Praying About Vocation/Military

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WesternBlot

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Good evening everyone, I hope that this is a semi-logical spot to ask this question. I have been out of college now and working at my new job since June of '10. From that time however, I have had a desire and drive to serve my country by joining the military. I began praying for some sort of sign from God about whether I should join up or just stick with my current job. I started the process and everything was falling into place very well, then I stopped short of joining up to make sure I was making the right choice.

Several months went by, and I continued praying for a more “direct” sign. Then a friend of mine from high school calls that I haven’t talked to in ~5 years wanting to catch up. She is in the military and we spent a long time just talking about it, her experiences, and how much she loves being able to serve her country and the pride that she feels. Talking to her just filled me with this calmness that THAT was what I needed to hear, that was the sign I was waiting for.

My question is that I’m worried I may be looking to much into a coincidence, assigning it divine meaning when it may have none? Hopefully that makes sense, I was just looking for a bit of advice on how others receive answers to their prayers. Thanks!
 
Most of the time I suspect that the divine takes mundane forms. I don’t think its coincidence. Maybe this was a way that God could assure you that you are taking the right path…to encourage you after you felt hesitation. As a former Marine I can honestly say that the military is a very honorable profession and though it is a big step it is a good life. Just make sure you pick a specialty that translates to the “civilian world”. :rolleyes: If only I would have had that advice.
 
I believe there can be coincidences, but I typically don’t trust them… especially in your case.

The Lord led me into the Marine Corps back in '95-99. It was a great experience and there was a lot of times I hated it, but thinking back I was really whining for no reason. The Marine Corps is truly in many ways a spiritual and tradition based institution, but they are also very innovative and progressive when it comes to the warfighting aspect. Most of the other branches outside of SOF units aren’t except maybe in getting new technological implements. Not tactics, or weaponry. We had a stryker 20 years before the army and it was called an LAV for instance.

I will tell you an opposite type of instance. After getting out of the Marines, I decided to go into the army because the air force wasn’t getting me to my tech school after six months and nothing was on the horizon either. The army said they’d take me right away. Right off the guys at MEPS were giving me grief. They said I wasn’t MOS qualified(in the army I actually had two MOS or jobs because the other branches sent you two two different schools whereas the army only sent their guys to one half of it), tried to say they only had positions for nursing, like I had never done this before and I cant read your ********ing me. My recruiters were straight shooters and then these guys fed me BS. When I was about to swear in I felt a horrible sense of dread which was absolutely realized from my horrible experience in the army. Long story short, Ive come to trust in the signs that are put before me, as if I would have listened to them I would have not been put through so much pain.

If you decide to join I would highly advise you NOT to join the army. They pick up the dregs of society who are just there to mooch of the government. There are certainly great guys there, mostly in SOF units and the combat units(not just infantry, but even guys like engineers and what not) but the average “soldier” doesnt look at his fellow soldier any different than some random guy off the street. It was culture shock to a Marine who believes if he doesnt look out for his fellow Marines he is a piece of ****. Also you can probably ask any of the other branches who is the most professional and they will unbiasedly say Marine Corps. Unfortunately the conventional army is very UNprofessional. But the air force or navy are good options as well. Especially if you are looking for a marketable trade upon coming out, but it seems you don’t need that.

The most important thing I can tell you however is to keep practicing your faith. It slaked off for me especially in the army and somewhat in the Marines. I kind of became more of a Bible Christian in the Marine Corps but of course never renounced Catholicism. I was ignorant but eventually came around thanks to the Grace of HIM.

Pray on it, and pay attention to the signs. They may be subtle, but they are there.
 
Thank you both very much for your replies. I have heard many different opinions about which branch to join, but I have had many family and friends in the Army, all of whom only relate positive things about it. Of course, I’ve heard the other side, but I believe it has to do with an individuals experience, not necessarily brushing an entire branch with one brush stroke. My recruiters have not tried to BS me at all yet (I research everything they’re telling me). I think partly they are not getting to heavy with me because they know I have a job and am not just going to jump on any opening they have. I already have taken the ASVAB and got a 95 (GT=130) so I was ecstatic that I qualified for the MOS I wanted…

The MOS I am interested in is EOD, partly because it’s hands on, it’s very important (especially in our current conflicts), it seems interesting, it’s one of the toughest academically to graduate from, and the Top Secret clearance would do wonders for me after my enlistment period.

I will certainly keep praying about this, and I’m glad to see that other people see signs from God in “mundane” situations, but there’s just a…feeling, that lets you know it’s not just coincidence.
 
I forgot to mention, THANK YOU both so much for your service! :clapping:
 
KShaft said:
We had a stryker 20 years before the army and it was called an LAV for instance.
Click to expand...
Hahahahah notice my screen name LAR (Light Armored Recon) Scout 0311(Grunt). See another coincidence!👍
 
LARSCOUT0311 said:
Hahahahah notice my screen name LAR (Light Armored Recon) Scout 0311(Grunt). See another coincidence!👍
Click to expand...
I was in the MEWSS platoon. I never went on a float, but had I, I would have been rolling with you guys, and you hating us all the way! I did do some training with LAR at CAX.

