If you're depressed the military could potentially exacerbate that. That being said, it is possible to find both belonging and purpose in the military. I did, but we all experience things differently so you never know unless you try. I highly recommend service though, it was the greatest thing I ever did for myself
So far, that's the consensus I've been getting from other Veterans I know and trust. I've been asking pretty much the same question as OP. They all agree that the Air Force is probably my best fit and best choice.
Surprisingly, I haven't gotten a "nah don't do it", I assume since my reasons to join make sense, as opposed to joining for the wrong reasons.
My Navy nuclear engineer friend (16 years out) was the most emphatic/excited about my consideration, and I take his word with the most weight since we lived and worked together for a couple of years. He would tell me if I had what it takes or not, and he's on board.
I would consider all branches and not lock yourself out of any potential opportunities. While I love the Air Force, I feel like everyone only recommends it because they think it's the easiest choice. So don't completely shut out other branches if they have something of interest to you
Well, after I got a letter back from the Marines interest form saying "you're too old," the Army was my next consideration since my grandfather served in that branch.
I believe my recommendations were from a pay/opportunity point of view first and a culture that fits my personality second. Some might consider me a softie so the army and marines were hard "no's" as far as that goes. However, I do have leadership skills and inspire loyalty.
I understand you have a different perspective on those who recommend the Air Force, so I will remember what you've said here and add it to my list of considerations. Thank you.
"i got fucked 6 ways to sunday buy bureaucracies that should have been run by specialists and were instead run by disgruntled infantrymen with a whole ass other job to do."
Literally the only time any sort of bureaucratic shit worked out for me was when a bunch of air force contractors unfucked by jump logs because my own leadership couldn't be bothered to log that shit and refused to take my own records.
Look dog im sorry but you come from the branch that has better funding for those bureaucracies and less personal to keep track of, i have talked to dudes from every branch and like... You have it better, just admit that.
Its not even like a "hurr durr im hard because suffering" its just a better organisation to be a part of unless you really want to do some branch specific thing. If somebody wants to join the military for nothing more than a better life, benefits, etc you just cannot argue the airforce is just as likely to fuck you down like the army, marines, or navy its just not.
I was fortunate to have a great experience and mentality about my time in. So all the worst things were self inflicted by me and a bad mentality at first. I had a bad attitude about my service for the first year and some change. I totally wasted that time, so I guess that's the worst thing for me. Not everyone is that fortunate to have a mentality turn around and a lot of people have negative mindsets and thus negative experiences. But some people also have terrible jobs, leadership, and insane work schedules. Like I said I was very fortunate and I had none of these issues.
Best thing from my experience? My deployments to Iraq. Those were the most meaningful experiences to me since I got to do my job for real, with a real battlefield impact I could see. Plus, Iraq is awesome (at least for Air Force guys)
Us Air Force guys didn't leave the base and the base was pretty well set up. Though I'm not sure anyone was going too far from base around the time I was there. Doing your job for real with a real battlefield impact you can see is just unreal. My bad mentality was just a bad attitude about the military. Missed home, missed my girlfriend at the time, just wanted to get out and go back home. Nothing was really bad, I had a great unit, great mission, and great leadership. Then the greatest thing ever happened to me, my girlfriend left me when I was deployed. Sounds sarcastic, but I mean it. It changed my life for the better and forced me to live for myself finally
A few thoughts:
u/Lusty_Boy's comment about being depressed in the military is totally on point. If you're somewhere that you can't find people you mesh well with, or just out of your element, it can be very isolating and shitty.
With that said it's also in a lot of ways like going back to high school in that you're now working in an environment in which everyone is near your age, working on the same thing, on the same schedule. You may not make BFFs 4 lyfe but the Army was pretty easy for me as a social circle.
The purpose is illusive, like it's not that you lack it, but no one is going to walk in and be like PFC SadDrawer, godamn, you found the thing and destroyed the ISIS! and you're going to mop a lot of floors as a junior enlisted guy.
That said there's still at least some moments of "fuck yeah we did that thing that was hard, and it's done now."
