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Accelerating My Life

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  • RaneadosRaneados police apologist you shouldn't have been there, obviouslyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    L|ama wrote: »
    hurr 90% of them with some US involvement durr etc


    also conflict != war

    of course there will always be conflict

    eh war is just a big conflict

    Raneados on
  • celandinecelandine Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Not to get you down, Metz, but the military can be really, really lousy.

    There's a guy I know who claims to love his job as a Marine ... but he only gets to eat one meal a day, they don't give him anywhere near the supplies they say they're going to give him, and of course all the stuff about combat being hell is true. Also, this guy is just about the nastiest, most inconsiderate person I've ever met (to civilians at least) and I'm not sure if it isn't the influence of his environment. Now, he's badass, no doubt about it. Those people work harder than I ever will, and fight better than anyone else in the world, and the courage is real too. But his stories ... there's something very fucked up about war, let me put it that way.

    Here's hoping the Navy is better.

    Edit: I don't want to be too down on it. This isn't my world, at all. You probably know more about it. But I'm a worst-case-scenario kind of person, and maybe you're not, and so just take this as my own paranoid, negative perspective.

    celandine on
    I write about math here:
    http://numberblog.wordpress.com/
  • RadiationRadiation Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Just a few things (possibly more to come).
    Air Force does in fact guarantee job positions as well. Some people can and have been dicked on those, but it's rare.
    Second, I'm one of the people who don't really dig the war we're in. Doesn't mean I wont deploy or fight against a deployment (Hell, I'm on one now). You justify your job out here in other ways. I know my job saves lives out here. Not everyone who deploys will be expected to be kicking down doors and shit like that.
    Everything in the military has a bunch of bullshit attached to it. Everything in life seems to as well. Each branch seems to specialize in its own unique way of being a little bit retarded with doing stupid stuff.
    There are assholes. Everywhere. But that isn't all of us, so please don't let a few people ruin the perspective on all of us.
    Don't put blind faith in a recruiter. They have a job, and that's to sell you on the notion that the prospective branch is the best possible choice for you. Ask around. Any Air Force questions I'd be happy to answer, and I have Army/Navy/Marine dudes around to ask other stuff as well.
    Good luck on loosing the weight. It'll be a damn challenge, but other people have done similar things (a buddy of mine lost 80 pounds to join the Air Force).

    Sorry if this isn't the most coherent post. Its super late for me, but I wanted to read through the thread and post this.

    Radiation on
    PSN: jfrofl
  • RaneadosRaneados police apologist you shouldn't have been there, obviouslyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    i heard the air force is the most conservative branch

    Raneados on
  • Clint EastwoodClint Eastwood My baby's in there someplace She crawled right inRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    My best friend joined the navy. He hated it and smoked a bunch of pot on leave so he would get kicked out.

    It was a dumb idea for him to even join up though.

    Clint Eastwood on
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    my friend's ship almost got deployed to the gulf of aidan to hunt pirates. he was jazzed to see combat but some ship got sent in their place and he got to float around peacefully for a while longer before coming home. i was like "dude, shooting at guys in aluminum fishing boats is hardly combat" and he said "it beats sitting on a boat playing through pokemon for the umpteenth time."

    Metzger Meister on
  • Viscount IslandsViscount Islands [INSERT SoKo HERE] ...it was the summer of my lifeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I heard training for the Navy is incredible tough.

    I personally wouldn't ever think about joining the Military though.

    Viscount Islands on
    I want to do with you
    What spring does with the cherry trees.
  • FandeathisFandeathis Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    L|ama wrote: »
    hurr 90% of them with some US involvement durr etc


    also conflict != war

    of course there will always be conflict

    War was around long before the US existed. Unless I am just reading your post way wrong. Pretty sure we tried to stay out of WWII also. Blaming the US for war is beyond silly.

    Also war is just a large conflict. So there will probably always be conflicts that escalate to war.

    Fandeathis on
    You fuck wit' Die Antwoord, you fuck wit' da army.
  • UmaroUmaro Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    From what I understand, basic training in the Navy is easier than the Army or (obviously) the Marines, and maybe slightly more difficult than the Air Force. In terms of physical requirements, anyway - you'll be spending a lot more time in a classroom and studying in the Navy or the Air Force.

    Fan I'm pretty sure he was joking.

    Umaro on
    Dogs.jpg
  • Dead LegendDead Legend Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    they won't take me cause i'm a clops

    fuck the military

    Dead Legend on
    diablo III - beardsnbeer#1508 Mechwarrior Online - Rusty Bock
  • RadiationRadiation Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    http://usmilitary.about.com/ - a lot of decent articles that should help cover most questions. (Though some of the articles might be older/out of date.)

    Metz: You're question on blowing shit up? EOD. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforceenlistedjobs/a/afjob3e8x1.htm
    Think each branch has one.

    I know you had said that you want the Navy for the cool deployment spots, but understand if you're on a boat you'll be at sea most times and then at port (if you get permission to go out) will only be a few days at a time.
    I dont want to appear to be recruiting, but given how much I've heard (especially here) from a lot of
    people "man, if I could do it all over again, I'd join the Air Force". Just wanted to at least bring that shit up.

