Thinking about the marines

[I[am]LEGION]

As for the AF having strict phsyical requirements, I'm not saying you're lying, but unless you've been in multiple branches I doubt anyone here can authoritatively state that one is easier than the other. As an ex-Army person I remember serving with an AF division and their daily PT regimen seemed a lot less stringent than ours. Though it could just be a GIGOTOS thing...

This is true, and I haven't -personally- been in more than one branch, but my dad's a twenty year Army vet, and upon seeing the requirements out of Basic, his eyes widened and told me that was quite a bit tougher than it is for the Army.

The recruiters for each service I talked to said about the same thing.

I processed with about two hundred people - only seven of us were Air Force.

 

[Kaziel]

Wait, are we talking about standard requirements for entrance into the AF version of boot camp, or the standards you need to keep once you're in?

If it's the former then I can totally buy off on that. The entrance requirements to get _to_ boot camp for the Army were something like... 10 pushups, and 15 situps, take as long as you need (no stopping though). But once you get done with basic, for my age group, I needed to do something like run two miles in sixteen minutes, do 40~ situps and 35~ pushups. Again, if it's the former, then I would imagine it's because they want people who start off in better shape, thus less likely to fall back into their old ways once they are out of basic training.

If it's the latter... well... I dunno? *shrugs*

 

[Veras]

No worries about that.

My grades weren't great. All they ask is that you have a diploma. College credits will "buy" you an early rank increase. [20 gets you an automatic E-2, I know.]


But you've gotta do well on the test to get the jobs you want. There ARE jobs you can get with a mere 36 score, but they're nothing I'd think you'd wanna do.
The ASVAB test is everything.

I have no idea what 90% of what you just said means... Clarify please? I'm at about a 2.7, also. Average, but nothing great or bad. Community college is not out of the question, and then moving on from there, but the idea of joining the military has really always been in the back of my mind, cause I think it's something I might actually enjoy (I could be wrong, that's why I'm asking), but I'm now at that point where I can sign up, and I'm still not sure.

 

[Trygon]

Yeah. This is the end of the thirteenth... What is this word?

Well, the thirteenth 'major unit' in their Long Count Calendar. The last one happened roughly around 3000BCE. You can google 'mesoamerican long count calendar' or something like it for more information. I could look for you, if you'd like.

The Mayans were fantastic astronomers, but that doesn't say anything about their prophesy skills.

There is also no secret planet 'Nibiru' and, while we do align with the sun and the center of the galaxy on 21 December 2012, we do this every 21 December, every year.

The linked article really says nothing concrete.

"We know the Maya thought there was one before this, and that implies they were comfortable with the idea of another one after this."

Implies? That's some concrete wording. Except insofar as their religious texts say otherwise.

Hell, even the original version of this wiki article has changed dramatically. Took a glance at this history and the original author said that the mayans believed there would be a 'significant event'. The apocalypse was poor wording - I don't believe the world's going to end. I just think there's going to be a very great change, and I want to make the best of it.

 

[Kawamura]

That was just for basic understanding of how the calendar works.

I don't take the myths of most cultures/religions all that terribly seriously unless there's something honestly there. I'm not a big fan of the supernatural, and I have no reason to think that the Mayans have any great ability that other astronomy-excelling civilizations didn't.

 

[The Antidote]

I'm surprised how many people are completely ignorant of the Mayan doomsday. Believe it or not, it's still worth knowing.

Part of me thinks it's all just a misunderstanding of their calender.

But a bigger part of me is suggest again planning anything for December 22nd. :C

 

[The Antidote]

Also: On topic: I'm going to join the Air Force if I can be a pilot. Marines if I can't, maybe.

 

[Kaziel]

Thing is, it's not really clear that it's a "doomsday" necessarily. It's merely the end of this era. It could be anything...

I saw one story that on December 22, 2012 99.9% of the world suddenly gave up on their desire to wage war. Countries and boundries faded, and mankind became as one, causing massive technological advances as all minds looked towards the betterment of mankind as a whole.

Unlikely? Absolutely, but what will happen on that day (assuming anything happens at all...) isn't and has never been clear.