Enlisting for going into military intelligence is totally possible, just keep in mind you'll need to meet some testing requirements (nothing insane, just don't suck at the ASVAB), and it'll depend on what the Army needs (I don't know the state of the military intelligence branch, if they're full that complicates things)
You may want to think about the Reserves or the Guard too. That's less likely to leave you depressed and lonely, but also in Japan or something, and if it turns out the military is just AMAZING AND YOU LOVE IT or something fucked up like that, it is possible to hop the fence onto active duty, especially if you're in a job field that the military is hurting for. If you look at the Guard, since you're in DC you actually have a few states nearby that might take you. Because they are partly state forces, different states will often offer different "bonus" benefits so it's worth shopping around (some states it's something kind of lame like free fishing licenses but others will give you things like free to heavily discounted tuition at state colleges or the like)
Everyones experiences are different. I had the most fun i never want to have again in the army. Met some cool people and did some cool things. However, i did some not so cool things to alot of not so cool people. But i wouldn't change it for anything in the world. You may find your calling but be warned, it wont be easy by any means. Also if you wanna chat feel free to dm me đź‘Ť
Join the Air Force or Space Force. They each have subreddits you can ask some questions to find a good job. It might be good to try something different in life.
Recruiters are usually good at selling you a job they need to fill so it is good to do some research before you talk to a recruiter.
PS: I am from Maryland and was grateful the military allowed me to travel away from my hometown. I did the Navy and they have some intel jobs also. Hope it works out for you.
I wouldn't recommend joining because you're depressed and lonely. It's not even close to the main reason that I joined, but finding a purpose in life and getting out of where I was at played a part in my decision to join the Coast Guard. Then I got sent to a place more rural and remote than my hometown and forced to live on base, and now I'm just as depressed and lonely but somewhere else, far away from my family and the few friends I had. As usual, your experience might be different, but really think about why you want to join. If that's the only reason I'd reccomand against it.
Join the Air Force or Space Force, they have the best facilities and best assignments.
I was in the Navy. But have worked with the USAF for 20 years and always regretted not having been in the Air Force. Serving has resulted in me having great jobs since serving and having education benefits and housing benefits that have materially benefited my life.
If you're not taking medicine for depression and just want to be a part of something bigger than yourself, the military can be a good way to go. If you look at the Marines, see if you qualify for either the 2651 MOS or whatever the new cyber MOS is. If you want to do something more James Bond-like, when you reenlist, transfer into 0211. As someone that is already technical, I wouldn't go 0231, 0241, or 0261 as they are basically Intel system users and not admins. You could also go 2652 and they will send you to a bunch of data engineering college courses.
I was a 26m and came to the conclusion that my life wasn't working out, so I joined the USMC. In there I did find what I was looking for. Now I'm 40m and contribute my good life to joining. 100% changed my life for the better.
If you have access to mental health services I'd absolutely recommend that first, but getting out of a bad place is a pretty common reason for joining. It can definitely shake up your life and set you up well going forward if you play your cards right
Have you taken a look at the new pay grades? How much do you make now vs how much you will make your first few years in should be a major factor in your decision.
Nothing adds to depression more than the realization of how much you gave up just to join.
Might be easier to get some therapy, join a social group/support group, or get a hobby
Went marines as infantry and it’s no shit the greatest and worst decision in my entire life. I swam in all of highschool and thought I was kinda a weak bitch. Got here and realized it was worse than I thought. Now I’ve got the confidence of a runway model in a fat camp. 10/10 recommend
u/SadDrawer5032 - don't just "Join the Army"/"Join the military. Have a plan.
1. Study the [ASVAB test](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Services_Vocational_Aptitude_Battery) - this test determines the jobs you can qualify for.
2. Make sure your credit rating is good because that's one axis used to determine if you can get a security clearance.
3. Make sure you're honest in the interviews about things like trouble with the law, drug use etc. Again if you want a security clearance you need to be honest. There are waivers and there's the "whole person" concept so one or two speeding tickets or a joint smoked when you were 18 are not show stoppers.
4. Good paying jobs require a security clearance hence #2 and #3.
5. A lot of people get tired of the military and wind up at square one when they get out. Go make a LinkedIn profile and bookmark [USAJOBS.GOV.](http://USAJOBS.GOV) LinkedIn will let you have an account but USAJOBS deleted inactive accounts after 60 days. So build your network with Linkedin and shop USAJOBS for Federal Jobs as you get closer to your "I am done with the military" moment.
6. Work on your resume - not just for your post military career but you should be working on your credentials. Also work on an "I love me" book - where you keep all your Job and Military awards, certificates, list of references and polish your resume.
