Are you considering joining the military but wondering if it’s a good fit for you? There are many bad reasons to join the military, and it’s not for everyone. In this blog post, I’ll discuss five bad reasons for joining!
In one of my first blog posts, I discussed 5 Good Reasons to Join the Military. Now we’re going to take a look at the other side of the equation!
There are numerous benefits to serving in the military. But it’s equally important to ensure that you’re not joining for the wrong reasons. Here are a few things to think about before joining the military:
1. You Just Want Uncle Sam to Pay for College
Don’t get me wrong here. The G.I. Bill is one of the best and most sought-after benefits of serving in the military. The price of a college education is getting more expensive than ever before. And student loan debt is way out of control.
So who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to go to college on Uncle Sam’s dime? After all, an education is one of the greatest investments that you can make in yourself.
The point I’m trying to make here is that it shouldn’t be your only motivation or incentive for joining. Otherwise, you’ll be going in with the wrong mindset. And if you do that, you won’t be happy and won’t get the most out of your military service.
2. You Want to Follow in a Family Member or Friend’s Footsteps
I know what you’re probably thinking here. Why is this a bad reason? What’s wrong with that? Maybe it’s a tradition in your family going back multiple generations, and you want to keep it going.
Perhaps a family member or friend wants you to join, and you don’t want to disappoint them or let them down. Or maybe someone who was close to you made the ultimate sacrifice, and you want to honor them.
Just like with free college, this isn’t necessarily a bad reason. But it shouldn’t be your main motivation. Joining the military is a huge commitment. The only reason you should consider joining is if you want to, not because someone else wants or expects you to.
This is your life! You probably wouldn’t let someone else tell you what career to choose or who you had to marry, right? Joining the military is no different.
3. You’re Expecting a Regular 9-5 Job Routine With Lots of Free Time and Privacy
The military isn’t like a regular job. You don’t clock in at 8:00 a.m., put in your eight hours, and go home. It doesn’t work that way. If a recruiter tells you otherwise, they’re lying.
Imagine waking up early every morning on weekdays to go run a few miles or do some other form of physical training. Or being required to work 24-hour shifts and other assigned duties. And that’s just while in garrison!
You’ll likely also have periodic training exercises. These can last anywhere from a few days to weeks. Expect to work long hours, perform at your best with little sleep, live on a diet of MREs, have little free time, and not have access to other amenities you take for granted.
Serving in a combat zone is another beast altogether that I won’t get into in this blog post. My point is that the military is much different from a regular job. So make sure you’re fully aware of that, so your expectations are realistic.
You will get free time and paid time off. But how much will depend on a number of things. For instance, expect to work late nights and weekends if you’re a military police officer or a mechanic in the Army.
With that being said, the military is very generous when it comes to paid vacation time. But trust me, there’s a reason for that!
Finally, don’t expect much privacy. It really doesn’t exist in the military. Personal space and privacy were big issues for me and one of my major pet peeves about the military.
I’m an introvert by nature and prefer to be by myself, mostly. So I struggled with that while serving. And trust me, it doesn’t take long to get on each other’s nerves when you’re around everyone 24/7!
4. You Have a Problem With Authority and Don’t Like Being Told What to Do
This one should be pretty obvious. However, many people don’t understand how serious this really is. So I’ll be blunt with you here.
Don’t join the military if you have issues with authority and can’t stand being told what to do. Otherwise, you’ll be miserable and won’t last very long.
You won’t just be told what to do in the military. You’ll also be told when, where, and how to do it. And you have zero say in the matter. You just do it with no questions asked. That’s how the military operates.
I’m not suggesting that the military just wants mindless robots who can’t think for themselves. They actually want you to think critically and value critical thinking skills and collaboration. But you need to be able to take orders, whether you like them and agree with them or not.
Remember the wax-on/wax-off training scene between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid? The military is a lot like that. You may not understand why you’re being told to do certain things, regardless of how stupid they may seem. But there’s likely a very good reason.
And trust me, all of that training will come out when you need it!
5. You’re Convinced That You’re Going To Become The Next Navy SEAL or Green Beret
I can’t count the number of people who told me that the reason they wanted to join the military was because they wanted to be in the special forces.
Once again, there’s not necessarily anything wrong with this reason. I actually knew a few people who made it. But if this is you, let me give you some things to think about.
You’re likely at least aware that special forces selection and training are extremely difficult. The odds are definitely against you, and the majority of those who go through it don’t make it. But what you may not realize is what happens if you fail and get cut from the training.
Every branch of service is a bit different in how they handle this situation. However, they all have one thing in common: whether you make it or not, they still require you to fulfill your military service obligation! Let me use the Army as an example.
Previously, you had to already be in the Army for a certain length of time before you could volunteer for special forces selection and training. However, they have a program now where you can enlist with a path to becoming a Green Beret.
It requires going through basic training as usual, followed by airborne school, etc. But here’s the thing: If you don’t make it and get cut from the training, guess what? They just make you a regular infantryman!
That will likely be your job for the duration of your military service obligation. There’s no going back to the drawing board, and you have no say in the matter whatsoever.
So really think hard about that. Are you willing to take the risk, knowing that the odds are not in your favor? Would you be okay serving as a regular infantryman or whatever the needs of the military are if you quit or get cut from special forces selection and training?
These are some things to think about when you’re considering joining the military.
There are many other reasons why joining the military might not be the best fit for you. But the above list will at least get you thinking about some things.
Please note that I’m in no way attempting to discourage you from joining the military. I just want to ensure that you have the right expectations and information, so you can make an informed decision!
So, do any of these reasons resonate with you? Comment below and let me know!
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