Question for those who served in the military

[BlackJack]

Out of curiosity, did you find that the training you received while in the armed forces has helped/benefited you for being better prepared for the lifestyle as a nomad or vegabond? Does the military give good training for things like first aid, wilderness survival, and living in extreme environmental conditions?

I'm not saying newbies should join the army before beginning their life as a dirty kid. Nor am I saying people should work for the railroad before hopping freight. But I'm sure being in the military has provided useful experiences for the nomadic lifestyle.

 

[Crazy Hobo Johnny]

Out of curiosity, did you find that the training you received while in the armed forces has helped/benefited you for being better prepared for the lifestyle as a nomad or vegabond? Does the military give good training for things like first aid, wilderness survival, and living in extreme environmental conditions?

I'm not saying newbies should join the army before beginning their life as a dirty kid. Nor am I saying people should work for the railroad before hopping freight. But I'm sure being in the military has provided useful experiences for the nomadic lifestyle.

When i joined the Marines, I got to visit countries and lived in some. I revisited some after i became a civilian. A person who wants to learn survival skills and living in extreme environmental conditions should join an infantry unit or a search and rescue unit like the Air Force has. When I was a infantry grunt, it helped me a lot on dealing living off the land. Going out in the field for training to me was like camping. My 2 cents.

 

[BlackJack]

When i joined the Marines, I got to visit countries and lived in some. I revisited some after i became a civilian. A person who wants to learn survival skills and living in extreme environmental conditions should join an infantry unit or a search and rescue unit like the Air Force has. When I was a infantry grunt, it helped me a lot on dealing living off the land. Going out in the field for training to me was like camping. My 2 cents.

Thank you for sharing. What made me think of the question is all the posts I've seen about people wanting to move to Slab City in the summertime. The general and obvious answer is always to not do it, but it made me think that if they really want to relocate there in the summer, then maybe they should join the military beforehand. That way they may be better acclimated to live in such an uninhabitable environment.

Also, what was your favorite country that you revisited?

 

[MetalBryan]

This is an interesting thread I hope it gets some more traction. I wonder if the move to Slab City in the summer is a reaction to being cooped up safely all winter. I also think folks that want to do this have never visited a desert in their life. I van-camped Death Valley in the winter when I was out west and I feel that's the bravest I'll ever get when it comes to that kind of climate.

 

[MatatuPuncher]

I was an 11B (Army infantry). Although it sucked at the time, I learned that you can push (or be pushed) your body and mind far beyond what you think is the breaking point. The Army sucked in general but the mental and physical toughness I acquired has been invaluable.

 

[sevedemanos]

this has been on my mind a lot lately. the parallels. ive been living outside in the elements for years, pushing my body and mind constantly.

i talked to a recruiter earlier this year though and he said they couldnt accept me bc of the past few trespassing charges i incurred. thinking of getting a second opinion from a diff office

 

[MatatuPuncher]

this has been on my mind a lot lately. the parallels. ive been living outside in the elements for years, pushing my body and mind constantly.

i talked to a recruiter earlier this year though and he said they couldnt accept me bc of the past few trespassing charges i incurred. thinking of getting a second opinion from a diff office

What branch was it? Assuming those arrests were all misdemeanor's, the Army will almost certainly accept you. The Air Force and Coast Guard probably won't. Navy and Marine Corps is a toss up.

 

[Beegod Santana]

Plenty of people travel for a while once they get out of the service, how much serving helps them on the road tho tends to vary greatly. Most people I've met who've managed to keep a bus on the road for more than a few months had been diesel mechanics in the military for example. On the other hand, if you just work on a base for 4 yrs, getting fed 3 times a day and being told what to do and where and when to do it, that probably won't prep you much for the road.

 

[sevedemanos]

What branch was it? Assuming those arrests were all misdemeanor's, the Army will almost certainly accept you. The Air Force and Coast Guard probably won't. Navy and Marine Corps is a toss up.

airforce. im 34 and technically too old for the rest

ive no family and getting tired of having to interact w jailbirds and egotists and drug addicts constantly. so its no soft blow he dealt, telling me that over the phone

 

[Crazy Hobo Johnny]

Thank you for sharing. What made me think of the question is all the posts I've seen about people wanting to move to Slab City in the summertime. The general and obvious answer is always to not do it, but it made me think that if they really want to relocate there in the summer, then maybe they should join the military beforehand. That way they may be better acclimated to live in such an uninhabitable environment.

Also, what was your favorite country that you revisited?

Australia, Japan and the Philippines.

 

[AyeAaron]

Out of curiosity, did you find that the training you received while in the armed forces has helped/benefited you for being better prepared for the lifestyle as a nomad or vegabond? Does the military give good training for things like first aid, wilderness survival, and living in extreme environmental conditions?

I'm not saying newbies should join the army before beginning their life as a dirty kid. Nor am I saying people should work for the railroad before hopping freight. But I'm sure being in the military has provided useful experiences for the nomadic lifestyle.