    Also, you may want to start talking to a recruiter now. Hell they may even help you out with the PT shit and getting into shape. I know there were a couple of spots that gave out a military i.d. to its recruits or a gym membership thing to get into shape (the military ID was so they could get on base and use the gym). A lot has changed though since I joined so they might not do it.

    Raneados; I have no idea what you mean with the conservative comment.

    Radiation on
    PSN: jfrofl
  • Viscount IslandsViscount Islands [INSERT SoKo HERE] ...it was the summer of my lifeRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    What Rane is saying is can gays fly the planes.

    Viscount Islands on
    I want to do with you
    What spring does with the cherry trees.
  • RadiationRadiation Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Not yet?
    Gays cant do anything yet, in any service...

    'cept the Navy, because y'know. 8-)

    hopefully that will change soon.

    Radiation on
    PSN: jfrofl
  • Sweeney TomSweeney Tom try The Substance it changed my lifeRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    my sister joined the Air Force

    she's off to Korea

    my dad, who was in Vietnam and is currently working for the government, proceeded to laugh and ask why they couldn't send her to a good country that's worth bombing like Iran

    my family has a weird sense of humor

    Sweeney Tom on
  • YoSoyTheWalrusYoSoyTheWalrus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture, and kill them. I wanted to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill.

    YoSoyTheWalrus on
    tumblr_mvlywyLVys1qigwg9o1_250.png
  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Fandeathis wrote: »
    L|ama wrote: »
    hurr 90% of them with some US involvement durr etc


    also conflict != war

    of course there will always be conflict

    War was around long before the US existed. Unless I am just reading your post way wrong. Pretty sure we tried to stay out of WWII also. Blaming the US for war is beyond silly.

    yes, very wrong

    I meant that many current wars either have direct US involvement or are direct results of previous actions of the united states

    90% is obviously hyperbole, but still. War breeds war and america has done a lot of figurative dicking in the past.

    L|ama on
  • YoSoyTheWalrusYoSoyTheWalrus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I thought about joining the air force or navy but then I realized I am just kind of bored and listless right now and that's no reason to sign a contract. It might be kind of cool though.

    YoSoyTheWalrus on
    tumblr_mvlywyLVys1qigwg9o1_250.png
  • WrenWren ninja_bird Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    everyone should just play moonbase alpha instead.

    Wren on
    tf2sig.jpg
    TF2 - Wren BF3: Wren-fu
  • TonkkaTonkka Some one in the club tonight Has stolen my ideas.Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Is Metz polishing brass yet?

    Tonkka on
    Steam: evilumpire Battle.net: T0NKKA#1588 PS4: T_0_N_N_K_A Twitter Shirts and such
  • LockoutLockout I am still searching Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    unless I can find a sweet gig with this English degree I'm getting in a couple years, I'm joining the Air Force and going to OTS

    no idea what I'm going to do, besides something nontechnical

    Lockout on
    f24GSaF.jpg
  • Penguin IncarnatePenguin Incarnate King of Kafiristan Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Tonkka wrote: »
    Is Metz polishing brass yet?
    That code for something?

    Penguin Incarnate on
  • TonkkaTonkka Some one in the club tonight Has stolen my ideas.Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Tonkka wrote: »
    Is Metz polishing brass yet?
    That code for something?

    Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe...

    Tonkka on
    Steam: evilumpire Battle.net: T0NKKA#1588 PS4: T_0_N_N_K_A Twitter Shirts and such
  • DeltaDelta Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Lockout wrote: »
    unless I can find a sweet gig with this English degree I'm getting in a couple years, I'm joining the Air Force and going to OTS

    no idea what I'm going to do, besides something nontechnical

    I started that application process around April by taking the AFOQT. I was also heading toward the nontechnical jobs because of my degree but I scored high enough for pilot training. I haven't decided if I want to follow through with it, though.

    Delta on
  • MereHappenstanceMereHappenstance Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I've been considering Navy as well. Dream job would be pilotiing a CH-53.

    1293829yn1.jpg

    MereHappenstance on
  • Dead LegendDead Legend Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    if i was flying helicopters i'd go with an apache or a cobra

    cause blowing shit up is the best

    Dead Legend on
    diablo III - beardsnbeer#1508 Mechwarrior Online - Rusty Bock
  • WrenWren ninja_bird Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    just watch out for those Nokia RPGs

    Wren on
    tf2sig.jpg
    TF2 - Wren BF3: Wren-fu
  • ph blakeph blake Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    my friend's ship almost got deployed to the gulf of aidan to hunt pirates. he was jazzed to see combat but some ship got sent in their place and he got to float around peacefully for a while longer before coming home. i was like "dude, shooting at guys in aluminum fishing boats is hardly combat" and he said "it beats sitting on a boat playing through pokemon for the umpteenth time."

