Should i join AF? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pshibly · #1 10-22-2003, 06:18 PM

its come time to make my decision.... i cant put it off any longer. Im a junior in computer engineering with a good GPA and a good career track. but i wanna join afrotc. im having a hard time convincing myself 100% that i wanna do it though. its a big commitment, and a big change for me. im having reservations. i dont know why. mostly, because i know that if i decide to pursue a career in the airforce, then i will have to adopt a totally different lifestyle. at least during college. i already went Alum in my fraternity. Im an RA now, and i will probably have to drop that next semester if i start training. i have a professional persona, and i asked my mom if i would be compatable with a military mindset where people are giving me orders. she tells me that its going to be difficult for me, and she knows that i will struggle with it because im very introverted and mature. she doesnt know if i will like military life. i know shes right...... afterall, its my mom......theyre know whats good for you. i need some input on what to do. what have been your experiences with ROTC and military life?

rickg · #2 10-22-2003, 06:27 PM

I have no experience. But I had an uncle way, way back in the 70's go into the Army ROTC. He wanted to go into law enforcement, and felt this would give him a head start. I remeber how disappointed he was after a couple years in the program. He said he felt like all he did was march in parades.
I'm going to assume things have changed since then, but....
BTW, it didn't really help him much.

kerry · #3 10-22-2003, 07:11 PM

No

TTaM · #4 10-22-2003, 08:33 PM

I too am thinking military post graduation. I will be graduating this spring with a major in Poli Sci and a minor in Econ. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I am looking into the Coast Guard. They have a program that allows individuals with bachelors degrees to apply directly to OCS [Officer Candidate School] If accepted, you go through officer training, and when you complete, you come out an officer. I have talked to the recruiter, and he said that the likelyhood of being accepted various, as those already in the service get first priority. The job market sucks right now, and I figure this will give a chance to figure out the rest of my life, while making a fair living and recieving good benefits.

pshibly · #5 10-23-2003, 03:33 PM

rotc is 2 years in college if your not on the 4 year ROTC plan. and its not a question of being physically fit to make it or not. its all about if i will fit in as a person.
im not against the military. i just dont believe in killing people, and theres no way i could kill someone regardless of the situation. its more about my morals and ethics.
my cousin is a pilot, and hes a great guy. while i was growing up, i looked up to him so much and thought he was the greatest guy in the world (behind my father). but now as im older, i start to wonder how he could bomb people in afganastan or in iraq. he must believe so strongly in what he does, to be able to carry out his duties. and, while i know that what i wanna do in the airforce will be as far from combat as possible, i constantly wonder if being a part of something that goes against my morals and ethics would be too much for me to handle.
im just envisioning a day at the office, where everyones talkin about the new news on the wire from iraq and how much fighting there is....and then theres me who cant bring myself to talk about it because it makes me uncomfortable.
dont get me wrong. i am very thankful that the military has kept us safe for so long. but i think its time that we re-evaluate how we handle diplomacy.
and thats why i have the reservations that i do about joining the military.

rickg · #6 10-23-2003, 03:55 PM

If you have a thing about killing another person, I'd think twice about joining the military. Remember those two brothers in the news when we sent troops over to Iraq? "Well, our recruiter didn't say we'd have to actually go to war!". Uh, you are, like, in the military you know

I don't know if the ROTC is a guarantee that you'd never see active duty, but......

suginami · #7 10-23-2003, 05:51 PM

My best friend from high school is the last person you would ever expect to join the military, and he ended up joining the Air Force.

He has a personality like yours: very introverted and quiet, very mature, and an independent thinker.

I was worried at the time if he would make it or not, but he ended up loving it, He is now 35 years old, and he will probably stay in the Air Force for the rest of his life.

Wes Bender · #8 10-23-2003, 06:22 PM

Spent 10-1/2 years in the USAF. Enjoyed almost every minute of it and got to go places and do things that I otherwise probably wouldn't have. (Bear in mind that this was in Curtis Lemay's SAC.) If they told me I was going back in again today, however, there would be two heel marks and tears all the way.

From a practical standpoint (and I may get some flak over this) I think the USAF has more to offer in technical matters than the other branches of the service.

Just my $.02.

Cheers,
Wes

Botnst · #9 10-23-2003, 07:12 PM

I spent four years enlisted in USN.

It has its good and bad. I traveled a lot. Somebody's always tellin' ya what to do. I learned a trade. Freedom is a memory. I saved some money. I put my personal life in the freezer for several years and behind the job curve with my cohorts. I got a good education inside and post military. I made life-long friends whom to this day, are friends to die for....

