Which Came First?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:14 pm

Okay GI's (or whatever you blokes call it), this subject came up in another thread. For those that have spent significant time in the military, did you influence the military or did the military influence you?

Put another way, do you feel your opinions come from your experience in the military or did you join the military because of your similarity of opinions.

As for me, I was pretty much a lump of mush when I signed up. I just needed a job, and this one came with an apartment rent-free! My experiences traveling throughout the world and interacting with a myriad of personalities, cultures, and viewpoints forced/allowed me to examine every preconception I left high school with. I really feel fortunate not to have stayed in my home town of several thousand faces and one opinion (okay, two opinions). The Air Force definitely molded me into the strong(enough), dependable(enough), and handsome(enough?) man I am today.:yh_flag

Master Sergeant, US Air Force, 21 years

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 9:38 pm

I, like you, entered the military a bowl of mush and emerged 22 years later, handsome:D . Contrary to what many may think, the military teaches people to think and form opinions of their own. Having original thoughts was valued in an otherwise uniform environment.

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 9:39 pm

This would have been a double post if I hadnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t edited it. I could have used my military training to make it look intentional but IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve been out so long I think IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve lost the art.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 5:51 am

It's amazing after my 12 years (British Para) I also emerged with a godlike body and the intellectual dexterity of Stephen Hawking!!!!

I joined because I was a bloody nightmare and at least had the sense to realise it was this or ending up in real trouble, i have to say I was put right in about 6 hours!!!!

minks · Post by **minks** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:55 am

Far Rider wrote: My basic character was set long before I ever hit the service, the idea for me was a career defending my nation. Thats what I wanted to do from a young age. the strange part of it is that I come from a family of pacifists.

The military taught me to think my actions through. To pay attention to detail. To be more confident as a leader. To understand my place under authority. To work a team into a unit. To be the best at my job, not just good, but the best because I owe that to my fellow soldiers even though I may not like them.

My opinions are heavily influenced by the military and my experiences in the service. And when you get right down to it, its all about people. The Army gave me the opportunity to meet many types of people and dealing with them has formed who I am and what I believe.

So you are saying you went in looking dashing and came out looking dashing huh hehehehehehe

minks · Post by **minks** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:06 am

Far Rider wrote: hahahaha in a non concieted sort of way, yeah....hehehehe!

Hehehe you are hardly anywhere near conceited, dang FG is running poorly for me today, no quick reply and keeps saying running with errors Grrrrr

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:10 am

Even the TV show, The Apprentice, pointed out how the winner's military background gave him the invaluable skills of being both a team lead and team member.

Hey Jives, how much of your military training do you use in the classroom? Since you were a fighter pilot, did you keep your pilot's seat so you can eject when you lose control?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:39 am

Far Rider wrote: When I interview military people I ask them to describe the best leader they ever served under. I'm surprised at the number of them who pick out a first line leader versus a commander type. It shows me that for them leadership is a personal thing, for me that indicates the person is more than likely a team player.
I always asked my leadership trainees, both military & civilian, to describe their best leader, as well. I write the names on a board and tell them "The most important duty of a leader is to develop more leaders to take over when they're done. These leaders have done their job; now it's your turn to do yours." It tends to snap even the laziest students into line.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 4:41 pm

I joined up as an 18 year old kid during the Korean War, specifically to get the GI Bill's Educational Benefits. I served four years and made S/Sgt. It was a good experience for me as I was able to travel extensively to Korea, Japan, French Indo China, Phillipines, North Africia & Turkey. This travel whetted my appetite for travel, which now that I am retired still enjoy. My spouse often refers to me as Mr. Neatnik or Mr. Tidy Bowel, traits that I have carried with me from my military experience. I had no intention of making the military a career and used every siingle benefit that was available to ex GI's, four years of college, Cal Vet Home Loan at 3.5%. It was a good trade.

turbonium · Post by **turbonium** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:40 am

Clint wrote: This would have been a double post if I hadnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t edited it. I could have used my military training to make it look intentional but IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve been out so long I think IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve lost the art.
You just wanted to post the "handsome" part again!! :wah:

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:35 pm

turbonium wrote: You just wanted to post the "handsome" part again!! :wah:
Don't laugh, it worked.:p

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:40 pm

I don't know what happened to me. I was a handsome 21 yr old when I joined up and just got uglier.

While always having a great respect for the service, I joined up because I was drifting aimlessly and just needed to do SOMETHING. I would have preferred the Air Force but we have a large base in town and I figured it would be my luck to get stationed there and the point was to get away.

So I joined the Navy, enticed by such movies as Ensign Pulver, McHales Navy, South Pacific, and other sundry shows which depicted slovenly sailors laying in hammocks being fanned with palm branches by beautiful grass-skirted native girls. Took me about 30 mins after getting off the bus to realize I'd been had. While the Navy wasn't my cup of tea (I'm a private sort of character) I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I traveled, met some incredible people and made some great friends. My kids know that if they don't have a plan and actively persuing it by graduation, the recruiters office is just a short drive away.

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:45 pm

Scrat wrote: I joined up at 18 because I had to get to heck out of the small town I was in. My parents wanted me to become an engineer or something like that by going to college. I wanted to see the world.

Fortunately, I joined Your Modern Navy in 1982. I spent 51/2 years in with a tour at Great Mistakes NTC in North Chicago Ill and did the rest of my time mostly in Mediteranean Europe working in the repair dept of the USS Puget Sound.

http://www.usspugetsound.org/

.

Scrat, I joined in '82 and did boot camp at Great Mistakes also. Was on the USS Orion (AS-18) in La Maddelena Italy from '85-'88. R-5 Division.

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:02 am

Hey, small world!! Did that rust bucket even make it back to the states? I heard you guys slept in hammocks and when you set cond "zebra" the holes in the hull made you look like a christmas tree floating on the water. :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl

That's not far from the truth. :wah: We actually did work on the inside of the hull around the radioactive waste tanks. It was one of the dirtiest, cramped and tedious jobs I ever did. To be scraping old paint and rust off the hull and the head of a rivet come up with it was not a good feeling.

We did leave port about once a quarter. Went to Monaco, Barcelona, Athens, etc. In '88, the Orion was due for overhaul and liimped back to Charleston. My discharge was near so I walk off the ship into the shipyard and got myself a "real" job. I worked at the Charleston shipyard until they shut it down in "96.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 3:59 am

So, Scrat, in the spirit of the thread: did you come by your political views before, after, or because of your stint in the Navy?