A Poll - Why You Plan to Join / Have served

[Dangermouse]

Just out of complete curiosity. Which of the following do you believe is/was the primary motivating factor for joining the armed forces? If you have or are serving, have your motivations changed?

[sandam]

I'm signing up because I've always had an interest in the Armed Forces. However South Africa's armed services are S H 1 T! With a capital S. Above and beyond that is a desire to serve people. I had two choices, the police or the armed forces (and in my case I'm aiming for the Royals) and I chose armed forces. I hope to start recruit training by october this year but I'll take as long as it takes to get in there regardless.

[jamie534]

I'd like to say something patriotic and moving but to be honest my motives for joining when i first started looking at it were because it looked like a good job.

[Foxtricks]

I signed up because I like w@#k myself silly in the heads while 20 other blokes are having a shit or dobi!!

[sneaky beaky]

Dangermouse

You have missed one importantant category in your poll.

Those that wanted to escape their environment.

I think I was one of those back in the 50's.

I was working as a coal miner - although training to be a, "Coal Mine Manager!!" I really didn't see myself as wanting this sort of work for the rest of my life.!!

I was also the eldest (in 1958), of 10 children!! ( Two more were to come after I joined up.) As always, the youngest child gets the preferential treatment, so I felt a bit " alienated".

So - I really joined to escape into the wider world.

My Dad had been a Royal Marine during the war so the RM's were the natural place for me.

I don't think I did too badly.

People join the Forces for all sort of reasons. Mine was to "escape"!!

I'm sorry if this doesn't follow the usual vein of "I wanted to join to serve my country etc.", but back in those days, we didn't really think about such things.

It really was an escape from our normal lives.

And I have to say - it was the best decision I ever made!!

Sneaky

[jamie534]

Sneaky if you don't mind me asking what year did you join the RM?

[Artist]

My entire family are or were serving in the Army and the RAF. At no time did I even consider why I joined, I just did it because it's what I wanted to do really.

At the age of 16 I won a Scholarship to the Slade College of Art. My Pop said no! He was scared that I would turn into a Junkie. A year later I joined the Royal Marines. To this day I still wonder what would have happened to me if he would have said YES.

Would I be who I am now? Who knows? And to be honest I don't care.

Artist

[DANTAE]

im joining up to fight something i believe to be a massive problem DRUGS cant stand them the route of so many problems and the loss of a few good mates as well as the sport travel and the opportunity to get some worth while life skills and get away from home

[Dangermouse]

Dangermouse

You have missed one importantant category in your poll.

Those that wanted to escape their environment.

I think I was one of those back in the 50's.

I was working as a coal miner - although training to be a, "Coal Mine Manager!!" I really didn't see myself as wanting this sort of work for the rest of my life.!!

I was also the eldest (in 1958), of 10 children!! ( Two more were to come after I joined up.) As always, the youngest child gets the preferential treatment, so I felt a bit " alienated".

So - I really joined to escape into the wider world.

My Dad had been a Royal Marine during the war so the RM's were the natural place for me.

I don't think I did too badly.

People join the Forces for all sort of reasons. Mine was to "escape"!!

I'm sorry if this doesn't follow the usual vein of "I wanted to join to serve my country etc.", but back in those days, we didn't really think about such things.

It really was an escape from our normal lives.

And I have to say - it was the best decision I ever made!!

Sneaky

Yer mate, a very valid point. But I was limited to a few possible choices and obviosly didn't choose the right ones. But, my initial ambition to join the forces probably sprang at least in part a desire to escape from the council estate I was raised on, and basically a civilian life which I didn't believe was giving me many options.

Patriotism/my country does not fit into any place in my ambitions, as I would not consider myself a patriot. Not that have anything against this country. I was interested to see how many people chose this option, as ive seen a number of videos coming out of Afghanistan in which Marines and Paras have been quoted as saying that thier loyalties stop at thier fellow comrades.

A want for fitness, sport and adventure also plays a part in my ambitions, as does the personal challange of another PRMC (having failed the first) and 32 weeks basic training for the Marines. Saving lives might also fit in thier somewhere, but i'm not sure about this as I know i'll belong to the government and have little or no say as to were I am to go.