When you're in, you are an instrument of the political will of the USA.

If you cannot subordinate your beliefs to those of the national leadership, you are destined for a world of hurt.

If you love your country such that you can ignore or subdue your self-interest for the common good, you're their boy.

If your desire to follow your own drummer is greater, do yourself and the gov a favor and don't join.

In either case, you honor yourself and your country by seriously considering serving the armed service of your country.

That goes for any country, by the way.

Botnst · #10 10-23-2003, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tkamiya
That's not the only quality I was referring to, Spock....

Do you think you can maintain your sanity after bombing what you thought as the enemy and later find out you also killed civilians and children? Can you still go out and do another round? Can you say "I did what my leader told me to do" and go to sleep? What if the TV news shows the civian children dead, parents dead holding pictures of their kids, or the enemy hideout was actually a hospital? You know, it happens....

It's really a harsh reality of being in Military.... I know *I* don't fit in there, and thanks goes to those who do these job on our behalf....

I completely agree with the form of the questions, though you and I probably differ on the answers!

As a voter in a representative democracy, you the voter should ask those same questions of yourself: those people are hurt and killed because your country caused it. Whether you are an ardent supported of the current adminsitration or a harsh critic makes no difference: people die because of your governments actions in your name. Its a serious thing to be a citizen.

The same is true of any government action. It is all taken in your name. You're time to let the world know what you think is fast approaching. If you fail to vote, my vote will prevail. For good or ill.

Botnst

Kuan · #11 10-23-2003, 09:02 PM

If you're unsure, then don't. The only reason why you should join the military is your love for your country and your belief that joining the military is the best way for you to serve your country.

OK, maybe gourmet MRE's.

Limited Edition · #12 10-23-2003, 11:02 PM

Yes

dmorrison · #13 10-23-2003, 11:44 PM

The desision is all yours, but make it an informed decisioin. I did 2 year AFROTC. 3 years 9 months active duty and then Air Force Reserves after 1 year of pilot training. Total time in the Air Force/Reserves 10 years.

What is it your joining for?? You question the mission of the military but you want to join this organization that owns you completely for 4 years.

As an Officer in the military you are at the " wishes and desires of the military" This means that what ever they want to do with you you have to do it. Shipped off to Tule, Greenland, you go or face court martial. disobey a lawfull order and again a court martial. All orders must be lawfull or you may and are required to disobey them. The My Lai insident re-affirmed this part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice

Now the reality of the military. They have you working as a computer program specialist. Well they are not going to give you a gun and make you a foot solder. They need you working and maintaining the computer system you are assigned to. On active duty I was a Forecaster. I had a degree in Meteorology and they sent me to Pope AFB all the way form Raliegh NC to active duty. It 57 miles from Raleigh to Fayettville NC where Pope is located. I did all my active duty time there. You will be in a highly technical field, computers, so your fellow officers and enlisted troups will be intelligent and motivated. It will be more of a office working environment. Except they choose your clothes and how long you can grow your hair. Where you live, if on base, or what town you will be in if you live off base. So the life style is not like anything you see in the movies.
Yes you have to follow orders and salute. Well you will have to do this same kind of thing in the civilian life. Follow your boses request, think orders, and get involved with certian activities and social clubs.

Many of the kids I was in ROTC with were very laid back and not the "Nedermeyer" of the movie Animal House.

Navy and Army are a lot more "military" Coast Gaurd is another more laid back service.

Additionally. You don't have to go ROTC to be a commissioned Officer. You can always go OTS after you graduate. They will take officers for a couple of years after you graduate. So you do not have to decide right now. Keep an eye on the ROTC program and learn then if you do want it, go OTS.

10 years of Air Force and I never shot anyone, Never was shot at and only carried a gun on certian missions on the C141. I have more desire to carry a gun now, with the Airlines, then I did in the Air Force.

You have a lot of reservations about signing the line. I would suggest you not do it if your not sure, because you will be obligated to serve your time. Either as an officer or as an enlisted if you refuse the commission.

Dave

#14 10-24-2003, 09:14 AM

If you want something long lasting and you want to put yourself above the rest, then yes. I think everyone should serve a tour of duty, you learn many things about life that you will never learn any place else.

suginami · #15 10-24-2003, 11:49 AM

It seems you are having reservations about joining the AF, but I think this is normal.

I'm not trying to persuade you one way or the other, but I think "nearly" everyone that joins the military has doubts.

If everyone that has second thoughts doesn't end up joinging up, there'd be no one there.