 

[Nurse_K]

So, I'm not personally in the military, but I have a really serious military family so here's my two cents:

1) I have a brother in the Navy, but he's attached to a Marine unit as a medic. He was also a drill sergent, and they don't take slack in the Navy.
2) I have a brother in the Air Force, and they do PT all the time. He lives on a base and at the moment is doing an "office" job (it's not really though), and yet he and his team still do PT every day. He's also going to cross-train to become SERE (which is CRAZY shit), one of the most hardcore specializations in the entire military.
3) I had a boyfriend who was a Marine serving in Iraq. He was some kind of secrety radio-communications guy, and he was killed, but he rose up the ranks ridiculously quickly because he had some kick ass skills. If you like being worked physically to the bone and have some sort of extremely valuable skill -- I'd say go Marines.
4) I have a friend who's in the Coast Guard. They get a lot of flack from the other branches, but now he's a coxswain (?) and is one of the guys that rescues people who are stranded on boats in bad seas or whatever (he's on one of those flip-over boat things).

I don't know anyone who was in the Army (besides my uncle, but that was WWII, and Kaz but he already told you stuff) or the National Guard...but there's what I have to say.

 

[Ilovegoatse]

Kawa: According to the mayans? They're the only group that's convinced me they might even have an inkling what's going on.

Because the people who believed that the sun wouldn't rise unless they sacrificed people are the most accurate. Nostradamus said that we'd have an end of world years and years ago, and he supposedly had a flawless understanding of how everything works, too. Truth be told, we mere humans won't be able to predict the end of anything, there will always be end of world scares.

Plus, truth be told... when the fuck did the average person give a shit about what the Mayans believe until the end of the world shit started being dragged up? After reading a book on it, they also said it won't be the end of the world at ALL. It said it would be the end of how we think of things or something similar. Also, the "shiny ones" were not going to kill us, but supposedly "enlighten us." Either way, it's a load of bull, and it isn't the last time the 'end of world' will be predicted.

Also, in the book it said we don't understand their calender enough, anyways.

 

[Ilovegoatse]

Yeah, pretty much what Kaizel said. :]

 

[Veras]

Kawa: According to the mayans? They're the only group that's convinced me they might even have an inkling what's going on.

Because the people who believed that the sun wouldn't rise unless they sacrificed people are the most accurate. Nostradamus said that we'd have an end of world years and years ago, and he supposedly had a flawless understanding of how everything works, too. Truth be told, we mere humans won't be able to predict the end of anything, there will always be end of world scares.

Plus, truth be told... when the fuck did the average person give a shit about what the Mayans believe until the end of the world shit started being dragged up? After reading a book on it, they also said it won't be the end of the world at ALL. It said it would be the end of how we think of things or something similar. Also, the "shiny ones" were not going to kill us, but supposedly "enlighten us." Either way, it's a load of bull, and it isn't the last time the 'end of world' will be predicted.

Also, in the book it said we don't understand their calender enough, anyways.

I thought the "Shiny ones" were the aztecs?

Either way, thanks tons, Nurse =]
How long are most sessions of duty these days?

 

[Ilovegoatse]

Kawa: According to the mayans? They're the only group that's convinced me they might even have an inkling what's going on.

Because the people who believed that the sun wouldn't rise unless they sacrificed people are the most accurate. Nostradamus said that we'd have an end of world years and years ago, and he supposedly had a flawless understanding of how everything works, too. Truth be told, we mere humans won't be able to predict the end of anything, there will always be end of world scares.

Plus, truth be told... when the fuck did the average person give a shit about what the Mayans believe until the end of the world shit started being dragged up? After reading a book on it, they also said it won't be the end of the world at ALL. It said it would be the end of how we think of things or something similar. Also, the "shiny ones" were not going to kill us, but supposedly "enlighten us." Either way, it's a load of bull, and it isn't the last time the 'end of world' will be predicted.

Also, in the book it said we don't understand their calender enough, anyways.

I thought the "Shiny ones" were the aztecs?

Either way, thanks tons, Nurse =]
How long are most sessions of duty these days?

Either way, the 'shiny ones' won't be assraping us. BE GLAD.

 

[Veras]

Why would I be glad about that? lol

 

[Trygon]

Kawa: According to the mayans? They're the only group that's convinced me they might even have an inkling what's going on.

