<p>what are the pros and cons of joining the army once one gets his high school diploma?</p>
<p>Check out some of the service academy boards....the people there can probably relate better..it's a great crowd.</p>
<p>one big con is that it's not the navy :)</p>
<p>I'll help with the obvious ones:</p>
<p>pros: -job security.
-clear career advancement paths.
-on-the-job training
-getting to work with state-of-the-art military equipment. Sometimes. If there's enough.
-a sense of community
-travel opportunities, even for new recruits!</p>
<p>cons: -getting shot at
-shooting at other people
-being in the company of people who joined not because they felt a responsibility to their country, as many do, but because they were attracted by the previous point.</p>
<p>I don't think there are any pros. All the flashy, glamorous ads with their talk of money for college and life experience are total BS. The truth is you can die and already 1,735 have since the Iraq war began. What if a war comes up that you don't agree with? You don't have any choice, even if you think it's wrong, you have to do whatever you are told, including killing people or getting yourself killed.</p>
<p>Con- you kill; you can die
(outweighs any pro)</p>
<p>Well people can benefit from the army even if it is not your ideal lifestyle. We know what we are getting into before we join.</p>
<p>
[quote]
being in the company of people who joined not because they felt a responsibility to their country, as many do, but because they were attracted by the previous point.
[/quote]
Do you have experience with this? I know I'm with people like this, but we all go in for various reasons and we stay in for the same purpose. So I guess a lot of my friends and the people I work and live with are all just a con.</p>
<p>if you go to west point, then it would be a dif. story.</p>
<p>"We know what we are getting into before we join."</p>
<p>Maybe you do, and that's great, but I think a lot of people don't, or didn't before Iraq. Recruiters are really tricky, and they downplay the actual war part. People in the National Guard have been quoted saying they were told they would never actually go to a war. If you've ever seen an Army commercial, you know how slick they are...the kid saying to his mom "I found a way to pay for college!" etc.</p>
<p>Cons:
You might die.
Your wee-wee might be shot off (if you are male--obviously your screen name confirms that)</p>
<p>Cannot think of any pros right now.</p>
<p>heres the pro and cons</p>
<p>pros:
they pay for college
jump start career</p>
<p>cons:
you die
You lose limbs
you come home with shell shock</p>
<p>Pro:
Women will think you look sexy in a uniform ;D.</p>
<p>Con:
You won't look sexy after being shot. x] There.</p>
<p>I agree john should go to the service academy board to talk to people and parents with reason. Teens who think the army is the best way to pay for college or they will aviod war will get into harm on their own, it's not always the recruiter's fault just a kid with no common sense. And if they really did not like the fact that they might even for a little chance hold a weapon and use it or get shot at they have the option to leave during basic training which everyone has to go through no matter what field they want go to in the army. </p>
<p>
[quote]
People in the National Guard have been quoted saying they were told they would never actually go to a war.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Now those soldiers are just plain stupid.<br>
National Guard...war...duh?</p>
<p><<Quote:
being in the company of people who joined not because they felt a responsibility to their country, as many do, but because they were attracted by the previous point. </p>
<p>Do you have experience with this? I know I'm with people like this, but we all go in for various reasons and we stay in for the same purpose. So I guess a lot of my friends and the people I work and live with are all just a con.>></p>
<p>I didn't mean this as accusatory of the majority of people in the army, but I do personally know of someone who left for this reason - he was disgusted at the attitude of some soldiers who thought killing people was fun and enjoyed the power. Respect for the "various reasons" for going in is one thing; one of those reasons being "wow, it'd be really cool to kill people" is a bit extreme. Personally, I'd not be able to tolerate that... and yes, I'd call being around these people a con. Somehow I doubt that all that many of your friends really fall into that category.</p>
<p>I don't mean to say that soldiers in general are in it for the joy of (legal) killing. It's sad that there /are/ a few people like that in the army, though, because it discourages others.</p>
<p>pro- you serve your country honorably, and are seen as a hero by everyone. </p>
<p>don't let other people tell you that you shouldn't join the army because you will get shot at. Only you can make that choice, But where would the rest of the country be without those select few who choose to lay down their life for those who they will never meet.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm just too much of a girl (well, I am a girl)...but I believe no pro can outweigh the con of possibly killing someone. They give you a free education, etc, but the fact is, you're there to shoot guns. I'm not scared of dying, but life is a treasured thing and I'd rather save my own and other people's lives. I'd rather work at McDonalds than join the army, actually.</p>
<p>pro's-killing people
con's-getting killed</p>
<p>pro's-shooting a gigantistichugesuperreallycool atom canon</p>
<p>There was a post comparing soldiers to hitmen that used Wikipedia as a source. Does anyone else wonder why it was deleted? Wikipedia is not copyrighted. The comparison was well within the bounds of free speech that this board has tolerated in the past.</p>
<p>i want to be a hitman when i grow up</p>
<p>i see your point x, but you have to realize freedom isn't free, and if there weren't people who choose to sacrifice their life and protect our freedoms (by killing) then were would be? ... nowhere
I guess some people don't get why even though recruitment numbers are down, people still enlist everyday. Its a calling, to do your duty for your counrty. If you you want to serve no one can tell you otherwise</p>