I'm new to all this

[CDN1]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

First off i'm 20 and from Victoria BC with no military expierence or anything, but i've been in the scouting organisation for over 10 years.   My dad worked for the military as a civilian for 20 years driving busses for dockyard then cfb esquimalt...my grandpa worked for the military as a civilian as a construction worker aswell but don't know how long. I was reading about the anti depressants some people used and got denied because of them...i've used some back when i was in councelling but that was like 4 years ago.   I'm a slacker and not much of a hard worker unless i have to be, i'm a slow worker, i got a few insecurities like getting naked infront of people, i cant change infront of them also, and eating where tons of people are i most of the time cannot do, not a good talker,and not in shape.   I'm intrested in the army but don't know anything about them...people who know me from a message board i go to know just how i am also and think i should do this as i've been posting about different career options as i don't know what i wanna do with my life...

Been intrested in the military for a few years, a friend wanted me to join the navy with him last year aswell.   A friend from work told me about the reserves and said it's 1 day a week 3 hrs a day 15 bucks an hr.   I wouldn't mind trying for this but i need info from you military guys before i make a decision if i wanna do this or not...who knows, i may like it and be good at it and wanna join the full time army.

I also wanna mention that about 5 years ago i took out my knee playing goalie (my position) in floor hockey and it's never been the same since...kneeling down for long periods of time i can feel it, sometimes just walking i can feel it...i've had surgery on it before and surprised the specialist as i was 1-2 months early in it healing...i don't mind pain, i'm used to pain and don't let it stop me.   I once took my knee out playing hockey (after the surgery) and kept on playing even with my knee hurting like heck and withou a goalie stick ;D and a slapshot to my eye with those cement balls and kept wanting to play and didn't feel a thing.

Do you guys think i have a chance? please be honest, i can take it   i also like traveling and women

 

[TCBF]

Wether you have a chance or not, if your knee could talk, it would sat don't do it.  I was in good shape when I joined, and it takes a toll on you even then.  Guys with previous injuries almost always get re-injured, then get to spend a few months/years in PAT/PAL platoons, waiting for the 'crats to let them release.

Don't do it.  Your knees will love you for NOT doing it.  If you join, you WILL injure them again.  The original injury will be obvious, and the Docs will say "Not our fault - not our problem Laddie."

Don't join.

Tom

 

[CDN1]

What about trying to strengthen my knee? or if i didn't have my knee problems? could i have made it? i havn't taken it out in a few years now.

If army is out of the question then maybe the airforce? i dont like cleaning so i wont be navy.

 

[TCBF]

If you don't like cleaning, then all three are out.

But, hey, look on the bright side, you're a civy in Victoria, life can't be all that bad. 

Tom

 

[CDN1]

You got no idea...

 

[TCBF]

Okay, I got no idea, but joining with a bum knee and any other unresolved issues will just amplify any problems you have, not solve them.  You would be a burden to yourself, and those in the CF who then have to look after you and your injury.

But hey, don't believe me, go talk to a recruiter.

Tom

 

[career_radio-checker]

Quote:
" I'm a slacker and not much of a hard worker unless i have to be, i'm a slow worker, i got a few insecurities like getting naked infront of people, i cant change infront of them also, and eating where tons of people are i most of the time cannot do, not a good talker,and not in shape.   I'm intrested in the army but don't know anything about them...people who know me from a message board i go to know just how i am also and think i should do this as i've been posting about different career options as i don't know what i wanna do with my life..."

Dude, I know I have never met you and I can type this "critique" comfortably from behind my desk, but going on the information you're providing. For your sake and ours DON'T JOIN!

I don't mean that in a derogatory way but let me tell you what BMQ (Boot Camp)   is like for a reservist.
-Wake up time is about 4:45am
-PT is at 5 or 5:30am (You alternate days between running PT and doing a ruck march. Our rucks were 25lbs minimum + webbing (ammo pouches) + riffle. The longest distance they test you on is 13km but we did many mornings of 5 km and 10 km marches)
-at about 7am you finish PT and rush to the showers. space is limited and you MUST make your timings!!! So sometimes you shower two to a stall and for about 70 seconds.
-Next you are marched over for chow. Your Corporal will give you 15 minutes to eat (in a pact room) and then be lined up to be marched over for room inspection
-After room inspection you're off to sit in a class for 8 hours and listen to stupid army regulations :rage: :rage: :rage:. You do every thing in your powers to stay awake but you WILL fall asleep :boring:. Then you'll be asked to stand up for the remainder of class.
-Class ends at 4-5pm and then you're off to get supper at the mess (Lunch is brought to you at "school")
-After supper its back to the shacks were you will repent your sins from earlier in the day through change parades, more inspections, and Cleaning.
-If you're lucky, they will let you off at 7 or 8pm. And have just enough time to do your laundry, and homework. In bed by 11pm
-Repeat process x 57 days and you learn the definition of "sleep f***ed".

