I'm actually thinking of joining the Army.

[gulfcoastliberal]

I'm 29 with a BA in History. I live in a town where it's about as useful as a GED. I don't really want to go back to school for a more advanced, equally worthless degree. My dad has money and has cancer. He informed me he set up his trust so I won't see a dime until I'm 45. Great, huh? If anyone has read my posts here you know I hate this war and admin with a passion. But I do still care for the country. I took a preliminary ASVAB and scored quite weel. My BA is worth an automatic $8,000 bonus and if I go for special forces I get another $20,000 bonus. I don't want to be blown up but I really don't see what "hot job market" is keeping people from joining. Around here a well paying job is $12/hr - if you can actually find a job that pays that much. I just don't see how I'm going to make it.

Any thoughts? (no, I'm not insane - just desperate)

[maxsolomon]

1. try the navy or airforce

you're 29, not 19.

[Shell Beau]

2. You should never act on desperation!

It certainly is a scary thing to do, but a noble one if done for the right reasons! Good luck with whatever you do!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. Thought about going into teaching??

I don't see why you can get into that with the extreme lack of teachers these days. And you can definitely make more than $12/hr on that.

[gulfcoastliberal]

5. Sadly, this is Florida we're talking about.

The janitors probably make more than the teachers. And they have this awful FCAT thing that's ruining the schools.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. You might want to think about leaving what is becoming "Alabama East".

From what I gather (and I gather a lot), the state's going down the shitter real quick.

[MissB]

4. Move to another area

where there is more opportunity.

[Shell Beau]

6. Oh there is plenty of opportunity in the Army.

Opportunity for a one way ticket overseas!

[Orsino]

7. Can you honestly swear...

...to obey the lawful orders of your superiors, knowing who is pulling their strings, and knowing that you will not have the information needed, from moment to moment, to judge their lawfulness? Would you be willing to kill and/or die in order to fulfill that oath?

If the answers to both those questions are yes, then this is a move you should consider.

[babylonsister]

9. Don't do it! Get one of those janitor jobs then!

My 2 cents, but if you're totally against the war, Do Not Go!

[matcom]

10. right. can't find a job so i'll commit suicide

:eyes:

dude. i'm a vet. become a 'sanitary engineer' if you need to.

[gulfcoastliberal]

13. LOL

Bush won't be in office forever. I'm sure our innovative, fearless dems will figure a way out of the mess we're in...

:sarcasm:

[matcom]

14. don't you fucking bet on THAT for one second

we are stuck and guess what? the Dems ain't doing much to get us out. i'm not talking JUST Iraq either.

special forces? you gotta have more than ONE screw loose for THAT duty. knew a few in Germany.

[Mizmoon]

11. You're willing to go to Iraq with the military

but not willing to relocate to a better job market? C'mon. Stop being dramatic.

Move and get a job in an insurance corporation's main office or for the phone company or IBM or whatever. You're not just looking for a job in "history" per say, right? Those company jobs just want someone with a degree - period. People with all kinds of "useless" degrees work there because your education makes you well-rounded and is not useless at all.

Take a deep breath and say, "I'm relocating to NY by the end of the year."

[gulfcoastliberal]

15. My last job was for the phone company

Before that it was Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I think I would rather catch bullets than work in those hellholes again.

[gulfcoastliberal]

16. Problem is I own properties here in the midst of remodeling

I did try the Coast Guard but they don't take college educated 29 year olds for some reason.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. Own property and are remodeling? Not so poor, are you?

Get a loan, live frugally, finish remodelling, then sell, and look for a new job calmly.

Anything is better than risking going to war, especially an Empire-building war of aggression like the current one.

For some reason I suspect we aren't hearing the whole story.

[unhappycamper]

12. I recommend you rethink that decision.

I would rather be a skin diver for roto-rooter than join the army.

RVN, class of 67~68, 198th Light Infantry Brigade, Chu Lai
RVN, class of 70~71, 25th Infantry Division, Cu Chi

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

17. I can't see anybody not considering relocating, changing careers, or

working a menial job BEFORE enlisting unless... well, I better stop here, don't want my post deleted.

[neweurope]

18. Somebody who willingly becomes part of an evil machine is as much guilty

as the owner of the machine.

My goodness, I've read on DU that people are against Ratzinger (whom I'm against, too) because he was in the HITLER JUGEND!

But joining the US Army is ok because you're just following orders, hm? I'm too lazy to dig out my list - I've posted it before - of the wars the US Army/Navy/Air Force has fought - against which poor people. Some of these poor people were American citizens, too... (which for me doesn't make a difference).

-----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[AllegroRondo]

19. From the oath of enlistment:

"I will obey the orders of the President of the United States..."

Can you take that oath with a clear conscience?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

21. Gee ..............

You 'own properties,' so you can't relocate because you're in the midst of 'remodeling,' and you're upset because you can't find a job there that would make you the wage you believe you need in order to live the way you want.

You say your father has "money and ... cancer." I guess the order in which you listed your father's attributes tells something.

And now, when the 'remodeling' of your 'properties' is finished, you're thinking of joining the Army because, damn it, things just aren't going your way and your mean old father is going to have deal with his cancer - maybe even die of it - and he won't be leaving you any immediate cash in his will.

You're 29 years old, I assume you're healthy, and you're whining.

A suggestion: Get two jobs and work hard at them while you figure out what it is you can contribute to this world while you're making enough money to live the way you want to. While you're busting your butt like the rest of us, count your damn blessings and suck it up.

Oh, and while you're at it, take good care of your Daddy. He probably needs it right about now.

[oneighty]

22. Special Forces

At your age you are not likely to get through that training unless you are extremely fit, stubborn and enjoy abuse. Special Forces such as SEALs is a recruiting tool. Flunk out of training and you will be just another grunt.

I bet

180

[Rowdyboy]

23. If you're dead, getting that trust at 45 won't do much good!

Have you mentioned you're considering this drastic an act to your dad? Could it make a difference in his attitude?

Regardless, I would think long and hard before giving up my life and going over there right now. Life isn't that desperate.