List Only - Why do people try to persuade me not to join the U.S. Army?

Why do people try to persuade me not to join the U.S. Army?

One or two of my friends have an argument with me sometimes over whether or not I should join the military (I plan on joining the U.S. Army, I'm in 10th grade).For instance, I only take some, not all, advanced classes in school because I don't want to fall behind in some of the advanced class and begin to make bad grades. At the same time, some of my regular classes are sometimes easy to me, but that helps my grades stay up. My friends tell me that since I don't take all advanced classes like them, then I won't be able to join the military. Heads, up though, I don't play sports, but I have lifted weights from 6th to 9th grade, I didn't receive that class this year, and in 9th grade I was in a football player weight training class, making it harder than others, and I pushed and was pushed to my limits often but I made it all year. They also try to tell me that even if I join the infantry, if I'm deployed somewhere and nothing is happening, I will be doing pencil work and work that requires book smart skills, which I don't believe at all. When I bring up the fact that although the pay is small, the military pays for all the essentials such as clothing,food,housing,taxes,bills and other things, they tell me I'm lazy and I don't want to pay for those things myself. That's not true either, and not only that, no one really wants to spend their hard earned money on some of these things anyway. They also tell me that if I was serious about joining the military, I would be in ROTC, but I'm concentrating on the academic credits and other credits I need for school so I can graduate.The point is, they try to tell me the military is a bad option and after this, they come back and say, "We're just trying to help with our opinions." I am physically fit, and I do push ups and sit ups and other forms of all body workouts every other night, (i.e. Monday, then Tuesday, then Thursday, etc.) and I plan on doing so until I join, where basic will take it from there. I've wanted to join the military since I was about five years old, I'm heart set on it, and I don't believe that the things the say will stop me, but I want other peoples opinion on this.

