Thinking about joining the military..

[Lazarus1437]

I'm not trying to discourage you by any means, but like a few have already stated if you're thinking of joining any branch as a back up plan I would seriously rethink that. Joining the military is a commitment that isn't easy to get out of, it's not one of those regular 9-5 jobs...you can't give a two weeks notice if you decide that it's not for you and expect to be gone.

Now to answer your questions:

I haven't heard anything about the job outlook not being very good if you just go into the military. My job is Air Traffic Control, so my job outlook if I decided to get out one day is very good. I have a set of skills that are isn't for everyone. As far as the Marine Corps is concerned I have one of the few jobs that you can pass the school house but if you can't actually do the job you get booted. It all depends your job (MOS) and if there is a high demand for it in the civilian world. Though I know countless people who get out and are hired because they were in the military and have experience that lets say someone just graduating from college doesn't have.

As far as pay goes it's enough to live comfortably off of I believe. If you live in the barracks you don't have to pay for things like electricity, heat, food (you'll probably have a chow card) etc etc. It will come out of your paycheck so it's like you never had it. Everything else you make is yours. If you want a complete break down of what you'll make at each rank with time in do a Google search for military pay charts. I know you said that you're not really in it for the money but we (Marines) get paid the least as far as all the services go. Just something to think about.

Boot Camp/Recruit Training is hard and challenging. There's really no way to sugar coat it. We have the hardest recruit training out of all the services. It's also the longest. It starts pretty much before you even arrive and ends the day you graduate and are no longer a recruit but a Marine. If you want to get a better understanding check out videos like Making A Marine on youtube, Ears Open Eyeballs Click, The Marines, The Making of a Marine, and The Crucible just to name a few that are about Recruit Training. It is true though that you don't do school work at Recruit Training. You don't use cell phones, don't get weeks off, real world things that you use to do no longer exist.

Experience varies from Marine to Marine. I've been in 7years and about to pick up SSgt on the 1st, I've been deployed and about to go again at the beginning of the year. I've been to 15 different countries, and my first duty station was Iwakuni Japan. So you have a good chance of traveling and seeing other locations. Every chance I get to get out of the states I volunteer for it. So the not going overseas thing that whoever told you is a crock lol.

It's not hard to make friends in the military. It's rather easy because you have share a common bond with everyone that is there with you. Most friends that you make with be lifelong friends and become more like family.

I'm one of 4 kids, all sons. Everyone of us has joined the military. 3 Marines (1 Air traffic controller, Comm/Drill Instructor,Grunt) 1 Army (Bulk Refueler). We all enjoyed the time we have/had in and wouldn't have changed it for anything. I plan on saying in for a while...don't know what I'd do if I got out. Being in the Marine Corps isn't really hard to do as long as you can follow rules and you know how to act. If you have any questions about anything Marine Corps related shoot me a pm, I'll be happy to answer. And good luck in whatever decision you decide to make.