Military NTers, Do you Regret Ever Joining the Military?

[djprestige21]

Strongly considering joining the military after college (I've thought this up and down in a very logistical way and have many viable reasons for this) after undergrad. I'm just at a point in my life where I'm dissatisfied from a philosophical standpoint. Great school (top 20 worldwide), Good job, good girl, good group of friends its just something isn't doing it for me right now. Its either join the military or move to Europe for a couple years at this point (which would be irrational to my goals, but a life changing experience non the less).



I'd join the military as an Officer do the minimum I have to do and get out, hop on a GI bill for med school and be out. Only a 3-4 year set back. Thinking either Marines or Navy as a corpsmen.




However my absolute worst fear is that I'll come back in 3-4 years and just be completely out of the loop, all my friends will move on, my girl will obviously move on, and I'll miss out on a couple years of all my nephews and family's life. How did you guys cope with that? Did it actually happen?

 

[djprestige21]

Strongly considering joining the military after college (I've thought this up and down in a very logistical way and have many viable reasons for this) after undergrad. I'm just at a point in my life where I'm dissatisfied from a philosophical standpoint. Great school (top 20 worldwide), Good job, good girl, good group of friends its just something isn't doing it for me right now. Its either join the military or move to Europe for a couple years at this point (which would be irrational to my goals, but a life changing experience non the less).



I'd join the military as an Officer do the minimum I have to do and get out, hop on a GI bill for med school and be out. Only a 3-4 year set back. Thinking either Marines or Navy as a corpsmen.




However my absolute worst fear is that I'll come back in 3-4 years and just be completely out of the loop, all my friends will move on, my girl will obviously move on, and I'll miss out on a couple years of all my nephews and family's life. How did you guys cope with that? Did it actually happen?

 

[ryair max 1]

I'm the same boat as you about being dissatisfied (other reasons though) but I'm currently in the application stage for Navy Officer Candidate School. I have my ASTB in about three weeks (nervous as hell b/c I do not do well on standardized tests). I still have some of those concerns but at this point I've decided I have nothing to loose by perusing something like this. My parents support me completely (I'm not close w/ my siblings so I could care what they think) and my friends aren't going anywhere since many just started working and will be in my area for a while.

Three to four years at this point in my life is nothing and for school, the Navy does tuition reimbursement up to $700 per class (after that they dip into your GI bill) so you can serve and go to school concurrently.

With that being said, my main fear is getting selected for an assignment that is not suited for my strengths based on my education/professional background (I'm trying to get in as a Public Affairs or Intel Officer, which are the smallest and most selective unrestricted line assignments). I feel those, especially Public Affairs, are the most useful if I decided to leave after four years. My other fear is getting sent somewhere where there aren't any good schools around to pursue my Master's. I went to a good school w/ good grades and pending a good GRE score, I could probably get into some really good schools for a M.P.P. or M.P.A. program. I would love to have my Master's done by the time I'd be eligible to get out, just so I could focus on my professional engagements w/o having to worry about school at the same time.

 

[ryair max 1]

I'm the same boat as you about being dissatisfied (other reasons though) but I'm currently in the application stage for Navy Officer Candidate School. I have my ASTB in about three weeks (nervous as hell b/c I do not do well on standardized tests). I still have some of those concerns but at this point I've decided I have nothing to loose by perusing something like this. My parents support me completely (I'm not close w/ my siblings so I could care what they think) and my friends aren't going anywhere since many just started working and will be in my area for a while.

Three to four years at this point in my life is nothing and for school, the Navy does tuition reimbursement up to $700 per class (after that they dip into your GI bill) so you can serve and go to school concurrently.

With that being said, my main fear is getting selected for an assignment that is not suited for my strengths based on my education/professional background (I'm trying to get in as a Public Affairs or Intel Officer, which are the smallest and most selective unrestricted line assignments). I feel those, especially Public Affairs, are the most useful if I decided to leave after four years. My other fear is getting sent somewhere where there aren't any good schools around to pursue my Master's. I went to a good school w/ good grades and pending a good GRE score, I could probably get into some really good schools for a M.P.P. or M.P.A. program. I would love to have my Master's done by the time I'd be eligible to get out, just so I could focus on my professional engagements w/o having to worry about school at the same time.

 

[ninjallamafromhell]

Friends moving on is a part of life regardless of the military, girls come and go, but missing stuff with the family sucked.  On the bright side when I was able to spend time with them (i.e. the holidays if I wasn't deployed) it was like I was never gone.

Do I regret it?  No.  Would I do it again?  No.

U.S. Army
August 2001 - February 2007
Station: Fort Lewis, Wa
Balad, Iraq 2004-2005
Tal'Afar, Iraq 2005-2006

 

[ninjallamafromhell]

Friends moving on is a part of life regardless of the military, girls come and go, but missing stuff with the family sucked.  On the bright side when I was able to spend time with them (i.e. the holidays if I wasn't deployed) it was like I was never gone.

Do I regret it?  No.  Would I do it again?  No.

U.S. Army
August 2001 - February 2007
Station: Fort Lewis, Wa
Balad, Iraq 2004-2005
Tal'Afar, Iraq 2005-2006

 

[j671]

nah dont regret it
navy
operation enduring freedom
abh3 ,worked on the flight deck launching jets.
it just depends on what branch and what your job is gonna be.Just remember, jobs matter in the military when it comes to sign on, or re-enlisting bonuses.however , one can have a low stress job and the other can have a high stress job, but both get paid the same pay because they're the same rank.

 

[j671]

nah dont regret it
navy
operation enduring freedom
abh3 ,worked on the flight deck launching jets.
it just depends on what branch and what your job is gonna be.Just remember, jobs matter in the military when it comes to sign on, or re-enlisting bonuses.however , one can have a low stress job and the other can have a high stress job, but both get paid the same pay because they're the same rank.

 

[dnycemodel]

Sometimes i regret it then i remember that i could be jobless and not able to take care of my family. That regret goes away pretty quick.

 

[dnycemodel]

Sometimes i regret it then i remember that i could be jobless and not able to take care of my family. That regret goes away pretty quick.

 

[kasm]

damn i would probally enjoy this...but cant leave my lady like that...i would miss her too much...

 

[kasm]

damn i would probally enjoy this...but cant leave my lady like that...i would miss her too much...