So I joined the Military...

[Spiegel]

so...what youre saying is...Canada has a military? That comes as more of a surprise to me than Deadfire joining said military.

Yes they have a military, You saw the South Park movie! They killed the Baldwins! And Congratulations Deadfire, I am sure you chose this because you know this is what you want to do with your future. Personally it is not for me but I can respect any man that is willing to go do that for their country.

[Paulyboy]

I didn't know there was a thread like this. I joined the Navy man, I am entering as an operation Specialist which deals with computers and radars. Going to boot camp October 10th and graduating as an E-3 because I've been in J ROTC for 4 years, minimum is 3. while I am on board im taking college classes for free which comes with the benefits of joining Navy and me dieing is slim to none all Navy does is patrol the sea's but you know shit can happen. All you have to worry about is being anally raped but that won't happen if your not a bitch.

[SK]

Yeah the military can be a good field, I give it a plus.

[dragonrage]

good luck, godspeed, and make sure that you don't allow your drill sgt to rip you a new one, that is our job.

Seriously man be save. Hope that you don't get posted off too war, that would really suck.

[KitKat]

Well DF, I know you've been wanting to hear my opinion, so I've been thinking about this and gathering my thoughts, so as not to say anything rash or hasty.

Deciding what to do with your life is a fairly important decision, that will shape who you are and determine many of your future paths. Some people randomly drift to whichever path seems good at the time, but these decisions should be given a lot of consideration. I know that you have been thinking a lot about this, and that you have the support of your family and friends, which is important.

To be honest, I wasn't a supporter of the military at all for quite a long time. The turning point for me was when I went to see a talk by Romeo Dallaire, who was the head of the UN forces in Rwanda during the genocide, who could have stopped it, but was ordered to stand by and not interfere. I started to realize that in order for developing countries to grow, and for standards of life to improve, there has to first be peace and safety. I wish there wasn't a need for military forces to be used, but sometimes it's the only way. A military can either be used to oppress, kill and destroy, or to protect and build. I don't envy those in military positions. It's an overwhelming responsibility, and knowing that the lives of others rest in your hands is a frightening thing.

To you, DF, I want to say, don't make light of this responsibility. Even in the lowliest military position, you will have an impact on the lives of others around you. Never let go of your integrity. Even in the bleakest situations, be a person who will protect others and uphold justice. Don't compromise on what you know is right. This is my hope for you. No matter what, I'll be standing behind you. Know that wherever you end up, there will be a KitKat praying for you.

[Deadfire]

Thanks to all of you for your support of my decision. It really makes me feel better about what I may do. In the short time I've been on gotwoot for everyone to react this way really makes me feel good about supporting and helping these forums

My Tests were made today on may 2nd I will be taking 3 exams. If I pass I will be a part of the forces and have my travel orders.

I will post the answers to the interview questions when I can find them to see want I can improve.

Thanks again

[Psyke]

Good luck! And be careful about posting about military related information on the net. I know people who accidentally talk about "classfield" information online and get themselves into trouble. Better safe than sorry. :P

[Deadfire]

Well a update is needed

I have passed all exams needed to join, now I am put on the waiting list for training which the earliest is august. So Gotwoot can be graced by me for most of the summer!

However I this is bad too ..as I still have to work at Best Buy

[Kraco]

Ganbatte, DF!

[Death BOO Z]

Wow, Aug 07...
that makes you somewhat of my grandson.. remind me to hand you over some Werther's Original candy if i ever meet you (military joke, at least around here).
so, do you have any idea of trainning routine?
or for that matter, where is it taking place? how long will you be abscent each time? how many hours of sleep will you be getting each night?

[NM]

DF, I never posted in here but I also wanted to let you know that I support your decision. If you feel that joining the military is something you need to do to fill up a gap in your life, then by all means, you should adhere to it. It's your life and no matter what I or anyone on this forum or in real life say, its your decision that counts the most. I know you're gonna give it your all if you get sent off somewhere but try and be safe also. Just remember that we're all here for ya man!

[Deadfire]

Thanks NM it really means something when the people that have meant me and discussed things with me to give their total support to a person they hardly know past the text I type.

I've been confirmed my position today

Career: Communicator Research Operator
Element: Air Force (heh...fly boy)
Training starts: August 20th 07
Where: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada
Contract: Min 4 years (with a offer of a 25 year contract after)

[Assassin]

hmm, nice....i've always prefered the air force to the army or navy myself. Seems you'll most likely be aboard an aircraft carrier, which is kool cuz all the crazy stuff that happens in movies usually happens aboard aircraft carriers.

If you're gonna be driving to quebec in august, stop by southern ontario for a day

[Iridani]

Well then, everyone's taken all the good stuff to say already about this. Darn. Better late for me to come in and have my word than never though right?

I know I don't know you yet as well as I could or probably should, but hey, I still worry about those I care about regardless. Anyway, on to what I wanted to say. Just come home safely even if it's not in the "zone". (It may be a tad hard to fit me in the suitcase ya know?)

If you don't... I'll kick your ass five ways... is that understood?

I'll miss you "Fly Boy"!

[Yukimura]

They let Canada have Aircraft Carriers now?!?! What has the world come to.

[Animeniax]

It's in prep for the US taking over. We want all the valuable natural resources available in Saskatchewan.

[?igma]

There's only one remedy against joining the Army..watch Jarhead ..understand the message and understand that nothing changed. Except for being shot to death oO

[Deadfire]

Nerco posting out of the depths of the void.

Looking like it's been a long time since I posted anything on this matter, it may be best that I do.

Warning my personal thoughts are on this post. They may shock you, make you feel uncomfortable, and may result with meanings that I may have not wanted to be portrayed.

