Has anybody been in the army?

Question

what was your experiences like did you like it or hate it what kind of advise can you give me because i want to enlist but im not sure help me please

Answer 1

I am a Marine and with my experience with the Army, i would not recommend it. Even the deployment length alone would steer me away. 13 months in Iraq instead of 7.  

Answer 2

I have friends in the Army but I decided to go into the Air Force.  I just think the Air Force and the Marines have more to offer than any other branch. My two best friends are Marines and they absolutely love it. I am leaving for boot camp in November and the Air Force has already helped me out with so much.  You need to talk to a recruiter from each branch of the military and see what they can do for you for school and what kinds of jobs they have.  The Air Force has a ton of jobs you can have and they will treat you very well and give you 100% tuition plus the GI bill for college.  I absolutely love it and would recommend it to anyone.

Answer 3

Go find a female soldier and ask her. The female experience is much different.

Answer 4

I was in the Army for one term (three years).

I hated it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Answer 5

I was in the Army for seven years, it's a love/hate relationship.  

When you hanging out with you platoon buddies at the bar or getting done with a hard days work completing a mission it's great.  You will find you can do things you never though possible and push yourself to limits you never imagined.  I've made tons of friends in the military and been able to travels places I would likely never had been able to afford.  Going to college and not having to worry about tuition is great, plus getting extra money from the GI bill, so unlike my fellow classmates, I could afford to eat more than Ramen noodles everyday.  

There off course is a downside, besides the obvious chance that you could be badly injured/killed.  The early morning wake up, long days, have physical labor can get to people if they don't have the right attitude.  It's a very structured environment, you have to be able to take that your individuality to a point is gone.  Also if you decided you don't like it, your stuck until your contract is done, which is 8 year, not all has to be on active duty but any time under 6 will have to made up in the reserves.  For example, 4 years active, 2 year reserves and 2 years in IRR (hold accounting, don't have to do a annual training or weekend drill but if they still need soldiers, you may be call out of it and back into active duty.)  Things change over that time, I don't have children but a lot of female soldiers I have served with did after a few years of joining.  If you think you may want kids before your contact is up, you may be forced to leave them a very young age.  I served with a woman who left behind her 9 month old baby, she missed a lot of first with that kid.  Also be prepared to watch your back even from you own fellow male soldiers.  Most male soldiers are nothing but the most honorable men you will ever met and would never even think of trying to force themselves on a female soldier.  Unfortunately that is not true for all them, be prepared to defend yourself from both the enemy and maybe even from a fellow soldier, I know it's sad to think about rape/molestation in the ranks, but it does happen, I've seen it go down in my own platoon.  It's sick, sad and pathetic that it happens, but I'm offering a honesty option on the military.  

Like all options in life, there is a upside and a downside, you have to really look at your life now and later.  Were do you want to be in eight years, what are you willing to put up with. The military offered a lot of advantages and opportunities, but it does come with some drawbacks. I would talk with other local women soldiers that are in the army, ask around, you would be surprised at how many you may know though mutual sources.  Best of luck with whatever you decided.