Life in the Armed Forces

[Drusilla]

So, with all the people we have around here, and from so many walks of life, I figure there's got to be a few TPMers who are in the US Armed Forces. I'm thinking about joining the Coast Guard (seriously... I know that anyone who knows me will probably have a hard time believing that), and I was wondering if anyone out there had any grains of wisdom to impart. Those of you in service to your homelands outside of the US are welcome to put forth anything you deem relevant, of course. I've looked over the USCG website, submitted a request for further information, and have a few people who have been in the USCG that I need to talk to before I make up my mind. The last thing I need is for me to once again leap into some new half-baked scheme and realize too late that I didn't really want to.

So... I'm all ears. Or eyes, I guess... since I'm reading, not listening. But you get the picture...

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Here in Finland, we have a conscription army. I joined July 2004, and found it fun, until my mental health went down and had to quit it in August. I never learned to aim or to march properly but I still remember those amusing times with my friends there. One sub-sergeant ordered me to sing the Japanese Pokémon opening Mezase Pokemon Masutaa once! And I named my assault rifle "Kasumi" after the Pokémon and Dead or Alive characters!

[Dark-San]

There are people in our forums that actually in the US Army? Not that I had known off.

If you asked me about Armed Forces, I might be the perfect person to ask since I last left it somehow like a year and half ago. However just keep in mind that I lived halfway around the world in Singapore and have nothing to do with the US army.

Generally to be able to survive in Armed Forces, you would need to prepare yourself for at least two things. Firstly, you must be able to physically withstand the harsh training. Secondly, you must be able to forgo your sleeping time when it comes to attending to ad hoc matters. And being in the Coastal Guard means thirdly, you must be able to handle swimming for long periods.

For the first issue on harsh training, that would not be an issue since I suppose for the first few months or at least half a year, you would be engage in strenuous exercises. Running everyday is a must and I suppose you must be able to handle the obstacle courses. Rifle training is complusary too. It is after that you graduated from your basic military training that you get assign to your unit and from there, the second issue would come to mind.

Being available to attend to ad hoc matters means that you must be on standby for most of the time 24/7. It does not matter if you are sleeping in the wee morning or you are on off. Once you have been to go back to your unit within 2 hours. Here in Singapore, we called it 2 hours NTM. During my two years stint of National Service for a period, I was activated for like 2 to 3 times per week and usually late into the night. And I tell you that somethings, the toll takes on you since you are made to perform tasks even when you are derive of sleep.

For the third issue, I have no idea on it since I myself had never experienced swimming for long hours. But then, I suppose you have to mentally prepared yourself that you would be wet for at least thirty percent of the time.

Well that is all that I could think so, so whether you would want to join is up to your decision.