Basic

Basic was in some cases what I thought it would be. At first you get the feeling that you are starting something grand, and they are beating it into you. The people that are training have been there, they know that they are training these people to one day go out and get shot. Strict rules in place, Stress about the little things, Silence that is needed most times to listen. You are treated like you should be, a person that needs to be remoulded from a person that doesn't understand nor care, to a person that has to. There were many events that relied on your ‘will’ to do it. Things were not going to get better; you needed to understand that, you needed to understand that regardless, you must continue. Thinking back to it there were many times that I felt weak, useless, unable to do even the most basic things. This is where you learn that other people are needed to not feel that way. Together with those people that share the same feelings, you could go on. You lose that bit of yourself that told you that you alone are better then anyone else.

Finishing Basic left me more understanding of my place, it was not one to heroically run toward victory; it wasn't one that focuses on the background of the conflict. You are part of a grand device, and if you should fail, it may cause the action that is grave. Personal glory was something to fear more then to encourage. However there is still the feeling that if I do better I can make things better.

PRETC

After I said good bye to those fellows that I may never see again, I had hoped to continue to my next phase, to continue what was started. However I was greeted with something basic didn't prepare me for.

PRETC, stands for Post Recruitment Education Training Centre. However the name is just that, a name.

To be there I had to understand why I was there. You see the training that is needed for any of the skilled trades in the military takes people to do so. With out a lot of those people, training can only be done with so many people at once. The first course I needed to take was 3 months long, and only 20 members can do it at once. So like everyone there you wait. Waiting at first doesn't seem that bad, it's a nice break from basic where you were stressed all the time; however you quickly become a former shell of that solder you were becoming. It's lost with stories of people who have been there for many months to years. No information given about what is happening with yourself. No records, no people telling you just a few more weeks. Your name isn't even there during roll call.

It's basically as if your parents told you that you are going on the best trip in your life. You will have so much fun, see so many new things, and do what ever you can do. However when the time comes they boot you out into the backyard, that has a cardboard box, Dog shit everywhere, dead grass, and a broken swing set. You look though the windows at your parents helping other kids grow up however ignoring your yells, and beatings on the door.

You are forgotten. This leads to many feelings of being betrayed, angered, and letting your self fall into depression. Your daily routine more or less feels like you are slowly killing yourself, you can't do anything to stop it.

I told myself that it was a test, a long, boring, depressing test that I needed to get though in order to continue. It was hard to keep a positive outlook where there was negative all around you.

I got out of that place, a few months before I was rumoured to be. At that point though I was so overjoyed I didn't care much anymore.

A small part of me died there, that and the thought like any other that perhaps you are just the screw in that grand machine, that really wasn't needed in the first place.

Trade Course part 1.

When I came to CFB Kingston, I was instantly awakened again; everything I valued in the military was there again. I almost cried when I saw my name on a little name tape on my workstation that first day. The order there and the fact that you are once again part of the fighting force, and you will get though your course to help those fighting.

The course was also the first time you are your trade; everyone around you does the same thing you do, or will do. These are your peers, and the friends that you serve with. The course was a lot of knowledge more or less beat into you. You learn a textbook bigger then your biology textbook in High school, of things that you never would have known. You had you work at yourself to learn what you could, as fast as you could. By help of your peers or anyone else you are to know these things.

The course to me was a different way of learning then I ever really had. You had to focus on what was being given. Miss something and you miss what you need to make other things make sense. The true test of this course is that you had nothing to relate to. Everything you learn is things being done and how they are being done. But the object that does it, or the theory it's self isn't present.

It's stressful, it's hard, but you get though it. However it's only the first phase.

In my trade you need to be cleared by other people about your history and family. You can't learn the finer points about your trade till such a time happens that you are clear to carry on.

And again you wait.

SQ

Solder Qualification is the hardest course I've had to take. They take everything you have learned in basic, and test it and break it more times in a day then you can count. If I am to fight, I have to train like that person that does it all the time. I have to think, look, and feel like that person. That and they beat it into you. Everyday hurt like hell, everyday you say "just one more day", everyday is something else you did wrong, everyday another person is dead because you could not react, everyday you are turned into a machine.

Understanding why is one of those thoughts you have doing this. With out orders there is no doing. There must be doing for things to work, and you have to work regardless of how. A human can die because of so many things; you have to prevent them so that you and your fellows can return to your families. There is no try, trying leads to failure. And failure gets you killed.

I learned there that being a heartless killing machine, is hard to be, it's not something that anyone wants to be. However if it means being that to save your friends, or die with them, you are best being that machine. As the people you will face don't care at all if you die or not, just as long as they don't.

EWAT

I returned to CFB Kingston, to do my waiting for course. However because I was still known, updated on what was happening, and more to the point not ignored; I really had no issue doing anything.

I was assigned to help out at the HMCS Ontario, a summer camp for Sea Cadets. More or less as a quartermaster, a person that gives supply out, fixes his stock, counts it and orders more.

So many odd jobs, so many boring days, but I enjoyed every day of it. I helped out even with the camp its self resulting in so many stories and so many good memories that leaves me feeling great about what I do.

I was assigned to other things as well during this time however all the other places I was; it felt like I was needed, and again happy to carry on.

Current

I am still on EWAT till about the first week of Feb. It's then that I take the second phase of my trade and then get placed into a location with members of my trade, to well do my job.

Best of all, I feel better about being where I am.

[Kraco]

Oh. So, to sum it up, you got your chance to throw hand grenades and try a HMG? All is well, then.

[Death BOO Z]

DF, I don't get it.

are you considering a military career (say, 15-20 years in service?), or is it an investment towards the future that if you serve for a few years, you're granted some special privileges from the state?

(long and misspelled question short- is there a specific date that your army days will end at?)