How many have been or are in Military

[tarheelsman71]

Joined the Marines in 1991. Went in as a Telecommunications Center Operator (message traffic), and while all my buddies from MOS school got sent to a nice cushy base job, I got shipped out to Light Armored Reconnaissance BN. I reported into the Comm Platoon and when I told them my MOS my Captain said...we aint got any of the S here....your doing computers. This is just about the time that windows 3.1 was showing up around the world. A few things that the Marines helped me with that I wouldn't have gotten as a civilian:
1. Discipline - I was a typical kid. Pretty good at sports, but inherently lazy. Without the Corps, I dont think I could face mornings.
2. Being part of Team - All too often nowadays people are only concerned about what will affect themselves. An action in SHTF-land could result in devastating results for your group, just like when I was in the Corps. If one screws up....you screw up as team.
3. PT - After high school, I went to college and stopped all forms of PT that did not include chasing women and lifting 12oz. cans to my mouth. I am 40 now and can still run 8 minute miles.
4. Logistics - "Being squared away" has filtered into every aspect of my life. Fiscally, I am not where I would want to be, but worlds better than my peers. Preps, again not where I would want to be, but light years ahead of the sheep. Organization, I made sure to have a full basement so that I can keep a lot of "stuff"
5. Security - I had never fired a gun before the Marines. I learned a lot while in, but I have learned a lot more since getting out. But I had a baseline to draw on with a very healthy dose of safety.

All those things combined would make me a bada$$ prepper, but I have my complacency moments, and having 3 kids playing sports, and very active at my church, my nights are either for getting a good nights rest or prepping. Having a decent amount of disposable income is important to prepping as well, so that factors in.

[610Alpha]

Army Reserves, 92-00, MOS - 63W (All Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic), 2 AT's at Camp Darby, Italy; 1 AT Ktown, Germany; and handful of AT's in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Basic Training at Little Korea or Lost in the woods (whichever you want to call it); AIT Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD.

Weapons training, how to shoot (breathing and trigger pull), PT (make it hurt drill sergeant), team work, patrols, camouflage, first aid, NBC etc..

Miss it and the camaraderie. If only knew then what I know now, would have picked a different MOS maybe even diff branch.

[Triple-sod]

I’ve never been in the military, I was in the army cadets between 12 and 16 though, and that was brilliant. Indeed I’m actually quite surprised it’s allowed to exist as it does, over here in the land of political correctness. We learned skill at arms, fieldcraft, map and compass, first aid, allsorts, I even got to do a radio user course.

As I’m sure you all know as well, the UK has some of the strictest ‘gun control’ laws in the world. So getting to shoot guns was a real motivation for a lot of us originally joining. I always felt a little cheated though because a few years after I left, they finally came to their senses and replaced the single shot straight pull L98A1 with the semi auto A2.

[ibetiny]

I was in the Marine Corps for 5 years. It taught me most of all self discipline. I was a loser in high school and it took the Marines to get my head out of my neither regions and shape up. I know I have done things that most would fail to even try, thus I have more confidence and self esteem. Doesn't sound like much but it really has shaped the way I am today.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I’ve never been in the military, I was in the army cadets between 12 and 16 though, and that was brilliant. Indeed I’m actually quite surprised it’s allowed to exist as it does, over here in the land of political correctness. We learned skill at arms, fieldcraft, map and compass, first aid, allsorts, I even got to do a radio user course. As I’m sure you all know as well, the UK has some of the strictest ‘gun control’ laws in the world. So getting to shoot guns was a real motivation for a lot of us originally joining. I always felt a little cheated though because a few years after I left, they finally came to their senses and replaced the single shot straight pull L98A1 with the semi auto A2.

