Joining the Military: Deep Thoughts, Part 1

That is a fairly accurate statement when it comes to joining the military. If you have no concerns about the direction of your life, feel free to tie on the blindfold and proceed as ordered. The voluntarily blind, deaf and dumb will get there too. For the brave, courageous, misdirected or simply adventurous folks still considering signing their names on the not-so-dotted line, there is no excuse for ignorance. The answers are there. You just need to ask the right questions.

It's not all war and adrenaline. It's not all patriot games and camouflage. Some of it is very mundane, black and white, as well as a million shades of grey. Yes, it is also sometimes blood red. That being said...

Why Join?

Money for college.
Gain marketable skills.
Build a career
Stability.
See the world.
Serve your country.
Avoid jail.

The reasons for joining vary with each individual. No matter what your reason(s) might be, it's a good idea to arm yourself appropriately prior to walking into a recruiter's office. Know why you want to join the military. Know what you would like to get out of the experience. It is an experience that will change your life forever. Whether or not the change will be a positive one is entirely up to you.

Shop Around

After joining the military and going through basic training, I was surprised to learn just how many people aren't aware of the fact that active duty is not the only choice. Actually, I was flabbergasted. As hard as it was for me to believe, it was and is a reality. Some people simply do not know much about the military.

Basically, you've got four choices. Five, if you include the Coast Guard. I don't. If you do not know what the Coast Guard is or does, really, I think the task of enlightening you might be beyond me. So, you've got the active duty, reserves, and guard. Like this:

Active Duty

Navy
Army
Air Force
Marines

Reserves

Navy
Army
Air Force
Marines

Guard

Army
Air Force

What's the Difference?

Active Duty:

Depending on the branch of service, you will have to sign up for a minimum of 2-6 years. The Navy's minimum is two years. Air Force and Army is four. Other factors, such as job classification, determine the minimum number of years you will be required to sign up. Also, that 2-6 years is a give or take. Just because you enlisted on July 31st, that doesn't mean 2-6 years later you will be jumping back into civilian life on July 31st.

Active duty is very active. You are in the military 24/7. There is no such thing as "Time Off". Every second you serve on active duty, you are governed by the rules and regulations of the military. There is no escape. You are owned.

It isn't my intention to dissuade. However, I think a lot of people just don't get it. Here's an example of what I am trying to convey:

Finally, the weekend has arrived! You and a few friends decide to pack the ice chest and head to the beach for some much needed down-time and carefree-edness (whatever). If you are under age, of course you're not drinking. If you are of age, you most certainly are not contributing to a minor. You're just hanging out with the gang, having good, clean, all-American fun, and you're working on that horrible farmer's tan you haven't been able to even out since Basic Training/Boot Camp.

Monday morning. That was a great weekend, huh? Nice tan. Is that a little redness I see on your glowing cheeks? Hmm, maybe a little peeling? No big deal, right? Wrong. Suddenly, you find yourself standing at attention in your supervisor's office getting reamed a new one because you forgot to apply and reapply sunscreen during all of that carefree fun. Did someone just utter the words "Article 15"? Holy crap! Why on Earth are they going there for sunburn?!? I'll tell you why; As soon as you signed that piece of paper (many papers, actually), swearing your allegiance to this country, you signed over the majority of the rights to your own body. I say "majority", because it would be too hard for most to comprehend no longer having any control whatsoever over their own body. Well, believe it.

Yes, you will get what they call "Leave". A lot of people get a little nutty with all of that away time. They do stupid things, like drugs. That's a big thing many folks think they can squeeze in during their leave. Good luck with that one.

On the lighter side...

Guard and Reserve:

This is where things start to get a bit complicated. One weekend a month and two weeks out of the year, yeah? Well, sorta. The Reserves and the National Guard offer a heck of a lot more freedom and breathing room than active duty. That goes without saying, but I felt the need to say it anyway. However, there are opportunities in the Guard and Reserve to serve full-time, even on active duty status. Bear with me.

