10 things the military won't tell you

[MillCreek]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-things-the-military-wont-tell-you-2014-12-12

Interesting economic and financial tidbits about service.

[TommyGunn]

Some of that has always been true.

My father graduated from Annapolis in 1948 and spent the next six years in the U.S. Navy.  During the Korean War he served in a U.D.T. Team (a sort of precursor to U.S. Navy SEALs) and for one year after the end of the war, in the Submarine Service.  He resigned his commission in 1954 when he decided to marry my mother, since he didn't believe married life was compatible with military service (this was HIS OPINION and reflects only how he felt about this; we all know other servicemen who have had successful marriages and careers). 
He did remarkably well in his civilian career.   A testament to his drive, ambition, and also IMHO the education he received at Annapolis. 
He didn't much like discussing his Korean War experience, but during the Vietnam war there were news reports on TV that would provoke him as he felt they were based on ignorance of war and were unfair, and he'd sometimes relate a wartime exprience to illustrate his point.
As a young child I was of course very curious about his wartime experience ... but I learned also that he didn't want to talk much about it so I learned to respect that.

[vaskidmark]

Every person sitting down with a recruiter should be handed a copy of http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html and have to read it out loud and explain what they think it means before signing on the dotted line.

As much as I make fun of
I am grateful to know that there are those that will stick it out and fight to keep us free.  (That does not imply that I always agree with the foreigh policy being enforced through military might, or the way that might is being applied.)

stay safe.

[TommyGunn]

Every person sitting down with a recruiter should be handed a copy of http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html and have to read it out loud and explain what they think it means before signing on the dotted line.
...............

Ain't THAT the TRUTH. 
I love Rudyard Kipling ....

[RoadKingLarry]

Every person sitting down with a recruiter should be handed a copy of http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html and have to read it out loud and explain what they think it means before signing on the dotted line.

As much as I make fun of
I am grateful to know that there are those that will stick it out and fight to keep us free.  (That does not imply that I always agree with the foreigh policy being enforced through military might, or the way that might is being applied.)

stay safe.

Tommy sees what you did there.

[Perd Hapley]

I am grateful to know that there are those that will stick it out and fight to keep us free.  (That does not imply that I always agree with the foreigh policy being enforced through military might, or the way that might is being applied.)

+ yes

[T.O.M.]

Some of that has always been true.

My father graduated from Annapolis in 1948 and spent the next six years in the U.S. Navy.  During the Korean War he served in a U.D.T. Team (a sort of precursor to U.S. Navy SEALs) and for one year after the end of the war, in the Submarine Service.  He resigned his commission in 1954 when he decided to marry my mother, since he didn't believe married life was compatible with military service (this was HIS OPINION and reflects only how he felt about this; we all know other servicemen who have had successful marriages and careers). 
He did remarkably well in his civilian career.   A testament to his drive, ambition, and also IMHO the education he received at Annapolis. 
He didn't much like discussing his Korean War experience, but during the Vietnam war there were news reports on TV that would provoke him as he felt they were based on ignorance of war and were unfair, and he'd sometimes relate a wartime exprience to illustrate his point.
As a young child I was of course very curious about his wartime experience ... but I learned also that he didn't want to talk much about it so I learned to respect that.

A lot of the guys I went to West Point with had the same feeling about service life vs. married life.  Others got married within days of graduation.  I was of the same mind as your father.  Didn't want to drag a wife and kids around the country/world with me, forcing them to recreate their lives each time I had a change of duty post.  For those of us who made that decision, the finances weren't as bad living as a young single lieutenant.  Of course, it was the 80's, the Cold War was coming to an end, and Army service was pretty much a day job.