Should I leave halfway through training?

[A1113]

I'm am currently 6 months into AFC Harrogate and I'm starting to consider whether joining the army was the best thing to do. I am currently aspiring to join the rifles but I've met a lot of servicemen that have told me to think twice about joining the army as this really is not what it seems. It just feels like i'm missing out on a lot of experiences to be had. I am not criticising the army at all as so far I've had some good experiences, but I just can't help feeling like it's not the best option when my mates are getting better opportunities, earning more money and seeing the world on holidays while I'm stuck in the drill shed at 9pm on show parade.

I decided to write this on here to get the opinions of ex servicemen which I will really take into consideration because right now the only thing stopping me from leaving is disappointing my family and friends.

 

[Jammy66]

Yes. Or no. Possibly maybe. Toss a coin for it.

 

[solomon88]

I think most people have doubts at some stage of doing anything new. Don't quit, don't get thrown out. Finish what you've started.

 

[Speedy]

As has been said, everyone has doubts at some point. For me I overcame them because I came to realise I couldn't be at ease with myself if I quit.
Oh, and the experiences you will get in the army will be far, far beyond what you can get in civvy street, Unless you just want to take drugs that is.
You are already 'through the door' which is far beyond the stage many get to. Don't spoil a good thing just because you can't see it for what it is yet.

 

[dingerr]

You've gone through a lot to get to where you are now, it would be a total waste and you would regret it if you left now.

People tend to cherry pick and/or exaggerate their experiences, it sounds this is what your mates are doing.

 

[Issi]

You could be a helicopter pilot in a few years if you wanted to try it, you could transfer from the infantry to any other unit after you've passed out, you could go for a commission, as from your post you seem quite bright.

I'm baffled about the 'seeing the world' bit.

Okay, I'm talking about many years ago but in 6 years I did, Germany, Cyprus, Sardinia, Canada, NI, and a month long trip around the Med with the RN, and many other little bits and bobs.

It's entirely up to you of course, and I'm massively out of date, but I reckon you just try and hack through basic and get to your unit and then see how you feel.

I think you'd rather be someone who got through basic and then found out that it wasn't for you, than someone who jacked it halfway through, and always wondered what it would be like to actually be in.

Best of luck to you anyway.

 

[DeltaDog]

If you quit, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. It will be seen by everybody that you joined and couldn't hack it.

Training is completely different from battalion. You won't know whether it's for you until you get there.

Soldiers whine. It's what they do. Don't listen to it.

As for missing out on experiences, you will. But you'll also get loads that the vast majority of people never will.

Stick with it. If it's not for you, do your 4 years and sign off.

 

[Jammy66]

OK my first response was a bit harsh. Without knowing anything about you I'd say stick at it. You got this far after all, don't be a quitter.

It seems you have some amazing opportunities which are there for the taking, and some amazing experiences to come. Maybe you can speak to someone about job roles you could look at and career progression to give you some more focus?

 

[Porkbrain]

I'm am currently 6 months into AFC Harrogate and I'm starting to consider whether joining the army was the best thing to do. I am currently aspiring to join the rifles but I've met a lot of servicemen that have told me to think twice about joining the army as this really is not what it seems. It just feels like i'm missing out on a lot of experiences to be had. I am not criticising the army at all as so far I've had some good experiences, but I just can't help feeling like it's not the best option when my mates are getting better opportunities, earning more money and seeing the world on holidays while I'm stuck in the drill shed at 9pm on show parade.

I decided to write this on here to get the opinions of ex servicemen which I will really take into consideration because right now the only thing stopping me from leaving is disappointing my family and friends.

Usually posts on here saying 'Not sure if the army is for me', or 'My mates think I'm a chump for putting up with this' are from recruits who are mere weeks into their basic training.

You're 6 months in, if you were going to quit then you wouldn't have lasted this long.

These servicemen that say it is not what it seems, are they fellow recruits, or are they ex servicemen who say 'Its not like it was in the good old days'?

Fellow recruits know sod all about army life, ex servicemen can usually whinge until the cows come home, sometimes it is justified, others times not, but they will still moan.

As for your mates having better experiences, money and holidays than you, their missives to you about the stunning bird they pulled, (a two bagger at least behind the pub bogs), and their bagfuls of cash, (whilst living at home with mum & dad, or in a grotty bedsit), and getting rat arsed in Magaluf and waking up covered in vomit have no substance.

Stick with it, join your Rifles unit, there will be rough times and there will be great times but above all you will be proud of your achievements over the coming years.

Oh, and spend a bit more time on your kit, that way you won't be in the drill shed on show parade.

 

[jarrod248]

I'm am currently 6 months into AFC Harrogate and I'm starting to consider whether joining the army was the best thing to do. I am currently aspiring to join the rifles but I've met a lot of servicemen that have told me to think twice about joining the army as this really is not what it seems. It just feels like i'm missing out on a lot of experiences to be had. I am not criticising the army at all as so far I've had some good experiences, but I just can't help feeling like it's not the best option when my mates are getting better opportunities, earning more money and seeing the world on holidays while I'm stuck in the drill shed at 9pm on show parade.

I decided to write this on here to get the opinions of ex servicemen which I will really take into consideration because right now the only thing stopping me from leaving is disappointing my family and friends.

