Why I serve.

[WARPIG]

I can’t imagine that I am the first to ask this on this forum but please humor me and tell me why.

Why do you serve? This is a question that I pose to all the recruits that I train. I tell them besides wanting to get money for College, benefits, self improvement, or simply to blow stuff up… tell me why you swore an oath?

The answers I usually get are pretty standard. I want to serve my country. I want to fight for my own freedom. I want to make a difference. Pretty vague. But every once in a while I get someone that really has a “calling” to service. Some say they join for tradition. Dad was in the Corps. My parents were both in the Air Force. Stuff like that. Recently I have gotten some kids that say they want to “ fight terrorism,” and “defend our country.”

I will share my reasons for joining the US Army shortly. Please share with the forum why you serve or have served. Tell us what sacrifices you are willing to pay in that service or have already paid.

[Trigger]

We were asked that in boot camp as well.
My answer was: "Because I'm a Patriot! -Sir!"

[Jack Mehoff]

Chicks dig it

[Trigger]

^That too! :D

[Maverick77]

When im 80 years old I want to be able to sit there and know I did something. Know I was better than that asshole who lived in an apartment and drank every day wasting his life away. Better than that ****ing telemarketer that just called me. I know I wont say it to anybody, but ill just know, and thats all that matters.

The men you see interviewed from WW2 and Vietnam have something very few will ever understand and even fewer will ever know.


That is why I will serve

[WARPIG]

OK.. thanks for sharing something so personal.

Let's get 'em all out then. I joined the military because.....

... I look butch in camoflage.
... I like the haircut.
... My homicidal, destructive nature needs an outlet.
... because I wanna grow up like Rambo.
... so I can travel to foreign lands, meet foreign people....and kill them.
... OD green makes my ***** look bigger.
... the Recruiter said that my MOS would be surfing.

Blah blah blah. ~edit... not you airborne...

[Royal]

Because I enjoy it.

I'm the first in my family to serve in the Corps, my father, grandfather and so on served in one of the highland regiments that was disbanded :(

I've always loved the hills and the Royal Marines seemed to be the best way to combine my love of the military and love of the hills. In the early 80's the BBC made a documentry called 'Behind the lines' about the then M&AW Cadre. That was the final thing. I knew where I was going.

There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears in the intervening years and if anything I am less idealogical than ever - it has always been more about the mates than Queen and country - but I still enjoy it. That's why I'm still here.

[Steve Andrews]

Free ammo.

[Midtown]

Free ammo.

This man gets the "best response so far" award. Rock on.

[WARPIG]

Why I joined and why I serve are two different things today. I joined because I wanted to be something ….heroic. I saw the way my father and his father never sought praise or fortune for the service and sacrifice that was their daily life. My whole childhood I seemed to just whirl and spin without noticing the world around me. When the world started to come into focus for me, I realized that just witnessing it was not enough. I wanted to contribute. I wanted to have a stake in history. Not just a view from the sideline. I wanted to earn the freedom, prosperity, and pride that I had been born into. To me… that was heroic.
Today, I serve for many reasons. First I love it. I was born to it and every aspect of military life seems almost custom fit to me. After being an Army Brat and active army for most of my life… becoming a National Guard soldier is like going on a celery diet. The military community, family, and lifestyle are all I know. The closeness and esprit de corps that I share with other soldiers is unlike any lifestyle I have ever experienced. Of course, the equipment and training are a big motivator as well. Where else can you shoot a light machine gun, heavy machine gun, and 40mm automatic grenade launcher all in time for dinner and a movie?
I also serve because I am making a difference. All my blood, sweat, and tears, have brought me to a point in my life where I can influence and motivate young minds. I get to train and mentor people who have stepped forward to swear an oath to serve. The training and guidance that they receive from me will stay with them for the rest of their lives. That too is an awesome feeling.
Finally, the men and women, young and old, who serve today. When one of us goes, all of go. If the man next to me goes into harms way… I will be right next to him. They are the reason that I will continue to serve and to sacrifice in the United States Army. For all of those who have come before, who serve today, and who will continue after me.

