Just wondering how many of the forum's users... well, read the topic. If you ARE active military, WERE active military, or have definitive plans TO BE active military, then raise your hand and be counted. You don't have to give any details of years of service, branch of service, or even what nation. I'm curious what the percentage is here.

Doesn't really count, but I was in my high school's Army JROTC. We competed with many other high schools in drill meets, and I personally won awards in regulation drill team, PT, color guard, and my personal favorite, regulation/exhibition rifle drill team. I loved every minute of it, but some personal stuff came up between me and the colonel in charge of the program, so I left and joined the football team. No regrets, because I loved playing football with my team (even though we had one of the worst season), but I think my life would have been completely different if I stayed with JROTC all 4 years. I'm just glad I got to experience a little bit of everything while I had the chance, eh, enough ranting.

Twenty-one years active duty in the Air Force (IT career field), nine years enlisted, the rest as an officer. I'd do it all over again, same way. BTW, my two sons were Made in Taiwan when I was stationed there!

Four years active duty in the US Marine Corps. Problem was once you start gaining rank, the less fun you get to have...

Also 4 years AD Air Force 75-79, still part of the team Civilian DOD. A-10 War Fighter Support.

I did four years in the Air Force and after college, three years active duty in the Army as a Leiutenant.

Six years in the Army with five being in Special Forces. After that, four years as a private security contractor.

4 years 17 weeks active army. was a blues warrior for the old guard in dc.

I am a MS 4 in ROTC at my school. I just got picked up for active duty service and will be an active duty 2nd Lieutenant. I cannot wait!!!!! COUNT ME IN!!!!!

I was 8 and 1/2 years in the Navy, enlisted as a nuke. I signed up for 6 in 1980, then re-upped after 2 and 1/2 years of school (they dropped the remainder of my enlistment, and I restarted with a fresh 6). I allowed myself to be convinced to re-up and take the bonus because things, "will get much better once you're in the Fleet." That was a lie -- I tend to have authority issues and compulsively ask that most subversive of all questions, "Why?", which made my Navy experience the worst time of my life. I consider myself to be a very good computer programmer; I'm better than most at analyzing processes, sequencing events, then automating them to implement those processes efficiently. Those strengths in my current profession were weaknesses in an environment where people tell you what to do, when and how to do it, but almost never tell you why -- I resented nearly every minute.

My Navy time taught me that I will never allow ANY person or organization to have that level of control over my life again.

Three years as a peon grunt in the Marines - MOS 0331 - M-60 gunner in VietNam. Semper Fi! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This guy, USMC for about 4 1/2 years now, the first 4 with 1/7 B co. now I'm a marksmanship instructor, and getting promoted on Wed!!!!!!!

Semper Fi