Anonymous wrote:OP here. He thinks it sounds like a cool adventure before he settles in to a different career.

If he wants an adventure he can join the peace corps. The military is a machine where they train the individualism out of you and teach you how to kill people in the most efficient way. I saw this as a wide of someone who did join the marine corps out of college.

One of my (few) regrets is that I didn't serve (as an officer) for the first years of my professional life. Encourage him.

Anonymous wrote:I think people are forgetting the military is to kill people. They do provide great side benefits, if that’s what’s important.

Wacko. The military is to protect and preserve our way of life, which (with all its problems) is the last best hope for humanity.

I would actively discourage him. We have a moron as commander in chief, and anything and everything that oaf touches, he ruins.

I think it is a soul-sucking world view, and it would be my hope that they wouldn't.

Why wouldn't going to the military post-college be like going to graduate school? You learn and/or refine skills. You make connections. You enhance marketability.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He thinks it sounds like a cool adventure before he settles in to a different career.

NP. Friend's son was thinking exactly like yours -- cool adventure, plus he had it in his head that the military would allow him to work with the computer programming he really wanted to be doing and he'd get great experience in that field. He really bought into the marketing hype the services produce so well, and one parent said he seemed to picture it being like a computer game.

Fortunately one of his parents is a veteran and gave a pretty tough explanation that no, you do not necessarily get to do what YOU think is cool, adventurous or career-enhancing if you sign up for the military. Eventually? Do you eventually get to specialize in something like your preferred skill? Maybe, sure. But zero guarantees, and zero ability to change your mind once you're in, or have any choices in the early years -- yeah, years, not months. I think the kid finally got the message that the military would not be the cool adventure he thought, and would mean giving up his ability to choose much for quite a long time. He went to college instead.

Can you find someone you know who is a vet, who can talk to him frankly and explain how the marketing to young would-be recruits does not really show what military commitment is like? Or can you get him to accept a deal where he can join up after college if he's still interested at that time? Because if he does that, he is far less likely to join up after he's had four years of being fairly independent.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. He thinks it sounds like a cool adventure before he settles in to a different career.

It is very hard, but doable to get your degree as active duty. It took my husband many years to get his degree before retiring. Those who didn't get their degrees or got a useless major are really struggling now. And, many of the careers in the military, despite what they tell you do not translate into civilian jobs (you can be a medic in the military and very well trained but you don't have a degree/licensure so it does you no good when you get out).

Not everyone has cool adventures either. It really depends on the branch and career field and actual job. You could be stuck on a ship cleaning or cooking for months at a time.

If he passes up college, I would be mad. If he isn’t college material, I would be fine with it.

Understand there is a huge difference in quality of life and jobs if you are enlisted vs. officer so those saying they have degrees and officers are in a different situation than OP. OP, college first, then military.

I would be 100% supportive of my kid joining the military after college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are forgetting the military is to kill people. They do provide great side benefits, if that’s what’s important.

The majority of members of the military will never see combat. Even in wartime. Only about 1/4 of the military members of my extended family and DH’s extended family have ever seen combat. Most were in support roles of some kind.

It depends on the state of war and the branch. We have several friends in career fields that should never have been front lines and they got put front lines (but all enlisted). Non-war you can go an entire career without seeing combat, like my husband.

No way. But, for different reasons than most. My husband is a retiree. He didn't have college as an option due to money and family situation so he enlisted. It gave him a good life and we are really grateful for all the military has offered and still offers (i.e. we don't have to worry about health care). But, life as enlisted is very hard, low pay and you are treated very badly most of the time (with exception of course). I would want my child to get a degree and go in as an officer. I fully support him doing military if he chooses but only post degree as an officer not owing the military anything except if he went to a service academy. I would also push for Air Force or Navy over Marines or Army as the quality of life and facilities are much better. Or, Coast Guard.

... still the point of the military is ...

Anonymous wrote:I think people are forgetting the military is to kill people. They do provide great side benefits, if that’s what’s important.

The majority of members of the military will never see combat. Even in wartime. Only about 1/4 of the military members of my extended family and DH’s extended family have ever seen combat. Most were in support roles of some kind.