Count to 10,000!

3421

Well said. Even when you do get deployed somewhere, I've heard that you usually see very little action whatsoever and do boring tasks over and over again; rarely, you might get dropped into actual battle, and while the adrenaline and camaraderie can be amazing - you are killing people, risking your own life and probably going to return home with a shitload of trauma and never be able to live a normal life again... still, one is more likely to end up experiencing the first part I mentioned.

 

3422

I enjoy the physical fitness of the army and the teamwork it demands, plus I'll be making a decent wage to learn discipline and work a tank which is a piece of hardware I'm really interested in. I get good government benefits and a respectable career. And maybe I'll even see some action, doesn't matter to me.

And I don't consider it "Wasting" my life away Komo. I guess that's just your usual bitter opinion though.

 

3423
It's not so much "useless," as you say, because people joining the army are doing something productive to earn a living. Even though the hourly wage might be low for somebody who is just starting out, they still get the necessary benefits of food and shelter without having to worry about getting it themselves (for free, in a sense); plus medical treatment is also including.

Wasting time away in basic training is another thing; but if it's something you get paid to do and you enjoy doing it, even if you never get to apply those skills out in combat, then why not? If you were to get paid 10 times the amount of a minimum-wage worker in RF, solely by reading books, would you still find it rather useless, even though it's something that would bring you a steady flow of income and allow you to buy the things you need and want? I believe that everything is useless, at one point, until you decide to turn it into something you are satisfied with.
------------------
Go for it, Aaron

 

3424

In NZ the privates get a nice $65000NZ annual salary

 

3425
Holy moly!
Is the cost of living high over there?

 

3426

The starting wage isn't bad here by any means although compared to NZ it seems small at $33672 annually and after all taxes including food and housing I'm straight pocketing a little over $700 bi weekly.

 

3427
That's how it is over here, too.

$67,000 is a lot; and I know that, here in the U.S., you need to get a 4-year university degree to make that money+. You don't need a college education to make that money at all, anyhow, it's more of a suggested, "guaranteed" way of making money. I figure the reason that a private gets paid well in NZ is because it's probably more difficult (like, way more..6,0000 times more O-o) to get into the military.

Edit:*chuckles* A lot of new members have popped up recently. It looks like they were paying attention to what I said and decided to sign up to be a member of this Grand Ol' Forum.....Though, they're not the kind of member that we want. They're spamboters! Oh geeze. They had been there, just waiting for somebody to invite them in.:sorry:

 

I wouldn't call what Komo said bitter at all. Pragmatic, yeah, but not bitter.

I know another place where you can get all of that - prison! And it's easier to get in there than it is to join the army. There are numerous cases of poor or homeless people committing some petty crime just to get locked up and survive through the winter.

In all seriousness though Aaron, I see some appeal in the military myself (and I used to really want to join because of the discipline and teamwork aspects just like you), but most of it is exaggerated as part of the propaganda to get you to join. In the end, all you're doing is someone else's dirty work... and that someone is an old fart wearing a suit, who doesn't give a crap about your life or that of your comrades. If it's what you really wanna do, then go right ahead, but give it plenty of thought beforehand.

 

:lol:
The only difference is that you won't have to worry about accidentally dropping the soap while taking a shower. Also, there are two types of "Bubbas" you'll encounter in either of the places. In the army, you'll meet a cool black guy who loves talking about shrimp. In prison, though.... Let's just say you don't want to meet Bubba O-O

My criminal justice teacher, who was an ex-cop, said the same thing, all the time. He knew one hobo who would "attempt" to rob a convenience store by holding a stick up at the cashier. The cashier would call the cops and then they would show up to arrest him. When they would put the hobo in the squad car, they told him he'd be out of jail in a few days. Then, the hobo would reply by saying he'll do the same thing, again, once he's out so that he could have a warm place to sleep at night (and warm food).
3428

 

3430

I just friend a sliced apple and two scrambled eggs with milk on some vegetable oil and a little bit of sugar... it was fucking wonderful.

 

3434
Hahaha, okay....Sound a little gross, but whatever floats your boat.

 

3432

It makes no difference when you have bottle of little something to drink in your hand though, does it? DDD

 

3433 came home to find my house had flooded when the water heater cracked at least my electrical shit is fine house is going to smell though

 

3434
Daaamn, that sounds delicious! The rare times I make actual dinner at home, I don't use any recipes or anything; I just take whatever I find in the fridge that can be good together, and cook, fry, cut etc and add different liquids and spices. It's mostly salads, with a mix of fresh vegetables and cooked vegetables, and sometimes some meat too. It's just as good almost every time

@Nuclear The Stargate-franchise consists of Stargate SG-1 with 10 seasons, Stargate Atlantis with 5 seasons, and Stargate Universe with 2 seasons. There are also some movies. They're all connected, like in the same universe. In some episodes they even use some main characters from one series in the other series.

Anyway, I find the military kind of appealing, but it's also a bit too restrictive. One thing I would love, though, is to become a military mechanic; to fix military vehicles. I'm very interested in them, especially the large trucks. But in Norway, you can't choose what you want to do if you join the military. You have to start at the basic and work your way up, and the helpers of the old fart in a suit, chooses where they want you to be and don't give a squat about what you want to.

 

+1

3435

 

3436

Sucks to hear that. Here in the UK, many of the houses are surprisingly low quality for a first world country - especially if you live in a council house. My house has a really old heater and everything is quite dated here, and you have to waste considerably more money on keeping the heating turned up more than usual when it's cold so the water pipes don't freeze. hwell:

I tend to do the same, it's fun to experiment.

 

At least over here, provided you manage to not get killed/crippled/messed up with PTSD or something:

-Usually a decent wage. Which I believe adds up to more than you'd think, on account of not having much in terms of living expenses.

-At least over here, full scholarships.

-Looks good on a resume, in addition to numerous veteran benefits that generally make your life easier.

And of course that's all in addition to the fitness side and the fact that some people seem to want the teamwork aspect, along with the pride of having been tough enough to at least make it through basic.

 

3438

Huh, One of our Military mechanics was just killed on the job the other day (Rest in Peace). Even that trade is dangerous.

 

That is unfortunate to hear. But he was killed, as in someone killed him? I suppose he was out on the field then, and not in some workshop?

 

"almost every time"
The only thing that didn't seem appetizing with Bamul's recipe was the part where he mixed in the milk with the apples and eggs.

Ahh, okay. Yeah, I've seen that they always show episodes of stargate SG-1, on t.v., but I never jumped into it because I knew it would just be a random episode and I would have to wait (who knows how long) before they start the series from the beginning (I wish I knew when they were going to show the first episode so I could start from there).
I have, however, seen one of the Stargate movies with the actor Kurt Russle in it, and I really like it .

That's unfortunate; especially after a long trip where all you want to do is get home and relax.

Here in the U.S., many of the water heaters are made to break within 10 years so that you have to keep buying a new one. 3440