Thinking about joining the Navy...

P.S. I'm probably a more emotional person than most due to the circumstances I've been through, and I used to love smoking weed, liberal, etc. but am willing to toughen myself up if it is all worth it

I'd do it. I somewhat regret not join a branch of the military after high school. Everyone I knew that did it loved it and they got their school paid for plus got paid while they were in. The Navy sounded like a great experience that made my friends better people. Plus if you ever decide to try to work for the government you'll have veterans preference which gives you a huge leg up on non-vets.

they do some weird shit when they cross the equator

" dont take the bait "

Can ya give a gud handie

The answer to your question: Air Force or Coast Guard

Don't do Navy. You can travel with the Air Force. Get on one of their bases in Europe or Japan. Consider AF plumbing/water or electrical. You could do that and get the skills to have a job when you get out. I went straight to college, but if I could do it again, it would have been a good thing to have joined the AF for the tuition assistance and stuff. Also, with Air Force, if you have a job like plumber or electrician, it's very possible that after the first year and a half you'll have time to do online courses, which you could pay for with tuition assistance. I'm going to community college for water/wastewater right now. You could do that with the Air Force and then basically have a good chance at a $50-60k a year job with a municipality when you get out if you continue in that field.

I can't really speak for the navy, but I can give you some Army perspective. Your situation sounds similar to a lot of guys I know, myself included, only I joined after college.

The military will either force you to toughen up or you'll crumble and quit. I've seen it go both ways. It's difficult. It sucks. You'll question why you ever joined. You'll see your peers out partying and having fun while you stay up for 24 hours on cq. I haven't been deployed yet, but from what I hear they suck too.

But you'll eventually realize that you're a better person for it. You'll establish good work habits, good cleanliness/hygiene/neatness, and develop the ability to effectively work within a team. And in 4-5 years you'll be more confident, secure, and focused on your other life goals (if you choose to leave) than you are now.

I will say that depression is a red flag for the military when signing up. If you've had medically diagnosed depression and been on meds it may hurt your chances of joining. But if you've gone through periods where you feel depressed (as we all have) then you're okay. Just don't divulge that info to your recruiter.

Nate Dawg,

The military can be a difficult place if you are sensitive and if you struggle with depression, but the military (Navy) is changing and definitely softening up. There are a lot of advantages to joining the Navy, and you should set goals and take advantage of as much as possible. If you decide to join the Navy I would be very careful about which rate you pick. Personally, I would tell you to join the AC rate which allows you to learn a skill that translates to the civilian field. Many Navy Air Traffic Controllers are getting out of the Navy after their first enlistment and joining the FAA with the possibility of making good money. Also, for AC's it's easy to avoid sea duty for your first duty assignment.

Goodluck

This. Navy= big drug problem, and lot's of low lifes that can't get into any other military branch

Go with AF

If you join the military, you need to understand that you will be joining something greater than yourself. Your D.I.s will yell and scream at you, but the reason that they do so is to make you feel less self important and more like you need your comrades to survive (a powerful lesson in our self absorbed society). If you take the yelling and screaming personally, you'll be a mess. Just remember, a dog is going to bark and a D.I. Is going to try and make you feel like shit.

You need to take that stuff with a grain of salt. Don't look at it like needing to "toughen up". Look at it from the perspective that you are signing up to be a warfighter (even if you are a plumber) and that as said warfighter, all of your personal crap needs to be left at the door. Learn the lesson that you as an individual are not very important, but you as a member of a team have tremendous value

Don't worry about being politically liberal. I served, and some of my most liberal friends to this day served with me. However, you want to keep your politics to yourself until you get done with training. Having said that, let me point out that since our misadventures of 2003, I think the pool that the millitary draws from has become a lot more politically conservative/ guns and Jesusesque.

Talk to a shrink or counselor first to sort things out.gotta distance yourself from family to think clearly.

Do it. A number of my friends joined the military in lieu of school and have done great.

One was a helicopter pilot, finished his degree while he was in the service, then went on to medical school. Now he's a doctor with no student loan debt.

Another friend worked on telecommunications fiber optic lines and has worked doing a similar job since leaving the service.

A few others did their time then went to college. They were a few years older and much much much more prepared for school. There's more than a 4 year difference between a 22 year old that's been in the service, and a 18 yr old snot nose kid right outta HS.

In the navy

Yes, you can sail the seven seas

In the navy

Yes, you can put your mind at ease

In the navy

Come on now, people, make a stand

In the navy, in the navy

Can't you see we need a hand

In the navy

Come on, protect the mother land

In the navy

Come on and join your fellow man

In the navy

Come on people, and make a stand

In the navy, in the navy, in the navy (in the navy)

So joining the air force could be the better option? Like I said I don't know if I can go weeks/ months without contacting someone from home, it'll be hard but I'll get used to it. The only drawback from me joining the AF is that I've heard you can get stuck at some pretty shitty bases. The Navy seemed awesome but that deployment...

NateDawg wrote:

I've been thinking about this nonstop for the past few days and just keep getting more anxious and nervous.

You should probably deal with the anxiety because that isn't going away in the Navy. I'm thinking the smoking is related to personal issues that won't go away in the Navy either.

NateDawg wrote:

So joining the air force could be the better option? Like I said I don't know if I can go weeks/ months without contacting someone from home, it'll be hard but I'll get used to it. The only drawback from me joining the AF is that I've heard you can get stuck at some pretty shitty bases. The Navy seemed awesome but that deployment...

All the branches have good and bad duty stations. Joining the AF or Navy is in no way a guarantee that you will end up at a duty station that you like.

All branches deploy. It can largely depend on what AFASC, MOS (or job), that you end up with.

Really very little is guaranteed when you join the service. Everyone has different experiences so go in prepared to accept whatever is given.

I think you need to do some soul searching on why you want to join. Are you just escaping your situation? What makes you think you will buckle down in the service and not continue slacking or smoking? It's easy to do, believe me. A lot of enlistees join the service but end up making poor financial decisions, slacking off or getting married and having kids at a young age where the only viable career option is to re-enlist. But many others suck it up with the discipline, mind their business and take advantage of the free health care, housing, education, etc to save a little money, see the world and get close to a free college education. Which path will you take? It's up to you, but it won't be easy either way.

As far as services go, each has its pros and cons but having served in the AF I would recommend it over other branches. Many vets in other branches would say the same. A more technologically advanced, better educated service that provides much better living standards for its members.

Good luck.

NateDawg wrote:

So joining the air force could be the better option? Like I said I don't know if I can go weeks/ months without contacting someone from home, it'll be hard but I'll get used to it. The only drawback from me joining the AF is that I've heard you can get stuck at some pretty shitty bases. The Navy seemed awesome but that deployment...

The Air Force (and possibly the CG) is the best. They take the smartest enlistees, so you're going to be around higher quality people and fewer eff ups. Even if you're on a base that is boring, you'll have time to yourself if you have a 9-5 job. Imagine being in the Navy and feeling stuck on a ship with eff ups. And your personal space being a bunk bed. And sharing the toilets.

I met an older guy a couple of years ago. He was biking from Canada to Mexico. He said that after his second year of college he needed a break. So he joined the AF. He met his wife while in Japan and then after his four years he got out and completed his engineering degree. If I could do it again I'd do it like him, maybe with a one or two year world backpacking and climbing trip after serving and before going back to college. Check out the civil engineering careers with AF. Plumbing, electrical, engineer tech, etc. Look at online school options like U North Dakota (engineering) or Oregon State. If you're in, save your money. Use it to travel a little. Don't do stupid stuff like buying new cars or a house.

die for me with a smile

You'd be on a boat.