[Closed] Would you join the armed forces?

protect a country that is full of self centred asshats

Sound like you have some self-asteem issues. 😯

Very nearly did - did OTC (like TA for potential offciers) at Uni and loved it, did selection for the Marines (officer level) passed the POC and AIB then changed my mind at the 11th hour.

Unlike you, I like the UK a lot!

Unlike you, I like the UK a lot!

what has that got to do with invading countries that are thousands of miles away?

to the OP: I have a similiar opinion to you so extremely unlikely, but if someone actually invaded I might be tempted.

If the country is full of self-centred asshats, then the army will be too.

But the answer to your question is no, and they wouldn't want me anyway.

I very nearly did when I was younger, wanted to join the RAF and fly planes. My reasons for wanting to join had absolutely nothing to do with patriotism, my country or foreigners. It was entirely based on 'that looks cool - and you get paid for it to? Ace!'.

Which is probably why I didn't go for it in the end.

Leggy - eh? I don't agree with what we are up to in Afghanistan. Happy to defend this country "properly" though. I'm on some "list" somewhere. Would get called up before most civvies.

Do people join the army out of love for their country or is it often about wanting a more exciting career? I was in the OTC as wanted to play at being a soldier but never wanted to do it properly.

welll if the Nazis were attacking or I had no choice to stop someone invading here but for the adventure , travel and Queen and country would I f@ck uter BS of the highest order dieing to protect the imperialist interests of the rich who make sure it is not their kids lives on the line.

Yes.

The country is more than just the people in it. Despite them (and certain places like Norwich) this country is worthy of my support.

I quite fancy the airforce. From the little exposure I've had, it consists of lot's of tea, nice little boxes of sandwiches and sweeties, and flying over you're new home to show it to the rest of the crew.
If it's always like that, I could get used to it.

Do people join the army out of love for their country or is it often about wanting a more exciting career? I was in the OTC as wanted to play at being a soldier but never wanted to do it properly.

I suspect mostly the latter option.

Good pension at a young age, good setup for future careers when you leave.
They are the only reason I can think of.
Apart maybe from drinking games where you get to sample the taste of another man's vomit.

If you can stick it for the pension and are at a reasonable level (officer generally) you are made for life - a friend will be leavig the Navy in very few years time, younger than me, and he will be able to claim a living-wage pension immediately as far as I can tell. He has been in a fair few years though, so he has had many years of not getting to choose how/where he lives.. though it seems a not too bad life to me.

Hint to agressors - invade on a Friday afternoon, we'd be helpless 😉

The country is more than just the people in it

I whole-heartedly disagree.

For my part, I did consider joining the RAF because of a general fancying of planes, but then I realised I did not want some poor innocent bugger's blood on my hands.

I can't imagine anything worse than being in the services TBH, and apparently the current situation where they're out there fighting wars seems to have come to quite a surprise to most of the ones that have joined.
Anyway, isn't DC proposing a 20% reduction in the army over the next 4 years?

I wanted to. I loved cadets (ATC) but eventually the freedoms offered to a young 17 year old boy took over and I didn't do so well on my A levels. My life took a different turn towards being an outdoor pursuits instructor. Later I went on to Uni a few years after my mates and now I jocky a keyboard and mouse. I did look into entering a few years ago when my job was at risk but by then I was 30 and most of the decent jobs were off limits. Guess I'll just have to learn to fly on my own time and money now instead. how hard can it be to get type-approved on a BAe
Hawk?!

To be fair, the military don't invade foreign countries, the government does, the army just does what its told. Plenty of jobs are contravertial and risky, perhaps not many as much as the armed forces but for a lot of people in the forces its about more than killing foreigners.

My mates just come out of the Navy. he was earning at least £35k P/A. Now unemployed, with a lot of very specialist engineering skills and qualifications which will almost certainly not find him a relevant job in civvy life. Thinking of going back in (maybe RAF).

