[EDIT]*Note: To answer a quick question for anyone that's in High School, or has a misunderstanding of any of your future military plans, I tried enlisting in the military in High-School, but you have to be graduated. If you're trying to stay away from death, torture, injuries, or killing of any way, shape or form, I advise that the military is not for you. You should leave this topic because everything you're about to read passed this sentence is solely for your own knowledge and understandings (or leisurely reading because you're interested) to help prepare you for the beginning of your adult life as a part of the military family. Another thing to keep in mind is that war is always a terrible thing. There will ALWAYS be deaths, injuries, and casualties to both sides and the common citizens, physically and mentally (Shell Shock -or- PTSD), there's no way to stop it. That's just how life goes and the gruesome acts of war play out, you can't change the past if something happens. Just a helpful thing to intake. But, if you're not a graduate yet, but are about to turn the age of 17, or you are 17, you can talk to your recruiter about going to MEPS. MEPS is like a pre-basic training in a way. You go through screenings, do a PT test (physical training), and take other tests so you have a higher chance of getting a job that you'd like.

Everything passed this statement are things I've learned over the years of being interested in the military and taking in advice from several military personnel (family, friends, random people I've talked to). I hope you get to intake some of this knowledge to your own benefit and consider at least some of it, thank you.

I'm a Junior Senior in High-School at the moment, and about to become a Senior soldier after Summer this coming school year is over. My main plan is to be joining the Air Force because that's what I've always wanted to be in since I could remember, jets always interested me. If you're really interested in a specific branch, talk to your counselor at your school, or talk to a local recruiter. I prefer the Air Force because that's just my taste between the four main military branches. I'm planning on either to become an Aerial Gunner, Security Forces, or a Paramedic (Pararescue). I enjoy helping people a lot, so my number one choice is to be a paramedic preferably, but this is just me. Anyways, you should take your ASVAB test, which is like a college entry exam, but for the military. You get a base-line score on different categories. The categories are:



There's more than plenty of time to study (unless you're about to, or have, graduated high-school already), take pre-tests, and prepare yourself for it. The test is free and you can talk to your school counselor about it and he/she will most likely give you more information about it. If not, go to the nearest recruiting office and talk to him/her. You'll get plenty of information about joining and how/what to prepare for. I've been through it, and I still am going through it. Study, study, study! You want to look at a pre-test of the ASVAB and look at some of the questions on it so you know a general knowing of what you should study about and on. If you take your ASVAB early enough and don't approve of the score that you recieved, you're more than willingly to re-take the test the following year. If you don't enjoy the score you received, this gives you a lot of time to study more and improve on what you did poor on. If you did get a score you're content with, you can still take the test again for a better score. If you get a worse score than you did the first time, they'll take the best of the two tests. [EDIT]: When you get the score you want, you'll get a job list and it has the minimum requirements listed next to them. When, or if, you talk to your recruiter, he/she will probably ask you to pick a nice list-full of jobs you're interested in. I have a list of 10 that I have no clue where I put it, sorry that I couldn't share some of my interests with you. Then if you're interested, ask about MEPS as I was talking about earlier. They'll probably ask you prior then when your birthday is, and what year. They'll ask if you're going to be 17 by a certain time/deadline. I wasn't 17 then, but they allowed me to go anyways because I was turning 17 in about 3 weeks in the MEPS process. You shouldn't be worried about MEPS. It's a piece of cake, just bring your basic knowledge, your fit body, and some patience and to be willing to accept discrimination or failure. If you don't think you're ready for any of it, start training and maintaining yourself as soon as possible so you come prepared.

