Joining the Army

[Turambar]

Im considering it - again.

Any insight into life in the army from people who have actually served will be much appreciated, regardless of country. I'd rather not have politics brought into it by people who have never served. Im hoping to join up as an engineer of some sort (although the actual job will be limited by my colour blindness), civilian life just isn't doing it for me. I'd like a job where i can make a difference. Is the army likely to be a good choice?

[that_punk_guy]

You can also make a difference as a paramedic or a firefighter. :-)

[odin]

/me agrees with TPG. Joining up with the army would be last thing in life I'd do, having killing people as a profession just doesn't appeal to me. Besides I'd get court-martialled very quickly for insubordination I think (Heck, I couldn't even take one year of being a boyscout when I was ten. All those stupid uniforms, insignias and traditions...yech...).

[Turambar]

The fire service wont even be taking applications for a very long time, they normally recruit once a year but due to all the media attention they got there were so many applicants they will be skipping a year, possibly two. I'd be useless as a paramedic.

[Turambar]

Hmmm i guess i just dont see killing people as the main objective, especially since im planning on either an engineering or support role rather than a frontline soldier.

[odin]

However the purpose of an army is to kill things, so even as an engineer or mechanic you'd be working to kill people.

[KennyR]

I'd never consider it myself. It would be the last career I'd ever consider. Not getting to choose my own food, being ordered around and insulted, being sent off to any distant part of the country (or someone else's!) on short notice, and having to mix with people I'd hate. Not to mention the fact that you could actually get, like, dead and stuff.

[bjjones37]

Spent six years in the USAF myself.  Couple of things worth considering.  
1) It is steady employment.  
2) It usually provides opportunities for training (and no I am not referring to how to kill people)
3) I consider it an honorable occupation as its primary function is national defense.
4) An honorable discharge looks good on a resume.
5) I do not know how it is in other countries, but my military service has provided several benefits after I got out - (mostly) free college education, easier to purchase a home, occasional reduced medical costs.
6) The disciplines of military service helped me to mature as a person.
There are downsides of course, it is a form of contract slavery, but you are usually well taken care of while you are in (food, lodging, medical benefits) and a technical support position is infinitely to be preferred (electronics, computers, communications, etc.)

[X-ray]

Punkie makes a valid point. If you go into a supplementary medical role such as a paramedic you have no ceiling on your development and you don't get put into a position where you are ordered to do something you don't agree with.

You can satisfy any yearnings for action and adrenaline by hooking up with a police unit or doing tactical adventures with a suitable firearms instructor.

There is a training course in SA called 'Battle ATLS', which stands for advanced trauma life support. Basically it involves the treatment and extraction of casualties from a hostile environment. Those paramedics (and doctors) do firearms training, all the medical training, advanced access (like rope access/abseiling) and getting in and out of vehicles and aircraft with a dash of speed. I was recently contacted by a paramedic in the US who is attached to a SWAT team, asking for presentation material for a gunshot wound lecture he was giving them. You can go into research and develop techniques and procedures that are beneficial to the profession and there is less chance of harm coming to you and you having to harm someone you don't want to.

--------------------------------------------------------
Edit: just saw you don't want to be a paramedic. Okay, how about a medical technician? There is always scope for a ventilator technician, cardiac monitor, or any other kind of medical device maintenance and safety engineer. You don't have any contact with patients and yet you are still helping them and the hospital.

Turambar wrote:
Im considering it - again.

Any insight into life in the army from people who have actually served will be much appreciated, regardless of country. I'd rather not have politics brought into it by people who have never served. Im hoping to join up as an engineer of some sort (although the actual job will be limited by my colour blindness), civilian life just isn't doing it for me. I'd like a job where i can make a difference. Is the army likely to be a good choice?

Use your head, Teach.

I'm currently completing my PGCE at the moment, and I can honestly tell you that teaching is the most rewarding job I have ever done, except parenting that is! :-)

[bjjones37]

mdma wrote:
Use your head, Teach.

I'm currently completing my PGCE at the moment, and I can honestly tell you that teaching is the most rewarding job I have ever done, except parenting that is! :-)

What is a PGCE?

bjjones37 wrote:

mdma wrote:
Use your head, Teach.

I'm currently completing my PGCE at the moment, and I can honestly tell you that teaching is the most rewarding job I have ever done, except parenting that is! :-)

What is a PGCE?

Post Graduate Certificate in Education. :-)

The creme-de-la-creme of teaching qualifications.

You are supposed to have a degree in your specialist subject as this is a Post-Grad course, but as I have been a professional programmer for more years than I care to remember, and a bedroom coder for even longer, the University's Higher Education Department were satisfied I knew enough to complete the PGCE without a degree. :-)

[bjjones37]

mdma wrote -
but as I have been a professional programmer for more years than I care to remember, and a bedroom coder for even longer

Teaching is a very satisfying career.  I have been teaching it technical schools for 17 years now.  Funny thing is I only finished my Bachelors degree in February of this year and probably will not be teaching come next March. So which platforms and languages did you program in?

bjjones37 wrote:

mdma wrote -
but as I have been a professional programmer for more years than I care to remember, and a bedroom coder for even longer

Teaching is a very satisfying career.  I have been teaching it technical schools for 17 years now.  Funny thing is I only finished my Bachelors degree in February of this year and probably will not be teaching come next March. So which platforms and languages did you program in?

I teach C++ and SQL.

I have developed in C,C++,PLSQL,T-SQL,Magic , Visual Basic, Delphi/Pascal in my career.

As a bedroom coder, BASIC, Pascal, 68k ASM, i386 ASM, C, C++.

[Doobrey]

Turambar wrote:
Im hoping to join up as an engineer of some sort (although the actual job will be limited by my colour blindness)

Bomb disposal?? :nervous:

But why limit yourself to the army jobs?
There are plenty of ground support jobs in the RAF too.
Whatever choice you make, good luck for the future.