John Glenn is my hero. The Air Force (Army Air Corps at the time) and the Navy turned him down, so he joined the Marines. Mercury Seven astronaut, flew the space shuttle as an old man, ran for president, the guy did it all.

I agree that it is necessary to see how the armed forces fit into your career track before selecting a branch.

However, doesn't the USMC offer optional paratrooper training? Then again, my source for this is Flag of Our Fathers (a nonfiction on the heroes of Iwo Jima). Some of the marines took jumping courses. However, alot changes in 60 years.

I couldn't answer about the paratrouper training. I know EVERY marines is taught to repel down a wall and from a platform (simulating a helicopter) in basic, although that was 25 years ago and a lot changes even in that short time.

Savlian, I believe there were some Marines trained as parachutists in the early stages of the Pacific War, but people realized pretty quickly that dropping paratroopers on very small and heavily fortified islands was not a good idea, so the idea was scrapped. There were a few units trained, but I don't think there were any combat drops by the Marines in the entirety of the war.

The Marines provide jump training for spec ops and other black units, but most paratroopers are in the army. (with the exception of Air Force PJs)

Omarvino,
Lest the message be lost, let me say thank you for what you are willing to do for this country. Regardless of whether I agree with where or how the troops have been used recently, I am indebted to and have the utmost respect for anyone who puts on the uniform, and I thank you for obeying your commander-in-chief regardless of his political party.

I wish you the best of luck in choosing how best to serve this nation and thank you again.

Marines offer jump training to any job that requires it, and you can request it when you re-enlist. Like a lot of people said. it all depends on where you want to go in life. The Marines do offer a lot, you just have to look harder for it.

like being shot at/killed for no good reason?

i'm not sure why people like Trim101 are trying to talk someone out of joining their nations armed forces, with inane comments with no substance. Every nation needs an armed forces, regardless of how much it desires peace, contrary to what ultra-liberals or Sicarius will tell you.

You can disagree with how a leader or country uses its military, but that doesn't make it every less vital to a nation's survival, and it doesn't make it any less noble for a young man or woman to want to enlist.

i was just replying to shadys comment about the marines offering a lot

Trim,
So in effect, you know nothing about the marines except that you might face battle? Thanks for your input.

Trim,
Seeing as how the original poster might know a little more about the marines (as his grandfather and uncle were both marines), perhaps he is a little more enlightened about them without your input.

And seeing as how i was in the Marines I think I would know that the Marines offer more then getting shot at. I know many people who served in other jobs in the Marines other then infantry and make a killing in the civilian world now. So trim unless you have something useful for the original poster I think it best you keep your mouth shut.

"i'm not sure why people like Trim101 are trying to talk someone out of joining their nations armed forces, with inane comments with no substance. Every nation needs an armed forces, regardless of how much it desires peace, contrary to what ultra-liberals or Sicarius will tell you.

You can disagree with how a leader or country uses its military, but that doesn't make it every less vital to a nation's survival, and it doesn't make it any less noble for a young man or woman to want to enlist."

--DingleberryJones

I rarely agree with Jones, but this time I do. I'll second him word for word on that.

"Every nation needs an armed forces, regardless of how much it desires peace"

change nation to community and I agree with that completely. and in this day and age and geo-political situation, I agree with that completely.

I disagree very heavily with how this nations military has/is been/being used, which is why my suggestion would be to not enlist at all.

dont put words in my mouth please


also diplomat, I thought you were leaving? please go the fuck away and get back to jr.high work or jet flying or wahtever it is you do and spare us your completely pointless posts.

Yikes, I had Diplomat and Sicaruius agree with me in consecutive posts. And I think Porky just flew by my window.

Maybe they're all hallucinations, Dingleberry. It's a side-effect of meth....jk ;P

DJ, stop bogartin' the stash man! That must be good shit your tokin' on there.

For what it's with, DJ, you put my sentiments into words. And SG, what was your MOS and final rank? Where di you boot? I graduated Parris Island as a PFC (part of the delayed early-enlistment program). And I graduated from Little Creek as a Lance Corporal (part of my MOS). When my 4 years was up, they offered me Sergeant. I was a Corporal, but was tired of marching around playing soulless marches for witless dignitaries, so I said no thanks. This was the late 80s, so no involuntary recalls or any of the rot they pull on our men and women in uniform today.

How on earth will americans sleep safe at night without muslim civilians on the other side of the world being shot and bombed? Thanks for fighting for our freedom.

Baquack, I'm not sure what your post has to do with this thread. But thanks for thread-jacking.

so hold on anyone who disagrees with you dingle is threadjacking?because thats what it seems like,unless people agree with you they are wrong

No. The thread wasn't whether the US military is justified in bombing location A or B. It was someone asking whether to join the Marines or the paratroopers. You didn't dispute my assertion that a military is necessary by every nation, so I must assume you agree with that.

no far from it in fact, if no country had a miltary then there is no need for one, if we spent all the money countries spend on defence (what a joke word) and spent it on food education healthcare the world would be a better place, i see no need for any country to have a standing army

o and you have said which he should choose either so are all your comments in this thread just as pointless then?

A country with a nuclear weapons stockpile as large as the united states hardly needs a standing army to prevent itself from being invaded, the threat of ICBMs is large enough. The army is simply there to enforce american interests abroad against the will of the populace in these foreign countries.

OP, if you're desperate for a job, which I expect you might be considering the current state of the economy over there, and haven't just been brainwashed, why not join the peace corp or the reserves? You get the same sort of experience, but actually use it to help people rather than kill them for the interests of the military-industrial complex. You'll probably get treated better in a mercenary company like blackwater (now renamed xe for PR purposes) than in the actual armed forces.

My cousin is mercenary in Afghanistan. Also, ICBMs are merely there to deter an invasion. Also, I'll make the case for the US invasion of Afghanistan. (I can't argue about Iraq, except that we can't set a timetable)

9/11 was the worst day in the nation's history, with the exception of Pearl Harbor. What were we supposed to do? Let the terrorists camp out in their Taliban havens? And train MORE terrorists? It isn't a question of Afghanistan's civilian populace, it's a question of protecting American lives. When American lives are on the line, or a large number of Americans were killed, I don't see how an invasion WOULDN'T be necessary.

Maybe I can make the case for Iraq.

Were we supposed to just stand by and let some crackpot dictator try to kill off an entire ethnic group? (Kurds) No! There was a second Holocaust going on in northern Iraq, except Saddam didn't bother with death camps. He sent in the army and spayed mustard gas everywhere. Human life is so valuable, that people die for it every day, so others may live. I am extremely proud of omarvino, because he's willing to put his ass on the line for you guys. I put my ass on the line for you guys when I was in the service. Now, if you want to argue about Iraq and Afghanistan like a bunch of Democrats, go ahead. But the decision was already made. American blood has been spilled. It's too late now. I personally want to make sure that those 4000+ men and women who died for America didn't die for nothing.

Goodness me, the american government has an excellent propaganda machine.