what are the pro's and cons of joining the army other than fighting to protect your country

its a way of life, not something you can walk away from if you dont like it.

you might get shot and have sleep/shower with other people ewwww.......

does their pay get better?

pay is crap per hour but you get paid 24 hours a day as im aware and being in the army you never get to spend it so it builds up in your bank

when you move up the ranks, same as any of the forces, if you want better bucks... do what i did.... be a submariner!

 

spent 6 years as a Submariner, moneys great, but as with all forces its a single mans life, but i have been all over the world, spent 8 weeks in California in 99 with the TLAM firings, and spent 8 days at work and 5 days at sea, and got put up in a hotel for the whole time and given $3000.00 to live off...ah the memories..........

The Pay is actually very good. noone works 24 hours, even in IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN you get time off to rest. its what you make of it. I did 14 years, and loved it. it works for some but not for others.

my friend who was in the army said he got paid 24 hours aday even though he was not actively working, he still got paid.

 

He was minted when he was on leave he would pay for everyone to go out, because he had nothing to spend his money on lol

do what i did.... be a submariner!

 

spent 8 days at work and 5 days at sea,

 

 

thats the same thing when you're in the navy.... :wack: :tongue:

thats the same thing when you're in the navy.... :wack: :tongue:

 

no it not :tongue:

 

 

8 days duty while the sub's along side works out to be in once a week :tongue:

 

and 5 days at sea firing 22 foot missiles out the front and blowing big shit up 1500 miles away

 

took 3 weeks to get there from Faslane and 3 weeks back, took 2 days to get through the panama canal!

what are the pro's and cons of joining the army other than fighting to protect your country

You thinking of going in then? Just dont go into communications ffs.

 

Seriously if you are good luck to ya. I went to join the RAF past all the entry exams but my Motor Mechanic apprenticeship came up so opted for that. But as i've got older i think i proberbly made the right choice as now i wish i had gone in the Navy and really regret it, now as its too late.

my friend who was in the army said he got paid 24 hours aday even though he was not actively working, he still got paid.

 

He was minted when he was on leave he would pay for everyone to go out, because he had nothing to spend his money on lol

Tiz true that your wages are worked out over a 24 hour period, but you dont work 24 hrs, you also get paid danger money when on active service.

was in the navy as a aircraft engineer, dont regret one moment of it,

Well, im serving now. At the moment the wages seem to be going up because of A.demand B. people are leaving. Its another insentive to stay in, like the tax free bonus you get now when you go on tour. Its a good life as you can see im in Germany and living a tax free life LOL. Yer you right we get paid 24/7 no matter what you do. You could be off ill for 6 weeks but still get payed. Even get pay when we are leave, so really you get paid to go on the p#iss and get layed!!!

 

This is my week:

MON 0815 parade for work

1000-1030 break

1230-0100 lunch

1500-1530

Well, im serving now. At the moment the wages seem to be going up because of A.demand B. people are leaving. Its another insentive to stay in, like the tax free bonus you get now when you go on tour. Its a good life as you can see im in Germany and living a tax free life LOL. Yer you right we get paid 24/7 no matter what you do. You could be off ill for 6 weeks but still get payed. Even get pay when we are leave, so really you get paid to go on the p#iss and get layed!!!

 

This is my week:

MON 0815 parade for work

1000-1030 break

1230-0100 lunch

1500-1530 break

1700 home

 

TUE same but pt from 1600

WED half day

THURS same as mon but PT from 1600

FRI half day

sat, sun off. Yer you get duties now and again but for what you do the rate of pay is good. Oh, not forgetting the p#ss ups in between!!!!!!!

Depending on what you do in the Army and there is a huuuuge difference between lets say an infantry soldier and someone who works in admin. It depends really what you want to do within the Army structure.

 

Pros

 

1. You will make great friends for life

2. You will be very fit

3. It will make you a stronger person mentally and physically

4. You can save a bit of money

5. Pay goes up well when you climb the ranks

6. It will build up your confidence and self respect

7. The food is good and you can eat as much as you want as long as you don't become a fat boy.

8. Plenty of leave

9. lots of women - you can even get laid whilst on guard duty in most barracks

10. Weapons - (what more do I have to say ;-)

 

Cons

 

1. depending which unit you join - good chance of being maimed or killed

2. you will change your mind on how you think about civillians

3. if you dont like fighting and whoring on a night out (mostly weekends) this could be a downer

4. If you don't go out and join in you will not have many friends and your life will be a bit shit

5. If you are private and you wind up with a section commander who is nuts be very carefull.

6. bullying .. lots of bullying especially when you are new .. the others will call you a nig or words to that effect. Loads of nafi runs to get food or mac donalds runs