I'm lucky, I had the kind of upbringing where I could waste 3 (yes 3) years of my life doing A-levels, then do two years of uni before dropping out to get a decent career in the NHS, for a lot of my friends that wasn't an option.

First one in my family not to join up in about 150 years (most of them were sappers and gunners)... although I am short-sighted & colour blind, and therefore of nae use.

Could join as a nurse, I guess - a large proportion of the AMS are TA NHS staff.

[i]If it's always like that, I could get used to it. [/i]

It's nothing like that at all! You have to attend meetings where civilians in tight skirts tell you how to fly a plane and you have to think up cool names for each other like Maverick and errm, samuri and then play volleyball in tight shorts with sweat running across your muscley torso.

So it's not all fun you see. Although if you get to marry Meg Ryan I'm game.

A medic soldier was on the train a couple of weeks ago having just returned from Afghanistan - he was still in his kit.

This was in the Pulman dining carriage (sort of 1st class with food) and the respect he got from everyone was astonishing. Everyone spoke to him, everyone offered him drinks - proper returning hero. There were clearly some loaded businessmen in the carriage but it didn't matter for once. Very heartening to watch. I had a good natter too and had trained in some of the same places as him - but made it VERY clear I only did OTC and selection - nothing else.

So if nothing else, soldiers do get a lot of respect for a tough job.

Only as an officer, stationed in Belize.

Yes, i'd have no hesitation. 10 years ago i applied for the RAF as int. officer. Got accepted..I won't bore you with details but chose not to go at the last minute - Biggest regret ever

Have no intention of dying to protect a country that is full of self centred asshats.

This is very funny. Happily, a significant number of young men and women appear to be so un-self-centred that they do choose to join up, so perhaps your contribution will not be missed too much.

As with others, I had a crack at infantry, but (amongst other things) couldn't get to the weight they wanted me at. Ho hum. 🙂

my brother in law joined 18 months ago.
he's gone from door man/bouncer to intelligence corp and does enjoy the life.
he goes to 'ghan in august.

if i didn't have a family business to continue i think i would have enjoyed a military life; although being really scruffy may not assist my career prospects

If you don't want to join, fair enough. Crack on and do whatever you want to. Since we got rid of conscription you may have your choice.

Some men are just not man enough for some roles in life. Fair enough. We need bleeding-heart liberals to do underwater basketweaving and complain about the Armed Forces invading somewhere when conflict is just the extension of politics and soldiers don't go anywhere unless politicians send them.

If your granny is the Queen then it seems to be a good thing to do.

Wish I had actually - but only as an Officer. Not sure if they have much call for 5 ft female librarians tho.

apart from anything else, who would want to invade us and end up with such a bloody-minded bunch of invadees ? You don't need insurgency when everyone is on permanent tea break!

[i]underwater basketweaving[/i]

Harder than it looks, IME.

I have a theory that Britain didn't so much conquer the world as bore it into submission with tea, sanwiches and polite conversation. Here - have all our land just don't make me drink another cup of luke warm weak tea !

Personally, I wouldnt even think about it. Have no intention of dying to protect a country that is full of self centred asshats

Oh, the irony. Shut the door on your way out, eh?
Attitudes like this really boil my blood. All you're doing is trying to make some clever-arsed point. And failing soooooooo badly.

Personally, the forces aren't for me. But I have a deep respect for those that do join.

But I have a deep respect for those that do join.

probably matched by their contempt for "civvy street" ?

Some men are just not man enough for some roles in life. Fair enough. We need bleeding-heart liberals to do underwater basketweaving and complain about the Armed Forces invading somewhere when conflict is just the extension of politics and soldiers don't go anywhere unless politicians send them.

It's true, you have to be very manly to be constantly pissed or on holiday as most of the guys in the forces who I know seem to be.
Soldiers might do the bidding of the politicians, which to me is an another reason NOT to join, they're basically mercenaries if they are fighting for something they don't believe in.