My family name is displayed on both sides of my uniform. My birth family on one side.. the US ARMY on the other. Both families are a great source of pride to me.

[Tengu]

Sir, to kill, sir!

[Apogee]

I grew up in Scouting, never was in a military family, but always admired what soldiers did. I also loved my GI Joes and Micromachines. In scouting I was always taught about service to others and patriotism. I guess it was about my junior year in high school that I really realized that I wanted to serve, but I also wanted to go to college. West Point seemed the way to go to do all that.

I've stayed for lots of other reasons, just as Warpig has. I guess I really didn't know what I was getting into. And maybe if I had know better, I might have enlisted and tried for R.I.P. But now that I'm in, I see the brotherhood between soldiers, the concept of never leaving a buddy behind.

Anyways, thats my story. Oh yeah and chicks love the uniform.

[Beowulf]

I enlisted when I was 17 b/c I needed money for school, and wanted to serve anyway. I enlisted into a SOF unit b/c "Special Operations" sounded cool (this was before everybody and their little brother knew all about rangers, delta, psyop, etc etc etc). I also had grown up in Clarksville TN. near Ft. Campbell home of the 101st, so I knew I wanted to go to airborne school.

I stayed in b/c I really enjoyed it. The military offers numerous unique experiences. I like the feeling that I have helped my country. I don't sit around thnking about it all the time, but every once in a while I feel happy that I've made a few sacrifices to do my part.

-b

[Flagg]

I joined because I've always felt the NEED to serve.......but the quality of the people I have met since joining is the reason why I enjoy it so much.....the people and the fact they PAY ME rather than me paying them to play with automatic weapons, grenade launchers, anti-tank weapons, explosives, etc woot

[NcDeuce]

1.) It's a job.

2.) Serve my nation.

3.) Tradition

4.) Like the man said...free ammo!

5.) Where can you jump out of perfectly good airplanes on a regular basis?

*.) Clarksville is the shizit.

[Jack Mehoff]

Get to know other people from different cultures and nationality, then kill them.

[Cael]

There's many reasons to why I enlisted. There's always of course patriotism. But patriotism can go only so far, I lived in places where family wars and much killing were the norm. Those are places where it gets so corrupted that there's nothing else you can do but watch. Any words would result to you getting your own. I guess it's safe to say that I enlisted because of patriotism but I want to serve because as a child I hated standing in the sidelines, and now that we're somewhere where freedoms are actually protected i'd like to contribute on protecting that.
The other thing is that I like movement. I can't stand being in the same place, I'd like to see the rest of the world even if we're not there to just see it.
Definitely have some nice adventures and maybe have some good stories to tell like all my other buddies in SOF.

[Jack Mehoff]

Don't forget conscription :lol:

[MARINO]

I'm not American, but I have many reasons to joint Spanish Army or marines corps:
I want to serve my country and their interests, i want to live the action we have in the army, I want that all people i love were in security, i want to be a part of Spanish History, and live with spanish army traditions. I want to honnour all spanish heroes, specilly those of my family, who fight, in Russia, Morocco, Spain, Irak.... and who died in Morocco.
I love also guns and military items, i wouldn't like to work on desk, i want to be abroad, i want to fight, All people in my Family are in the military. I want to be with all those heroic people tahat are in the army.
I want to end with this **** of terrorism(in spain we have a lot with ETA)
Those are my reasons to join th army, this year i've the exam to enter in military academy, i know that next year i will wear the uniform.

[Mechanical Ambush]

To find the meaning of LIFE!

[Salty Dog]

i always looked up to my uncle , who i was named after, and who is a commander in the navy (currently reserve, was active duty naval intelligence called up after 9/11) but i always looked up to him and knew i wanted to be in the military. i want to do it because of pride, honor, and to serve my country, and to be the best.

[Trigger]

Your uncle was named 'MarineDEP4'?

[Herrmannek]

Your uncle was named 'MarineDEP4'?
Wanted to ask the same :)

[Salty Dog]

paul, you **** bags.

[Beowulf]

paul, you **** bags.

hehehe "**** bags" [giggle]...that's funny

[Steve Andrews]

Royal,
Was the programme about the M&AWC the one where the guy jumps out onto the pinnacle when they are doing battle PT?