7. Never be a dirty person, or the guys wearing respirators and carrying a yardbroom will get you.

8. Be good at what you do and you will be fine, you will earn others respect.

 

Can't really think of anything else at the moment. I loved my time in the Army :-)

1. depending which unit you join - good chance of being maimed or killed

2. you will change your mind on how you think about civillians

3. if you dont like fighting and whoring on a night out (mostly weekends) this could be a downer

4. If you don't go out and join in you will not have many friends and your life will be a bit shit

5. If you are private and you wind up with a section commander who is nuts be very carefull.

6. bullying .. lots of bullying especially when you are new .. the others will call you a nig or words to that effect. Loads of nafi runs to get food or mac donalds runs

7. Never be a dirty person, or the guys wearing respirators and carrying a yardbroom will get you.

8. Be good at what you do and you will be fine, you will earn others respect.

 

Can't really think of anything else at the moment. I loved my time in the Army :-)

 

 

IN WHAT WAY?

Im not sure what teh pay is like nowdays, but when I was there it was not too bad as I was in a higher pay bracket. But because I spent most of my time on opps I had very little time to spend it. NAFFI was dirt cheap.

 

OK plusses.

You will not expericance friendship like it in civy street.

Health care is awsome as long as your in the UK.

Pay is not brilliant, but its ok.

Be prepared to be the very best in teh world, bar none.

Welcome to the brotherhood.

 

Minuses

If you get injected with anti nerve agents and you develop problems the army will turn its back on you.

Dont expect to have equipment and food on opps, were renowned for being teh worsed supplied army in the world. Sad but true.

If your need to go into hospital, make sure you have medical insurance, if you dont, dont expect to much as an inlisted man. The officers get preferential treatment all teh time.

IN WHAT WAY?

 

Believe it or not this is quite true. The Army will change you mentally, it will

become your extended family and you will look on civilians totally different, It is hard to explain but everyone in my unit seemed to look on them as not the same as them as if they were better than them. They referred to them as civies and they treated them mostly with contempt.

 

I'm not saying that I agree with this but that is how it was when I was in the forces. Attitudes may have changed since.

Can Make You Institutianalised Then I Guess

Can Make You Institutianalised Then I Guess

 

It can do. I have seen it happen. A lot of guys who join the Army have nothing else going for them. They aren't employable, rough upbringing. The join because they have nothing else. I'm not saying eveyone who joins is like that but there are some.

 

I have met a broad range of peeps in the Army and there are quite a few nutbars in there. Bullying is also rife, although the Army will not tolerate it or so they say. It happens all the time, everyday of the week.

 

There was one guy I knew, who was only a lance corporal and he used to send the new boys on naffi runs etc .. He used to time them on his watch. If they were late, then he would literally punch them out, or hang them outside the window in a doss bag. He was even known to shoot crossbow bolts at them. Obviously this is a bit of an extreme example but it happens.

im guessing the bullying thing depends on your unit, in 18 yrs I never once witnessed or experienced physical abuse, mental or verbal yes especially during basic but nothing outlandish. Just what you would expect really as part of the toughening process - to weed out the nonhackers

Dont expect to have equipment and food on opps, were renowned for being teh worsed supplied army in the world. Sad but true.

 

Which is why the British Soldier is the best in the world because he has to be versatile, resiliant and know how to improvise.

Yer bullying is there(it is in schools!!) I agree it does seperate you from the long haired moshers of civvy street but you also get stereo typed. The dreaded squaddies that get p#issed, fight and shag everyones women. Dont get me wrong, bullying in some ways is bad but it sorts the men out of the weak. How could you rely on somone who crys at being called a name etc.... b4 anyone starts on me there is extream bullying (which i dont agree with) and there is the norm in the naafi. Now though there is so much " civvi" involvment that you cant sh#t. We are like marmite, you love us or hate us !!!!

ill be honest i could never sign up, im not strong enough mentally or physically. I have the upmost respect for our lads and lasses that risk their own lives to serve this country and protect our nation. My opinion is that for the dedication they give and the hard graft the endure they are no way near recognised enough, its a shame that all the money pumped into Her majesty et al, isnt spent on rewarding the brave young men and women that have the courage and dedication to brave to do what the majority would find unthinkable

On the good side you get to nail loads of prostitutes in Germany.

 

I wouldn't say it's 'for queen and country' any more - it's more about being the Government's stong arm to enforce their ideals across the world.