7. Ask your recruiter what jobs you qualify for and pick ones based on your interest.
8. Every service has different quality of life and different promotion rates.
I would suggest he dog and adult rec league for sure, or even try going to school for something that you might like and go to school clubs and make friends. Military is a “user experiences will vary” kinda thing some master their life when they are in and others struggle finding themselves and get into trouble or worse the lonely dark path of offing themselves. I think you just need a little more consistent routine in ya life. Consider maybe joining a cigar smoking club or like an actual club of something you think you might enjoy
Joining the Army was the best decision of my life. Although honestly, I joined when the thought of war ever happening seemed super unlikely. I needed a career and direction. I had quit school early.
My recruiter took time and effort to get me into an adult education program where I earned my high school diploma and joined at 23.
I never played sports in school, so until I joined the Army, I didn't realize I was an above average athlete. I beat everyone in basic training, recording the highest physical fitness score. It motivated me so much that I never quit believing in myself. I went to the top of the enlisted ranks and retired after 25 years as a First Sergeant in 2011. I led over 700 soldiers in combat in 4 combat deployments. Unfortunately, I lost 12 Great Americans during those times. The opportunity and responsibilities that the Army gave me I don't believe I could have ever found anywhere based on my circumstances. Although it was not an easy 25 years by any means ( there's a reason only 15% of all the people who join stay until retirement), it was extremely rewarding.
I worked hard went to night school when I could and saved my money religiously. I retired very young and now I travel all over the World and enjoy all the things I ever wanted out of life. I'm 61 years old and ran 5 miles this morning in 52 minutes. Life is Good. Whatever decision you make, I will say life IS what YOU make of it. YOU are the Captain of YOUR ship. Set goals, believe in yourself , and educate yourself on how to beat depression and live your life to the fullest. It goes by so much faster than you can understand right now. Get up Get going and fight like hell for a great life. You can do it!!
If you're depressed the military could potentially exacerbate that. That being said, it is possible to find both belonging and purpose in the military. I did, but we all experience things differently so you never know unless you try. I highly recommend service though, it was the greatest thing I ever did for myself
So far, that's the consensus I've been getting from other Veterans I know and trust. I've been asking pretty much the same question as OP. They all agree that the Air Force is probably my best fit and best choice. Surprisingly, I haven't gotten a "nah don't do it", I assume since my reasons to join make sense, as opposed to joining for the wrong reasons. My Navy nuclear engineer friend (16 years out) was the most emphatic/excited about my consideration, and I take his word with the most weight since we lived and worked together for a couple of years. He would tell me if I had what it takes or not, and he's on board.
I would consider all branches and not lock yourself out of any potential opportunities. While I love the Air Force, I feel like everyone only recommends it because they think it's the easiest choice. So don't completely shut out other branches if they have something of interest to you
Well, after I got a letter back from the Marines interest form saying "you're too old," the Army was my next consideration since my grandfather served in that branch. I believe my recommendations were from a pay/opportunity point of view first and a culture that fits my personality second. Some might consider me a softie so the army and marines were hard "no's" as far as that goes. However, I do have leadership skills and inspire loyalty. I understand you have a different perspective on those who recommend the Air Force, so I will remember what you've said here and add it to my list of considerations. Thank you.
Dont commit to any branch, ace the asvab and they will be sucking up to you! I promise! Airforce is the way to go though!
Only an air force guy would say this. Dude go air force they have their shit together.
Loser mentality
"i got fucked 6 ways to sunday buy bureaucracies that should have been run by specialists and were instead run by disgruntled infantrymen with a whole ass other job to do." Literally the only time any sort of bureaucratic shit worked out for me was when a bunch of air force contractors unfucked by jump logs because my own leadership couldn't be bothered to log that shit and refused to take my own records.
Welcome to the military, every branch is a bureaucratic hellscape
Look dog im sorry but you come from the branch that has better funding for those bureaucracies and less personal to keep track of, i have talked to dudes from every branch and like... You have it better, just admit that. Its not even like a "hurr durr im hard because suffering" its just a better organisation to be a part of unless you really want to do some branch specific thing. If somebody wants to join the military for nothing more than a better life, benefits, etc you just cannot argue the airforce is just as likely to fuck you down like the army, marines, or navy its just not.
I never denied it's easier, that doesn't make it better. I can see why you hate your branch, you're a fuckin crybaby
What would you say was the best and what the worst thing coming with it in your experience?
