Our son has grown up!! This is one of the most well-thought-out essays on why one should join the US military I have ever read. To say Aaron is a changed man is an understatement. Of course, time will tell. But I do feel he has definitely (and POSITIVELY) "turned the corner" as it were.
I was beaming as I was reading this with a sense of family pride such as I have never had. Aaron is carrying on the fine military tradition begun with both his granddads, his dad, and his uncle in a FINE way. I'm taking a copy to Dad for him to read as well. This should be required reading for every high schooler, male or female. Come to think of it, I believe I'll take a copy to the Recruiter tomorrow.
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Chris,
I've been in the Marine Corps for over two years now, so I can probably tell you a thing or two about the military.
I decided to join for several reasons. I did the college thing for a few years, but eventually dropped out because I was partying too much and not focusing enough on school. Even after I dropped out, I still hung out with the same self-defeating bozos as before, and I wasn't really doing anything with my life except treading water. I bought time for about a year since I had a girlfriend to occupy my time, but my lack of ambition and personal problems just pushed her away and made my life even worse.
At that point, I was looking for a drastic change in my life...something that would get me away from the "friends" who were dragging me down, and something that would put some structure into my life. Being generally opposed to ever joining the military, that was certainly the last place that I saw myself looking for a way out. I was pretty set on the Army, at first; I can't even really remember what made me walk into the Marine Corps recruiting office. In any case, I found myself there, and the recruiter sold the Marine Corps story to me and I felt the Marine Corps would offer me the biggest challenge, so I joined up.
Boot camp was easily the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. You pretty much get run into the ground by your drill instructors, day after day for three months, until you feel you can't take it anymore. That's when the drill instructors push you even harder, and you find that your body can take a lot more punishment than you thought it could. I went to boot camp as an out of shape, chubby 200-pounder, without much muscle at all, but I just put 110% effort into it, and I was able to push through it and I came out of boot camp in the best shape of my life.
Having been in for over two years, I've found that the military is a lot like any other job. You've got your good days, you've got your bad days, and you've even got your really bad days. The military occupation comes with a whole different set of responsibilities than a normal civilian job does...things like liberty rules, uniform inspections, standing duty in various locations, and sometimes field ops that you take part in.
There's also a lot of bullshit you have to deal with. Again, this is like any other job, but sometimes the bullshit you get in the military feels like it sucks more than anything you ever did in the civilian world.
In the end, these are the things I can say.
Before I joined, did I see myself EVER living in San Diego, California?
No way.
Before I joined, did I see myself EVER truly and personally understanding what it takes to keep the United States the way it is?
No way.
Before I joined, did I see myself EVER having some of the best friends I've ever met on the other side of the country?
No way.
Before I joined, did I see myself EVER going going to countries such as Guam, Thailand, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Canada, or Afghanistan?
HELL no!
Most importantly, did I see myself EVER amounting to anything my parents would be proud of?
Definitely not.
I'm only 24 and the Marine Corps has given me experiences that most people will never get to see or do.
I certainly don't regret joining for that exact reason. I would never be where I am now without the Marine Corps. Joining up made me grow up really fast and take on a different view on life...and more importantly, it gave me a good damned sense of personal responsibility that I never had before. At the end of the day, joining the military is up to you. It is a major decision in your life that will change the way you approach everything for the rest of your life.
You're certainly not dedicating yourself to a military career of 20+ years. I know I'm not. Very soon, I will have spent four years in the Marine Corps, and gotten out of it what I wanted from it. I plan on getting out at my four-year mark and getting back into school and moving on with my life. I will probably stay out here in California, too. I really like it out here.
If you're serious about it, you're probably more concerned with which service to join. It's definitely a hard decision because each service offers a different experience.
I can tell you that the Marine Corps is the most underfunded military branch of all the services. Because of that, your quality of life can be affected when you live on base and use base services and such. The Army is the most well-funded (along with the Air Force, I believe), so you're looking at a very solid quality of life there.
However, as a Marine, I am a bit biased. I think there is a lot to be said for the camaraderie that I am a part of in the Marine Corps. It is something that no other branch of service can hope to understand. Marines have their own way of conducting business, and having suffered through the best of it and the worst of it, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Chris, good luck in whatever your choose to do.
--Aaron
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