If you play video games, have ever watched “Full Metal Jacket” or “GI Jane,” or even played with GI Joe’s when you were little, you probably already have some exaggerated idea of what military life is like floating around in your head. Movies and games tend to show the extremes- either the best or the worst- so if you’re making the decision to go into the military because you love playing Medal of Honor you might want to slow down and do some real research.

The military is more than just a job; in most cases it will become your whole life.  All branches of the military promote certain ideals like discipline, training, honor, strength and courage which you will not only be expected to display while you “work”, but also in your personal life. You are never really “off-duty”; you have responsibilities to your peers and to your country 24 hours a day. You will be required to keep your body in peak physical condition. Unlike other career choices you make, the military requires a strict multi-year commitment. On the one hand, there’s no real way to quit or leave once you have enlisted. On the other hand, they can’t easily let you go- there’s no other job with this sort of security. 

For some people those things may read like hardships; for others they are just more benefits of the military life. How do you feel? There are many, many more benefits offered by military service including job training, money for your education, steady salaries, benefits, and maybe even a job for life.     

Only you can decide if a career in the armed forces is right for you. It’s not a decision that anyone should jump into. Take your time, talk to people who have been there and done that, talk to your parents and get all the facts. With a decision like this, you need to listen to what your heart is saying just as closely as to the practicalities running through your head.