Peoples Attitudes changed when stated I was joining

[tlg]

Why are you joining the CF?

Because I need a greencard to get into the marines.

Why don't you get a greencard?

No money and it takes years plus right now I'm bored.

Oh.

That's a brill reason to sign up. If only I was that smrt.  ;D

 

[gnome123]

In my life i decided i wanted to be a firefighter in grade 10, Due to me wanting to help people and make a difference. Its is nearly impossible ive discovered now a graduate and out of school for a couple months to get into the university. They look for people 20-24 with life experience... After working the worst of the worst jobs ie. cleaning dishes, bundling paper, cutting grass for minimum wage 50hrs a week i started to look into something i can do that can make a difference as well be a challenge.

Obviously i found the army. I choose infantry just handed in my application and want to be around people with common interests and goals.

Mom- Doesn't want me to go... due to afghanistan and pisses me off when they think the death of those soldiers are in vien.

Dad- Doesn't want me to go.... if anything wants me to be a M.P because he is a cop himself but for some reason hate that proffession.

Friends- Think im just going to come home in a body bag. Almost every single one has stated that to me.

***although i really don't care what they have to say... it would be nice for a little bit of support.

I am counting the days untill i get a call the army is my only sollution if not accepted which i don't know why because im gonna give it my all i will be stuck in a town where ill be a on a self-destructive path being hard enough seeing all my friends get into the hard drugs and myself staying away and isolating myself staying in shape. (at least i got drums & guitar & video games hahha) im such a dork 

CANT WAIT!!! adios amegos

 

[rocker23]

I'm in the same boat gnome...  My parents feel the same way. My friends think i'm crazy...  But however I do have the support of my brothers which is nice.  They support me 100%.

 

[career_radio-checker]

When I told my folks I was joining back in 2003 I was met with a little bit of shock but they supported me nonetheless. To be honest I didn't know anything about the military and couldn't answer any of their questions until I had completed Basic training. I live in Ottawa but all  of my friends and family are in BC so anytime I go visit them I tell them about my experiences. They listen attentively but they never really say openly that they support my role in the army -- except my best friends. I find it's a strange subject around my house, no one will engage me or ask me about the army when I visit, it's always I who has to engage the topic. I gage it's an uncomfortable topic for them so I just don't really talk about it that much. Their unease seems exacerbated by the mounting death toll in Afghanistan

The day I tell them I am going to Afghanistan ( not yet but hopefully within 2 years) should be an interesting dinner conversation.

 

[Jacqueline]

Maybe some people think it's wrong? The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.

 

[tlg]

One of my friends keeps on saying to me "Soon you'll be out of here and shooting ter or ists (that's how he pronunces it) and out of this place."

I still don't know how to reply to this.

 

[GUNS]

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Never give in.

Being a soldier is a career choice, no different from being an electrician or a mechanic. The only difference is anyone can be a electrician or a mechanic but only certain people can be a soldier. All the other trades need unions to keep them together, soldiers have family.

I am so privilege to have worn the uniform of this country and proud to have worn it in other countries. When a soldier is walking down a street in his civvy's, there is no mistaking that this person is military. To my way of thinking, people can think what they like about soldiers, for I know that when I wake in the morning I will still be a soldier and they will be(thinking),they will be(still thinking),they will be someone in need of attitude adjustment.

Do what you want to do, not what others think you should not do.

 

[patrick666]

One of my friends keeps on saying to me "Soon you'll be out of here and shooting ter or ists (that's how he pronunces it) and out of this place."

I hear that often as well. They say it like I've no idea what joining the military means and somehow always revolves around only "killing people and being brainwashed". It's truly a sad state. They also have that right and as a soldier it is your duty to defend that. 

 

[dont.get.it.48]

yea.. my dad is all in the 'the army brain washes you' thing. he thinks that the military brainwashes u into having no personality and ones your done training that you will do what ever you are told no matter what.

my best friend, when he first heard about it, he wasn't for it, but he wasn't against it because that's what i wanted to do.
last month some girl we were hanging out with in a group of our friends found out that i was joining the army reserve and she started on all the stereo type things, and my best Friend took the time to listen to what i had to say about the military and he told that girl off.

I've heard and read things about peoples best friends or friends or what not bashing them for wanting to be in the military. but sometimes they actually turn around and eventually understand ones u explain it to them. but if u explain it to them in detail, and there still on about the stereo types, it's not worth trying to explain to them. they just wont get it.

so to sum it up, like others said in this thread
do what you want to do with your life, not what others think you should do... like it's your life, not theirs

i still have people hitting me and yelling at me for wanting to join. but i think it's all worth it so i continue with my enrolment proses.

there's a surprising amount of people that doesn't think the military and being a soldier is a real job. but like some one said in another post. it's just like being an electrician or something. but anyone can be those things but few people can be soldiers. the only difference from being in the military and any other job is that there is no other job like being in the military.
if you get deployed somewhere's, you will get to see, and do what others back at home will never get to experience, good or bad.

i support the troops fighting for us 100% in what they do. because what they do is increadable. and they do it day to day, without nearly enough pay. most people couldn't put up half a day with what they put up with day to day.
anyone reading this in Afghanistan or that's been there, awesome job! 

 

[GAP]

Interesting read, if it was not so hard to read. One of the things the forces are going to require of you is to be able to articulate an idea on paper, WITH proper punctuation and sentence structure. You did OK, but if you look back to your post, you will notice it is hard to read. There's half of your argument gone already.

