[crayon851]

Army life is boring, we live in a small town where along the main stretch of roads are all car dealerships looking to rip us off. Other than that its nothing but trees and the same people over and over. I'm thinking of taking up a hobby like paintball, however that'd be a bit costly. Overall life is boring, meeting new people outside of work is hard since its a military town and you're no different than the guy next to you. Anyone have suggestions as to sources where I can meet people?

I live 1.5 hours outside ottawa and am just dying to meet some new people.

[duykato]

Haha I totally understand your pain man. I just ETS'ed as an E-6 after being stop-lossed for a year and a half. Signed for 4, ended up serving 5.5 years. I was stuck out in Fort Riley, Kansas. I'm guessing you're at Fort Drum?

It really does suck.. and I definitely feel you about the car dealerships, they're blood thirsty leeches. Charging you silly high interest rates. Don't forget about the dozen or so strip clubs near the military installation.

My advice is try and go away for the weekend, or when you get a 4 day pass get far.. far away. Go on a road trip or something.

[jN x3 sK]

I'd glad that I didnt take this route, I thought about it right after I finished high school, but my parents strongly disagreed.

[iove]

I'd love to read more about your army life. I have an older brother who is also in the Army. He signed up for the Army after college. He just recently transferred to San Angelo, TX. Before that he was in Montery, CA. My brother and I have trouble communicating to one other. One reason I believe is that when we were teenagers, who both went though a tough stage. But we didn't not reach out to one another, just stuck by ourselves with our own problems. I believe we do have alot to talk about, and when we really do talk I believe we could talk on the same wavelengths. If you could tell me more about how it feels being in the Army and more importantly how I could help him. I accept him in any and all that he is but it's not easy or enjoyable for him right now, what does he need and what could I do?

[Canti]

Yeah I heard its boring my older brother is station at anchorage alaska.... all he does all day is play games with me online or go fishing lol..

[crayon851]

Well I'm in the Canadian army so there's a bit more freedom here compared to the US. I don't regret my decision for joining the army, it's actually a great life to live, far better than that of any university student. Had I not joined the army, I'd be in university majoring in paper pushing and minoring in shredding.

I'm assuming ETS and E-6 are different levels of rank? How's the pay on your side? Canadian privates make around 35k gross a year but it goes up on a yearly basis. Currently I'm making around 36k /year with everything except for food and shelter paid for. Are you still in the army? I only began my career a year ago. Maybe I'll get to work with you some day, I'm slated to go over to afgan in 2010 but we usually get 6-8 months of pre deployment training. We also get a total of 6 months training before we are able to go over.

Army life is great, it teaches you a lot of things you'd never learn on your own as a civilian. You learn to have a greater appreciation for the little things and also have a greater sense of accomplishment and confidence. Theres nothing you can do to help, since army life isn't as bad as people make it seem to be. Well that's here in canada anyway. In the US it could be different. Army experience is different from person to person. What's he not enjoying? Is he going overseas soon?

[marcelohjj]

I'd glad that I didnt take this route, I thought about it right after I finished high school, but my parents strongly disagreed.

why r u glad? u never know how it really is until u are in
u might love it or hate it...depends on you

I'd love to read more about your army life. I have an older brother who is also in the Army. He signed up for the Army after college. He just recently transferred to San Angelo, TX. Before that he was in Montery, CA. My brother and I have trouble communicating to one other. One reason I believe is that when we were teenagers, who both went though a tough stage. But we didn't not reach out to one another, just stuck by ourselves with our own problems. I believe we do have alot to talk about, and when we really do talk I believe we could talk on the same wavelengths. If you could tell me more about how it feels being in the Army and more importantly how I could help him. I accept him in any and all that he is but it's not easy or enjoyable for him right now, what does he need and what could I do?

send him cookies, chocolate and dvd movies lol
dont tell him ur going to send anything...just send it

[wildcard.]

I just joined the army. well, the army reserve. I'll be going into BCT in July 2009 and then to TX. my MOS is 68D. I wonder what kinda life i have ahead of me with the army. My goal is to eventually become a surgeon with the army because I am positive that that is where I can make the most change in my field. I don't mind being deployed as long as it's after I'm a surgeon. After AIT, I'll be doing SMP then to AMEDD.. all plans and goal.. hopefully, they will become a reality and I won't be screwed over by the military like people have told me can happen.

[jurassic5]

I was stuck out in Fort Riley, Kansas.

ouch...i'm sorry you were stationed there. nothing like the big old cities of junction city, manhattan, and ogden. haha. i lived in manhattan for a year and hated it.

my wife is in the Army. She just did completed her officer's basic training this summer down in Texas. Once she's done with med school...we are off to who knows where for her residency....

