It took me awhile, just ask the recruiters. But i finally picked a branch, and the right one for me too. I knew i was joining the military, i had made that choice a long time ago. I just didnt know what i wanted to do, or what branch. After visiting all 4, it finally came down to 2.
The Marines
The Marines are what i wanted to join because, well they have all the hype. They have the cool commercials, and posters… theyre everywhere. So i went to the Marine recruiter first. Sat down and talked. I was excited, i thought i had made the right choice. Well there was a flaw. I didnt know what i wanted to do, and the recruiter didnt explain the process to me. He just started having me fill things out. Looking back on the experience, the real problem was a lack of communication between me and the recruiter as well as my own ignorance of the military. Basically, i sat down with the recruiter gave him my interests he asked me if i was ready to join the Marines, i said no, not until i finish college (that was the agreement i made with my parents). So he agreed to that, and we started filling out the paperwork to go down to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). Well in my own ignorance, i was under the impression that once you were down at MEPS you were in the Marines (or whatever branch you join). So as you can imagine i was apprehensive about going down there. I told the recruiter i didnt want to join YET! As he did his job, he continued trying to convince me that i did and that i “needed to step up and be a man” and make my own choices.
Eventually i walked away from the Marines office, and i told them i didnt want to join.
The Navy
After i walked away from the Marines, i went down to the Navy office just around the corner. There i was met by people who were, less intense, more personable. Overall I was more comfortable the second i met the Navy recruiters. Now, dont take that the wrong way, the Marine recruiters were great people, i have nothing against them, but think about it like a any other purchase, the better you click with the salesman, the more you will likely you are to buy what they are selling.
The Navy recruiters took things nice and slow, at my pace and explained the whole process along the way, they made it very clear that you could NOT join the Navy, in the recruiting office. They made things very clear. They also made it clear that joining the Navy didnt mean just shipping out to boot camp right after joining.
Once again i told the recruiter i didnt want to join until after i had finished college and gotten my degree. They asked how long that would be, i told them at the end of the current semester (December). So basically he handed me some paperwork to read and review, to help me understand what it was i was doing. In addition, they gave me paperwork for things like FBI background check, police record checks, ASVAB, and some possible jobs to do some research on. So why did i join the Navy? “Because Cheif Kraft told me too” Really the only reason i joined the Navy over any branch was because i liked the recruiters more. They listened to what i had to say, and were there to help me make my decision.
So know you know why i joined the Navy, but why did i join the military? read my blog to find out…