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Mission2go > Join the Military
Military service and your Christian service are compatible with each other. Some folks disagree with that statement, but hey..... they're wrong. First, you need to decide whether or not you'd want to join the military even without extra benefits. If yes, then you should join the military and take advantage of every schooling opportunity and financial benefit offered to you. If not, then don't let all the incentives and military benefits change your mind. There are plenty of ways to pay for college and get good training outside the military. Soldiers who are in the military purely for the money and benefits generally make everyone's life tough, including their own. On the other hand, soldiers who are proud of the job they are doing are a pleasure to be around even when the going gets tough. You should only join the military if you'll be in the latter group. You don't need to be committed to a career in the military as long as you really want to join the military for the time you are in. Deciding Where to Serve While deciding whether or not to serve is a simple yes or no question, deciding what to do in the military is definitely multiple choice. Exploring all of your options is going to take some time, don't be in a hurry. Here are four big questions you need to answer.
Your answer to these questions will affect your entire military career so it is worth some time to explore the answers. So where do you get the answers? You talk to as many people as possible and read everything you can. Remember, you're joining the military because you want to serve. Therefore, don't let the pressure of a time sensitive enlistment bonus keep you from taking the time you need to make a good decision. There will be another bonus available when the current enlistment bonus expires. Getting Answers You can start by talking with the recruiters from each branch of service. Contrary to popular rumor, recruiters usually care about getting the right people into the military and in the right jobs. They generally have the best information about the process of joining the military and the current military benefits. Focus on getting that information from the recruiter. The information recruiters might not have, or a least they aren't experts on, is what each military job is really like. They are experts on their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) and a few other related MOSs, for the rest they can only rely on what is in their books and their often inaccurate perception of other jobs. Remember that military recruiters are only interested in their particular sector of service. You're going to have to talk to several recruiters to compare information on the different branches and components of the military. For better information on what a specific job entails, spend some time talking to military members other than recruiters. Generally, enlisted soldiers have the best knowledge on a day in the life of their specific job, but their "knowledge" of other jobs might be a little bit tainted (we all think someone else has it easier). An officer won't have the details on the specific MOS but will probably have a better idea of how your job would fit into the big picture and the service as a whole. Therefore, you really want to talk to both officers in that branch of military service, and enlisted members with the specific MOS you're considering. There are enough military installations scattered around the nation that you should find the right people to talk with. If a recruiter won't help you line it up, just ask around your church or community and find someone who is either serving in the military or who has family members in the military, most of them will be happy to talk with you. Taking the time to actually visit some military installations is a good investment in making your decision to join the military. There are many web forums visited by active military folks who can also answer some of your questions. Military.com is a good resource for this type of information. More Resources Active Duty Recruiting Reserve Recruiting Unofficial Websites Christians in the Military |
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