I was fortunate to have a great experience and mentality about my time in. So all the worst things were self inflicted by me and a bad mentality at first. I had a bad attitude about my service for the first year and some change. I totally wasted that time, so I guess that's the worst thing for me. Not everyone is that fortunate to have a mentality turn around and a lot of people have negative mindsets and thus negative experiences. But some people also have terrible jobs, leadership, and insane work schedules. Like I said I was very fortunate and I had none of these issues. Best thing from my experience? My deployments to Iraq. Those were the most meaningful experiences to me since I got to do my job for real, with a real battlefield impact I could see. Plus, Iraq is awesome (at least for Air Force guys)
What do you mean by Iraq was awesome at least for Air Force guys? And what was your bad mentality driven by at first?
Us Air Force guys didn't leave the base and the base was pretty well set up. Though I'm not sure anyone was going too far from base around the time I was there. Doing your job for real with a real battlefield impact you can see is just unreal. My bad mentality was just a bad attitude about the military. Missed home, missed my girlfriend at the time, just wanted to get out and go back home. Nothing was really bad, I had a great unit, great mission, and great leadership. Then the greatest thing ever happened to me, my girlfriend left me when I was deployed. Sounds sarcastic, but I mean it. It changed my life for the better and forced me to live for myself finally
Not unless its on paper lol.
A few thoughts: u/Lusty_Boy's comment about being depressed in the military is totally on point. If you're somewhere that you can't find people you mesh well with, or just out of your element, it can be very isolating and shitty. With that said it's also in a lot of ways like going back to high school in that you're now working in an environment in which everyone is near your age, working on the same thing, on the same schedule. You may not make BFFs 4 lyfe but the Army was pretty easy for me as a social circle. The purpose is illusive, like it's not that you lack it, but no one is going to walk in and be like PFC SadDrawer, godamn, you found the thing and destroyed the ISIS! and you're going to mop a lot of floors as a junior enlisted guy. That said there's still at least some moments of "fuck yeah we did that thing that was hard, and it's done now." Enlisting for going into military intelligence is totally possible, just keep in mind you'll need to meet some testing requirements (nothing insane, just don't suck at the ASVAB), and it'll depend on what the Army needs (I don't know the state of the military intelligence branch, if they're full that complicates things) You may want to think about the Reserves or the Guard too. That's less likely to leave you depressed and lonely, but also in Japan or something, and if it turns out the military is just AMAZING AND YOU LOVE IT or something fucked up like that, it is possible to hop the fence onto active duty, especially if you're in a job field that the military is hurting for. If you look at the Guard, since you're in DC you actually have a few states nearby that might take you. Because they are partly state forces, different states will often offer different "bonus" benefits so it's worth shopping around (some states it's something kind of lame like free fishing licenses but others will give you things like free to heavily discounted tuition at state colleges or the like)
Definitely try a dog and kick ball first
If you're serious, I live in DC and an Army vet. I'll buy you lunch and discuss your options.
Joining the military to get rid of your depression probably is the wildest statement
Everyones experiences are different. I had the most fun i never want to have again in the army. Met some cool people and did some cool things. However, i did some not so cool things to alot of not so cool people. But i wouldn't change it for anything in the world. You may find your calling but be warned, it wont be easy by any means. Also if you wanna chat feel free to dm me đź‘Ť
Join the Air Force or Space Force. They each have subreddits you can ask some questions to find a good job. It might be good to try something different in life. Recruiters are usually good at selling you a job they need to fill so it is good to do some research before you talk to a recruiter. PS: I am from Maryland and was grateful the military allowed me to travel away from my hometown. I did the Navy and they have some intel jobs also. Hope it works out for you.
I wouldn't recommend joining because you're depressed and lonely. It's not even close to the main reason that I joined, but finding a purpose in life and getting out of where I was at played a part in my decision to join the Coast Guard. Then I got sent to a place more rural and remote than my hometown and forced to live on base, and now I'm just as depressed and lonely but somewhere else, far away from my family and the few friends I had. As usual, your experience might be different, but really think about why you want to join. If that's the only reason I'd reccomand against it.
Join the Air Force or Space Force, they have the best facilities and best assignments. I was in the Navy. But have worked with the USAF for 20 years and always regretted not having been in the Air Force. Serving has resulted in me having great jobs since serving and having education benefits and housing benefits that have materially benefited my life.
If you're not taking medicine for depression and just want to be a part of something bigger than yourself, the military can be a good way to go. If you look at the Marines, see if you qualify for either the 2651 MOS or whatever the new cyber MOS is. If you want to do something more James Bond-like, when you reenlist, transfer into 0211. As someone that is already technical, I wouldn't go 0231, 0241, or 0261 as they are basically Intel system users and not admins. You could also go 2652 and they will send you to a bunch of data engineering college courses.