[ALYSSA]

I feel you for guys, really .. I am a Army Wife myself. My husband is a Combat Engineer station in Fort. Lewis, WA. He signed up for 3.5 years but got stoploss for another 15 months tour in Iraq. At the moment, he is currently deployed on his 2nd tour and hes been gone for almost 6 months now. I will not be able to see him until March making it a whole year since I last seen him. Military life is hard, espicially if you have a child involved. But you just gotta live life & hope for the best. Good luck to ya'll!

[SouthernBelle82]

I just joined the army. well, the army reserve. I'll be going into BCT in July 2009 and then to TX. my MOS is 68D. I wonder what kinda life i have ahead of me with the army. My goal is to eventually become a surgeon with the army because I am positive that that is where I can make the most change in my field. I don't mind being deployed as long as it's after I'm a surgeon. After AIT, I'll be doing SMP then to AMEDD.. all plans and goal.. hopefully, they will become a reality and I won't be screwed over by the military like people have told me can happen.

Good luck with that. Just learn the rules of everything so you can know the signs of getting screwed over. I have/had two great aunts who were nurses in the navy during WWII and I think they liked it. To the original op I think going away on a trip is a good idea too if you're able to do so. Sometimes going away for a while makes you appreciate what you have at home. I understand how you feel with doing the same things over and over again. It can get old. That's why I'm working harder to get out of college sooner so I can start my job in my field.

[duykato]

I feel you for guys, really .. I am a Army Wife myself. My husband is a Combat Engineer station in Fort. Lewis, WA. He signed up for 3.5 years but got stoploss for another 15 months tour in Iraq. At the moment, he is currently deployed on his 2nd tour and hes been gone for almost 6 months now. I will not be able to see him until March making it a whole year since I last seen him. Military life is hard, espicially if you have a child involved. But you just gotta live life & hope for the best. Good luck to ya'll!

Oh wow.. that sucks.. Yeah, I didn't think someone could get screwed over so much.. I was deployed for 3 and a half years out of my 5 and half years of being in... I was back in the states for only 22 months out of 5.5 years.. Then you have to think about a month of field problems, a month of NTC training, jump school, air assault school, sapper training.. all the little schools that they have... It sucks.. I wish I got married though... married people live much better lives compared to the single soldier social slump nobody ever talks about. Spending your money on booze and useless crap like huge TV's.. when they could be investing in houses and what not.

[dojo]

I'd love to read more about your army life. I have an older brother who is also in the Army. He signed up for the Army after college. He just recently transferred to San Angelo, TX. Before that he was in Montery, CA. My brother and I have trouble communicating to one other. One reason I believe is that when we were teenagers, who both went though a tough stage. But we didn't not reach out to one another, just stuck by ourselves with our own problems. I believe we do have alot to talk about, and when we really do talk I believe we could talk on the same wavelengths. If you could tell me more about how it feels being in the Army and more importantly how I could help him. I accept him in any and all that he is but it's not easy or enjoyable for him right now, what does he need and what could I do?

I did some time as an infantry guy and ets'd as an e-5. I think making the effort to communicate regularly with your brother would probably help. If you guys havent talked much for a long time it will probably be a while before you have a regular rapport but if you're persistent and prepared to deal with possibly not much reciprocation on his part for a while than I believe you can get there. Him sharing stuff with you might not happen for a while but if you take the time and make it a regular thing to talk with him at length i think he'll do the same.

I'm not awfully close to my family. I really dont talk to them much at all. I can go a whole day without seeing a member of my family even though we live in the same house but theres more going on there than I let on. we havent ever really talked to each other much about important things so it would feel weird to do so now but absence makes the heart grow fonder. I dont really get homesick or ever miss my family, but being away in the army, I would think about them fondly, especially those times when i was pullling guard duty late at night.

I think you get out of the army what you put into it. It usually isnt what people expect it to be and a lot of people end up feeling sorry for themselves and end up not doing much. But if you buy into it and take ownership of it then it can be a great experience and a great chance for growth. A lot of the things you do in the army sucks while you're doing it but makes for good memories afterwards. If your brother is an enlisted guy in the barracks than I'm going to guess a lot of his time is spent drinking and playing video games. I'm not a big video game player or drinker but I did a lot of that when I was in. Most people dont miss the job so much as they miss the people.

Army life is boring, we live in a small town where along the main stretch of roads are all car dealerships looking to rip us off. Other than that its nothing but trees and the same people over and over. I'm thinking of taking up a hobby like paintball, however that'd be a bit costly. Overall life is boring, meeting new people outside of work is hard since its a military town and you're no different than the guy next to you. Anyone have suggestions as to sources where I can meet people?

I live 1.5 hours outside ottawa and am just dying to meet some new people.

if you're tired of hanging out with other army people, I think a hobby is the best way to go. If your interested in an activity that has a large following in the area then thats probably a great way to meet people

[duykato]

Most people dont miss the job so much as they miss the people.

Oh how I feel you on that. Some of the best memories, but I really really really cringe at the thought of going back in.