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I am 17 years old and interested to join the British Army?

i have always been thinking about joining the army since the past about 2 years now, i am currently living with my aunt and i only have a mum who is living abroad because of personal reasons. i am tired and bored of my life of living at my aunts house from past 1 year now because everybody here are just so annoying, i also cant find a job, i am currently studying a BTEC in business and finance. I love sports and i really want to have dicipled life and i also want to keep on studying while i earn and help poor people overseas. the only thing that is stopping me is my boyfriend, when ever i talk to him about joining the army he just says that he hates the army, whereas he himself have studied in an army boarding school in Pakistan so why is he stopping me? I dont want to listen to him. Can someone with experience tell me if it will be a good idea to join the army? Is it right that the minimum service you can do is 3 years?

Public Comments

1. But arent you a girl..
2. Well if you want to end your life earlier, go for it.
3. don't join the army want to much out of you
4. Be prepared. Saying it is a lot easier than it being done. The army requires a lot of rigourous excersices. If you are upto it join. Make sure you have aenough physical strenght.
5. theres no point the our army has a crap defence anyway you should join if you want your head blown off
6. Well you explained why he's stopping you. He went to school in Pakistan, a country whose people are mostly Muslim and tend to view the British military as an imperial occupier in Iraq. Furthermore, the British army/government supports Israel and is helping fight the war in Afghanistan, a country ON PAKISTAN'S BORDER! I'm going to take a guess and say that he's Muslim. If he is, his opposition to the British army would make a LOT of sense. Don't listen to him, it sounds like he's trying to keep you out of the army for ideological reasons.
7. yes 3 years is minimum service once you have completed your basic training. it is a great way to work, help out people overseas and travel, and study whilst you work. the army can sponsor you through uni and stuff as well. i think you should go for it. although i must say that the raf or navy treat you better but its up to you. good luck and ignore your stupid ignorant boyfriend because without the british army we wouldnt be here. love
8. you can pull out anytime during your basic training which is hard so you must be fit. by the sound of your boyfriend it's either him or the army, only you can choose. you want a disciplined life so the army is perfect for you and you can educate yourself through all sorts of courses while your in. go for it.
9. Join the army it will be one of the best things youve done and dont listen to ur bf he just doesnt want you to go because he doesnt want to be away from u
10. Just go live out your dream! You shouldn't have to ask us what we think! If you really want to go to the army THEN DO IT! My brothers going to the Marines. And a if a silly boy like him can get into the Marines... You can get into the army. One person can make a difference.
11. ...Almost everyone in my dad's side of the family has been in the army. The army is great! when my dad joined the army (long time ago) he was scared. He didn't want to go out of fear of death and losing his girlfriend. She didn't want him to go either. But he knew it would be good for him and he'd have a cause. He said it was the best thing he ever did with his life. And my father is the only person in my family who hasn't beaten me to a pulp. The army is a good place to go. I say you do it. You don't even have to go for very long. You can sign up for a 4 years and extend it to 25 if you like it! I really hope you go. It will make you stronger physically and mentally. I understand why your boyfriend doesn't want you to go but it's not like you can't keep in contact...it's not like the old days when you joined the army you didn't see any one for years. You can see him and talk to him. Talk to a recruiting officer. Good Luck E-mail me and tell me how it goes please?
12. There are some wonderful opportunities in the army if you like that way of life which is quite different to civilian life. It sounds as though it would suit you but think about it long and hard before deciding to join and make sure you are joining for the right reasons; many people don't. Make sure you are joining because you really want to and not because you want to get away from something else. If you are still keen on the idea go along to an army recruiting office and get more information before making a decision. Best of luck with your future.
13. There are pro's and con's re the army and I'll just run through the con's as no ones mentioned them and youre aware of the pro's. - Read your history about how servicemen have been treated in the past - duped into being guinea pigs for lethal experiments for example with years and years of the army ducking responsibility to avoid paying compensation, so many years in fact that the majority of claimants had died and the army had to pay out less. Google Porten Down experiments and gulf war syndrome. Even today, should the worst happen and you are injured, compensation is pretty poor. Necessary things like equipment, training are underfunded and can put you at unfair and unnecessary risk. Accomadation In uk can be pretty appalling While you might be fighting for a cause, bear in mind you could be paying with your precious young life for some polititians vanity. Some people find it difficult to adapt to civvy street when they come out of the army. Re your boyfriend - perhaps you could get him to open up more about the specific reasons he doesn't want you to join. What is it about the army that he hates? What were his experiences like and what did he learn.