Haven't been here for a while .bztvnq wrote:At 18 years old I left school and applied for a career in the Royal Marines. Like many people of that age the iconic image of the green beret was the biggest draw. This coupled with the opportunity to make life long friends and travel the globe had me on a train to Lympstone.
I attended at the Lympstone and undertook the PRMC course. During the course the officer in charge explained the terms and conditions of appointment such as wages, lifestyle and life when you leave.
It was at this point that I realised that a career as a marine wasn't for me. I was not prepared to work for £12,000 a year, not see my friends of family or have the opportunity to buy a house or a car or form any sort of meaningful relationship.
On my return I applied for the police and was accepted. I now earn £30,000 per year and live in a lovely house with my finance in a great part of our town.
I have the upmost respect for members of the armed forces however the job just wasn't for me and to be honest I'm glad.
Does anyone have any views on this?
I left the Corps in 2000 on the promise of more money, better conditions and more opportunity for advancement in the fast track world of IT
Needless to say (Being ex-RM) I have achieved all of these ambitions and more and now reside in the nice house, drive a nice car and have a generally very civilised existence
I am also f*cking bored to tears on a daily basis As much as I achieved since I left I would gladly swap the lot to be be back with the lads in the grot. In the long run you probably made the right decision not to join the Corps, but to base that decision on mainly monetary terms was a mistake; you can't even begin to imagine what you (and I) have given up for the sake of looking good in front of the neighbours