Anyone done military service?

In my country (Greece) there is a mandatory 9-month military conscription and I'm scheduled to begin mine this January. It's pretty much a month of basic training and then you're assigned to a military base or camp where you have to carry out specific duties (ranging from secretarial to... sanitation services). As a Computer Science graduate, I'm hoping to get an office position.

Anyone else here served in the military either voluntarily or as a result of an involuntary draft?

Nope.

I would have considered joining the military if it was about national defense, but we all know that's not what the US military is about, so I went to college.

I'm aged out, now.

I served four years in the U.S. air force.

And i did a couple of years in the army national guard.

As a volunteer and i have to admit like many who join the service it wasn't out of patriotism either.In the U.S. many of us join to obtain money for college, don't have a career or well paying job and in my

case to see more of the world. Also there are some who join it to get off the streets or to leave a bad

neighborhood but can't afford to buy a home in a better area.

I served 4 years in the USAF. I'm thinking about commissioning as an officer in the Coast Guard reserves.

Never

Also 4 years active duty USAF for me, stationed in RAF Croughton, England and Warner Robbins AFB Georgia.

Never.

The idea just sickens me.

Here in the Phil. High School students are required to have this subject called "ROTC" that teaches them the basic drills and military knowledge making them a reserve for the army that can be called in times of disaster or war. But when I took that subject, 5 years ago, they only made the whole class march under the scorching sun for a couple of sessions. It's only for the formality tho and really useless actually.

@Wolfgang133: The military service here is a necessary evil sadly. Owing mostly to the ever present threat(?) of our Turkish neighbors, with whom Greece has a long rivaling history dating back to the Ottoman occupation of our country, there are many military bases and camps (especially in the borders) that the government cannot support with a paid workforce so there's an involuntary draft.

The way the US handles military service is quite good offering paid positions to anyone willing to join for as long as they need to make some money or even start a career. Based on the responses from Americans in the thread, it seems the Air Force is quite popular.

In theory that doesn't sound too unreasonable. I wish we could be done with our military obligations so easily as well.

7 yrs as both active enlisted and commissioned officer with USAF CCT and combat comm. 4 yrs active ready reserves at the Pentagons C4ISR office. Served multiple tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

People serve for various reasons. There are many who do join out of patriotism. The whole notion of the military is full of people who are only there as escape from desperate or impoverished upbringing is a myth. Granted there are portion of the military population which that scenario applies, but by and large those in the military come from background better than those of national average, even if you're just looking at the enlisted population.

No.

I do work with other engineers in the US Military every now and then. The company I work for specializes in rugged computing so we often get design projects for parts of the systems that need extreme cooling or that need to hold up under heavy shock and vibration.

Yeah not everyone can join and even when you are accepted, you don't necessarily get to choose your primary occupation in the military. That is most based on variously aptitude and performance metrics they collect on you through testings and training. That said, a lot of mission support jobs (anything not directly contributing to fighting wars) in the Air Force do feel like civilian jobs but with uniforms which is why Air Force veterans often have the easiest time transition to civilian careers after separation/retirement.

Of course, its the best thing any young man can do and it should be mandatory for all in America as well.

Teaches you a lot that you take with you

I'm not opposed to a short period of service and military training in order for anyone to be marginally combat ready in case of an emergency. But spending a year doing chores (which is pretty much what the mandatory service is here) is a total waste of time. Time which could be used to advance one's career and finances.

Yes

8+ yrs

Captain

A long time ago.

I haven't experienced ROTC since back when I was in junior high school, I went to a private school.

Yep. US Army. Volunteer of course.

Always wondered what happens if you refuse to do 9-month mandatory military service?

As far as I know, you are faced with a 6000€ fine and charged with dissertation, which may even lead to a trial.

I'd go if it meant helping others and not big corporations.

Philanthropy work at least.

I was in Military School. Also was drafted at 18 because of that, was a Sgt. In Afghanistan and a 2ndLT in Iraq.

I served for 12 months as is mandatory here. Well, it's 6, 9 or 12 months depending on what'll be your role. And now I'm in reserve until I'm 50.

Served for 12 months in the Norwegian army. Loved it.

It can be viewed as an adventure rather than something one really don't wanna do

All about attitude

Just JROTC in High School.

Once I got my college government grants that paid for most of my college related expenses. I had less of an incentive to join. As I would personally risk not finishing my college education, by getting caught up in military service. And other life challenges. Been tempted to reconsider it after graduation. But the travel and inability to pick the position I want. Along with other friends who have left the service. Has been a turnoff. Now if I was younger, the travel would have been more of a benefit. Nowadays I'm digging roots into a community I'm part of. Leaving that behind is not a viable option for me. Unless I am drafted.

I don't think the military would want me XD

Hmm I think that Turkish people in foreign countries are forced to join their military for a while or pay a hefty fee? I hear of this because there are quite a few Turkish people in my country. That doesn't sound very conducive to letting people adapt to their new lives elsewhere, and like it would keep an unreasonable nationalist mentality alive of 'you don't belong'. I mean: By law, it is a punishable offense to speak publicly against the army or conscription, as it is a crime to "undermine Turkish people's zeal towards military" and a separate crime to "insult the spirit of the Armed Forces". -Wikipedia That's pretty nuts, right?

No.

At 18 I humored the Marines for a bit but got diagnosed with a life-threatening disease at 20 so I’d have never passed the physical.

12 months mandatory

No

I guess you'll be joining me =)

Also

after graduation

I already finished bro.

Yup, the Swedish army. 15 months of training(Sweden had mandatory enlistment at the time) and then one tour to Afghanistan in a safety disarm unit/Bomb disposal unit.

National guard count?

@johnd13: Hey man, I've been through it. Similar to you, my country has compulsory service for all men. We had to serve 2 years with 2-3 months of basic training, another 4-9 months of unit training, followed by serving the remaining of your time carrying out active duty based on the unit assigned. We still have to serve an extra 10 years after that (to return to our unit once a year to receive training for 2-3 weeks). Life was either fun or hell for you, depending on your outlook towards it. There's actually quite a few countries that practice conscription actually.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_service

2 years is way too much for a service forced upon you. Heck even our 9 months seem too long a time period. And yeah some people actually enjoy their time in the military or just wish it to end. I'm expecting to be in the latter category. xD

For some countries it's definitely a justified practice considering their particular geographical and political positions.

USNR... 5 years so far and still in. Planning on doing 20 as it's been the best decision I think I've made. Sometimes certain decisions make me want to strangle certain people though, but the good definitely outweighs the bad for me.

@johnd13: Yeah, I think it has a lot to do with the countries political and Geographical positions.

Nope, the army of my country sucks, they don't even feed well the soldiers, only 1 meal per day, and with the pay you can't even buy a bottle of deodorant.

I've heard similar things here. Sometimes they'd rather grant you a day's leave to avoid feeding you. And the pay is something ridiculous like 5 or 10 euros a month...

I actually attempted to join the Marines when I was 18 years old. Did a few training courses with them, even got as far as nearly being sworn in. But I wasn't never sworn in so I never was officially part of the group....

Fvck yeah Air Force