    I've done the Gulf of Aden thing. It kind of sucks massive amounts of dick with all the oppressive heat and shitty port visits and completely pointless mission. All the pirates over there know to carry fishing equipment with them and throw all their guns and hooks and stuff overboard at the first sign of a naval ship, which makes it impossible to really hold anyone unless we actually catch them in the act of pirating someone. And even then we won't send our boarding team onto a captured ship since that's just asking for a clusterfuck, so there really isn't anything useful we can do except escort random merchant ships.

    The one time we actually did manage to catch some was pretty cool I guess. We received a report stating that a small merchant vessel had been captured by pirates and were ordered to basically follow them, staying far enough away to be outside the range of an RPG but close enough to "threaten" them with our MK-38. We were to coordinate with African coalition forces that had set up a fake "mother ship" using an old fishing vessel; the plan was for us to spook the pirates into abandoning their captured ship and seek refuge in the dummy mother ship where they would find a nice compliment of British Royal Marines waiting for them.

    Now this plan was, in my opinion, completely retarded, mainly due to the fact that the Somali pirates aren't idiots and know that 1) we generally don't board captured ships 2) we never fire at captured ships and 3) if we actually find a confirmed pirate mother ship we are free to basically wipe them the fuck out. So our magnificent plan relies on the pirates being dumb enough to abandon their safe and potentially valuable captured ship and risk fleeing to a boat that they knew we could legally attack.

    Luckily for us these were the dumbest pirates in the universe (or perhaps scared of the recent trend of leaving captured pirates to die in a shitty boat with no food, water or means of navigation), because when we started firing off our guns in random directions (safety first!) they freaked out and took the bait right away. The marines captured the pirates, we boarded the ship to make sure they were all secure and provide medical attention to the crew, and that was that.

    Go us, I guess.

    ph blake on
    7h8wnycre6vs.png
  • ArtreusArtreus I'm a wizard And that looks fucked upRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I was in Air Force ROTC for a bit. Then I had to leave for personal reasons.

    I still want to get back into the Air Force once I get my shit together and graduate

    Artreus on
    http://atlanticus.tumblr.com/ PSN: Atlanticus 3DS: 1590-4692-3954 Steam: Artreus
  • MereHappenstanceMereHappenstance Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    if i was flying helicopters i'd go with an apache or a cobra

    cause blowing shit up is the best

    Yeah, but the CH-53 is so big you can crush houses by landing on them.

    Think of the possibilities.

    MereHappenstance on
  • Burning OrganBurning Organ Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Conscript armies are fun.

    75% of the soldiers talk about getting release due to medical reasons (I am one of these dudes) 20% just want to get the service over and 5% try to get to the NCO-like schools or reserve officers school.

    At least I got to shoot a rifle and crawl in the dirt before I got my medical release papers, which I didn't really actually want that hard, the doctor just went "Fuck it, you're fat, out of shape, got in grown toe nails and have sleeping problems. What can we deduce from this?"

    Kind of sad that I never got to try any machine guns, sub machine guns, pistols or shotguns :(


    Anyway, this has nothing to do with anything.

    Burning Organ on
  • Centipede DamascusCentipede Damascus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Truth is beauty, beauty truth, sir!

    But the truth is often harsh and disturbing! How can that be called beautiful!

    Centipede Damascus on
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I was thinking of joining the Canadian Army or something

    then... nah...

    then I got a job at our NAtional Defense HQ, and the people there soured it for me even more, the only really cool people who were nice were guys from a platoon called the Van Dus, this Quebecois specialist group thing, they were enormous in stature and also major badasses. One was a sniper for ten years, I bet he's seen his share of pink mist.

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • ArtreusArtreus I'm a wizard And that looks fucked upRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Shooting moose and polar bears

    Artreus on
    http://atlanticus.tumblr.com/ PSN: Atlanticus 3DS: 1590-4692-3954 Steam: Artreus
  • Penguin IncarnatePenguin Incarnate King of Kafiristan Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Where are you from, BO?

    Penguin Incarnate on
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Artreus wrote: »
    Shooting moose and polar bears

    World record for longest shot by a Sniper is held by a Canadian.

    almost 2 miles if I remember correctly

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • Burning OrganBurning Organ Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Where are you from, BO?

    Finland.

    We probably don't need a conscript army anymore and should probably just have some small regular forces instead, but what are you gonna do.

    Burning Organ on
  • Kuribo's ShoeKuribo's Shoe Kuribo's Stocking North PoleRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Kuribo's Shoe on
    xmassig2.gif
  • ArtreusArtreus I'm a wizard And that looks fucked upRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Moose are pretty hard to miss

    Artreus on
    http://atlanticus.tumblr.com/ PSN: Atlanticus 3DS: 1590-4692-3954 Steam: Artreus
  • ArtreusArtreus I'm a wizard And that looks fucked upRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I enjoy Weeds. It was a good show. I don't think I watched more than an episode or two of the 4th season though

    Artreus on
    http://atlanticus.tumblr.com/ PSN: Atlanticus 3DS: 1590-4692-3954 Steam: Artreus
  • Solid BonesSolid Bones Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Problem with joining the military is that you gotta be able to kill people when you're told to and not ask why until after they're dead.

    Solid Bones on
    Tea and Scrabble
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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