 

[dont.get.it.48]

i know, i was at school and the period was almost over. so i was typing and getting the post done as fast as i could. I usually check it over before i put it up, but i didn't have time this time. sorry about that.

 

[elixa]

Well I have just recently started the application process for both the ROTP and continued education officer programs and other then my boyfriend (who has been in the army for 13 years now) who is very supportive, most people have been unsupportive.  Their issue for me is that i'm a single mother and they're concerned about me leaving my little guy while in training.  I do see their perspective of it but currently i'm working full time overnight shift work at a job I hate, going to university full time not to mention caring for my son.  When I'm home I'm usually so tired and grumpy that i'm not being a great mother to him anyhow, as things stand.  I've been doing this for several years and its a very wearing routine.  I'm no sure if people understand how miserable I am doing what I am right now or what but they can't understand why i'd want to join the forces when I'm so close to finishing my degree.  How I see it, going away for training is a small price to pay for a job I feel is worthwhile and a semi regular routine which in turn will benefit my son.  Needless to say it's discouraging when most people that you care for are crossing their fingers that you won't get accepted.  I'm just grateful I have a guy that is encouraging and stands behind my decision. 

 

[patrick666]

Needless to say it's discouraging when most people that you care for are crossing their fingers that you won't get accepted.

Use their hope for fuel and refuse to give in to their discouragement. When you are accepted, it will be all the more sweeter to say "I did it" because not many people have the guts to do so. Best of luck.

 

[militarygirl]

I was very lucky.  When I decided to join the Reg F, my family and most of my friends were very supportive ;D.  That was back in the late 80's.  Now I have a brother-in-law who joined just a few years ago, and the family was not nearly as supportive.  He joined as reservist and enjoyed it so much he was(is?) entertaining ideas on either transferring to the Reg Force or going on tour as a reservist, though these are not mutually exclusive.  Needless to say, with the operational commitments today this was not received well.  It wasn't his wife, my step-sister, that is outspoken about not "allowing" him to go, it is his mother-in-law.  She is very opinionated on this and has even stated "...that her daughter shouldn't and won't wait for him to return since he would be volunteering to put his life at risk and now that he is married he should be staying here with her".  This is such a hot topic that we go out of our way to avoid the subject if at all possible.... Though I think he gets a charge out of making comments, out of context, just to get the mother-in-law riled.     

 

[Alex]

Man, I am really glad that I found this topic.  The other day I requested documents from the recruiting website, just out of curiosity.  I'm interested in the reserves so I figured it couldn't hurt.

Today I get the big yellow envelope from CF recruiting in North Bay.  My mom informs me that I have some "reading material" in the mailbox.  I know what she's talking about obviously.  She says it is my choice if I want to join but she kind of has that "look" and that "tone" that mothers some time get.  I can tell she is a little frustrated.  But my sister is a different case; she's going nuts, thinking I'm going to be sent to Afghanistan, regardless of the fact that I'm interested in the reserves and would have that choice.

It's disturbing, but it encourages me.  I'm going to put on my sweats and go for a run.  Get in better shape before I apply.

 

[exsemjingo]

Sooner or later you have to cut the apron strings, Alex.  You are approaching that point.

 

[Alex]

Sooner or later you have to cut the apron strings, Alex.  You are approaching that point.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, exsemjingo.  I look forward to joining the Forces.

 

[Bobby Rico]

For me, my attitude toward other people changed when I enlisted.  Though I'm still untrained, just sworn-in, I still feel a pride that I've never experienced before.  And maybe this is the wrong attitude to have, but when I look at other people, I sort of feel like 'Well, what the hell are you doing for your country?"  I know I probably shouldn't look down on people (not that I'm disrespectful of anyone) but you do sort of feel elite when you're in the army, and everyone else is just a civilian.  I dunno about the rest of you, but I had the hugest confidence problem prior to finding the army, but now that I'm in having fully committed myself, I feel like nothing that anyone can say or do to me will bring me down.  It's great!

 

[Zell_Dietrich]

For me, my attitude toward other people changed when I enlisted.  Though I'm still untrained, just sworn-in, I still feel a pride that I've never experienced before.  And maybe this is the wrong attitude to have, but when I look at other people, I sort of feel like 'Well, what the hell are you doing for your country?"  I know I probably shouldn't look down on people (not that I'm disrespectful of anyone) but you do sort of feel elite when you're in the army, and everyone else is just a civilian.  I dunno about the rest of you, but I had the hugest confidence problem prior to finding the army, but now that I'm in having fully committed myself, I feel like nothing that anyone can say or do to me will bring me down.  It's great!

I think it is completely normal.  I know you don't view others with contempt,  but you probably are projecting your previous feelings of being without purpose on them.  Not everyone serves our community best by wearing a uniform.  Some serve us best by being teachers others by writing books some by being a parking lot attendant.  Remember,  when you serve,  you are serving them. I serve so that they need never know fear from a foreign army.  That and I look good in uniform. :blotto:

I must confess a similar feeling I get ever year from Nov 1-Nov 11.  I look at everyone without a poppy on as uncaring. (which is unfortunate because I have to keep three or four poppies in my pocket because mine keep falling off)

 

[dont.get.it.48]

I have to keep three or four poppies in my pocket because mine keep falling off)

stick an eraser piece on the pin when u put it on,
it acts kinda like a nut keeping a bolt on