Seriously, my platoon had maybe total 6 days off --- including the one day we left base.
It is ALOT of cleaning, ALOT of sharing spaces, ALOT of physical activity.

No one is perfect when they arrive but if you do not progress quickly people will immediately turn on you. (just tellling you how it is)
We had a girl who joined up half way through the course to complete the Soldier Qualification portion of the Course. The previous year she was sent home because of *surprise* a knee injury. Sure enough, on our ruck march her knee started to hurt and she couldn't carry on. Being true to the motto "No soldier left behind" WE have to take her gear and carry it for her. While she limped along, one budy carried her riffle and webbing while another took her rucksack. Don't forget they have their own stuff too.

This, combined with her innability to do other tasks, did not make her popular and she faced a lot of pressure from the staff and students to leave. Not through hazing or abuse but through glares and stares. Plus she was approached by staff many times. She did get sent home before the end of the course.

Also, if you do not work hard you will also face the same pressure. I did. My first couple weeks I was a total bag, then realized what I had to do and things got better. If you watch "full metal jacket" you'll sort of get an idea what it's like (Minus of course the hazing and violence) but people do yell at each other alot.
And I did the basic for Reserve Signalers. Our job is not considered to be physically demanding in comparison to the other trades. I cringe to think what an infanteer or armoured recce has to go through >.
That's the army side anyways, I don't know what Airforce of Navy courses are like


You have to ask yourself: Reserves is only 1 day a week and 3 hrs a day. But I am expected to go out regularly on exercises taskings and have to perform to the best standards that others have set for me. If I don't meet those standards people could, theoreticaly get injured or die.  

Now to prove that I'm not all negative. I too am fascinated with war. I bet you have a library full of war books, and play war-themed video games. Have you thought about working for a war museum? I would love to do that job and I'm sure many people on this site would agree.
keep searching

 

[CDN1]

That basicly sums it up for me, thanks

Don't join the military, check.  I don't mind the work but the girl with the knee problem...i know nothing about war history so i couldn't even do that video games i can do though ...i guess this will also be added to my list of failures :'( ahwell that's life.

 

[kincanucks]

That basicly sums it up for me, thanks

Don't join the military, check.   I don't mind the work but the girl with the knee problem...i know nothing about war history so i couldn't even do that video games i can do though ...i guess this will also be added to my list of failures :'( ahwell that's life.

Okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy lets move on to the next person now.  Best of luck there CDN1.

 

[Gouki]

If army is out of the question then maybe the airforce? i dont like cleaning so i wont be navy.

Sounds like you won't like basic training either. Or for that matter .. how about any worthwhile career? I hate cleaning too pal, but to wimp out because of one sore aspect ... heh, whatever.

And besides, we all know cleaning is a good reason not to join the Navy .. let's ignore the experience, travelling, comradery, history/tradition ....

... ah nevermind.. Not gonna bother any further with a lost cause.

I'll just echo Tom: Don't join.

 

[CDN1]

Actually i'm a janitor in real life...but i'm not wimping out of anything, they said dont join because of my bad knee so why argue? you guys know what you're talking about and i don't know a thing. My knee still bothers me time to time and here is the whole story on my knee

I was playing hockey and went down to stop the ball and felt my knee go out and just stayed there tons of pain and the whole class gathered around me. I tried to get up but collapsed and went back down, i couldn't get up....so they had to help me up and i left school and hardly being able to walk at all...anyway then it got better as a few months passed and i went back into the gym and played some basketball and jumped up in the air, came down and before i hit the ground i took my knee out AGAIN and left home in pain. I then had surgery about 2-3 months later and even though they said for me to stay off my leg i just crawled around the house rather then stay in bed and took the pain. Then i didnt feel my knee anymore and it was about 1-2 months early and got it checked and it seemed fine...went back to the specialist and it seemed fine except everytime i left it would hurt alittle...then near haloween a few years ago i jumped on my bed to look out the window and i took my knee out again :/ anyway then still a few years ago i went to Vancouver and played hockey there my knee felt fine and stuff and i went down and WHAM my knee went out AGAIN and that was the last time i've taken it out, i even got gross looking xrays that almost make me throw up everytime i see them of my knee...i havent taken my knee out in a few years but time to time wheather i'm kneeling or just out of the blue walking around i can feel alittle pain. My surgery was orthoscopic surgery...i took out my ACL or something.

