Waste the US's money!

[zorm]

They're giving away so-called "free stuff" because they believe it will result in a return.  All of it is geared towards manipulating you, and I guess that's what people don't like about it.  Even the easy-going attitude could be a manipulation of sorts.  When you go with an army recruiter to eat, you are eating with someone who wants something from you. 

Actually, it looks like time spent with you has been well-invested.  Or am I wrong?

...doing Army ROTC I'll have to serve 8 years after I finish college. Of course it can be all reserve or mixed between active/reserve.

Of course, but have you ever had anyone(aside from parents) buy you something yet didn't want anything in return? It doesn't happen very often and I can only think of one time when a female friend bought me dinner. *shrugs*

You are probably wrong on the time being well-invested. I had made up my mind on going into the military before the Army recruiter started here. Plus there is a difference between enlisted and doing ROTC, as such the recruiters get nothing if you end up doing ROTC. Also all of the services have other bonuses that are much much bigger and used to draw in people. Like the Nuclear Engineer job that Sidoh mentioned gets a sign on bonus of someplace around $70,000 if what my friend told me is correct. If I get a scholarship for doing ROTC I'll end up getting someplace around $100,000 most of that going towards tuition.

[Sidoh]

I wasn't saying that its for everyone or trying to imply that everyone should be in the military. But it sort of bugs me when people react to the mere thought of talking to a recruiter or such. You tend to get funny looks if you are talking to a recruiter or what not(in a negative way) and it really shouldn't be that way. One of the recruiter here mentioned that he liked my school because he only got called a baby killer once a week at it vs a few times a day at the other schools around here. Anyhow I'm just doing my part because they tend to be nice people and don't really deserve a lot of the treatment that they get.

I don't really care how much negative attention military recruiters get.  It's part of the job, just like people in other professions get regular negative attention from a group of people.  I have respect for them and the organization they work for (in some aspects, anyway), but I don't expect that everyone will.

Out of curiosity, how'd you manage to get yourself DEP'd in without realizing what the lifestyle would be like? Any aspect of navy life that you didn't like or just the life in general? Of more interest is that 4 years really isn't that bad, doing Army ROTC I'll have to serve 8 years after I finish college. Of course it can be all reserve or mixed between active/reserve.

Don't get me wrong, it "seemed" like a wonderful opportunity, but as all recruiters/salesmen type people do, they hid details.  The Nuclear Engineering program has a 4% success rate (I heard this from a guy who's son just finished completing the program).  There is a 96% drop out rate.  I don't doubt that I could handle the material, but I think it would say something about the people I would be working with.  It wasn't exactly a realization; there were several things I already knew that were keeping me of saying it would be a sure thing.  I knew as I agreed to go to the military enlistment building at Denver that it probably wouldn't involve much of my future.  It was a simple matter of keeping doors open.  Dropping out was as easy as talking to the recruiter over the phone a few times (he was a cool guy anyway -- he plays WoW) and laughing as I read the "failure to commit" paper.

[rabbit]

Congratulations!  You're part of the majority!

Ever think that 90 of that 96% dropped out because they heard of the high success rate?  It's propaganda I tell you!  They just want too weed out non-committal people (like you!).

[BigAznDaddy]

zorm are you in the army?

[iago]

They do want to offer you something useful and free, like college education, cash, a job, marksmanship training, and desensitization. They also supply exercise and motivation in the form of a pissed off D.I. for free. Hell they will even take you hunting for free and supply the gun and ammo! Of course the prey is a dirty terrorist but I hear the scream when they die is something to behold! You want to talk about a deal? This ones a pretty good one, probably way better than anything Zend could offer.

They won't do anything for me.  The US army gives me very little for free.  Maybe a little bit of fear that Canada might be next (we have oil, after all

I don't think Zend ever forces any of their customers to risk their lives.

Hmm, maybe once in awhile. 

[Rule]

They do want to offer you something useful and free, like college education, cash, a job, marksmanship training, and desensitization. They also supply exercise and motivation in the form of a pissed off D.I. for free. Hell they will even take you hunting for free and supply the gun and ammo! Of course the prey is a dirty terrorist but I hear the scream when they die is something to behold! You want to talk about a deal? This ones a pretty good one, probably way better than anything Zend could offer.

They won't do anything for me.  The US army gives me very little for free.  Maybe a little bit of fear that Canada might be next (we have oil, after all

I don't think Zend ever forces any of their customers to risk their lives.

Hmm, maybe once in awhile. 

I heard somewhere that the only province the US would really like to annex is British Columbia, because of the major tactical benefits controlling that land (and the ports) would have.  Apparently the response to an invasion (mostly civilian indignance) wouldn't be worth their trouble in the other provinces.  I find that kind of hard to believe, considering how resource-rich Canada is, but I can see how B.C. would be the most valuable province from their perspective, even though Alberta has a lot more oil.

