I never joined and I am glad I didn't

[bztvnq]

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?

[harry hackedoff]

I`m glad that you live

in a lovely house with my finance

99% mate.

And that means you

[Mike90]

Thats great and all but then why are you here? I don't mean any offense by that but still...

[anglo-saxon]

Bit of an odd post. As said above, why are you even here, then?

Sounds like a little insecurity getting th better of you. If you equate quality of life with money and the size of your house, then you've probably got something terribly wrong along the way.

[robbiedont]

If you equate quality of life with money and the size of your house, then...

I must have a sh*t life!

[Hantslad]

I'm a cop, and for what its worth its fairly s*it

Ive been in the Reserve Forces for the best part of 10 years. I've served on operations...............

BUT

I wish I had joined the Regulars all those years ago. I am now in the situation where I earn good money in the police and have a big mortgage, so I could never leave.

I agree this is a strange post, but I just wanted to add my bit to show that for every view, there is an oposing one

Only £30k a year??? Must be a County Mounty, or scared of overtime!

[got1]

bztvng, you will never know what you missed.

[Mike90]

bztvng, you will never know what you missed.

Thats it, add some salt and rub it in for him you evil shite!
Seems to me that the simple solution would have been to join the Reserves instead.

[lil_dinger_bell]

I think you missed something mate and it may be your age but the marines are more than a wage, time away from home, and the inability to purchase 'things' for what you call a ‘meaningful life.’

I’m my mind a meaningful life is one serving for a greater good, something larger than yourself whereby your actions change the world, adding to the luster of historical lore. I think you may have you mind set on the materialism of civy street, which couldn’t be further away from the life of a marine.

A cop is a soulless job...where you drive around all day looking for j walkers and speeding cars. I mean soulless in the sense of mindless boredom, with no chance of half the prestige a Royal will reach. Also, I don’t know how it is in the UK but in Canada a cop works 'shift work' where they very rarely see there family.

As mentioned above you will never know what you missed, and after 20 years of jelly dohnuts and stopping kids from skateboarding you may have a different perspective.


Anyone can be a cop, only the best can be royal marines.

Did my post sound bias?? ??

[Steve27752]

I have been reading the post for a while now and thought that it was time to join in! So this is my first post here.
I have been a PC in the Met for 25 years now. I am very happy with what I have; wife and two young children....But, with hindsight I wish that I had gone from two years in the TA in the late 70`s into the military. I was looking at joining the Royal Marines but the Met won me over!
For those of you in a combat zone you have nothing but my admiration. Keep your heads down, keep doing the proffessional jobs that you do and come home safely.
Steve

[stuelwell]

im glad you never joined also matey. Any amount of money could not buy the friendship and good times iv had in the corps, but as long as your happy with your £30,000 a year thats all that matters

[woof]

Ha-ha-ha what a prat traded security for the real thing.To live for evermore without knowing whether or not he had the right stuff and to now live in the right part of town with his 'finance'.
The corps didn't need you Bone.

[Mike90]

Stop being so nasty! :lilangel:
Seriously though, he made his decision and you can disagree with it all you want but there is no need to insult him is there? Hardly gives people a good first impression of the site either....

[Steve27752]

I have been reading the post for a while now and thought that it was time to join in! So this is my first post here.
I have been a PC in the Met for 25 years now. I am very happy with what I have; wife and two young children....But, with hindsight I wish that I had gone from two years in the TA in the late 70`s into the military. I was looking at joining the Royal Marines but the Met won me over!
For those of you in a combat zone you have nothing but my admiration. Keep your heads down, keep doing the proffessional jobs that you do and come home safely.
Steve

Actually, for me it was not the money..............There were so many things going on in my life at the time

[woof]

Come on M90 what is he doing posting weird of the weird stuff like that for in the first place, its just asking for a bite and isn't there just a hint of smugness in his posting 'I'm all right Jack' with what I chose stuff.
Nah ferk him' let him be a self satisfied plod all he wants -but the life of a Royal well that is something not to be missed .