Unsolicited Career Advice No. 7: Should I enter the service?

Now that's a risky one.

Unlike other careers, the service basically exists for one reason. And that is to kill people and break things.

Now, I'm not a pacifist by any means.

 Me, in 1987.

But I'm not unrealistic either.  I know why we have an Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

To fight.

And when we fight, some of us get horribly injured and killed.  A person has to be realistic about that.

Now, I also know that there are a lot of servicemen today who are very unlikely to ever see hostilities of any kind, due to their role in the military.

But I also know that we're in a long, protracted, guerrilla war with a dedicated opponent who has a demonstrated capacity to hit us about anywhere.  So, everyone is exposed, and servicemen more than most.

I also know that the service can offer training in areas that have civilian application.

But not all military careers do.

U.S. Army Rangers in training in World War Two, with British sailors.  This photograph is unusual as it shows U.S. troops in Europe with the old World War One style helmets, meaning this photograph was likely taken in 1942.

And, also, when you sign up, you are committed for a period of years.  That's fine if you like what you are doing (and I generally liked what I was doing in the  Guard for most of the time I was in), but if you don't, that's a bad deal.

And some aspects of service life are boring.

A person who lacks maturity and discipline can obtain it in the service.

But as Kipling informs us about Tommy Atkins, soldierly associations do not necessarily encourage virtue either.

So, think carefully.