[iago]

Yeah, they'd probably start with BC due to tactical superiority (ie, not being surrounded).  Then they'd annex Alberta, because of the oil/resources (not over the mountains, of course.. from the south).  Then they'd take Saskatchewan and Manitoba, because it would be easy (we don't have any military in either province).  Quebec would have surrendered back when BC was attacked (or possibly before.. they're French).  That would just leave Ontario and the maritines. 

I honestly don't think that that's an unrealistic situation.  Maybe not this year, and maybe not next year, but some day. 

[Rule]

Yeah, they'd probably start with BC due to tactical superiority (ie, not being surrounded).

Well, it's not so much that they wouldn't want to be surrounded (by Canada), it's that B.C. is probably militaristically the most important piece of land (to the US) in North America.  It has the best ports for any kind of invasion/attack from the east:  north korea, russia, china, ....

Actually, that's part of what started the 1812 war, and why Victoria is WAY below the 49th parallel and is still in Canada; the British/Canadians also knew the military value that area had and fought pretty hard for it. 

Also, as things are now, Vancouver is the largest port on the west coast of North/South America, and actually is only second to New York I think for largest port in North/South America.

So if the US were in a store that sold CDN provinces, BC by far would be the most expensive province -- regardless of resources, etc.

[Newby]

If I'm going to do any military, it's gonna be the Navy. I sit in a boat 30+ miles from the shore, and blow the shit out of anything that gets near me.

I'd rather do that than go get shot at from 30+ feet.

[Sidoh]

If I'm going to do any military, it's gonna be the Navy. I sit in a boat 30+ miles from the shore, and blow the shit out of anything that gets near me.

I'd rather do that than go get shot at from 30+ feet.

My friend is shipping out for the Navy tomorrow!  He's going to be doing the IT program there... it sounds pretty promising from what I've heard, but I guess I'll know for sure after I hear back from him.

If I had to pick a branch of the armed services to enter, it would probably be the Navy.  It seems to be the most technically oriented option, which is obviously the most advantageous in most of our cases.

[CrAz3D]

If I'm going to do any military, it's gonna be the Navy. I sit in a boat 30+ miles from the shore, and blow the shit out of anything that gets near me.

I'd rather do that than go get shot at from 30+ feet.

My friend is shipping out for the Navy tomorrow!  He's going to be doing the IT program there... it sounds pretty promising from what I've heard, but I guess I'll know for sure after I hear back from him.

If I had to pick a branch of the armed services to enter, it would probably be the Navy.  It seems to be the most technically oriented option, which is obviously the most advantageous in most of our cases.

I've thought (briefly) about the Air Force.  Experience right away + schooling, nice.

[Joe]

I thought about the Air Force too. Flying would be fun. Flying and shooting at the same time, mega fun.

EDIT -
My friend Tessa just joined the USCS Academy in New London CT. I guess she really likes flying too.

[Sidoh]

I thought about the Air Force too. Flying would be fun. Flying and shooting at the same time, mega fun.

EDIT -
My friend Tessa just joined the USCS Academy in New London CT. I guess she really likes flying too.

Just so you know, joining the Air Force doesn't necessarily mean you'll be flying.  There are loads of ground-based job as well.

[zorm]

I thought about the Air Force too. Flying would be fun. Flying and shooting at the same time, mega fun.

EDIT -
My friend Tessa just joined the USCS Academy in New London CT. I guess she really likes flying too.

Just so you know, joining the Air Force doesn't necessarily mean you'll be flying.  There are loads of ground-based job as well.

Yup, something like 95% of the people in the Air Force are support personal vs. pilots. Its also got a screwy test based promotion system.

About the Navy, ever heard of the USS Cole Newby? Or maybe other aspects like the UDT, the Navy also has a lot of land based jobs as well. BTW, we stayed in a berthing room of a naval vessel for a week during an orientation trip. Sleeping on a steel plate in super close quarters isn't as fun as it sounds.

As far as technical aspects go, all of the services have a lot of tech jobs. Its just a question of getting them. The Marine Corps recruiter here claimed to be in IT data systems before being a recruiter. She stated she got a $30,000 reenlistment bonus because of being in the IT field and the Marine Corps needing such people. Of course when I asked her what she actually did she dodged the question and then mentioned stuff about keeping Windows XP up to date, so I'm not entirely sure she wasn't full of shit.

USCS Joe? Don't think I've heard of that one...

Is your friend going to bootcamp Sidoh? If so wait until he finishes bootcamp before passing judgement on if it was the right move. A lot of people seem to have a 'this sucks ass' attitude while in bootcamp but afterwards they say it was no sweat and are all smiles. *shrugs*

[Joe]

It seems like every part of the military covers the other parts a bit. The Navy and Army have fighter pilots, the Marines do everything, the Coast Guard seems to be Navy, plus Air Force, plus Army, so just like the Marines. I don't really get it. =p