is the army really worth it

[nat4950]

Hi guys just wanted ur point of view if the army is really worth it.... becuse in order for me to join up being 28 i would have to take a £600 p/m pay cut.sell my car that i have payed around 10k for a will get no where near that back!! and other things in life like my season ticket for aston villa, nice holidays etc.. ect... i just wanted ur honest views on this as im now getting on a bit age wise!.. am i just dreaming about army life!

Thanks guys.

Nat.x

[Tab]

What ever you do in life the choice is yours, so make up your own mind on just what you want to do. then the only person you Can blame is your self if it goes tits up.

[sportbilly42]

Hi guys just wanted ur point of view if the army is really worth it.... becuse in order for me to join up being 28 i would have to take a £600 p/m pay cut.sell my car that i have payed around 10k for a will get no where near that back!! and other things in life like my season ticket for aston villa, nice holidays etc.. ect... i just wanted ur honest views on this as im now getting on a bit age wise!.. am i just dreaming about army life!

Thanks guys.

Nat.x

Are you a male or female 28yr old? (It's the kisses in your messages that confuse) Probably doesn't make a great deal of difference depending on your hormonal clock... An initial £7-8k drop in annual pay is a big hit to take if you're used to a certain lifestyle, but if you're 'The Right Stuff' a move up the pay scale may quickly narrow that gap. If your mind is right (and you've left all the self harm episodes behind ........and the army still lets you in despite the self harm(?). (Put the self harm down to being a Villa season ticket holder and you might get away with it.... ) then the army is really worth it.

Nice holidays? How many of your mates have been to far off lands, WAY off the tourist trail where you can fully absorb a different culture? Places such as Afghanistan, Iraq? None I bet....

At the other end we still (just) have Cyprus, Canada, Belize and numerous other outposts where you could be posted or spend a few weeks on training exercises (always ending with some opportunity to actually see the country).. And you still have some opportunity to get off on 'paid holiday' which is called 'Adventure Training' (granted, this might have been cut back drastically in recent years) but a chance to go pretty much anywhere in the world if you're lucky or are into climbing/skiing/sailing etc...

It's all about ATTITUDE. Do you really WANT to do it? If you do it, do it with passion and go for it. Don't look back on 'the car I had, the amount I used to earn' or you'll dribble.... If you keep looking forward and see what you can get from a few years in the forces, you'll THEN be able to look back on an army career and be able to say to someone else 'It was worth it'


BTW, I did 24 yrs. My son has feked up his A levels and is now at 'a crossroads' He can't do the Uni route like his mates... He's now looking at joining the army... Am I going to discourage him? Not at all... I'm positively ENCOURAGING him as I think, for him, a few years in the army will be worth it and help him develop as a person and give him life skills (oh... and a TRADE!... That's the important bit...)

Good luck whatever you do! (And cut out all this self harm shit)

[gunner75]

i went into the regulars at 28. unfortunately my career was over before it started due to an eye injury. however in that short space of time I went away thinking I should of done this WAY earlier. Id positively encourage anyone I met who was undecided that it was a fantastic opportunity and should be grabbed by the horns. if you want to join then DO IT. like any job you have to take the rough with the smooth tho BUT the friends you make and life experiences you take on board will make you far far better than the average person that has not!

[nat4950]

wow guys thanks you so much for taking the time to reply @ sportsbilly yeh im a female and the bit about self harm and aston villa was a classic !!! i dont self harm any more at all and i have only done it while drunk ,.. hence i dont drink anymore !! the army is all i have thought about for months i was quite over weight for my hight and i have already lost 2 stone and im getting closer to my goal weight.aftet reading my firts post on here i didnt realise how materialistc ( spelling) !! i sound. but as for the money thing that is due to me paying a lot out in controled debt.after my payments have been payed i would be left with under £100 p/m. an with the car thats on finace so would still have to pay for that as the company are worse than dodgy loan sharks !!! and i was told the army are not keen on recruits with large debt !! 80% of me thinks i wont get as far as adsc due to my medical records so in some ways its catch 22 !! ie i give it my all and get heart broke when they see my records and the dream is over or dont try and spend the rest of my life thinking what if !!! wow i should be on jezza kyle !! just wanted give u more on what was going on!! thank you for reading my mad rant !!!!! nat.xx

[timex]

Give it a go, if you fail at least you've tried and can move on.

If you pass then you can worry about the rest later............

[MSI64]

Is the Army worth it???
Have been in 17 years and have
A Degree in Logistic and management
An APP Btec (Allows me to site and plan fuel sites)
A Diploma in recruiting practise
All Paid for by the army??

I also have all my driving Licences from Car to Coach and Trailer!! (Army paid for)
Have set foot on every continent (bar one) either through the Army or because I could pay for it.

I have friends who I have know for years and even if we dont speak for a year when we meet its like we have never been apart
Three important things you need to know about my career
1. If I could do it all again I would
2. I get a twinge of jealousy everytime I see a new recruit
3. I should have joined earlier
But as others have said its up to you no one can tell you how you will feel, but do you really want to sit back in later life and say "I WISH I HAD"

[demokid]

I am in exactly the same boat pal, i am 26 in April, have sold my car, will take about the same pay cut, moving out of my place and lodging with a mate for now. if u got no major commitments like kids or a mortgage then i suggest you do it because in my eyes you only live once. it might be hard at the beginning and a little unappealing that you just get shouted at all the time but the benifits will be overwelming at the end. i can't wait to get in, just waiting on my medical forms to be sent back and i will be on my way to the practice day. good luck with your decision bud

[StanpyX]

wow guys thanks you so much for taking the time to reply @ sportsbilly yeh im a female and the bit about self harm and aston villa was a classic !!! i dont self harm any more at all and i have only done it while drunk ,.. hence i dont drink anymore !! the army is all i have thought about for months i was quite over weight for my hight and i have already lost 2 stone and im getting closer to my goal weight.aftet reading my firts post on here i didnt realise how materialistc ( spelling) !! i sound. but as for the money thing that is due to me paying a lot out in controled debt.after my payments have been payed i would be left with under £100 p/m. an with the car thats on finace so would still have to pay for that as the company are worse than dodgy loan sharks !!! and i was told the army are not keen on recruits with large debt !! 80% of me thinks i wont get as far as adsc due to my medical records so in some ways its catch 22 !! ie i give it my all and get heart broke when they see my records and the dream is over or dont try and spend the rest of my life thinking what if !!! wow i should be on jezza kyle !! just wanted give u more on what was going on!! thank you for reading my mad rant !!!!! nat.xx

http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/genera ... orm5-U.pdf

In the guidance notes, if you have more than one episode of self-harm, you're permanently unsuitable. However, from what I hear (from an ex RAMC Sgt and an online recruiter), it's completely up to the medical pros to actually decide if you're mentally fit enough or not to join the Army because recruitment is decided on a case-by-case basis rather than a massive blanket blacklist ban (or so I hear). I've researched this heavily, because I have this problem too, but it turns out the best and only real way to find out as to fill in the forms and find out. Just be honest and explain your circumstances, and see what they decide. If they say no, you can be proud to say you tried, if they say yes, well there you go.


Good luck.

[Wholley]

from what I hear (from an ex RAMC Sgt and an online recruiter)

Right up to date then.Along with this original post.

[StanpyX]

from what I hear (from an ex RAMC Sgt and an online recruiter)

Right up to date then.Along with this original post.

What's your point?

[Wholley]

My point should be obvious.
Not that I have a clue