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I have applied and completed my BARB test and i am waiting for my medical records to go through. But i still have mixed feelings on joining the army. The only thing i am doubting is the change in lifestyle. Right now it is not too fantastic, just dropped out of my second year of college and looking for a job. I really want to join but as i say its the lifestyle. I want to be in Light Infantry and be an infantry solider like my late grandfather. I just can't imagine training to kill and doing Jungle warfare etc

Its a whole different life walking around with a SA80 glued to your hands while doing things such as peace keeping like in Northen Ireland or going to Iraq to take and hold ground and the added element of death. Its not that death has anything to do with my doubts though. When i go home would i be paranoid after serving 6 months in NI looking for snipers in windows etc (Read the shoot to kill to see what its like in NI). When i walk the streets will i be paranoid looking all around and in windows. The parnoia is just a little concern but the learning to think and act as a trained killer just seems somewhat of a different lifestyle that doesnt exsist. Has anyone has these doubts before they joined the army of have them now??

well to be honest I think becoming over paranoid is someting to worry about.

I was in the TA and as part of that we went to the African bush for a month. Either way this was as amazing as it sounds but very isolated.

When I came back for about a week I was HYPER paraniod. I was in Virgin one day and I though I was being stalked by these kids

it really was a weird feeling.....god knows what you must be like after a tour of duty in NI

After the amount of training you'll have done before going to free fire or other zones, you'll be doing just fine.
Like everything it takes a little time to get sorted out and to see where the land lies. Change is always a shock, good or bad. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

The change in lifestyle will be a shock at first, but once your in it you'll probably never want to get out! Remember, you're in a platoon full of people going through the exact same thing you are, and you can expect a lot of support from them. It's amazing how fast you will settle into the routine of basic training, believe me.

Grimey Vibes wrote: When i go home would i be paranoid after serving 6 months in NI looking for snipers in windows etc (Read the shoot to kill to see what its like in NI). When i walk the streets will i be paranoid looking all around and in windows. The parnoia is just a little concern but the learning to think and act as a trained killer just seems somewhat of a different lifestyle that doesnt exsist. Has anyone has these doubts before they joined the army of have them now??

You get used to it, infact it becomes a way of life. It affects you but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. If you combine your wariness and fear with common sense it becomes second nature. When you carry a gun for so long it feels weird not having one. When I go on holiday I'm always tapping my hip sub-consiously feeling for my pistol !!!!

Because of my knowledge and streetcraft the chances of my house being burgled or my car being stolen is greatly reduced.

A bad thing?

Gore.

I still check the car as I approach it... I've never found an IED but have spotted an oil leak! As gore says "Is it a bad thing".
Being aware of your surroundings is not a case of thinking where the sniper is hiding all the time and you do learn to switch off to a lower state of awareness but your 'relaxed' state is still a state of awareness. I know exactly how the office looks when I leave and 9 times out of ten spot if someone has been at my desk or if someone has been in the back garden and moved something. Be Alert... live by it but not live for it.

Example.

You are in the Security Forces in a country were you are a target.
You want to buy a property ie. a house/bungalow/apartment say to settle down, so what do you do?

Do you buy a bungalow?
No. You would be vulnerable for a shoot through a window whilst watching T.V. or while you were asleep in bed.
So you buy a house or 1st floor apartment and use blinds at night. Threat greatly reduced.

The only way in then would be through your front/back door. So what do you do then? Armour your doors !! Strengthen them (DIY shops) so they can't be kicked in. Put a peepy hole in the front one also. In a apartment you can control alot of access through your intercom. You obviously only have to armour one door in an apartment (still fit a peepy hole).

The terrorist will find this out through recces and that's guaranteed.

He will then plan to attack you when you are out of your house.
Where will he get you? Look at your vulnerable times. Going to the car etc. If you check your car he won't use a UVBT (BOMB!!).

So where will he get you now? A shoot going to your car.
If you always carry your gun or look like you are carrying your gun he won't want to attack you. We all know the first objective of the IRA type terrorist is to get away i.e. not get shot or caught !!!!

So what have you done?
The terrorist will look at you and decide... Hmmmm I'll go and kill someone else. What does the criminal do? Planned or opportunist the criminal will most probably decide to go somewhere else.
COMMON SENSE!!!!

Job done.

You forgot the bit when you storm out of your house zig-zagging as you go then after 10 feet or so go to ground behind the nearest piece of cover, crawl to another piece of cover, get up and walk away!!

I think you'll be ok Grimey, improved awareness can only be a good thing like the other lads have said. One scenario ...yer after entering a nightclub, rest of your mates are too busy bumping into walls and stuff, whereas you'll have that hot lady across the room pinged and have her half-way into bed before your mates notice her...can't be a bad thing eh?

Just wait until a car back fires, that should get you going.