This is just a few things to keep in mind if you're joining the Air Force, or the military. I'm pro-military and I agree with anything that the military has to offer to our soldiers and nation. A quick side note to add, from all of the benefits, to discounts, to valor, to honour and respect you get out of it, you'll be proud in what you do for your home country. Either branch you join, you're still putting your life on the line and defending our freedom. I went to talk to each of the four branches to see what they had to offer, but I already had my guns pointed towards the Air Force, I was just being curious. The recruiters try to "trick" you to join them. I still remember the exact words that they said to me. Try not to fall into other branches B.S. talk to pull you in like, "Join the Marine Corps. because it's more 'bad-****' and all of the women will be all over you." I can agree with that they can be more 'bad-****', but the women part... Please. Any woman likes a military man in uniform; no matter the branch that they're enlisted in. I understand how it's more 'bad-****' just because they get treated tougher than other branches and they're the first ones on the frontline. Other branches may try to persuade you as well. The US Army may try persuading you to sign-up with them because they're the largest military branch of the United States and they usually get more of our tax dollars to get them newer gear faster. The Navy will try to persuade you to join by saying that they get to sail the world for free and travel and explore places that people will never see in their lifetime. That pretty much goes for any of the branches. That's if you're stationed overseas, on active duty, on tour, or all of the above. Then the Air Force will try to persuade you with all of the cool gadgets and technology that they have. They get to live in air conditioned, hotel-like bases, unlike the Army living in the Middle East hot desert days and chilly nights in un-air conditioned tents. That is true though. That statement that the recruiter for the Air Force told me just made me like them a bit more than I already did. They (the USAF) get treated well, clean, and maintained than any of the other three branches; the Navy might be treated just as well, but they usually are in giant ships or aircraft carriers stranded by a massive body of water for months on end.

Well, that's what I have to say about my insights and my slim knowledge on The Tech Game's forum. I hope someone took the time to read this whole thing for some facts to take into consideration. I've been taking in so much knowledge throughout my family's military ties. My father (Retired Army Vet.; Operation Iraqi Freedom; 20 years in; Currently a County Sheriff), my Grandfather (Retired Marine Vet.; Vietnam; 22 years in; Currently Deceased), my Great Grandfather (Retired Navy Vet.; WWII; 22 years in; Currently Deceased), Step Mother (US Army Vet.; Operation Iraqi Freedom; 13 years and counting; Currently U.S. Army Reserve and a Nurse), and my brother (USAF Vet.; Operation Herrick; 5 years and counting; Security Forces).

It's your choice. Choose as you wish. As I stated earlier, you're still protecting everyone's rights, freedoms, and lives by risking your own life, no matter the branch you wish to partake in. You'll get the same amount of respect either way. But choose wisely, you may regret the choices you made because your friends are telling you to join a certain branch, or your recruiter is giving you a load of B.S. Unless you've been planning to join the branch of your choice and be dedicated to it for years like I have and hopefully am going to make a career out of it. My plan is to be in for 20+ years if anybody was interested in knowing.

Here's the links to the 4 main branches of military if you want to know more about them:
U.S. Air Force [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
U.S. Marine Corps. [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
U.S. Army [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
U.S. Navy [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Godspeed fellow TTG members and potential soldiers,

-Jorsch

[EDIT]: P.S. If you know you're going to join the military, I'd start weight lifting and running for endurance to prepare yourself for what's coming for you, so your time in Basic Training should be a little easier, minus all of the yelling and the Drill Sergeants getting in your head and messing with you of course. If you're curious on what Basic Trainig (BT) is like, just do a quick YouTube search of your branch followed by basic training (i.e. "USAF Basic Training"). As well as getting physically fit, get strong mentally and hit the books as much as possible while you're in school, you won't regret it and it won't hurt to do so. You probably have a few years to learn, so you shouldn't worry about it too much. They can't physically hurt you there, it's just a bunch of yelling, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, conditioning exercises and long marches. Also, as well as learning and being taught many things to know about combat and common knowledge. Again, good luck with your future decisions. The United States and the American Citizens will be in a debt to you that they can never possibly repay. [EDIT]: I'm trying to keep religion in this post as least as possible, but another thing to keep in mind is that to try to become more religious (or attempt to believe in a Christian faith) as you're creeping closer to becoming an official enlisted soldier. If you're ever in a situation by going into combat with no faith and there's nobody to go to while you're getting shot at in your fox hole, pinned down, you're not going to be crying out towards your buddies, or your family, because they won't be with you. The last resort is going to be the one who has helped bring you this far into your life; You're going to turn to God, because God is the only thing that can save you in that situation. You'll just have to believe strongly that you'll make it out alive with strong enough will power.