Public Comments

because it's not worth it. you will just be a pawn for neoconservative foreign policy.
Young man, when you use the word "they" I assume you are talking about your fellow friends who are around the age of 15. Don't listen to them. In fact, don't listen to any 15 year old (no offense to you). Make your decision after facing the facts by adults who are serving or have served. IF you want to go into the Army, I wish you the best. At a young age you will be faced with great responsibility but will earn great benefits in the end. If they keep giving you a hard time, tell them this.............when you are 22 and done with your first honorable enlistment you will have a full ride with housing allowance and book stipend for college.... they will be scrambling to find crappy work to pay off their student loans. Your friends are just regugritating false information. Like I said, never take advice from a 15 year old.
Your friends have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.
Take their advice with a grain of salt. Listen to people you trust, but make your own decision. Ultimately, I think people are most worried about loss of life and life-long injury and trauma. But that's why our soldiers are heroes. Don't get into arguments about it - people who want to argue aren't going to be helpful to you. Talk to people who have given you good advice in the past,, and move forward from there. Yes, you're young, but all you can do is use the information you have today, with the judgment you have today. But I'd encourage you to be patient about signing up If you want to do it in two or three years, it'll still be there for you. Best of luck in whatever you choose.
Here's some advice from a college student, do whatever is in your heart, fulfill your dreams, think of it this way, wherever it is you want to achieve you will have to work long and hard to get there and you might have to dissapoint some people but hell once you get to the finish line it will be well worth, and your "friends" should support your decision instead of criticizing, but also dont isolate your friends listen to what they have to say just dont take it personal if anything treat your friends and others people bologne like air and what does air to your hair? not a darn thing just goes right through you.
That is exactly why I don't tell any of my friends my plans to join the army. I'm also in 10th grade, and I haven't told anyone my plans because I don't want to deal with the bullshit that you are dealing with right now.
Your friends don't know the first thing about the military. As long as you graduate high school, you will be fine for enlisting, but the more advanced classes you take the better, since you will probably want some higher education sooner or later. If you're deployed as infantry, you'll be plenty busy. Your friends sound like they don't know what a deployment is. Free housing is a plus I don't care who you ask. ;) Look into college ROTC since that could get you a scholarship = free education.
Do you know how many of my high school friends I kept in contact with after high school? ONE I found a few others on Facebook...but I'm over 40 and even so I am still not all that worried what they think. I hadn't heard from most of them in over 20 years. Once you graduate High School you will be lucky to keep one or two friends...and everyone will go his or her own way. Opinions are like butt holes, as in everyone has one. You need to decide for your self what you want to do. As long as you are making choices that doesn't hurt anyone or break any laws then your friends opinion really doesn't matter. It is good to listen to friends, and give each other advice and support, but in the end you have to live your own life. They may be afraid that if you go away they will lose you as a friend...but instead of saying I don't want to lose you, they tell you other stuff. Other friends may be jealous...but what ever you have to make you own mind up. That is an adult decision and one that you will make alone. Nobody will go through it with you.
Take every negative thing your 'friends' say and use it as motivation. You've had your heart set on the military since you were 5! That's really amazing, to know exactly what you want to do at such a young age. I graduated High School in 2009 still undecided about what I wanted to do. The military was always at the back of my mind though, and honestly, I feel like the Air Force is exactly what I should be doing with my life. Your friends really don't know what they are talking about. As long as you have a high school diploma (which I think all branches are only accepting that now, no more GEDs for a while) you can enlist. So it's good that you are taking advanced classes and worrying about keeping your grades up. You don't have to be in ROTC to join the military, though if you have 3-4 years of ROTC you will be at a higher rank after basic training. The fact that you already know what you want to do is really benefiting you because you know now that you should get in shape. You always want to be in shape before leaving to basic. You will always be busy no matter what job you choose. You're pay won't be small sweetie, you're getting paid good and if you are shipped over seas, you actually get paid more I believe. You also have so many benefits as well. If you really think about it, how the economy is going, jobs are not so much hiring just based on education. It's on experience too. If you choose to do infranty that's fine, but I'd suggest doing a job that transfers into the civilian world when you get out. Which means, a job you do in service, you can also find in the civilian life and get paid a lot too. You can always do college while you are in also (and no you don't have to be in reserves to do college, you can be in active duty), so that's even better. Job experience as well as a degree? You really can't beat that. If you really want to join the Army then don't let anyone stop you. It's your life, not theirs :)
People often equate the Army with war and death. So they figure that you are going to die. Follow your dreams. Do what is best for you. Don't let your friends influence you so much that you don't enlist.
Tell your "friends" to shut the **** up. You definitely don't need advanced classes to join the military. There are alot of smart people in the military, and quite a few dumb people as well. Just like in the civilian world. And the ASVAB is the only test to worry about if you want to enlist out of high school. You should always push yourself to do the best you can, though. Your "friends" are awkward, misinformed, immature children who are jealous because you have a goal in life and they don't. They are still trying to "find" themselves. I can't blame them. It's high school. So don't listen to them. Now, as for you getting deployed and doing pencil work, that is unlikely as an Infantry enlisted soldier. By the way, it sounds like you want to go enlisted. Officers get higher pay and better living conditions, but do more administrative work and are less involved directly in combat as they advance in rank. So if you want to be able to do Infantry stuff you're whole career, enlisted is the smart choice. That comment about you being too lazy to pay for those things just made me laugh. They're retarded. Now, JROTC can get you elevated rank after basic training, E-3 I think. But I think it would have to be 3 years of JROTC, and it's too late for you. No biggie. JROTC is everything most sane people DON'T like about the military, like drill and inspections and false motivation. But for some kids, it gives them a sense of purpose and builds their self-esteem. Go figure. Working out is definitely a good choice. Make it your goal to max the APFT. Maxing it will give you a serious boost when you get to basic training and your first unit. And being physically fit might just save your life or you're buddies life in combat one day. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/l/blfitmale17to21.htm 71 push ups(in 2 min), 78 sit ups(in 2 min), and 13:00min 2 mile run time. Hope this helps. Do what you want to do, and don't let anyone sway you from your honorable decision. The only valid arguments your friends could have made is that you could die or be injured. And that's just a cold fact of military service, but I think you understand that.