeless when you served your time

[robocop666]

Losing yoru arms or legs or life. This is not a joke I have seen people I follow on social media with no legs or a lost husband.

[Anonymous]

I would never do that job, regardless of possible pros (good salary).

[fonduegirl]

Lots of free stuff... But at what cost

[Smegskull]

Pros