Yeah, a lot of them choose to stay in because they derive a sense of meaning/purpose/job satisfaction from it, and also because civilian life is hard by comparison.
I mean yeah, waking up at 5AM every day sucks, having to stay in shape sucks, being held to strict discipline, conduct, and grooming standards sucks, being told what to do by people who are often dumber than you sucks, having to stand 24-hour posts once a month sucks, having to do annual qualifications and tests sucks, et cetera, but…
Having most of your bills already covered so that you don’t have to think about them is kinda nice, making a steady paycheck with cost-of-living adjustments and continuous growth is kinda nice, having guaranteed 30 days of PTO per year is kinda nice, having medical and dental covered is kinda nice, having a guaranteed place to live (even if you don’t get to choose it or your roommate) is kinda nice, having a chow hall where you can eat three meals a day is kinda nice (even though you technically pay for it when it gets deducted from your paycheck, but you don’t really have to think about that).
Come to think of it, it’s a lot like communism. Actual communism, not the botched attempts we see so often in history.
Of course, now with the whole [gestures at everything] going on, I’m sure the calculus is a bit different. Can’t say what’s going through anybody’s minds right now…
Or get pregnant, if that’s a possibility for you…
Getting pregnant will not get you out of the American military, just out of a deployment
False. When an active duty service member gets pregnant, she is given an option to receive a medical discharge.
Interesting. I knew so many pregnant sailors that I just assumed the option wasn’t given, never applied to me. Now I know
Yeah, a lot of them choose to stay in because they derive a sense of meaning/purpose/job satisfaction from it, and also because civilian life is hard by comparison.
I mean yeah, waking up at 5AM every day sucks, having to stay in shape sucks, being held to strict discipline, conduct, and grooming standards sucks, being told what to do by people who are often dumber than you sucks, having to stand 24-hour posts once a month sucks, having to do annual qualifications and tests sucks, et cetera, but…
Having most of your bills already covered so that you don’t have to think about them is kinda nice, making a steady paycheck with cost-of-living adjustments and continuous growth is kinda nice, having guaranteed 30 days of PTO per year is kinda nice, having medical and dental covered is kinda nice, having a guaranteed place to live (even if you don’t get to choose it or your roommate) is kinda nice, having a chow hall where you can eat three meals a day is kinda nice (even though you technically pay for it when it gets deducted from your paycheck, but you don’t really have to think about that).
Come to think of it, it’s a lot like communism. Actual communism, not the botched attempts we see so often in history.
Of course, now with the whole [gestures at everything] going on, I’m sure the calculus is a bit different. Can’t say what’s going through anybody’s minds right now…