[khukuri]

When I was young I had to flee from my original country(iraq) because of saddam. I would never let that happen again, I joined the military to be able to fight for my freedom. I have a good education, i can get a good job anywhere, actually i have that now because i stopped serving. Thats actually the only first reason i joined. Then when I got in I found more reasons to stay:) atleast in national guard.

[usa320]

im considering trying for the forces again, im sure coast guard will take me even if NAvy or Air Force wont.

For one thing, the money for college is nice perk, plus, as others stated, i want to think back in 40 years and say "hell, i really did my own part to make the world a better place". That and for vengence. I knew a few guys through association that lost their lives that tuesday morning a few years ago.

[cut]

I'm not serving, but when I do (probably not military) it will be because there is now better way to say "I'm proud of my country and I love it"

[NcDeuce]

When I was young I had to flee from my original country(iraq) because of saddam. I would never let that happen again, I joined the military to be able to fight for my freedom. I have a good education, i can get a good job anywhere, actually i have that now because i stopped serving. Thats actually the only first reason i joined. Then when I got in I found more reasons to stay:) atleast in national guard.

[kinghk]

I can’t imagine that I am the first to ask this on this forum but please humor me and tell me why.

Why do you serve?



Because I was tired of school and I wanted to do something else for a year before I started on higher education. Living in a country with conscription (thoeretically at least) you are expected to do military service, and not to mention - you have something to talk about the next 60 years or so. 90% of the guys I hang around with also did their "duty" so I guess it had been boring just to hang around home when all my buddies have left to other parts of the country. At last, when some bitch starts whining about ****** discrimination, i can tell her to f*ck off, because I spent a year in a ****hold way north of the artic circle, while she was having a around the world trip.




This is a question that I pose to all the recruits that I train. I tell them besides wanting to get money for College, benefits, self improvement, or simply to blow stuff up… tell me why you swore an oath?



Living in a democratic-socialist state, both college and other social benefits (including medical care) is practically free, so this is not an reason. I earend 14$ day, so atleast i didnt do it for the money.

[perdurabo]

in summer i will prabably go to army it's students summer army trining program when we graduate we will be reserve (Poland stil have conscript army) im going on this for few reasons:
-it take only one summer not whole year (if i woudnt go and be "lucky one" i would have to serve almoust whole year)
-it's quite adventure hey whole summer with guns :)
-it looks good in my CV (if i want to have good job i need to have all army papers ok)
-and main reason i'm patriotic and i want to serve.

[-=TFN=-Karab]

Thanks for serving our country guys. You sacrifice for us. God bless you all.

[James]

I enlisted because I felt patriotic and wanted to serve my country. A feeling I'd had for as long as I can remember, and that I apply only to myself, no one else, was that I should earn my right to live in theg reatest nation in the world. I chose to become a grunt because I wanted excitement and adventure. That feeling gradually evolved into very strong bonds with the buddies I had in my platoon. I haven't seen most of them for six or more years, but if one of them called me now and said "Dude, I live on the other side of the country, and I've got a problem", I'd go.
I like to think that I am still serving today, although my job is covered by that murky cloud of "Civilian Military Contractor". I provide training to young men and women (in the military) that may one day save their lives.

And there you have it.

My thanks to those who have served, are serving, and hope to serve in the future.

[Tane Angle]

I have a whole mess of reasons. For the most part, I didn't lose too many reasons, but I added a lot, and thus became more and more motivated, I suppose. I guess I'll start way back when, in the 50s. I come from a relatively military family. Post-WWII, everyone and their brother, it seemed like, was a veteran. The kids played soldier in the yards of the neighborhood against an invisible, monolithic, but most certainly bad enemy. No one ever wanted to be the enemy, and while we didn't know who or what exactly the enemy was, we were all sure beyond any doubt that the enemy, whoever or whatever it was, was bad. We grew up believing fully in good and bad, right and wrong, that the good, right things were worth defending, and that the bad, wrong things were with fighting to stop. We believed to the core of our beings that America fit both of the former criteria.

