For others, the motivations for joining the military are very different. The reasons why individuals decide not to enlist or quit the army differ even more. These two features are briefly discussed in this article. reasons for joining (and remaining): pension: many of the current members will remain members for the whole 20 years till they get their pension. You will get 50% of your salary upon retirement from the military after 20 years of service, which is a lifelong benefit. In addition, you, your spouse, and your kids get lifetime comprehensive health and dental care. training: The army (and military) offers a wide range of programs that either cover the cost of training or provide you with multiple options. These include paying for your whole education while receiving living costs covered, paying for your tuition in full while you are still in the army, and receiving complete government funding for a medical or legal degree while receiving your regular income. The federal government will also arrange for you to attend all of these extra training programs, certificates, and schools at no cost to you (and cover your travel costs as well). experience: If you want to use your military service for employment after you leave the army, the work experience you get from it is invaluable. The army will cover your training and compensation if you are accepted into a certain mos (military occupation specialization), even if you have no prior expertise in that field! This covers a wide range of topics, including law enforcement, engineering, networking, food safety, emergency management, and more, and it’s all free! Furthermore, they provide you with a tonne of on-the-job training following your first preparation. overseas experience: The army, together with its other branches, offers ample chances for overseas experience in various nations and cultures. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is available to a very broad range of destinations, including the Pacific Islands, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Japan, UK, Qatar, Kuwait, and Colorado. While there, you may engage with the locals, interact with them, sample the cuisine, and widen your horizons! The only thing to be aware of is that you could have to wait a few years before being transferred to one of these sites (you can also inquire about this when you reenlist, but that will be covered in a later piece). Patriotism is the opportunity to support the nation that has given you so much. Less than 1% of Americans serve in the armed forces and understand what it takes to defend one’s freedom. Most of the time, someone you know—a parent, grandparent, or friend—has probably served. They could still be serving in the reserves or national guard, and you might not even realize they did. They serve as your professors, personal trainers, physicians, gardeners, and firemen. They made the decision to lift their right hand in defense of the United States and the Constitution against all internal and external foes. For many, providing service is primarily motivated by loyalty. reasons for not joining (or leaving): tough on the family: living in the army is tough if you have a family. Every two to three years, you will relocate. this might include buying or renting a new home. finding your children a new school. Your kids are going to need to make new pals. your spouse has to get a new work (relocating often also implies that their resume will suffer greatly since positions don’t last long). There’s a chance your new location lacks the amenities of your previous one. At Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, the Wal-Mart on a weeknight is the most lively scene. Deployments: Deployments won’t be as significant anymore, with Iraq now history and Afghanistan soon to be a bitter memory. Nonetheless, you could postpone deployment for every other year and a half throughout each of those conflicts. It translates to 12 months spent at home and, depending on your assignment, 12–18 months spent abroad. Both the national guard and the reserves were involved in this. It’s difficult. quite challenging. You won’t know when you’ll be able to get in touch with your family after being gone for a year or more. You won’t be able to predict when or even if you will be able to return home. It’s possible to lose close pals. You can sustain injuries or lose a limb. It’s quite likely that you may attend a memorial service or burial for a friend or acquaintance who passed away too soon. Being an army soldier is a difficult occupation. You don’t work there from 9 to 5. Every day, you should plan to get up at five in the morning, and you may not get home until six or later. You will do ruck marches of ten miles while carrying at least forty pounds. Building combat positions in the scorching heat will need you to load and pile fifty-pound sandbags. You’ll consume a great deal of awful food. In addition, you’ll move away from your childhood buddies and spend less time with your family overall. The military is particularly harsh on one’s health. You will have back, ankle, shoulder, wrist, neck, and other pain after 20 years in the army. throughout this reason, you get health care throughout the remainder of your life when you allocate those twenty years. the b*tch: Imagine if your neighbor plays loud music that may wake the dead, scatters trash all over the house, and leaves dog feces in your yard. Imagine for a moment if the cops had issued him fines for the garbage, dog poop, and loud music. then they take action to penalize you for failing to maintain control over your companion. That’s how the army is. Organize your friend’s belongings or face reprimands. collective punishment. not proactive, but reactive. Common sense? something is very logical; let’s do the complete opposite action. These are just a few of the perks that come with serving in the military. Thus, why don’t you tell me right away whether or not I should enlist in the army? Regretfully, you are the only one who can carry out this resolution. You should give it serious thought since enlisting in the military will have a big impact on your life in the future, both positively and negatively. The final choice can only be made by you. Hopefully, the information above will help you get some understanding of which option might be best for you. Please visit joiningthearmyhq.com for additional information about the army, military, and armed forces.