Jim Phaserman 0 Posted February 21, 2004 I have a few questions for those who have served in the Military (and I am not just refering to the American Military, either) 1. Why did you join the Military? 2. Was it what you expected? 3. Did you make it a career? if yes, why? 4. What is the most rewarding thing to you about your service? My answers... 1. I joined mostly because of how my father raised me. I was taught growing up that, like JFK said, it is better to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country". and I was also influened by the fact that Dad was, himself a career Navy man. 2. Partially. I joined and went into subs because I wanted to know what it was like to be on a starship, and I figured Subs were the closest thing. Well, if I am right, I think I'll pass on serving on a starship. 3. I am making a career out of it. The Navy has made me a better Citizen and a better person all together. I feel I owe the Navy for that. and besides, I can't command a ship of my own (Surface Ship, not submarine) if I get out of the Navy. 4. I find the most rewarding thing to be the sense of self esteem I have. I can wear my uniform almost anywhere and I get these looks of awe and respect. and I have developed an improved work ethic, and that has helped alot in the personal life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaBeachGuy 12 Posted February 21, 2004 I have a few questions for those who have served in the Military (and I am not just refering to the American Military, either) 1. Why did you join the Military? 2. Was it what you expected? 3. Did you make it a career? if yes, why? 4. What is the most rewarding thing to you about your service? My answers... 1. I joined mostly because of how my father raised me. I was taught growing up that, like JFK said, it is better to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country". and I was also influened by the fact that Dad was, himself a career Navy man. 2. Partially. I joined and went into subs because I wanted to know what it was like to be on a starship, and I figured Subs were the closest thing. Well, if I am right, I think I'll pass on serving on a starship. 3. I am making a career out of it. The Navy has made me a better Citizen and a better person all together. I feel I owe the Navy for that. and besides, I can't command a ship of my own (Surface Ship, not submarine) if I get out of the Navy. 4. I find the most rewarding thing to be the sense of self esteem I have. I can wear my uniform almost anywhere and I get these looks of awe and respect. and I have developed an improved work ethic, and that has helped alot in the personal life. Good questions. 1. Why did you join the Military? This one is a multi answer. Also try to remember that I was 15 when I decided to join the Army lol. I signed my contract on March 24 1988, that was just 7 days after the United States began Operation Golden Pheasant. Which was a military operation with the 82nd Airborne to counter Nicaraguan incursions into Honduras. I believed we were about to go to war with Nicaragua so I joined up. So the simple answer is that I joined to go to war. I would have joined anyway though, I had been planning it from the time I was 15 (or 14). 2. Was it what you expected? It's been so long ago now that I honestly don't remember what I expected back then. It wasn't far from what I experienced though. My older brother had already joined the army in 1984 so I knew what his experience was like basically. 3. I am making a career out of it. The Navy has made me a better Citizen and a better person all together. I feel I owe the Navy for that. and besides, I can't command a ship of my own (Surface Ship, not submarine) if I get out of the Navy. I would agree with your characterization. I feel the Army made me a better citizen and a better man. If it hadn't been for my very bad knees I'd be getting close to retirement by now. 4. What is the most rewarding thing to you about your service? That's a hard one to answer, there were so many rewarding things about it. In fact, 14 years removed I can basically only remember the rewarding things. Sure I hated getting up at 4am or 5am every day. Sleeping on the ground in the rain can be pretty miserable and having no toilet isn't much fun either but those things were so completely outweighed by everything else that they were nothing. I loved marching in formation or running in formation, especially when civilians were around and would stand and watch like it was a movie or something. Calling cadence was a lot of fun, marching in parades. All of the things that are "gift wrapping" were a lot of fun. But the most rewarding thing I think was the close relationships and bonds you form with your fellow soldiers. You honestly would die for those people, and you KNOW you would kill for them. I honestly don't think anyone can understand that kind of bond the Soldiers (or sailors) form for each other unless you have experienced it first hand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Phaserman 0 Posted February 21, 2004 While marching people around is mostly left to RDCs, Ocassionally I get to march a platoon. I'll march em head on with another Platoon and call "Get out of the way" "Get out of our way! We're Coming Through! And if you don't! We'll March on you! So Make a hole! And Make it wide! 'cus here comes! NAVY PRIDE!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaBeachGuy 12 Posted February 21, 2004 While marching people around is mostly left to RDCs, Ocassionally I get to march a platoon. I'll march em head on with another Platoon and call "Get out of the way" "Get out of our way! We're Coming Through! And if you don't! We'll March on you! So Make a hole! And Make it wide! 'cus here comes! NAVY PRIDE!" Here's a few Cadences I liked. In the first one about half way through one of my favorite's comes on. Army Marching Cadence They Say that in the Army the Chow is Mighty Fine... "Who Says That!!??" A Chicken Jumped off the table and started marking time.... (Marking time means to march in place) Oh Mom I wanna Go.... But They Won't Let Me Go... Hooo--oooohoo---oohooo--me... HEY! They Say that in the Army the Pay is mighty fine... "Who Says that!!??" They give you $100 and thake back $99... Oh Mom I wanna Go.... But They Won't Let Me Go... Hooo--oooohoo---oohooo--me... HEY! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Phaserman 0 Posted February 21, 2004 that's a good one. the nice thing about these cadencies is that you can change the service in it without altering the flow... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klingonmike 0 Posted February 21, 2004 1. Why did you join the Military?There are a couple of reasons,one was I had grown up in the mountains of Virginia and I wanted to see more but my family didn't have alot of money for traveling, two I had dropped out of high school and was washing dishes at a resturaunt when it hit me ' I don't want to do this the rest of my life' I need to get more education and joining the military I could get a GED and money for collage (My family could not afford to send me to collage) and the third reason came when I chatted with a recuiter who told me that I could sign up and go anywhere in the world I wanted and could do any job I choose. This was early 1975, America was pulling out completely form Vietnam and the Army was desperate to get soldiers. I told them I wanted to drive a tank and I wanted to live in Germany. So I signed up and less than a year later I was in Germany and a crewman on a tank (They don't let you drive the tank at first, you start out as a loader which involves loading the shells into the cannon,eventually I became the driver once I was promoted to Spec.4 2. Was it what you expected? Yes it was, Boot Camp was hell (Fort Jackson, S.C.)Which I expected. A.I.T. was great (Advanced Individual Training) and my permenant duty station in Germany was awesome. 3. Did you make it a career? if yes, why? No I did not make a career, although sometimes I wish I had, but I did my time and got what I need towards my education. 4. What is the most rewarding thing to you about your service? Being able to serve my country and protect the freedoms we still enjoy today, and being able to travel around Europe which I never would have been able to do if I stayed in the Mountains back home. Also getting the education I needed so that I never had to wash dishes in a resturant again. Well thats about it for me. I'm proud to be a veteren, I'm proud of the men and women that serve this country today and I support them 100% in whatever misson they are involved in. I may seem very liberal to some of you but its because of the military protecting my freedoms that I can be who I am today. I'm very proud also of my fellow veterens on this board, we may not see eye to eye on some issues but I would still lay my life on the line for anyone of them if it was needed as I know they would do the same for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Phaserman 0 Posted February 21, 2004 Emen, Mike, and thank you. Ya know, if you had joined the Navy, you probably wouldn't have had to load shells (I think the Autoloaders were already standard equipment by 1975). and you could have driven something alot bigger than a tank. but, Nonetheless, the Army is just as good a place as any to serve. and you posted in another forum that the french are rude to Americans, explain to them that if it wasn't for you and your buddies, they'd be speaking Russian. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klingonmike 0 Posted February 21, 2004 Emen, Mike, and thank you. Ya know, if you had joined the Navy, you probably wouldn't have had to load shells (I think the Autoloaders were already standard equipment by 1975). and you could have driven something alot bigger than a tank. but, Nonetheless, the Army is just as good a place as any to serve. and you posted in another forum that the french are rude to Americans, explain to them that if it wasn't for you and your buddies, they'd be speaking Russian. So true! We've had to save the french twice now. Next time their country is overrun I say leave them to their own problems. Maybe they might learn to appreciate what we have done for them then Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
t'mir 0 Posted February 22, 2004 hey Jim, what's your rank? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaBeachGuy 12 Posted February 23, 2004 2. Was it what you expected? Yes it was, Boot Camp was hell (Fort Jackson, S.C.)Which I expected. A.I.T. was great (Advanced Individual Training) and my permenant duty station in Germany was awesome. I was also at Fort Jackson, though I was there about 13 years after you. I'm sure Tank Hill was there when you were, and I would think if you were near it you remember it well lol. My barracks were at the foot of Tank Hill in what was named "Hollywood". It was named that because they were big brick buildings with air conditioning and things of that sort. The soldiers in the WW II barracks really didn't like us much... lol I was in the 4th Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment (4th Platoon, Delta Company) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Phaserman 0 Posted February 23, 2004 in my career, I have been stationed... RTC Great Lakes for Boot Camp, Groton, Conn. for Submarine School, USS Georgia (SSBN-729) US Navy Special Warfare Center (BUD/S, I dropped out after Phase 1) NTC Great Lakes for GM School, COMNAVSURFPAC, San Diego, CA. USS Shiloh, CG-67 (for a month, relieving a person who had been in the gulf for 10 months or so) COMNAVSURFPAC OCS, NAS Pensacola, Florida RTC Great Lakes (Squadron Ops. Officer for a group of training companies <called "Ships">) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Julie 0 Posted February 23, 2004 NTC Great Lakes for GM School, (1 ) USS Shiloh, CG-67 (for a month, relieving a person who had been in the gulf for 10 months or so) (2 ) OCS, NAS Pensacola, Florida RTC Great Lakes (Squadron Ops. Officer for a group of training companies <called "Ships">) 1. Met Jim 2. Married Jim after returning from gulf. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