There are clearly some very brave men and women in the forces who deserve to be commended on their line of work, however many soldiers are idiots who couldn't do anything else in life.

I did, enjoyed the 22 yrs would do it again, did some things i did not agree with (much like the average job i guess) and did some things i thought were well justified.

Received a pension on leaving that will go index linked when i am 55 and will pay untill i die. Left on a Senior Officers pay but enjoying the private market pay better. 😉 Thought you civvies had lots of time to ride bikes and stuff, i got that bit wrong somewhere 😥

To the OP, your right the country does have some folks with issues but all the troops ask for is your support and respect, you dont have to agree with the conflict, some of them do not but they have a job like you to do.

soldiers don't go anywhere unless politicians send them.

that's the trouble though really, we all know just how sensible and reliable politicians are, so giving them the power to have people killed at no risk to themselves is highly unwise 🙁

Surf-Mat ...I'm on some "list" somewhere...

So am I, although I suspect it's not the same list, as I am banned from certain military areas. 😉

probably matched by their contempt for "civvy street" ?

I don't think there's any truth in that personally. Certainly not with any of the Army that I know and associate with.

But given the OPs PoV, could you blame them? 😐

I'm not good at the blind obedience bit so it never attracted me but I can't blame anyone weighing up the risks and rewards and going for it. Its not as if anyone joining now is in any doubt that there's a good chance if they join a front line unit that they'll get shot at or blown up.

leggyblonde - Member

It's true, you have to be very manly to be constantly pissed or on holiday as most of the guys in the forces who I know seem to be.

however many soldiers are idiots who couldn't do anything else in life.

Some fantastic sweeping statements there. Do you want to brand all priests as sexual deviants and truck drivers as murderers as well?

Some people are idiots - the statistics are probably the same in any line of work. Most of the forces types I know work pretty hard and a few of them work exceptionally hard, repeatedly deployed etc. Some are twonks - but so are some people who never wear a uniform.

headfirst: That might make your life quite "Rosey"

I spent many happy years slotting terrorists and other assorted mit-mots on behalf of queen and country.

complain about the Armed Forces invading somewhere when conflict is just the extension of politics and soldiers don't go anywhere unless politicians send them.

I can't imagine anything worse than being in the services TBH

[img] [/img]

Some men are just not man enough for some roles in life

Yes I did left after many happy years to move to a new challenge. Nearly rejoined the marines 2 years ago but family won in the end

Yes.

The country is more than just the people in it.

If you can stick it for the pension and are at a reasonable level (officer generally) you are made for life - a friend will be leavig the Navy in very few years time, younger than me, and he will be able to claim a living-wage pension

Nice, bet that won't be included in the public sector cuts being made, instead we can concentrate on making nursing and teaching undesirable occupations whilst encouraging the use of stupidly expensive weaponry as a career. Funny, but I would have thought making the country worth defending should be a priority.

Anyway isn't DC proposing a 20-30% reduction in the size of the Army?

Some men are just not man enough for some roles in life

this is called "military thinking" 🙁

How many in the Army [i]actually fight[/i]? and how many are support?

Those that brag, boast and poisture tend to be those who don't fight.
Just feed off the fighting soldiers reputation.

simonfbarnes - Member

Some men are just not man enough for some roles in life

this is called "military thinking"

Yet if I put a smiley at the end of it, it might well be called 'irony'. 😕

i usually avoid padded's threads, but this one is funny.

I was also in the ATC (also did a tour' in the Cubs) 😉

Baaa !!

[img] [/img]

Ha! Reminds me of Slackbladder killing his favourite Pigeon!

No way, I'm a pacifist. And anyway, if someone wants the thankless task of invading us, it's much easier and cheaper to wait till they arrive and then kill them with IEDs, though we might have to wait a while to see if they could do a better job of running the country than the Tories...

It seems to me a lot of what the armed forces do is defending British "interests", which usually turn out to be things we'd be better off not doing