As I got older, I knew that I wanted to make a difference, to earn my right to life. Winston Churchill has a great quote that says, more or less, "without being of service, one cannot truly exist." I've always liked that quote. I wanted to make a good difference in the world. So I joined ROTC and decided to attend one of the most anti-Vietnam War colleges in the nation at the heat of that conflict. On the one hand, I wanted to get over there and do my part. On the other hand, I didn't want to get killed. Besides, I've long loved college very much.

At first I had my family, friends, and most certainly my comrades to fight for. Then, in a rare moment when my future-wife obviously wasn't thinking straight, I married the greatest woman in the world. Or at least the greatest for me. So I had her, and before long, a daughter to be fighting for too. A few years later, my wife and I had a son, who just added reason to be fighting for. He died about the same time I worked through the rubble of the US Marine Barracks in Beirut. I'd worked with those young Marines closely, some of them were like sons to me. I do my job not even necessarily as vengeance, but as a sign of respect to the fallen, and to earn having had the honor of knowing them. And I don't want any other families to have to hear the news that their servicemember has been killed.

So I fight for good, for America, for my family and friends, for my comrades, the list goes on and on. When I was offered a job working K&R, I saw it as a chance to maybe save at least one kidnapped child, and at least one parent from the grief of losing their child. That was, and remains, a deeply personal reason.

Also, the military way of life has long appealed to me. I don't mean deployements and death, of course, but I've never been very comfortable getting much credit or attention, and that idea of Quiet Professionals, even before that term was really used much, was very attractive. I'm actually a very shy person normally.

One point I really wanted to emphasize, reading James' post: If one of my buddies asked, I'd come running. The friends one makes in there can really stay with someone for the rest of their lives. I think that pretty much any of these reasons could stand alone, but they complement another, which is fine. One last thing, if it's not too much: It's not to kill. I hate killing. But I hate needless innocent civilian deaths. And I hate having the people I'm defending, and my guys, under threat. Have a good one all, and just some thoughts...

[James]

Good post Tane. I wish I could be as eloquent.

Semper Fi.

[martinexsquaddie]

annoy my parents
you get weird clothes
a weird haircut
and even weirder friends :lol:

[Jack Mehoff]

I was a fat boy, 5'11" 350lbs of bubble butt before i join the military. Now i'm a lean, mean 190lbs of pimpin' thanks to the Army. The Army is like my own personal weight loss program.

p.s. Did i mention chicks dig it?

[cut]

martin what the fu*k are you doing up at stupid o'clock in the morning?

[Ballistic]

Fantastic post Tane. Why I want to serve: If and when I get into the Army, my motivation is to help repay a debt that can never be repayed, by serving in an Army that has fought for the good of it's nation and lost brave soldiers in all corners of the globe. My family has a military history, my cousins both served, one still doing so, twice already in a country we all know well. I want to help defend my nation and defend others who are unable to do so. Basically I want to help others and fight for them. I just hope I can make the cut.

You have my complete respect all those that have and are still currently serving. God bless you.

[Upfrontreporting]

I joined because I've always wanted to be a soldier, it was never for queen and country, it was for the experience and the cameraderie.

Tough, elevating and eventfull.


regards.

[Royal]

Royal,
Was the programme about the M&AWC the one where the guy jumps out onto the pinnacle when they are doing battle PT?

That's the one.

[California Joe]

Regardless of why you do it. Thank you.

[NcDeuce]

Wow, incredible post Tane. That one should be engraved onto a plaque or something!

[martinexsquaddie]

3yr old daughter like to get up at 5:50am :(
****ahs the horror the horror :roll:

[Steve Andrews]

Royal,
Was the programme about the M&AWC the one where the guy jumps out onto the pinnacle when they are doing battle PT?

That's the one.

That looked pretty hairy. Fair play to those guys though.
Do they still do it - or has health and safety screwed that as well?

[shrek]

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, so that my children may know peace"
Thomas Paine

I rejoined my old SF unit and went to Afghanistan for 9 months for reciprocity. While I was there I worked hard and risked my life, above and beyond, while picturing my boys having to do it, that made it easier (see quote above). I will do it again in three months or so from now because.....if I don't, who will? Somebody has to be "them", "those guys", "you know, soldiers", that everyone likes to refer to but very few want to be.

p.s. The people that I would really like to ask this question are the two that I loaded onto helicopters in February of 2003. I bet none of us could handle their answers.



