I've had shit versions of both, the good ex digger ones are usually pretty good but...

Heh.

[Ive conducted some searches and found some good info but I thought I'd put this out there for a more specific answer. The searches I did including "Joining Reasons" etc came up with a lot of tangents and unwanted posts. I guess not surprising given the amount of time both words appear in posts]

Why did you join the Army?

Ive seen a lot of reasons put out there and Ive scoured ADF websites & DefenceJobs etc but I would like some info firsthand. Im really interested in what made members sign up, and more to the point, which of these reasons lasted through Kapooka and IET's, while which faded away when the initial 'novelty' wore off..

For example, You could say "I want to join the army because I like the outdoors", something so typical of DFRpubs but my guess is theres a fair difference between a love of birdwatching and NatGeo stuff and life in the Army.

Wanting to deploy and a liking to guns and equipment has also been put forward, with old hats like Digrar pointing out that these reasons/activities quickly lose their shine..

So I put it to you, why did you join the Army and moreso, looking back now which of these reasons turned out to be short lived and which stood the test of time?

I know everyone is different, but I'm genuinely interested into what could come out of this.

Thanks

I felt, and in many ways continue to feel a meeting point of feelings and influences which combine to create the endstate of me having joined up, and stayed on in the face of adversity and any arduous circumstance.

On the one hand, I'd spent my entire childhood running around the backyard with toy guns, digging in, building wooden machine guns in my grandad's shed and playing with little plastic soldiers. I read every book I could lay my hands on, saw every movie and played every computer game. It was barely surprising to anybody who knew me that for some strange reason it was always something I was interested in and wanted to do for real. So that was an initial contributing factor.

Secondly, defence service had shaped generations of my family. I'm a decendant of the Captain of Marines from the First Fleet, and have had family and extended family serve in every conflict and theatre from the Boer War to Afghanistan, from the original 2/2 Commando, to 3CAV in Vietnam and 2/11th Bn in Tobruk. There was a feeling that putting the uniform had made these men who they are, and that I would only truly understand them, my heritage and who I was, by following in their footsteps. No amount of books or movies could ever compare to doing it for myself. I believe that wearing the uniform does good things for an individual, I am glad for the skills, experiences and confidence that it has given me.

I believe that it's something worthwhile. This reason, perhaps more than any other, is the driving force that keeps me in. It is hard, it is challenging, it's not a picnic, but its worthwhile. I believe that all Australians should try to in some way to contribute to their community, whether that be becoming a volunteer or whatever, and defence service is just one way to achieve this. I raise digrar's example of the being in a hole you've dug yourself, which is full of water from 3 days of rain with some enemy party out there trying to 'kill' you, your shoulders and hips rubbed raw from tabbing, having not slept or eaten properly in days. In one such situation I could actually sit in my pit and see civilisation, see a city. And I thought, i'm better than those c*nts. They are sitting in their nice warm homes watching TV, or sinking beers in the pub, or at the footy, and here I am in my hole, I volunteered to be here, and I'm better than them because of it. It might not be entirely rational, but it is motivating.

The OR's here might prise out some different reasons, citing sticking at it for your mates, not wanting to let them down. But the reality is for O's that mates are something for the mess, because at the end of the day you are always competing with each other, and command is a lonely place indeed, so you need to find alternate motivation.

A key motivation for me then, is the soldiers who will, inshallah, one day be my responsibility. I want to get it right, to put my best foot forward, best game face on and best effort so that they aren't let down, that they get the best from their commanders that they possibly can. I have to read all the books, know my shit, pay attention in my training, so that when 30 young Australians do what I task them to, its the right thing to do.

Well said there Mr Bond

Hmm, I must say that the biggest reason that i want to join the military is the fact that i would hate to sit behind a desk from 9 too 5, i would much rather learn something that i can actually use someday, punching numbers into a calculator is just too easy :P

Fair enough that you don't want to sit behind a desk everyday from 9am - 5pm, but it's a bit narrow-minded to suggest that the military is the only option that offers something practical, and your reference to technical jobs (punching numbers into a calculator) is rather unwarranted, completely incorrect on top of that.

I signed on because despite living 7 hours drive from the nearest beach I had always has a fascination the navy and naval warfare. This was initially sparked by my grandfather - who served in the merchant marine during WW1. Secondly I had always wanted a job where I could give something back to the country that had given me so much - freedom, education, healthcare - these things, whilst whinged about a lot in the media are a great privilige - something to defend.

My stint was cut short through injury, which gutted me, and I have been pining to get back in ever since. Perhaps this is the year.

I come from a military family. My old man was regular army, RAE in fact.

I spent my childhood as an army brat, running around most of the bases on the eastern seaboard, playing with various bits of military kit.

Due to Dad using me as a training aid when he preparing himself for subject courses (promotion courses in civvy speak) I was able to strip, assemble and run IA drills on most weapons in inventory by the time I was 12.

I idolised my old man (still do, but for different reasons nowadays). He was a man amongst men, very sure of his abilities and skills, knew all about explosives, small arms and all sorts of skills that every bloke should know. Fixing stuff with a length of wire, some electrical tape and spit. How to navigate and survive in the bush, all that jazz. Abseilling and rapelling (which was funny the first time I did that at RMC. Dad was using my sister and I as training aides to coerce his staff cadets), sailing, skydiving, and just about anything else that came down the pipe.

For me though, whilst growing up, sitting down and watching the old man and his mates have a beer at the end of the day, or at barbecues on the weekend, the camerderie and mateship was obvious. There was a bond that I just didn't see in any other area in civvy street, at school or amongst our civilian friends. I wanted that mateship, that bond that comes from being a soldier. It comes from doing bloody hard work, being absolutely knackered, tired, sore, uncomfortable and being able to see your mate give a shit eating grin and call you a raging homosexual.

I enlisted in the Reserve when I was studying at uni. Hell, I knew it was a job that paid pretty well, since I couldn't get Austudy, and I also knew it would impart skills and experiences that would see me in good stead later in life. I was right. I did stuff that most blokes my age now (I'm 33) who didn't join up can only dream of. I have opened my criteria of what's hard and impossible. Due to my service, I'm seen as very relaxed, since it's nowhere near as bad as sitting in a hole in the ground, living like a mongrel dog.

In fact, I loved the lifestyle so much, I took the opportunity to fulfill a full time service contract. Some fo the best times of my life was on full time and part time service as a Lighthorseman, telling my Armoured Corps brethren that my patrol was putting the "I" back into QMI.

It also brought me closer to my old man. We had that bond of recruit course, promotion course and service. Although in some regards, it's also increased the abusive banter, since I was Infantry. Some of the arguments and beer sodden discussions about inter-corps rivalry have been legendary.

Despite the joint injuries, and back pain, I'd do it again. I might be slightly more hesitant, since the amount of banging my head into walls when I was a corporal had to be seen to be believed.

But I've come out the other side, with mates (both reg and chock)I trust with my life, my car, my weaponry and bush gear. I'd give them the shirt off my back, and the last ten bucks to my name for them. And they'd do the same for me. I wouldn't necessarily trust them with my wife, girlfriend, sister or mum, but them's the breaks.

I also have a bond with random strangers when we talk about our service. We're all members of a very exclusive club in this country: we were diggers, and have shown ourselves to be capable of putting something bigger than ourselves ahead of our own welfare.

It's the new Army, so you can add your brother.