Career Advice on the military?!?!

  • Thread starter Thread starter EsclavoDeCristo
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PS, my husband always says that nothing gives him the warm fuzzies more than air support bombers flying overhead.
 
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armywife:
PS, my husband always says that nothing gives him the warm fuzzies more than air support bombers flying overhead.
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Thanks! I am still researching Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. I’ll keep you guys up to date asap. God bless!
 
I think that the military is a very honorable career. That said, may God bless you on your descision. The Coast Guard is probably what I would choose, because of the lack of war action(though those drug busts can be pretty dangerous).
 
As the son of a Marine and as a father of a Marine, I am happy to quote for you the closing lines of “The Marines’ Hymn”.
*If the Army and the Navy *
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded by
United States Marines.

Semper Fi
 
My father was a Marine during the Korean War. My son is a Sergeant in the Air Force and proudly served in Turkey at the start of the Iraqi War. I would say, do where the Holy Ghost is prompting you. Examine your strengths and weaknesses, and see where you’d have the best fit. The military is a wonderful place in this day and age of relativism to learn right from wrong. It teaches values and it adheres to values, the good, the beautiful, and the true. Like the nuclear family, the United States, and the Catholic Church, the military is yet another institution under attack because of its adherence to the good, the beautiful, and the true. Many want to make the military politically correct, inclusive, democratic and all of the buzzwords used to promote relativism. So its admirable that you’re called to join such a great institution. God Bless you for it. I coul not be more proud of my son in the military, and God forbid, even if the worst would happen, to him that would in no way alter my understanding of the role that the United States military plays in the world as the defender of freedom, justice, and the American Way.
 
Well I’m far removed from the military, though my stepson is going into the Marines on Monday (!). But lemme tell you, if you have any ambition at all the military is a great cred to have. I really envy vets. My tech company relies heavily on them for networking, hardware support etc. Geez, after I was hired, a Navy vet with NO degree but some JC courses and tour of duty on a sub was hired, and got moved up to VP in about 3 years because he was so good with computers, and *so *cool and self-possessed when everyone else was panicking.

And I’m involved in local politics and vets more or less run the town. They’re the first ones people look to for local office or police or fire dept. Sure, many military-avoiders like Clinton have succeeded but personally I have always thought less of them, and they usually have to confront their lack of service at some point, do a lot of explaining, make excuses blah blah. But if you have an honorable discharge, it’s an ace in the hole for you. It’s going to get really interesting when some of these female vets get into politics…
 
Anybody got info on or is a memeber of the Coast Guard ? Thoughts/comments?
 
I guess I’m partial to the Navy, as I am in the USNR Medical Corps. But to serve your country is noble no matter what branch you decide to enter.
 
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EsclavoDeCristo:
Any Coast Guard members here?
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I work with them. If to do it over again, I would seriously consider them. The question is: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
 
I read through all the posts here - it’s been awhile since you started asking these questions. 😉

As you can tell from my name, I vote for Army. My husband is a career person. I’m not sure if you are married or not, but there are deployment things to consider and if military life is right for your family. You need to have a tight supportive family in military life or everything will fall apart. What is a minor relationship glitch in real life can become amplfied quickly in deployments and such.

As for Catholics, my husband’s unit is lopsided Catholic! All the officers except for two are Catholic (one Baptist, one LDS). The last post we came from was the same. We all have the same values and it is such a blessing!

Picking a service really depends on what you want to do. Criminal Investigation in the Army is a Warrant Officer job (I believe) but is an Officer position in the Air Force (I believe). Like another poster said/implied, while everyone jokes around about the sister service, in the end they all work together to get the job done. (That being said, Army-Navy week is coming up so Go Army! Beat Navy!)

Our godfather to our middle child enlisted in the Army after receiving his Master’s degree. It paid off his college loans and he received excellent job experience in international security and now has a great job on the “outside”. My best friends brother’s cousin’s uncle (oops got carried away - my best friend’s brother) joined the Army after college. He wasn’t satisfied with his job offers and became a pilot.