Some of our schools have JR ROTC programs that are similar. I took it one year when we moved into a district with it. We practiced on 03 bolt guns and shot an NRA course with the 22 trainers. Did land nav, DNC etc. I think the shooting stuff has gone away between the zero tolerence laws, liberal attitudes and haters of public schools in general. Even way back then in the stone ages when I was in it received alot of flak from aging hippies that had become "the man" themselves and people that were sure we were gonna be random crowd killers when we grew up. That is total silliness as the taught discipline, safety and fire direction control makes you anything but "random':)

[Triple-sod]

Some of our schools have JR ROTC programs that are similar. I took it one year when we moved into a district with it. We practiced on 03 bolt guns and shot an NRA course with the 22 trainers. Did land nav, DNC etc. I think the shooting stuff has gone away between the zero tolerence laws, liberal attitudes and haters of public schools in general. Even way back then in the stone ages when I was in it received alot of flak from aging hippies that had become "the man" themselves and people that were sure we were gonna be random crowd killers when we grew up. That is total silliness as the taught discipline, safety and fire direction control makes you anything but "random':)

Ah that

[All Talk]

Junior Officer, Regular Navy, early 90s
Aegis Cruiser, Gulf War (Red Sea)

Biggest benefit for prepping?

The aboslute conviction and experience that a discilpined and committed group can accomplish far more with far less in a far shorter time than most civilians can even imagine.

[Knobster]

6 years in the Air National Guard as a weapons loader. A true 'weekend warrior' the entire time. I decided to end my enlistment as the base I was working at suffered from BRAC. I didn't want to travel 3+ hours for my weekend drills at the next closest base.

Prepping wise I learned quite a bit from the military - how to hump for a week with just a rucksack, the importance of taking care of your feet, depending on your buddy, basic first aid, the ins and outs of chemical warfare (gotta love MOPP 4!) and the list goes on.

[Bill Spies]

I did seven months in the Army. I went to Ft. Benning in the fall of '91 and was stationed with an infantry unit with the 10th Mountain in Ft. Drum until May of '92. I was medicaly discharged for an injury during basic, I just could not hang with the road marches. So, if you might remember, the military was downsizing after the first Gulf War. It was easy to get out (actually, alot of people were discharged for numerous reasons) so I took that offer, came home, and married the woman who is now my wife and mother of two boys. But I wish now that I had stayed in and healed up because I think that going to Somalia would have been a good experience and would have given me alot of stories to tell now.

[ComputerGuy]

23 Years in the Air Force. Retired as a MSgt (E-7). Spend most of my career (cook) deployed to the middle east and Africa

[Klingon]

Never was in, no doubt that military training delivers a huge batch of knowledge. It sounds like a common theme here is the overall experience of teamwork, cameraderie, discipline, duty, sacrifice etc. One of the things I wonder about is, since the military experience is structured and supported to the degree delivered by Uncle Sam, how does that transfer to the civilian world that doesn't provide the same type of support? Is this why so many LEO's are veterans? Is there a school of thought devoted to this problem? Is it a problem? Hats off to you all!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The military while it does have it's support system for sure and is very good at keeping the supply lines going also has it's share of failures which also make us learn to operate idependantly and be resourceful. There are also alot of missions in which there is very limited support and you "live as the romans do when in rome", we are also very capable of building or joining our own support structure. [/B]
Is this why so many LEO's are veterans? The chain of commands are similiar, the comeradatry is the same, the missions are not always that different, the equipment is similar, the problems are similar, soldiers are not indesicive and capable of making quick descisions without additional training, we know first aid and commo and firearms and have driving skills, we have seen man at his worst already so it's not a shock, we are trainable etc etc
Is there a school of thought devoted to this problem? what is the problem again? "adapt and overcome hooah
Is it a problem?We don't have problems, we have rounds LOL but seriously the thinking becomes different

hopefully this clears some of it up for you

[nickmimi]

12 years active Army. Considering go back into the Army reserves.

[miked2345]

USAF 1977-1981 Aircraft mechanic.... You'd be surprised what can be done with chicken wire and duct tape.

[MustangGal]

DH and I both considered military service (several years apart - he is six years old than me), though we didn't join (for different reasons), ultimately we both ended up as LEOs. I think the mind set of service must be similar. I am sure if we had not been able to have DS, I would still be in law enforcement - DH is.