There was a time a guy told me about, they had the f18s going after the LAV’s and they were trying to somehow survive which was I guess supposed to be a moot point. I think they were using big miles gear or something. Well we found the freq the FO was on and during a run they had told them to “Abort! Abort!”.
The officers had instructed our platoon commander to instruct them not to do that again. Well they listen in and again get on the radio and yell “Abort! Abort ! Abort!” because they dont want to get lit up. And the f18 pulls out of his strafing run.
Well the platoon commander got reamed and he was just like “Didnt I tell you guys Not to do that…?” I guess its expensive to fly that jet and coordinate exercises for it or something.
The LAR guys had a little more appreciation for the MEWSS guys after that, but apparently it didnt last!
 
WesternBlot said:
Good evening everyone, I hope that this is a semi-logical spot to ask this question. I have been out of college now and working at my new job since June of '10. From that time however, I have had a desire and drive to serve my country by joining the military. I began praying for some sort of sign from God about whether I should join up or just stick with my current job. I started the process and everything was falling into place very well, then I stopped short of joining up to make sure I was making the right choice.

Several months went by, and I continued praying for a more “direct” sign. Then a friend of mine from high school calls that I haven’t talked to in ~5 years wanting to catch up. She is in the military and we spent a long time just talking about it, her experiences, and how much she loves being able to serve her country and the pride that she feels. Talking to her just filled me with this calmness that THAT was what I needed to hear, that was the sign I was waiting for.

My question is that I’m worried I may be looking to much into a coincidence, assigning it divine meaning when it may have none? Hopefully that makes sense, I was just looking for a bit of advice on how others receive answers to their prayers. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Can I ask you why you would want to serve your country? What is the purpose of serving your Government? Would you be able to kill another person? See other soldiers kill people? How are you serving God by being forced to do everything by your Head Officer? Seems like your a robot to me…Perhaps God wants you to serve him in another way. When your a soldier your fighting for the beliefs of your country, your country’s beliefs become your own in a sense. Can you handle that? I’m just asking you questions no big deal. God Bless!
 
Wow…I read that and have to respond. First off, Im sorry about your experience with the Army. You have to know that recruiters and MEPS career counselors will only feed you a line of bull anyways. I dont know what your experience was like, but I have been in the Army for 6 years as a Medical Service Corps Officer. I have worked with many Soldiers, Sailors and Marines while deployed in Afghanistan. I have experienced good and bad people in all branches of service. To lump everyone who is not Combat Arms or Marines in a category of unprofessional back-stabing Soldiers is somewhat insulting.
If you are trying to discern a vocation to the military, keep an open mind and do not let them rush you into anything. Also, any job with a big bonus tends not to be desirable. Had people wanted to do the job, they wouldnt be offering the big dollars to fill the spot.
 
MattSch said:
Wow…I read that and have to respond. First off, Im sorry about your experience with the Army. You have to know that recruiters and MEPS career counselors will only feed you a line of bull anyways. I dont know what your experience was like, but I have been in the Army for 6 years as a Medical Service Corps Officer. I have worked with many Soldiers, Sailors and Marines while deployed in Afghanistan. I have experienced good and bad people in all branches of service. To lump everyone who is not Combat Arms or Marines in a category of unprofessional back-stabing Soldiers is somewhat insulting.
If you are trying to discern a vocation to the military, keep an open mind and do not let them rush you into anything. Also, any job with a big bonus tends not to be desirable. Had people wanted to do the job, they wouldnt be offering the big dollars to fill the spot.
Click to expand...
Yep. Don’t commit to anything or take an “open contract”. Open contract pretty much means they stick you where they need you, which is going to be one of those jobs Mattsch is talking about. Alot of the guys I was in the Marines with are in the Army now and getting ready to retire.

There is good and bad in every branch for sure. In the Marines if you aren’t a Grunt(03 field) you catch a ration of mess. The Marines didn’t have anyone in the medical field as we relied on the Navy for that.

I would stress though when going into the military to definitely think about the future by choosing a field that you can use if and when you get out and be sure to use the military for education. I went in hardcore thinking I was going to be a Grunt for 30 years, but it grew tiresome really quick. I was in 29 Palms, California…a desert. I went to Bridgeport for mountain warfare training and then I end up in Korea. Its like going to sleep in one place and waking up someplace else almost everyday. Heck, one night I went to sleep in Korea in October and it was hot hot hot and humid. That same night I had to pull out the old sleeping bag and poncho liner because it started snowing. This was in 1994 when Kim Il-Song was going to make a last hurrah before he died and was getting ready to invade South Korea while the US was primarily occupied with Bosnia.

Sorry for the long flashback. So if you didn’t feel like readiung that here is the summary:
  1. All branches have their good and bad;
  2. Pick a job you can use in the future either in or outside of the miliary;
  3. Don’t go open contract.
😃
 
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