"What do you want to do when you leave school?" and people's reactions to my answer.

[C95J]

I am in my last year of high school, year 11, and when people inevitably ask me this question I always give the exact same answer as well:

"I don't know yet"

I just haven't decided at all I was never sure what I was going to do and even to think day, less than a year from receiving my GCSE results, I don't have the slightest clue as to what I am going to do when I leave school.

Although I am staying an extra 2 years for 6th form so I guess I will have much more time to decide

 

[Fridge]

Being just shy of 16, this question crops up a lot from other teenagers, comparing notes on future plans, and adults, curious to see the direction I want to go.

However, when I answer this question truthfully, people react in a variety of odd ways. I plan on applying to Officer Selection for the Sandhurst Military Academy, as I want to join the Royal Regiment of Scotland, 3rd Battalion (my local chunk of the Infantry). Upon hearing this, despite knowing my character (while nerd-like, if I didn't play computer games I'd be about as stereotypical as British officers get in Scotland), people are invariably shocked, or at least surprised.

My friends tend to laugh it off a bit, my teachers seem too polite to say, "No, you're stupid, go write books." and other people in my age group either condemn me as some kind of murdering murderer, suicidal, or just wrong somewhere because I have no interest in studying a pointless degree at a university, before going into a depressing office job.

Why on Earth does this happen? Do people just hate the army now? Or do I look and sound different from how I thought I looked and sounded for the past 16 years?

I can sort of get behind the idea that I look kinda lanky, and my friends know I'm lazy, but in the cases for people who literally have no way of gauging whether or not I could successfully command men on a battlefield, or perform duty under extreme pressure, they still seem to think that either I'm wrong somewhere in the brain, or I'm just trying to sound heroic and impressive.

Any other hopeful recruits find this? Is it just a UK thing? The war has little support here, I know, but I'm unsure of things in places like the US.

I might be able to help a little on that. Consider the fact that the army has been seen for a really long time as the place where those who have no other place to go, the fact that your looking at being an officer is immaterial sadly.

Personally I think its a fine thing to do and I wish other people would realize that getting a degree for the sake of having one is pointless. Honestly I know a girl how works in HMV stocking shelves that went to uni and got a degree in Theology. Whats the point unless your going to use it?

 

[Vryyk]

Well for 1 thing there are no current wars (well ones that desparately need soldiers anyway) and being a soldier is almost guaranteed to get you killed or seriously injured. It's seen as a job for the 'lesser' of society I guess.

No offense, but... no, wait, offense is what I'm going for here. Shut the fuck up. Please. 80% of my male family going back four generations have fought for my country, and I'm going to be next. Soldiers are not the 'lessers' of society. They are the people who fight, bleed, and die so each respective country can live as they please. That whole "freedom" thing everyone keeps yammering about. You know the one.

And as a afterthought, where did you get the idea that most soldiers die or get injured? I'm friends with four Iraq war vets, none of them took so much as a bullet. Hell, my grandfather was 101st airborne div. in Vietnam and came out just fine.

 

[Nouw]

Well for 1 thing there are no current wars (well ones that desparately need soldiers anyway) and being a soldier is almost guaranteed to get you killed or seriously injured. It's seen as a job for the 'lesser' of society I guess.

No offense, but... no, wait, offense is what I'm going for here. Shut the fuck up. Please. 80% of my male family going back four generations have fought for my country, and I'm going to be next. Soldiers are not the 'lessers' of society. They are the people who fight, bleed, and die so each respective country can live as they please. That whole "freedom" thing everyone keeps yammering about. You know the one.

And as a afterthought, where did you get the idea that most soldiers die or get injured? I'm friends with four Iraq war vets, none of them took so much as a bullet. Hell, my grandfather was 101st airborne div. in Vietnam and came out just fine.

My apologizes if I offended you, please refer to my previous post.

 

[Lord Kloo]

Why on Earth does this happen? Do people just hate the army now? Or do I look and sound different from how I thought I looked and sounded for the past 16 years?

Well Officer selection is nothing to be laughed at, requires 2A levels anyway just to get in and then probably has one of the hardest training courses in the UK so anyone who frowns at you for doing this is little understanding of how difficult the job is. On the other hand it may be that they think you couldn't pull your weight in the army, I know I couldn't.. if you already do lots of sports and like engaging in physical team activities then I'd say go for it, otherwise maybe go for something similar and maybe less intense i.e. police force or other services (however I don't know you so this is all a bit hypothetical)

Oh and many people in the UK don't support the war any more, most of us never did. However most in the UK do support the individual soldiers and others in the armed forces. Personally I don't support the war and wouldn't go out there myself but its not the soldiers fault technically, its the politicians who send people out there, so my sympathy lies with soldiers for having to go over there and fight.. but thats getting Off topic so I'll shut up now..

 

[Vryyk]

My apologizes if I offended you, please refer to my previous post.

Fair enough.

 

[mrF00bar]

I know what you mean, I've looked at doing a few crazy jobs but never actually took them and each time everyone kind of looked at me as if I had two heads. Although joining the Army could get you killed, if you don't die you come out of it a stronger more experienced person than anyone who said you are stupid or suicidal.

 

[Parvutoiu Catalin]

I'm a simple man ... I just want one year's tuition for college a laptop a map a dart and the will to go nuts anywhere that dart lands...

 

[Nouw]

My apologizes if I offended you, please refer to my previous post.

Fair enough.

No it is not fair enough! I want to tell the truth all the time this year so here is a far better apology. (Yes I read a book, well re-reading anyway, hope it makes me a better person!)

I am sorry for making such a terribly made post and would like to apologize for it, I don't feel good about what I said at all.