I had already done some long distance hoboing, so no not really, if anything it made the military easier

Really though you can gain more experience by doing a few overnight backpacking trips

 

[Colinleath]

this has been on my mind a lot lately. the parallels. ive been living outside in the elements for years, pushing my body and mind constantly.

i talked to a recruiter earlier this year though and he said they couldnt accept me bc of the past few trespassing charges i incurred. thinking of getting a second opinion from a diff office

Look into the french foreign legion and a few other countries have something similar (Spain?). . . I might have tried this were I a bit younger maybe but that's probably just talk

 

[KentuckyWalker]

I was in the Navy for 5 years 2006-2011. Served in Afghanistan 2 times, Iraq once, then went down to Somalia. The training didn't prepare me for shit except how to deal with suffering. The real things I've learned from my service was from going to 20 different countries and getting to know the people there. The military ruined me for civilian life but made life on the road a lot easier becausei know how to embrace the suck and not give a f***. Hope this helps the thread out a bit.🤙🏼

 

[dubh]

Being a former submariner, it definitely helped as far as packing lite, and getting along with people that are often very different from each other and myself, being used to not having comforts or possessions. i learned forest squating skills and wilderness survival through Earth First! in Northern Cali back in the day. The biggest benefit from having served the Empire is the ability to drop into any VA on the road for things like poison oak, exhaustion, hunger, etc. I stayed at a VA shelter when i was injured. I think that is probably the best thing i got out of my military cred.

 

[KentuckyWalker]

How long were in the tin can for dude? You're definitely right that living with bare minimum in the military really helps out on the road...but f**k civilian life dude. I was an ordnanceman...not being able to blow shit up sucks ass. I'

 

[Joe Btfsplk]

Any comments on this?:

Enlisting in the Military: A Very, Very Bad Idea​

March 29, 2024Military, Politics, Uncategorized

If you are a young man wondering what to do with your life, you may consider enlisting in the military. Don’t. Yes, the military has its appeal, or seems to. You may need a job. The uniform looks good. There can be adventure. You might get laid by Asian lovelies in foreign countries. These things have their appeal. They did for me as a young Marine. But they aren’t worth being mutilated, blinded, or spending the rest of your years in a wheel chair. This can happen. It does happen. And Washington doesn’t give a damn.


Recruiters won’t tell you of this. They are liars. They lied to me. They will lie to you. At the very least, they will talk only about good things that might happen, about college money and job training you might get but probably won’t. They will make you feel welcome. You are joining a team of brothers, they will say. You are a patriot. You are defending your country.

Read the full thing at Enlisting in the Military: A Very, Very Bad Idea – Fred on Everything - https://fredoneverything.org/enlisting-in-the-military-a-very-very-bad-idea/#more-2646

 

[sevedemanos]

Any comments on this?:

Enlisting in the Military: A Very, Very Bad Idea​

March 29, 2024Military, Politics, Uncategorized

If you are a young man wondering what to do with your life, you may consider enlisting in the military. Don’t. Yes, the military has its appeal, or seems to. You may need a job. The uniform looks good. There can be adventure. You might get laid by Asian lovelies in foreign countries. These things have their appeal. They did for me as a young Marine. But they aren’t worth being mutilated, blinded, or spending the rest of your years in a wheel chair. This can happen. It does happen. And Washington doesn’t give a damn.


Recruiters won’t tell you of this. They are liars. They lied to me. They will lie to you. At the very least, they will talk only about good things that might happen, about college money and job training you might get but probably won’t. They will make you feel welcome. You are joining a team of brothers, they will say. You are a patriot. You are defending your country.

Read the full thing at Enlisting in the Military: A Very, Very Bad Idea – Fred on Everything - https://fredoneverything.org/enlisting-in-the-military-a-very-very-bad-idea/#more-2646

to have family, people i can relate to, and a reason to take care of myself for at least a few months of my life before i get blown to smithereens is worth it. america has been long gone anyways. no identity, no pride, just a balkanized, lost nation full of drug addicts and snobs

 

[AyeAaron]

Any comments on this?:

Enlisting in the Military: A Very, Very Bad Idea​

March 29, 2024Military, Politics, Uncategorized

If you are a young man wondering what to do with your life, you may consider enlisting in the military. Don’t. Yes, the military has its appeal, or seems to. You may need a job. The uniform looks good. There can be adventure. You might get laid by Asian lovelies in foreign countries. These things have their appeal. They did for me as a young Marine. But they aren’t worth being mutilated, blinded, or spending the rest of your years in a wheel chair. This can happen. It does happen. And Washington doesn’t give a damn.


Recruiters won’t tell you of this. They are liars. They lied to me.

I'll just give an honest response

If someone isn't aware that you can get hurt in war, idk how they passed the asvab or highschool, or navigate the world in general

Seriously, how does one learn to write, proceeding to write out several paragraphs at least, and not be aware of that?
Isn't it easier to grasp the concept that war is violence on a large scale, than it is to go through the whole process of learning to read and write?

 

[Berightback]

Out of curiosity, did you find that the training you received while in the armed forces has helped/benefited you for being better prepared for the lifestyle as a nomad or vegabond? Does the military give good training for things like first aid, wilderness survival, and living in extreme environmental conditions?

I'm not saying newbies should join the army before beginning their life as a dirty kid. Nor am I saying people should work for the railroad before hopping freight. But I'm sure being in the military has provided useful experiences for the nomadic lifestyle.

I was in the infantry from 99-01, (OTH discharge), and I'd say yes and no. They teach you how to live what what gear you're issued in the wild, but it's largely specialized training. For instance, fire is obvi a big no-no for a recon team, as it'd give your position away, so I learned less than nothing about starting a fire with no tools at hand. I DID receive combat lifesaver school, which taught me that a tourniquet most likely will result in loss of limb. Packing/carrying a ruck was good experience, but (my opinion only....) Id say by and large, probly not a whole lotta overlap between folks destined for the highway and those who can stand and deliver without being rankled at the hierarchy and authority. There are exceptions, however. Me, personally; I don't regret it but it wasn't for me by a long shot.