Because the people who believed that the sun wouldn't rise unless they sacrificed people are the most accurate. Nostradamus said that we'd have an end of world years and years ago, and he supposedly had a flawless understanding of how everything works, too. Truth be told, we mere humans won't be able to predict the end of anything, there will always be end of world scares.

Plus, truth be told... when the fuck did the average person give a shit about what the Mayans believe until the end of the world shit started being dragged up? After reading a book on it, they also said it won't be the end of the world at ALL. It said it would be the end of how we think of things or something similar. Also, the "shiny ones" were not going to kill us, but supposedly "enlighten us." Either way, it's a load of bull, and it isn't the last time the 'end of world' will be predicted.

Also, in the book it said we don't understand their calender enough, anyways.

You seem to be vomiting a lot of bile that doesn't take into consideration a lot of what I said, especially re: great change vs. apocalypse and my reasons for putting any stock in the mayans and NOT nostradamous. I came by this conclusion via independent research over several years, not 'reading a book' and going 'end of the world, just like all the others, lol.' Also, though the mayans practiced human sacrifice, the particular ceremony you described was aztec, I believe.

Please try to bring an informed opinion to debate with me, not this swill, okay?

 

[Friendly Alien]

Honestly, you could do better things with your life then spend a couple of years being yelled at, doing push-ups while being yelled and be indoctrinated in such a fashion that when you shoot a rifle aimed at a living human being, you will not think of them as human. Only targets.

Go educate yourself in a school instead. You'll benefit it much more.

 

[Veras]

That was near offensive towards those that are in the military. It really sounded condescending to me.

 

[Ilovegoatse]

You seem to be vomiting a lot of bile that doesn't take into consideration a lot of what I said, especially re: great change vs. apocalypse and my reasons for putting any stock in the mayans and NOT nostradamous. I came by this conclusion via independent research over several years, not 'reading a book' and going 'end of the world, just like all the others, lol.' Also, though the mayans practiced human sacrifice, the particular ceremony you described was aztec, I believe.

Please try to bring an informed opinion to debate with me, not this swill, okay?

Either way, I still believe it's a load of bull. Nothing special's going to happen in 2012, or anything like that. We never cared what the Mayans though before, so suddenly giving a shit just because of a prediction makes me rather doubtful. I don't see people suddenly converting to ancient Mayan beliefs, so I wonder how much of their practices they really take into account. I just find it to be akin to atheists suddenly listening to select religious beliefs that have to do with great changes in the world, and taking them to heart. It just doesn't seem like any of this is too plausible.

 

[The Antidote]

We never cared what the Mayans though before, so suddenly giving a shit just because of a prediction makes me rather doubtful.

Psst. That might be because the Christ-fags killed off the Mayans and destroyed almost everything they had, thus we had to spend time researching what little was left after the fires settled, then realize that they were basically geniuses when it came to astronomy.

 

[Ilovegoatse]

We never cared what the Mayans though before, so suddenly giving a shit just because of a prediction makes me rather doubtful.

Psst. That might be because the Christ-fags killed off the Mayans and destroyed almost everything they had, thus we had to spend time researching what little was left after the fires settled, then realize that they were basically geniuses when it came to astronomy.

That was the Aztecs, no one knows why the Mayan's fell. Or at least, there's many theories but no conclusions. Hernan Cortes was the one who caused the fall of the Aztecs, not the Mayans.

 

[Ilovegoatse]

Oh and the Mayan people are still alive and kicking. I'm talking about the ye olde Mayan civilization.

 

[Kawamura]

The Empire's long gone.

*sighs*

I fluctuate between being glad that the Aztecs or a civilization like them didn't have the resources to spur their discovering the Old World and being very sad. I'm always depressed about the books lost as well.

 

[Tathariel]

Honestly, you could do better things with your life then spend a couple of years being yelled at, doing push-ups while being yelled and be indoctrinated in such a fashion that when you shoot a rifle aimed at a living human being, you will not think of them as human. Only targets.

Go educate yourself in a school instead. You'll benefit it much more.

woah.....1. if someone is shooting at you dont you think you would shoot back....rule of war in most cities is do not shoot unless you are fired upon.....

My brothers were in the army and marines...and they are kickass people who care about others....Im in the army scheduled to leave in april and im gonna be a combat medic....humans are humans not targets....some humans just need to be shot.