No BS question, asking for a No BS answer

[SSGSAD]

Que,
I do it cause I am good at it.
I do it cause being a Civilian sucks.
I do it because it needs done.
I do it cause I am luckier than some.
I do it to teach the next batch of FNGs.
I do it for the trill of it.
I do it cause there is no feeling in the World like the it.
I do it cause I am a damm good Sergeant.

And yes I do it mostly for my Brothers and Sisters next to me...

^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^ THAT is why I did it ....
And Que, yes you can join either the INARNG, or Army Reserve... as long as you can COMPLETE 20 years, B4 you have your 60 th b'day ..... UNLESS things have CHANGED in the 4 years I have been Ret.

 

[stephen87]

First of all, to all of you that serve now or did serve, thank you.

Que, I would especially like to thank you for this thread. It has kind of helped me grow the nerves to talk to my dad about his prior service. I've always been kind of hesitant just because I know for some it's hard to talk about. I've never seen him show much emotion but when I watched Black Hawk Down with him, I could see in his face the uneasyness for the first time. He served in Operation Desert Storm and it was the toughest time for my family that I can remember. He has been many places and I figured that might have a bit to do with why he served for 23 years. When I asked him he said it was mostly to keep himself busy, but I know it also had quite a bit to do with the people that served with him like with you. You might think I'm bull****ting you, but he's still very good friends with a guy that he served beside. He's close enough to him that my parents named him and his wife my Godparents. So for my dad it was a time occupier and a bit to do with the people too.

 

[Kaiser]

I never had the honor od serving and comend and thank all that did. I did however have the privledge of sitting at my grandfathers feet as he told me about landing at Normandy. He todl me a couple of things I will never forget. He inlisted because he tought it was the right thing to do. He stayed because of his brothers and he jumped off the landing craft because if he did not all his freinds were sitting ducks.

I think a lot of guys inlist for God and Country but they are liek you and stay because you become brothers in arms. God bless you and all who have and are servingnot only this country but me and my family.

 

[adam]

I voted for the people next to me. I volunteered for my deployment and went with a group of people who did the same. We all wanted to be there. It was my first, but my E-6's 7th, dating back to Desert Storm, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Not much *****ing about wanting to go home, or whatever else people ***** about. There were sucky days sure, but at the end of the day we'd light up a cigar and BS until we were all tired.

When we returned home we all went back to our respective units and I miss them all. The four others from my unit have either ETS'd or moved out of the unit, so it's just me. I have had 4 new CPTs and 3 new 1SG in two years. Each time they want to be all hardcore and place their stamp on the unit and all it does is murder motivation. I haven't had the same team under me for more than two months straight. It completely killed any motivation I had to stay in.

I ETS in June, and have no intention of re-enlisting. I love my country and I love the Infantry but I'm tired. In my short time in I've met a lot of great people and learned some great skills. It's sad that when drill weekend rolls around I practically dread it. My nerves are all jacked up and I can't sleep worth a damn, and it's worn me down and killed my moto.

 

[Militarypol21]

I regret getting out every single day. I was in for a total of 4+ years before receiving an Honorable Discharged. For the last year and a half that I was in, our unit was told one week we were getting deployed and the next we weren’t. We finally got our orders and spent two weeks at Atterbury in preparation for deployment. Another MP unit was attached to our unit for deployment and then our unit was attached to the 81st Troop Command. I remember our platoon Sgt saying watch each other’s back because I guarantee a few people from the 81st will not be coming home. This unit we were merged with looked like a bunch of teenagers that spent the last 18 years sitting on the couch playing Xbox. They had no weapon retention, goofed around in formation, and looked like a bunch of monkeys clearing a room. Our platoon on the other hand was like family. We knew how each other reacted when SHTF and could count on the person in front and behind us. Luckily our unit commander fought for us and detached us from the 81st and we went back to our original unit for deployment.

Unfortunately one week before deployment my dad took his own life due to financial hardship and a long list of medical complications. It hit my family hard as nobody saw it coming. I was given the choice to either (1) Continue with the deployment, (2) Stay home on readiness reserve, or (3) Accept an Honorable Discharge. I selected number three as at the time I felt my family needed me more than my unit since I was the only male left in that part of my family.

My unit got deployed and we lost two soldiers that following year due to a roadside bomb. To this day I regretted staying in and have since thought about re-enlisting.

To answer your question, I did it first for my country, second for my unit, and third to prove to myself I could do it.