And thiers also a final one which has given me added motivation over the past year following a break up with my ex and a short depression - the opportunity to live again. Here at uni I feel as though my life isn't going anywhere and that I'm not having an effect on this world. The Marines, to me, offer me the opportunity to get out there and to see the world and play a part in it. At this stage, i'm not just willing to join the Marines, I'm willing to become a Marine - to give utter devotion not to an abstract political goal but to my fitness, those around me and to a special gorup which has a long and proud tradition. I'm not idealistic and do not believe that by joining the forces I would be in some way serving 'my' country or protecting democracy, or in some way helping my friends or family. Nor do I want to join the Marines as a career tool, as my ambitions currently begin and stop with the Marines. I couldn't care less about what it said on my CV, or how some civie i've never met things about me (whether in a positive or a negative manner). But its the chance to become a Marine for what that would mean to me, and also my family.

[bigdog]

I agree that a lot of people join to escape something, The military is one of the few places nowadays where you will be judged on your merits once you are in, and allowed to build a career for yourself depending on your effort. There are many examples of men from unfortunate backgrounds who have risen through the ranks, getting to the upper echelons of the ranks, and often going onto gain commissions. The military is one of the few places that this can happen.

In answer to the queen and country one, I was told that recruiters see it as rather an abstract concept, unlikely to motivate someone when they are in the shit. it is something often used by the americans, or so i am told younger applicants. After all men fight for the man next to them. If someone gave this answer to a recruiter, i am told his immediate answer would be 'Why?' or 'Explain?'

[Dangermouse]

To be honest I'd probably be happy spending an entire career as an NCO/SNCO or even as a Marine if it means I have the right to wear the green beret on my noggin.

I agree that 'serving your country' is a vague answer. In my opinion, Britain is far less nationalistic and the people far more independantly minded than in the US. If you consider yourself to be patriotic, the forces are not the only way that you can do this.

[Stinky]

My reason for joining is a little diffrent.
I've been brought up in a fairly successful family, my sister is at uni studing law, my dad is a manager of a constuction business, my mum owns a Bed and Breakfast and my brother is expected to get high GCSEs and has just been accepted for an apprentiship designing helicopters at Augusta Westlands. We are not exactly rich, I have never had a nice new phone and I have curtians up in my room which I have had for years, we only got a 28 inch widescreen TV last year. All through my family theres been a famous football player, champion swimmers and fairly large business owners. My mum's mum and dad also own a Bed and Breakfast with it's own heated swimming pool and I had a cousin in the Marines who was the super heavy weight boxing champion for about 2 years. And then there was me, the middle child, my highest GCSE was a D and I only got one of them. I was bullied for years by a group of boys while the teachers just watched and I was continusly asked questions in class and my heart would skip a beat and I just could not think of anything, which was very embaressing. I wasn't exactly unpopular but not one of the popular people in the year. Smartness was definaly not my strong point, but there was always something most of us could reliy on, fitness. I had missed all the sports sessions by this point and had to start my fitness from scratch, so here I am doing my fitness to get into the marines so I am not the loser of the family. I have other reasons but that is the main one.

[fodd]

Foxtricks
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:52 am Post subject:
I signed up because I like w@#k myself silly in the heads while 20 other blokes are having a shit or dobi!!

LOL you can tell he's ROYAL

[eagleeye]

When i go to the AFCO for my interview and they ask me why, I'm not really sure to be honest but at the moment its because i believe it to be the best service you can join into and I want to prove to myself I can do it not anybody else and be part of the great team.
But in recent years its become my lifestyle because 3 outa 4 weekends a month im off with cadets doing something or other and I love it aboustly no doubt the mates,the laugh,the training and most of all the rewards are awsome and i will get all of this from the RM.

Haha I just wrote/found my answer

Eagle Eye

[dylanredefined]

Didn't get in the regulars at 18 (good thing too was immature and the trade I applied for was a dead end in the military and no civilian equivalent ) Joined the ta principally to defend against the warsaw pact.
By the time it fell I was hooked and still in now .So I guess queen and country. Dosen't really matter why you join you will fight for your mates .