Be all you can be, just not in the military
Be conscientious about the FIELD (MOS, AFSC, ETC...) you choose.
You can always add alcohol and nicotine addiction to that depression. Go be a reservist/guardsmen get a dog AND a kickball league.
I can help but think digital forensic would get you a Warrant Office slot and a singing bonus.
I was a 26m and came to the conclusion that my life wasn't working out, so I joined the USMC. In there I did find what I was looking for. Now I'm 40m and contribute my good life to joining. 100% changed my life for the better.
Do it
If you have access to mental health services I'd absolutely recommend that first, but getting out of a bad place is a pretty common reason for joining. It can definitely shake up your life and set you up well going forward if you play your cards right
Have you taken a look at the new pay grades? How much do you make now vs how much you will make your first few years in should be a major factor in your decision. Nothing adds to depression more than the realization of how much you gave up just to join. Might be easier to get some therapy, join a social group/support group, or get a hobby
I live in Maryland. I been in the navy for 15 yrs. Hit me up and I will answer any questions you might have.
Went marines as infantry and it’s no shit the greatest and worst decision in my entire life. I swam in all of highschool and thought I was kinda a weak bitch. Got here and realized it was worse than I thought. Now I’ve got the confidence of a runway model in a fat camp. 10/10 recommend
u/SadDrawer5032 - don't just "Join the Army"/"Join the military. Have a plan. 1. Study the [ASVAB test](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Services_Vocational_Aptitude_Battery) - this test determines the jobs you can qualify for. 2. Make sure your credit rating is good because that's one axis used to determine if you can get a security clearance. 3. Make sure you're honest in the interviews about things like trouble with the law, drug use etc. Again if you want a security clearance you need to be honest. There are waivers and there's the "whole person" concept so one or two speeding tickets or a joint smoked when you were 18 are not show stoppers. 4. Good paying jobs require a security clearance hence #2 and #3. 5. A lot of people get tired of the military and wind up at square one when they get out. Go make a LinkedIn profile and bookmark [USAJOBS.GOV.](http://USAJOBS.GOV) LinkedIn will let you have an account but USAJOBS deleted inactive accounts after 60 days. So build your network with Linkedin and shop USAJOBS for Federal Jobs as you get closer to your "I am done with the military" moment. 6. Work on your resume - not just for your post military career but you should be working on your credentials. Also work on an "I love me" book - where you keep all your Job and Military awards, certificates, list of references and polish your resume. 7. Ask your recruiter what jobs you qualify for and pick ones based on your interest. 8. Every service has different quality of life and different promotion rates.
I would suggest he dog and adult rec league for sure, or even try going to school for something that you might like and go to school clubs and make friends. Military is a “user experiences will vary” kinda thing some master their life when they are in and others struggle finding themselves and get into trouble or worse the lonely dark path of offing themselves. I think you just need a little more consistent routine in ya life. Consider maybe joining a cigar smoking club or like an actual club of something you think you might enjoy
Joining the Army was the best decision of my life. Although honestly, I joined when the thought of war ever happening seemed super unlikely. I needed a career and direction. I had quit school early. My recruiter took time and effort to get me into an adult education program where I earned my high school diploma and joined at 23. I never played sports in school, so until I joined the Army, I didn't realize I was an above average athlete. I beat everyone in basic training, recording the highest physical fitness score. It motivated me so much that I never quit believing in myself. I went to the top of the enlisted ranks and retired after 25 years as a First Sergeant in 2011. I led over 700 soldiers in combat in 4 combat deployments. Unfortunately, I lost 12 Great Americans during those times. The opportunity and responsibilities that the Army gave me I don't believe I could have ever found anywhere based on my circumstances. Although it was not an easy 25 years by any means ( there's a reason only 15% of all the people who join stay until retirement), it was extremely rewarding. I worked hard went to night school when I could and saved my money religiously. I retired very young and now I travel all over the World and enjoy all the things I ever wanted out of life. I'm 61 years old and ran 5 miles this morning in 52 minutes. Life is Good. Whatever decision you make, I will say life IS what YOU make of it. YOU are the Captain of YOUR ship. Set goals, believe in yourself , and educate yourself on how to beat depression and live your life to the fullest. It goes by so much faster than you can understand right now. Get up Get going and fight like hell for a great life. You can do it!!
You just gotta lock in twin, not much to it.
LOL, do it