ES

I haven’t made many posts in awhile, but today I founds myself in a situation where I could used some outside perspective..

so my best friend (22) is currently in a bad position and just found out he is about to get laid off from his job and probably having his car repossessed at the end of the week due to back payments.No car means he cant drive himself to a new job. Frustrated with his situation hes turning to the military as i think he sees it as his only way of the mess he put himself in.

i have always been against the military for the most part and just dont want him to get locked into something because of a decision he made too quick. he is also one my only real friends and the only one who i can talk to about alot of things since my father passed and my mother struggles with emotional/psychological problems and substance abuse.

I do feel a certain amount of selfishness for wanting him not to go into a secure job that would take him away from me, but I also feel that there has to be a better alternative that wouldn’t take him away from his girlfriend and family for months at least and possibly change him as a person.

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"if you're looking at the art it's probably a good thing to be on drugs and if you're making the art hopefully your parents were the one on drugs."

Mikey

Not being able to drive yourself to work can't be an excuse to not get a job.
Why not take the bus? walk? hitchhike? get a ride with friends? Figure out Carpool?
I'm sure even without a vehicle he could get to this job.

Going to the army can be a good thing or a bad thing, you are locking yourself in and pretty much selling your soul, but they give you a pretty damn good deal on your soul these days, after a few years they all make at least 40k, everything medical school covered, but then again you are the goverment's bitch and must obey it's every command.

It's a heavy thing, and sometimes instead of doing something as drastic as joining the military maybe just a change of scenery is what your friend needs, if there's no work in your town find some in the town next over relocate follow and pursue whatever makes you happy and find it you know man.

Best of luck to you and your friend,
and the decision he makes

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RIP Gov

Canuck Wisdom

I don't know what to tell you, but I presenting it like that you don't sound selfish at all. Why not just say those things to him? Or even type it up?

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-Knowitall A&P type-

ES

i already expressed all that over the phone when he told me. i said i would drive him to work if he could find another job until he could get a car, even though he lives 40 minutes away. and i have been calling around for him. hes very hard headed.

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"if you're looking at the art it's probably a good thing to be on drugs and if you're making the art hopefully your parents were the one on drugs."

Mikey

tell him it's like a tattoo, it's not exactly going away, it's a for sure for sure thing and ask him if he's ready for that kind of commitment

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RIP Gov

José

there's nothing wrong with going into the military if that's what he wants to do.


do what a good friend should do and just support his decision.

farmergiles

ES- A good friend of mine signed up in a similar situation.
Although I was dead against it at the time it turned out to be a good move- they didn't stay in the military but it lead to better things in the long run.

Edit- no fuckin way I'd sign up though

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Cultivate a stoic calmness

msicidron

do what you can to convince him otherwise but support his final decision no matter what

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RandomWhiteGuy

If hes going to join because hes in a hard spot tell him to seriously rethink it, 4 years of your life isnt worth it if its not something you really want to do. i have nothing aginst the military or the people in it, but it is a life changing decision, make sure its for the right reasons.

If hes dead set on joining try and get him into the navy or air force, something job related in the civilian field, never take anything a recruiter says at face value, they dont outright lie but its there job to get you to join. take advantage of every the service has, school, training, the whole thing.

ES

he seems pretty set on it at this point. I have came up with afew other job idea but he dosnt seen to think they'll work out. He knows not to believe all the recruiters shit. Just hopefully he goes with the coast guard or changes his mind when he goes for mets and gets around the military mentality.

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"if you're looking at the art it's probably a good thing to be on drugs and if you're making the art hopefully your parents were the one on drugs."

SageTree

How about the Coast/National Guard? That is a branch that can't send him to the desert unless its Arizona or So Cal.

That is kind of a middle way and might interest him?

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José

yeah sage I had a friend who told me he was thinking about joining the air force, I told him to go into the coast guard. I think he might too.

SageTree

For that matter spanky, I think there is an air national guard.....

edit: From what I understand the Air Force is one of the safer branches as far as seeing combat goes and there physical requirements are lower from what I understand.

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José

Yeah I have a family history in the Air Force. The most recent is my cousin who went to the air force academy in colorado springs. He's not flying an AC-130 in the special ops. He's a smart fellow though, there's something like less than 20 AC-130's left.

What your friend would be doing wouldn't be fun, but it would pay off in the long run. Maybe it would be good for him to get where he wants to be.

I say just support his decision what ever, you can try to change his mind but don't count on it.