You don't get shot at in college.

Well, at least you don't get sent to places where you're likely to get shot at in college. And consequently, you don't develop ptsd in college. That's what they're concerned about. I also think that just because of the risk of ptsd and the stigma the veterans are over violent lunatics, they don't get hired for hardly anything once they're out.

Now, if you take a non combat job like aircraft mechanic or shoot for an officer career, that's a bit different, although it still sucks and would suck less if you did whatever it is outside of the military.

>>16551882
Tell them you're having a difficult time finding work and youre doing it for your resume, and build job experience. Tell them about how you'll be building a pension earlier than most others in your age and how you're going to save money to kickstart your left afterwards. Once you've eased them in, in a few years when contract ends, tell them you want to make it your career and by then they'll probably appreciate your choice.

>>16551894
There's no way I'm ever going to get shot at if I'm not in some kind of special operations force, though.
Of course they're sort of concerned about my security, but from what they tell me, the issue is more about the work not being "worth it" in their eyes. My mom's never graduated high school so she (understandably) wants me to do something intellectually stimulating, and my dad despises anything related to the military and armed forces and thinks I should become a corporate lawyer or something like that. Both seem to think the military is basically a place where retards go to collect a pension easily and wipe floors all day.
>>16551899
I've already brought up the money aspect and they're telling me I have low expectations and lack ambition, and that I could just get a high paying job if I waited a few years and got a master's.
Basically, they seem convinced that I want to enlist because I'm lazy and don't want to do something that requires intellectual effort, and that I'm "wasting my potential"

>>16551903
What sort of commie country do you live in where your millitary never gets deployed to active war zones? Switzerland? Also what branch of the millitary are you thinking about? Apparently air force treats you best.

>>16551907
Right now, even in the US nobody outside of special forces gets deployed to active war zones. At least I don't think so.

>what branch
Not air force that's for sure, either army or navy. I'm going to a recruiting office this weekend but I'm leaning towards navy. I'm not sure, though.

>>16551917
Nigga you think its gonna stay that way? They're already talking about boots on the ground in Syria. Good luck either way, just don't be surprised if you come back with PTSD. (1 in 6 U.S. soldiers gets it).

>>16551917
i'm currently active duty in the navy. let me know if you have questions, son.

>>16551933
US Navy I suppose? I don't know if things are very different from one NATO country to another.
What's your job? Did you enlist or commission?
Do you get to move around a lot?
I'm under the impression that navies have a much less demanding basic training than armies, which worries me since I'd be looking forward to PT. Is it the case?

>>16551949
>US Navy I suppose? I don't know if things are very different from one NATO country to another.
yeah, US navy. i've been in for a couple years now.

>What's your job? Did you enlist or commission?
i'm an intel specialist. i enlisted, but i would definitely suggest commissioning if you want an easier life. however, commissioning as an officer has its downfalls- you're taking care of a lot of people. it's servant leadership.

>Do you get to move around a lot?
I'm under the impression that navies have a much less demanding basic training than armies, which worries me since I'd be looking forward to PT. Is it the case?
in my boot camp, i did very little PT. i don't know how it translates to any other nato countries, but mine was a breeze. i was also in a 900 division- so i was in a performance division, and we did a lot of learning to twirl flags instead of exercising. we had dudes ask to be ITed to get some exercise and people working out after taps. it's more a go-your-own pace once you're in the fleet, but mandated 3 days a week during school.

What's making your parents think that officer isn't a serious career path?

That's like saying that a Walmart store manager is a failure because the general employees are untrained plebs. Doesn't make sense. Yo, and fuck being a lawyer. If you're not dedicated to that, you'll kill yourself before you're 40. Do what you want, really. Not only for yourself, but for your parents. Whether they acknowledge it or not, you being happy is more important to them than you hating yourself for not following your dreams.

There are a ton of jobs that are "serious" jobs too. I decided not go to medical school so that I can go to officer school next year to fly helicopters instead. That's not an easy task, nor is it one that is dishonorable. My parents are equally proud (although more concerned for my safety...).

>>16551955
>intel specialist
So you travel a lot don't you? ISs spend most of their time on aircraft carriers and similar installations, right?
What would you say are the jobs which involve the most sailing?
>i would definitely suggest commissioning if you want an easier life
I don't want an easy life necessarily, I just want to avoid pushing papers and doing management/administrative work as much as possible.

I see, so it's definitely easier than the army. That's too bad because I was looking forward to intense PT and stuff like that. Are there any branches in the navy which are still pretty demanding on that level?

>>16551964
I didn't get to discuss it thoroughly with my mom, but my dad is just very biased against the military. He was a conscientious objector and thinks that apart from those who hold the highest positions (generals, admirals, ministers or whatever), the military is a waste of talent for anyone who has the opportunity to do something else.

Yeah, I know - I'm not even in law school but higher education definitely isn't for me, and that's not because I'm lazy. But my family refuses to accept that and wants to believe I'm a very talented special snowflake with untapped potential. To them, I'm "too good" for the military and should probably do a PhD or something like that; that's how I perceive it at least.