I shouldn't have made that quick whipped up post with the excuse of the laptop I am using to be uncomfortable as it was one of my worse posts. It didn't show my stance on it at all to the viewer except that flawed opinion in which I believed in parts of due to my assumptions.

What makes it worse is that I researched WW2 quite thoroughly but alas I guess war changed. I made that post based on what I see and hear about the mortality rates (correct use of mortality?) and general 'essence' of war. If I said what you told me I would probably get flamed/abused as the world I live in (as in my environment, the people around me) takes war as a very bad thing and naturally, the people in it.

I hope to put more effort into posts in such situations so that my benefit doesn't become subject to yours or someone else's wrath and create unnecessary hate. And lastly, thank you for that insight about war.

 

[Jon Shannow]

One of my friends at uni has a younger brother who joined the army at 16, he's been to Afghanistan at 17. But when he came back he tried to buy COD from his local GAME but got turned away because he was too young to play it apparently

 

[Vryyk]

-snip-

To be honest that was one of the most mature reactions I've ever seen. I unreservedly accept your apology and submit one of my own for being so vicious in my reply. Perhaps if you go back and bracket your original post in quotes to show sarcasm that would make sure no one else takes it wrong.

 

[Danzaivar]

Everyone I know who is in the Armed Forces joined up because they couldn't make it into University, or couldn't bring themselves to finish college.

It's just weird for it to be your first choice really.

Oh, and being an officer is HARD. Which kind of goes against the 'fall back option' part.

 

[crunchieman]

Being just shy of 16, this question crops up a lot from other teenagers, comparing notes on future plans, and adults, curious to see the direction I want to go.

However, when I answer this question truthfully, people react in a variety of odd ways. I plan on applying to Officer Selection for the Sandhurst Military Academy, as I want to join the Royal Regiment of Scotland, 3rd Battalion (my local chunk of the Infantry). Upon hearing this, despite knowing my character (while nerd-like, if I didn't play computer games I'd be about as stereotypical as British officers get in Scotland), people are invariably shocked, or at least surprised.

My friends tend to laugh it off a bit, my teachers seem too polite to say, "No, you're stupid, go write books." and other people in my age group either condemn me as some kind of murdering murderer, suicidal, or just wrong somewhere because I have no interest in studying a pointless degree at a university, before going into a depressing office job.

Why on Earth does this happen? Do people just hate the army now? Or do I look and sound different from how I thought I looked and sounded for the past 16 years?

I can sort of get behind the idea that I look kinda lanky, and my friends know I'm lazy, but in the cases for people who literally have no way of gauging whether or not I could successfully command men on a battlefield, or perform duty under extreme pressure, they still seem to think that either I'm wrong somewhere in the brain, or I'm just trying to sound heroic and impressive.

Any other hopeful recruits find this? Is it just a UK thing? The war has little support here, I know, but I'm unsure of things in places like the US.

It's probably just because I'm tired and have failed to see it mentioned anywhere due to my tiredness but why do you WANT to go to Officer school?

 

[DSEZ]

im going into the military so good for you if you want to do it

i live in a town where i believe everyone has served one time or another

 

[beniki]

Being just shy of 16, this question crops up a lot from other teenagers, comparing notes on future plans, and adults, curious to see the direction I want to go.

However, when I answer this question truthfully, people react in a variety of odd ways. I plan on applying to Officer Selection for the Sandhurst Military Academy, as I want to join the Royal Regiment of Scotland, 3rd Battalion (my local chunk of the Infantry). Upon hearing this, despite knowing my character (while nerd-like, if I didn't play computer games I'd be about as stereotypical as British officers get in Scotland), people are invariably shocked, or at least surprised.

My friends tend to laugh it off a bit, my teachers seem too polite to say, "No, you're stupid, go write books." and other people in my age group either condemn me as some kind of murdering murderer, suicidal, or just wrong somewhere because I have no interest in studying a pointless degree at a university, before going into a depressing office job.

Why on Earth does this happen? Do people just hate the army now? Or do I look and sound different from how I thought I looked and sounded for the past 16 years?

I can sort of get behind the idea that I look kinda lanky, and my friends know I'm lazy, but in the cases for people who literally have no way of gauging whether or not I could successfully command men on a battlefield, or perform duty under extreme pressure, they still seem to think that either I'm wrong somewhere in the brain, or I'm just trying to sound heroic and impressive.

Any other hopeful recruits find this? Is it just a UK thing? The war has little support here, I know, but I'm unsure of things in places like the US.

I had a few friends that went on to the army, and I went to one of the most elitist schools in the country. It certainly wasn't looked down on there, and those that did go off to Sandy were mentioned in assembly.

But... they all went to uni on army scholarships first. You might want to consider that too. You'll need something to fall back on when you leave the army, and the extra knowledge will only help you be a better officer.

 

[Popadoo]

I'm doing a course on Animation and Video Game Design. Hopefully, if all ends well, you could be watching my cut scenes in the future!

 

[AVATAR_RAGE]

I hope you achieve your goal, seems like a noble one.

Though joining the military is dangerous, so stay safe.

 

[teebeeohh]

i know a lot of people (myself included) who considers soldiers in general to be murderers because at the end of the day they get trained to kill people. Oh and everyone i know who was in the army said that pay is not that great and it's boring as shit.

 

[Continuity]

Well I did consider joining the navy when I left college, but in the end I knew I wouldn't pass the fitness tests and I didn't really like the idea of being away from my PC for months at a time.
Hell at least in the Navy you don't get shot at, if you're really unlucky your boat might sink but how often does that happen these days?