In the Reserves, you are federally regulated. This means the president pretty much has the final say. War? Need more troops? If you are needed and asked politely to step up, it's not likely you're going to be stepping aside. You might have the chance, but don't bank on it.

The Guard is an entirely different world from the Reserves and active duty. They have their own language, culture, currency, etc. You could spend 20 years in the Guard and still not understand how everything works. Are you federal or state? Well, you're both. No, you're state. I mean federal! State?

The Guard is a state-governed entity, for the most part. The National Guard was conceived during the civil war. They are somewhat of a state militia. By the people, for the people, and so on and so forth. For the state. Unless the president really needs you. Then, you are federal. Maybe. It all depends on what type of orders you are working under. You can be a "Weekend Warrior" (derogatory term) and do your two weeks a year. You can stay at home and work on active duty orders, which are federal orders. You can go overseas and work for the federal government too. Or you can stay home on active orders and work for the state. Confused? Join the club.

The big difference between the Guard and the Reserves is this: In the Reserves, you don't really have a choice. In the Guard, you have too many choices. To break it down even further, you can be offered orders in the Guard and either accept or refuse them. It's a blast.

What'll I Do?

Unless you walk into a recruiter's office with a degree or a light saber, prepare yourself to accept whatever position they assign you.

While I was at basic training (Air Force), a couple weeks into it, we were divided into groups, Active Duty and then Guard and Reserves. Guard and Reserve folks stood outside at parade rest while active duty folks were ushered into an office. None of us knew what was going on until one of the training instructors informed us our active duty counterparts were in that office finding out for the first time what they would be doing for the next four years of their lives. We were ordered to be compassionate and keep our lips zipped.

When trainees began emerging from that office, they looked like freshly neutered puppies and wounded game. Most of these people enlisted with the belief that they were guaranteed a specific job in the military. Many of these people were fed empty promises by their recruiters. Nearly all of the active duty personnel I saw emerging were angry, gravely disappointed, and incredibly confused. Some (male and female) were crying. It really sucks to be told one thing only to find out you were been duped with false reassurance and it is beyond your control.

I knew what I would be doing once my training was completed well before I raised my hand to swear in. It took years for me to finally make the decision to enlist in the military. I signed a contract that specifically stated what I would be doing for the next six years and where I would be performing that duty. It wasn't as easy as me walking into a recruiter's office and telling him/her what I wanted to do. Honestly, I had to fight. I also had to walk away from other branches that would not work with me. I walked away from recruiters that were vague and answered my very specific questions with uncertainties, such as "Sure", "It's possible", "To the best of my knowledge", "Your chances are really good if..." No, sir, that is not good enough. They can do a lot better than that, but you have to nudge them a bit.

It is difficult to get a guaranteed position with active duty. No matter how hard you fight or how many times you walk away, sometimes they simply cannot oblige your wishes. You should decide now whether or not you are willing to take that chance. Plenty of the people who walk out of that office feeling only disappointment and defeat end up falling in love with their designated jobs and cannot imagine doing anything else.

Talk to a recruiter. Talk to a few recruiters. Ask too many questions. Be specific. Check out www.military.com. It's a great place to start.

Try to meet with people in the branch of service you are considering joining. Military.com also has a "Forums" section. You might be surprised at the number of people out there who are willing and eager to answer the questions your recruiter will not.

If you are still unsure of what it is you want to do in the military, go to www.navy.com and take the "Accelerate Your Life" quiz. No matter what branch you are interested in, this quiz/questionnaire can assist you in determining a career path.

Other helpful sites:

Air Force - www.airforce.com

Air Force Reserve - www.afreserve.com

Air National Guard - www.goang.com

Army - www.goarmy.com

Army National Guard - www.1800goguard.com

Navy Reserve - www.navyreserve.com

Marines - www.marines.com

* www.smartsoldier.com offers information on the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines. It also gives some insider tips you will not find on the official sites.