I don't know how I could convince them that the military isn't all dickwaving contests and mindless floor wiping. It's even harder in Europe since the military has a worse image than in the US. There's no honor at all in serving

>>16551882
Aak if what they want is for you to be happy, or if they just want you to do what they want. If option two - fuck it, it's not worth to throw away your opinion if they dont respect your decisions as an adult

>>16551983
I know they want me to be happy but I don't want them to worry either. That's the problem. I know I could just enlist and disregard what they say, but I don't want them to be stressed out or too disappointed, I'd like to discuss it with them so that they willingly accept my choice instead of reluctantly.

OP are you from Finland by any chance? Just asking because of curiosity.

>>16551882
Don't do it, it sucks.

Also the guy in your picture isn't a soldier he is a us marine. Same shit I guess but eh.

I spent 4 years in the us military ands it's completely changed my life for the worst.

I've seen 2 friends of my get there faces blown off and I've seen another get blown to shit in an IED in sangin. Don't fucking do it dude. I was only blown up one and my head is fucked. TBI's are no joke. They change you completely.

You are treated like a used condom here in america when you get out and I assume it's the same in the UK.

Please don't become like me. I'm a major fuck up.

>>16551965
>don't travel
lmao dude i'm in japan right now. intel specialists go all over the world, much more so than like... a boatswain's mate. we can be stationed on ship or shore.

>enlisted
you'll be doing a little paperwork no matter what. you'll get better food if you're an officer no matter what.

>pt
it is definitely easier, but you can work out plenty on your own. boot camp isn't the rest of your life, either, so you can really try to get as swole as you want past that.

>>16552041
Nope.
>>16552055
I'm dead-set on a military career and that isn't going to change, but there's much less risk of being sent off to fight nowadays compared to a few years ago.

Either way I'm sorry about what happened to you man. I hope you'll manage to find peace.

>>16552057
Okinawa? Is the US the only military to have naval bases there?
>intel specialists go all over the world
So the best way to travel a lot in the navy would be to become an IS?

Yeah I know I'll be doing paperwork, but having a job that consists almost exclusively of making reports and doing administrative work is not my thing.

>>16552090
>but there's much less risk of being sent off to fight nowadays

Friend you are very niave. Don't join.

>>16552119
Could you explain?
It's a fact that only SOF are getting sent out to actually fight right now. It might change, but at the moment that's how it is.

>>16551882

I'm in the Army

Love it, fuck what your parents think

Chances are they will still be proud of you after it is said and done, and of course they will worry, but unless your cunt deploys their military a lot (like my cunt, the U.S.) you'll be in low risk environments.

>>16552090
>best way to travel
i'm actually stationed in sasebo, nagasaki. i would say check where certain rates can be stationed if that's a big selling point to you. ISes can be stationed in korea, japan, europe, spain, america... all over the place. we're also overmanned, so don't pin your hopes on it.

if you hate paperwork, don't be a yeoman or a personnel specialist. that's all they do.

>>16551882
>Convince them you'll become a high ranking officer.
>Go to a military academy.
>Graduate
>Proceed to go up the ladder

Also I hope you're not planning to become a frontline meat bag.

>>16552151
Yeah, I guess.
Is the US deploying normal troops right now though? I thought it didn't.
>>16552219
Yeah. I don't know if I'll have the same opportunities as you though, since the US has a lot of naval bases all around the world right? And I think it's the only country to have some in Japan and Korea, although I might be mistaken.

>>16551882
>>16551903
>>16551977
>>16551990
Are you me, op? I have the same situation, with my parents saying the same stuff yours said, except that I am 6 years older than you and that I basically followed what my parents have said.

I've started studying law at 19yo and now I have just 2 exams left of a total of 33, but I think that it has been my worst choice ever, and while days goes by I realized it more: I should have done something different with my life, I'm not happy at all. I don't know what to do with my life, I don't want to study anymore after the law degree, but I think that is basically what I will be forced to do if I want to work.

Sometimes parents can be so fucking wrong, and I blame mine because they didn't let me do what I wanted. I know that all they want is me earning enough money to live a good life, but I think that the most important thing in life it's also doing a work that you like and be in pace with yourself. Right know I don't feel I am.

If I can give you an advice is: do what YOU want to do, don't what others want you to do. Maybe you'll get hurt by life, but you'll rise again and not do the same fail twice. Eventually your parents will understand (I hope).

I wish I have 19yo again and read this post.

>>16552505
Damn, that sucks man. Couldn't you commission if you have a degree at least? Depending on where you're from I'm sure that you could find a good job in the military since you need a degree to be an officer. But I'm not sure how that works with law degrees.

Best of luck.

>>16552542
Yeah, that's what I think I'll do once I got the degree. I'll try to he commissioned as an officer, or stuff like that, even if my parents don't want to. Well, it seems like I'll have to study even for that though. And believe me on this, the more time goes by, the less you want to study.

>>16552563
>it seems like I'll have to study even for that
Really? I thought you could just commission and be done with it if you have a degree. Of course you'll receive specific training but that should be interesting.

>the more time goes by, the less you want to study
Yeah. I've never liked studying anyway since all subjects bored me to death.