In today's world, and especially in certain areas of the country, it is hard for a teenager not to consider the military. Many may feel that they are not cut out for it, but the promise of a "free education" can be quite appealing to students who aren't quite sure how they are going to pay for college. I have thought about the subject a lot, and one thing that really weighed heavily on my mind was the fact that I was making a decision about the first four years of my life after high school.
If you make the decision to enlist, your next big step is basic training. Though I haven't gone through it, I see basic training as more of a mental obstacle than a physical one. However, when I spoke to a guy in the Army National Guard, he said basic training was one of the roughest times he'd had in the Guard.
Coming from a family that has quite a bit of military history and being a military brat myself, I have come to the conclusion that military life isn't bad. Despite the constant threat of being shipped to a country to fight in a seemingly hopeless war, there are some perks that come with the territory. In all the military branches housing is free, you get a nice discount on all food items at the local commissary and a lot of local restaurants offer discounts if you show your military ID.
As far as housing is concerned, you can live in the barracks if you are sin, and if you are married, your housing is paid for. Granted, you won't exactly be living in the richest neighborhood in your town but it beats paying rent.
The commissary, though, has to be by far one of the better perks of being in the service in my opinion. When shopping at the commissary, you are almost guaranteed to save at least $1 off all products, so if a gallon of milk costs $3.10 at the local grocery store, you can pretty much count on paying $2.10. It doesn't take long before that saved money really begins to add up.
Another benefit of being in the armed services is the traveling that you will get to do. After you finish your basic and technical training, you are told to list up to five locations where you would like to be stationed. That trip to Hawaii doesn't seem too far off when you are given the opportunity to go for free and even get paid for going.
The military is an opportunity to seek training that you might not otherwise be able to receive, and it isn't a bad idea for someone who is willing to step up for his or her country and beliefs. However, military life isn't for everyone.
A military career is a lot of hard work and will mean a lot of moving around. And while it's true that you can receive training that you wouldn't get otherwise, you may also have to put that training to use in a war or other highly dangerous situation.
In the end, though, I believe that the pros and cons of a military life even out, so it's up to you to decide whether or not it's the right life for you.