So you’re considering joining the military? Excellent!
Some of the best years of my life were in the Marine Corps, serving in the Infantry with my brothers. They were almost some of the most challenging, disheartening, and strengthening I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing.
I don’t mind disclosing some information to interested parties, but not all the information will be disclosed for the sake of the “experience.” l am going to be ruthlessly honest. Not to intimidate or scare anyone, but so you may fully grasp the gravity of the decision you are making.
Here are three things to keep in mind as you prepare for military service.
Tip 1: “Embrace the Suck”
It is as simple as it seems. It is a phrase thrown around all over the military.
Come to clarity now, the service is NOT a video game. What Call of Duty doesn’t show you is the superior physical fitness required to engage in such operations, the grueling weather conditions, the long sleepless hours running on nothing but Rip It energy drinks and nicotine, the months of endless terrible food, and the strongest reality: death and injury.
Combat is very real, regardless of profession, but it takes good, hard men to engage in combat or combat operations, and the military will always need good hard men. (You can be a good, hard man as a Christian—heck just look at Joshua, Gideon, or David.) There will be times—whether at boot camp, MOS School, or in the field—when life will suck. Best to just embrace it and move.
Tip 2: It Gets Better and the Brotherhood/Sisterhood is Forever
No matter how much it may suck at times, nothing worth having is easy to obtain. Metal isn’t forged in nice climates, it’s heated, beaten, and forged in fire. It undergoes a process, a brutal one. You will undergo a brutal process.
Boot camp will break you down mentally and physically. You will learn you are more physically capable and mentally capable then you ever imagined, and the best part? You will be rebuilt and come out the other side.
Then you will develop an unspeakable bond with your brothers and/or sisters in your unit. There is an old adage that, “you’ll never make friends like the ones you made at war.” There isn’t a truer statement. You will enter into a fraternity forged in fire and you’ll love every minute of it.
Tip 3: You Can’t Be Prepared … But Try
You honestly can’t completely prepare for everything you will face. It is impossible to fully predict the future. However, there are some things you can prepare for before you head off.
Physically train, I mean seriously train. Run a lot, do a lot of pull ups and core work. Don’t worry about static weight training: it won’t help you much. Think triathlons. You need to be a master at your bodyweight first. Consider workout regimens like Crossfit or those with dynamic, everyday applicable movements.
Eat well and mentally prepare yourself for strain. Again, they will break you and rebuild you mentally, like I said before, embrace the suck, because it will not be a cake walk.
Bonus: Choose a Branch Wisely
When choosing a branch (if you are undecided) consider choosing one with more growth opportunity—not just image. Consider what your interests are and decide which branch(es) are capable of offering them. For example, Infantry is offered by the ARMY and Marine Corps. SWCC boat teams are offered by the NAVY. It is about service, but you have some say in this as well.
Where ever you want to serve, do everyone a favor and think long and hard about it first (and pray, if you’re the kind that prays). It’s not easy and it’s not a fast-track to personal glory.