I'm sure this will be a concern if i'm holding 100lbs on my back running 20-30km.  I know you didn't talk about my knee problem but that's the main aspect on why i shouldn't join and not because i'm wimping out because of something i don't like (yes i know..or was just told the navy isnt all cleaning), or atleast what they are pointing out, i dont got knowledge in anything about military just that it looks fun, you server your country, you travel, you work hard, you meet lots of people especially women D) and it can help you later in life with a career not in the forces.

 

[BDG.CalgHighrs]

Sounds like he needs somone to sort him out... The reserve wouldn't be a good option because of apparent motivation problems, and the ease of quitting (if you're weak). If he could manage to get in, and not get the boot, the regs would probably be good for him.

 

[BDG.CalgHighrs]

Actually i'm a janitor in real life...but i'm not wimping out of anything, they said dont join because of my bad knee so why argue? you guys know what you're talking about and i don't know a thing. My knee still bothers me time to time and here is the whole story on my knee

You need to stop listening to people who are telling you what you "can't" do. Why Argue? Because no one except you should be limiting yourself.

 

[career_radio-checker]

" you meet lots of people especially women ("
;D LOL ;D oh that's a good one.

That's a misconception I had when I first joined. When we (speaking on behalf of the people I know) go out to bars we take off every piece of evidence we can that points to our affiliation to the army (curse you regulation haircuts  :warstory

Unless you want to "drive the bus" on your night out, you'll forget that you're in the army.

 

[TCBF]

"the regs would probably be good for him."

;D

Welcome to MY jungle.

;D

Tom

 

[George Wallace]

Tom

Do you figure "Two Clues"?

 

[TCBF]

The last platoon I put through Cornwallis, we started with 119.  We gradded under a hundred, and that was with a lot of re-couses in.  Lost mostly through injuries.  Knees, largely.  Kids who wore micro-lite runners now wearing Cbt Boots and Ankle Boots.  If the course had been longer, the PERI's could have tapered the trg, but with ten weeks, 25% losses were considered acceptable.

In St.Jean in 96 - 97, we had an eight week course and 50% losses.  The shorter the crse, the less of a chance the staff will take with you.  How the sections and platoons do on the various drill tests and major inspections was how the instructors were merited for PERs.  Because the warning system took three weeks minimum, an instructor had until the thiursday of WEEK TWO to decide if a kid could make it or not.  Cull the herd and cut your losses, or kiss the instructor's career goodbye.  Guess who lost: The Recruits.

Tom

 

[CDN1]

Well this is what i'm going to do...go to the doctors to check out my knee and let me know if it's gonna be fine or get surgery again on it and maybe wait a while and check then, then possibly try...talk to a recruiter after i go to the docs and get writing of it to him so he see's what it is and will know from there.  I don't know why but i been sad since the first person said don't try it...i've never been sad about not being able to get  job ???

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

I don't know why but i been sad since the first person said don't try it...i've never been sad about not being able to get   job ???

Dude, well STOP BEING SAD! If you can't do it yourself, get some help or something, (you mentioned you were on anti-depressants before.)

You have to develop a stronger mindset before you attempt any army training, otherwise you'll be fucked from day one. The minute some instructor starts yelling at you that your boots look like shit, and your room looks like crap after you spent hours cleaning it, you can't just run off and cry. Same goes with the PT: you'll find it very difficult to push yourself if you have no mental strength, even if you're in phenomenal shape.

Also, the army isn't for everyone, don't be upset if it just isn't for you. The only reason people have said so on these boards is from what you've mentioned about yourself: that you don't like hard work or cleaning, aren't in shape, and that you have bad knees. Heck, they might not let you past the medical for the knees anyway...

Good luck with whatever life throws at ya, man. 

 

[CDN1]

Well i'll find out from the doctor Thursday anyway...and i don't mind hard work, i do the dirty stuff at my work anyway...i work at a mall and clean the outside...i've worked looooong shifts aswell, i've even stayed extra time after work when i didn't need to to help out so i don't mind hard work at all, and i've done hard work outside of work aswell, i've done plenty of hiking up and down mountains and through trails...i even did the cape scott trail if you know what that is with a 50 pound bag on for 8 hours and fell into mud waist high...since i've been in scouts canada for a long time even though 20-30kms is nowhere near any of that but i'm sure i can do that no sweat...i've taken physical pain more time then i can count and not wimped out once unless i absolutly just can't go (like when i first took out my knee, i couldn't move at all...but the other times i could).  I've got help because i've had a really bad life but what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger as the saying goes.  I've faced death a few times aswell...i'm sure being in the army all this stuff i am can change...it's just the matter of my knee's.  I'll ask the doctor if maybe surgery again and letting it heal this time rather then keep walking on it even with the pain then if it can possibly get better, i can do alot of things others wimp out on...give me a bowl full of worms/beetles/whatever else that you want that's in the woods and i'll eat it without hesitation...i may look at it for a second just to see it then eat it though.