How much of the world do people see on minimum wages with 4 or 5 weeks leave?
Spain with Mam and Dad? First sniff of a birds clout?

 

[rickshaw-major]

Let me approach this from the opposite direction.

Being an old fart and having been out for some time now and having worked all over the place I can tell you that when you meet ex-Servicemen all they ever talk about is their time in uniform because their life after coming out is generally humdrum, mundane and dog toffee.

They aren't necessarily that well off, the civilian streets aren't paved with gold, women aren't throwing themselves at them and they are generally as hidebound by work and living restrictions as they were when they were in uniform.

Stick with it; I doubt you will regret it.

 

[Ravers]

I joined the Navy at 16.

6 years later I emerged with a stack of qualifications and experience, having been to 42 different countries. Within a year of leaving I was earning 40 grand a year.

Most of my mates back home were just emerging from uni at around the same time, 30 grand in debt and with shit degrees in hotel management and media studies from Scunthorpe Polytechnic.

Get your head down, crack on and your time will fly.

A few years in the forces on your CV can be a ticket to absolute awesomeness if you play it right.

Also you get to play with guns and bang loads of whores.

 

[buggrit]

Have a good truthful look at what you would do if you left. You'd be back with your civvy mates, and if you're lucky and could afford it, you might get to go do those things your mates talk about, if you can save enough from your shit wage in some shit job, but most of the time you'll be hanging about bored, probably living with mum and dad.

You stay in, once you get to your unit, you'll make lifelong mates and your civvy mates with fade into the background, as you'll be doing things with your army mates that you'll remember for the rest of your life, and you'll have the money to do it.

25 years I've served now, and I still meet up with the lads I joined up with all those years ago and even though we havent seen each other for years, it's just like yesterday and laugh until your belly hurts about the stupid things we did. Thats the kind of mates you'll make. My mates from school? Think I last saw them about a year after I joined up. We have nothing in common.

Stick with it lad.

 

[RumRationReject]

It just feels like i'm missing out on a lot of experiences to be had. I am not criticising the army at all as so far I've had some good experiences, but I just can't help feeling like it's not the best option when my mates are getting better opportunities, earning more money and seeing the world on holidays while I'm stuck in the drill shed at 9pm on show parade.

When you want to go skiing - The Army will pay
When you want to go rock climbing - The Army will pay
When you want to go sailing - The Army will pay
When you want to do field sports - The Army will pay
When you want to try horse riding - The Army will pay
Etc., ad infinitum
When you come to retire - The Army will pay.

 

[Auld-Yin]

My advice is stick it out, you will only regret it if you leave now for what is a very minor reason that your mates have better holidays. When you get older and look back on life you will realise that any time spent in the army is relatively short. Even a full career of 22 years is only half a career and you will come out to another one.

If you only do three years you will have spent a tiny bit of your life doing some quite amazing things.

For some people the army is not for them, and that is fine, but really the opportunities that the army lays out for you, with not bad pay, are much greater than any 9-5 civvy job.

Stay with it, life changes when basic training is over and you get into battalion life. You will still meet fukwits who want to put you on show, parades but overall it is up to you how you get on in the army and make some mates, for life.

 

[Wordsmith]

...I just can't help feeling like it's not the best option when my mates are getting better opportunities, earning more money and seeing the world on holidays while I'm stuck in the drill shed at 9pm on show parade.

First off, I'll put my hand up and say I'm a career civilian, and hence not qualified to comment on Army life. However, rear in mind that most civilian jobs also involve an element of drudgery: most are 9 - 5 and very repetitive. You'll still end up following a (boring) routine, but you won't get shouted at as much.

Average pay in the UK is about £27,000, but that's a skewed figure - about 70% earn less that that average because of the relative few people who earn £100,000 to £1 million+. Look at what your earnings are going to be in a couple of years time. If they're going to be over £20,000 you're going to be as well off as many of your mates. With the added bonus that you get some free foreign travel thrown in.

Finally, you probably won't be in the army for all of your career. Work out a way of getting some qualifications/skills that will stand you in good stead in civvy street. Then you can come out of the army and into a relatively well paid job. Come out without any qualifications and you could end up stacking shelves in supermarkets.

I'll second the advice of the serving and served. Take a deep breath and carry on. You can always exit the army at a suitable point in the future - and preferably when you've already got an alternative career lined up.

Finally, have you factored in an element of BS from your mates? Maybe they aren't getting paid as well as they claimed....

Wordsmith

 

[A1113]

Thankyou everyone, your responses have helped reassure myself into sticking with it.

 

[ugly]

Sticking with it is the right choice.

 

[Old Stab]

I just wish I was lucky enough to be in your position. I fucked up as a youngster and never joined the Regular Army.

Do I regret it, yes, massively.

Do not leave, you have an opportunity to set yourself up for the rest of your life if you use your head. If you leave, you'll regret it and always be thinking "What if". Even if you only do 4 years, it's four years of being able to gain qualifications and get paid for doing it.

Leave now and you're being a mug.

 

[chrisg46]

Well, thats a first. Someone asked for advice re leaving, and it looks like they are actually listening! Doesnt happen often

Good luck, young man!