"De Opresso Liber" that's ****ing why !!!!!!

[WARPIG]

Thanks for the personnal accounts. Tane, shrek... your posts really make me feel like part of a team. Putting ourselves in boots so that others don't have to. Sounds like some kind of self sacrificing, heroic, idealism but, for those of you with children...you get it.
Thank you all for sharing and keep em coming. I love the diversity of the posts from different countries. We all have, in some way, answered a calling. Whether taking our service through conscription with pride and honor, to volunteering to serve.. it is a calling.
I am trying to remember a quote that I am reminded of..... Americans sleep well at night because rough men do are ... cmon help me out.
Any one know which quote that is?

[EvanL]

Thanks for the personnal accounts. Tane, shrek... your posts really make me feel like part of a team. Putting ourselves in boots so that others don't have to. Sounds like some kind of self sacrificing, heroic, idealism but, for those of you with children...you get it.
Thank you all for sharing and keep em coming. I love the diversity of the posts from different countries. We all have, in some way, answered a calling. Whether taking our service through conscription with pride and honor, to volunteering to serve.. it is a calling.
I am trying to remember a quote that I am reminded of..... Americans sleep well at night because rough men do are ... cmon help me out.
Any one know which quote that is?
Its not americans
Its
The Innocent sleep well at night because rough men stand ready to something something. Its somebodys quote somehwere on this forum i think. Its a good one.

[Ratamacue]

"People sleep peaceably at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf" - George Orwell

[Johnnyringo]

I enlisted because I felt patriotic and wanted to serve my country. A feeling I'd had for as long as I can remember, and that I apply only to myself, no one else, was that I should earn my right to live in theg reatest nation in the world. I chose to become a grunt because I wanted excitement and adventure. That feeling gradually evolved into very strong bonds with the buddies I had in my platoon. I haven't seen most of them for six or more years, but if one of them called me now and said "Dude, I live on the other side of the country, and I've got a problem", I'd go.
I like to think that I am still serving today, although my job is covered by that murky cloud of "Civilian Military Contractor". I provide training to young men and women (in the military) that may one day save their lives.

And there you have it.

My thanks to those who have served, are serving, and hope to serve in the future.

Same here... To this day I talk to the guys from my company weekly either over the phone or through e-mail. I had some close friends before I joined the Marines... But after I got out, the only ones I've kept were the ones that endured the same ops that I did. Everything else I've done in my life seem tame in comparison.

[HumanShield]

Why not do it?

[Ichhabe]

Had to. Because our Law says so. Serve or go to prison....

[Sabre]

I want to see how far I can push myself. I try to go a little bit further than the last time in testing my limits/endurance. Whether that's out running or academically or on the hills, I want to see just how much I'm capable of. I don't like comfortably existing, striving for more feathers to line my nest with. I don't see getting rich and wearing the best clothes as being a worthwhile aim.

The military appeals to me because you can't bull**** yourself. You can't say 'that was good enough' when it wasn't, you have to push yourself and carry on. When you do and you succeed it is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I admire the qualities of confidence, self discipline and common sense and try to bring these out in myself. The military has helped me do that. I have the confidence that if I was set a task I would be able to acheive it. I have the self discipline to know when I need to pull my finger out and do what needs to be done, even though I really can't be f*cked, and I have a much more pragmatic view of the world since joining. Life's trivialities don't bother me, I get pissed off listening to civvies moaning about what's happening to them.

In short: Military life :D
Civvy life: :roll:

[Argyll]

Royal
If I remember rightly there was an SASR guy on that course who bottled the jump?

[Royal]

Royal
If I remember rightly there was an SASR guy on that course who bottled the jump?

It's a long time since I watched it, but yeah I think so. There was definitely an SASR guy who hacked the entire 8 months but failed.

@ Steve Andrews - it's still part of phase 1, not as bad as it looks (honest ;) )