Everyone talks about dying and how if you join the military you will die. Ok first off Ive been there 2 times and have over 200 friends from the marines that have been there anywhere from 1-4 times. At any given time there are 120k to 140k and usually 10people a day die? That means you have a .001% chance of dying. 3000 troops in 4 years is less than 1000 a year so less than 3 a day average out of 120K isnt that many. Ive had a few friends get killed over there, but you have to remember I was in the Infantry and CHOSE to be because I wanted that experience. And we went door to door in cities constantly traveled over main roads and went on raids. I was in Fallujah during the invasion, and we were in ramadi also, 2 of the worst places in the whole country. Well ive had 4 friends in the last 4 years die in auto accidents, and one got stabbed at a party. Ok so im going to weight the benifits I've seen compared to the gripes I've had about it (keep in mind this is my thoughts)
Pro's: 44,410 dollars tax free dollars for school, free college tuition while your on active duty. 4 years of constant income with job security, free healthcare, free gym, alotted time to work out. Shoot things and blowshit up all the time. Tons of friends, Leadership skills, discipline. Life experiences. Free 8 day trip to austrailia, 4 days in hawaii. There are so many more. Signing bonuses, constant pay raises. I was making around 47K a year because I was married but was only taxed on like 23K of it. Free room and board. Cool activities, I have friends that got to be in, Flags of our Father, the Longest Yard, War of the Worlds, and Rising Sun. We got to do security for Concerts, I did the Rose Bowl last year TEXAS vs USC. NASCAR, We got to go to wheel of fortune, and the price is right. There really is alot of cool things to do man, and we were in 29 palms CA which is a hell hole.
Cons: Alot of hurry up and wait, Meaning that with such a large amount of people in your companies it takes hours do to things that you think would take 1 hour, you'll understand if you enlist. Its very annoying. Millitary is very dictatorship in is style, and you sometime get stuck doing alot of stupid things you dont want to. If you absolutely hate it your stuck, sorry but you cant get out short of popping on a piss test and the loss of all the benifits isnt worth it. Going to Iraq, if you think that is bad, but almost everyone I know that went loved it after it was over. Alot of times your superiors are retarded they are just your superiors because they have been in longer, which is shitty. I dont know there are probably more bad things too, but all in all Im so glad I did it, but Im glad Im out now. just my .02