I also wouldn’t chose Coast Guard - mainly because I am terrified of big waves crashing onto the boat! :eek: But that is my personal opinion. I would go in and talk to the recruiters since they are the experts on the types of jobs offered. You don’t need to give them your phone number or anything. They may ask, just tell them you aren’t comfortable giving it out yet. I know I spoke with them many times - neer gave them my number (although in the end I guess they got me with my husband!)

Best Wished on Your Quest! May the Lord help guide you to where you need to be in life.
 
I did six years in the air force and loved every minute of it – I was personnel – a job most don’t want, but was perfectly suited to me and my strengths (people person) – I really enjoyed being a “commander” at such a young age, being entrusted with big responsibilities (judicial authority and all) and helped take away and regain many a stripe for my guys/gals. I got some wild opportunities such as meeting the president (Clinton…not enough bleach in the world to make my hand clean again, but I just tell people I met the president and leave it at that…) and Madeline Albright (again, no name mentioned…lol) – my DH is a maintenance officer still in – we LOVE it. We hate the separation (he’s gone right now) but know it’s for a greater good and it has made us stronger. The pride in my son’s eyes when he tells a random pilot in the BX “my dad fixes your planes” (LOL, if he only knew…) is just enough to set you back off your feet for a minute.

As for OTS (no offense meant…ok, a little…lol) we called it “salute and scoot” – 90 day wonders, etc. I did ROTC, my DH is a USAFA grad…we have our own battles there…lol. It is a different, and often harder way of life, but I will forever cherish the opportunties and people we’ve met along the way (see my post from last weekend about knowing who your friends really are). The pay is lacking a bit, but still more than comfortable if you ask me. We don’t want for much, but we’re simple folk, really. A roof and a vehicle and food – we have a bunch of extras, but they’re just that, extras. You can’t beat the retirement options and the healthcare is free (albeit a bit sketchy at times). I have my complaints, but we both feel called to this life, and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I know it makes my DH “tick” to be a part of it all. Sure I’d love for him to get out and make another $30K/year, but he wouldn’t be “him” – today I could hear the elation after briefing a room full of 2stars and SES (big wig civilians) and kicking butt. That made being alone this week worth it. PS- – there are bonuses in many career fields that bring the pay to a compatible level wih the civilian sector – personnel and maintenance are not two of them, so you know we’re doing it for love, not money.

I miss it every day, but not enough to leave my babies. If I didn’t have kids, or couldn’t, I’d have been a lifer.
 
I would pick the Army, just because that sounds interesting to me.

And as far as going off to war is concerned, if you don’t want to go off to war, don’t join the military!

The purpose of having a military is to fight necessary wars.

And yes, necessary wars CAN include going overseas and fighting for the freedom of other countries(for example, Iraq).
 
I spent 5 years as an E-3 pilot in the Air Force. It was awesome. We stayed in hotels with cable TV when I was deployed to Turkey.

There is a saying we had about how they do business:

When the Navy and Army build a base, they use the funds they have to build the barracks, the air strips, the office buildings, then when the funds are gone, they go back to Congress and ask them for more money so they can build a gym, a bowling alley, and a movie theater. Congress usually says “no.”

When the Air Force builds a base, they use the funds they have to build a gym, a bowling alley, and a movie theater. Then when the funds are gone, they go back to Congress and ask them for more money so they can build the barracks, the air strips, the office buildings.

Congress ALWAYS says yes, because they have to.

Aim High!
 
Well, I am in the Marines. It is a tough lifestyle.

As a Catholic it is even harder. While deployed, Priests are hard to come by.

No one in the Marine Corps really seems to like Christians too much, (every other word from most people is a foul one), and you will usually get made fun of or called a “Bible thumper”.

Even worse, the few Christians I do know are mostly anti-Catholic Protestants. Although, some are nice.

Just expect to be lonely in your Catholic faith. In Iraq the Priest would come around sometimes…1000 or so men in my batallion, 3 or 4 others would be at Mass with me.

But that is just the Marines. We always do things the stupid way 😛 And uh, in this service, you will earn your Combat Action. So just keep that in mind.

Adam
 
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GoLatin:
And yes, necessary wars CAN include going overseas and fighting for the freedom of other countries(for example, Iraq).
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I find it amazing that Catholics actually fall for that sad excuse.
 
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