Why do you do it?

[riggah052]

I am a third generation soldier, my grand father joined just after the second world war and served 25 years, my father is still serving, and I have been in for five years now.
I was a reserve radop for three years and got to go over to Sarajevo for three months on a TAV, and let me tell you that opened my eyes as to how good we have it in this country. Shortly afterwards I applied for my reg force transfer, and here I am today. (even though I switched trades )
I‘ve met some great people across Canada and the world, and got to have some great experiences. Love of country is what will keep me going though.

Wars are not won by dying for your country, they are won by making the other SOB die for his -George S. Patton

 

[newfoundlander]

As Thaedes mentioned it is in your blood. A feeling you are born with I know this for a fact. Even tho im not in the forces yet I believe I was born to do this. They say that when you are born there is a feeling inside you that tells you what your are ment to do. Going into the infantry for me is not just some boyhood fantisy of blood,guts and glory. I know I will be put into situations where my life along with the life of my friends will be put into harms way. But i take this as a motivation a motivation to know that im actually making a difference. In my point of view anyperson brave enough to join the combat arms got a heart like a lion. "Do what you enjoy,enjoy what you do have no regrets". (ME)

 

[Travis]

I remember once my friend told me his dad told him that we are not in an age of hero‘s. When that time comes... many will be born.

It is something i also feal i was MEANT to do. When people/ friends ask my why i would want to join the army let alone the CANADIAN army what can i say... im still in high school... what i want to tell them is honor. I will do this work so you can enjoy your everyday lives, raise children, and let those children have children. But usually all i do is just look em‘ in the eye... although latley ive been getting braver and braver to the point where i said somebodies got to do it

To these people who wonder why id join honor is an ancient thing to them. Something to laugh about. Some would say thats a disgrace. Some would really hate that... i just say the soldiers must be doing an EXCELLENT job if unlike the middleages honor isnt present EVERYWHERE.

I feal almost really that i was born with this fealing... although really it was probably from the long camping trips we would go on and how i would carry loads of stuff up hiking trails for hours without complaining and in the end, having my dad tell me how proud he was. And giving comments like - " what a paratrooper ".

AND I must add from books and T.V. shows, movies, and yes MMORPG games... in these games i SERIOUSLY DO NOT have it in me to RP a bad person.. (i ALWAYS must be sumone of honor... if something dishonorable needs to be done... it is done indirectly by giving hints of what i would like )

From RTS games such as my first one War Craft... Seeing those footmen march fearlessly in to battle for somthing they belived in and new was right for the greater good, they gave everything. From the WW2 movies and WW1 stories.

I mean i swear. I could muster the courage to march to **** itself and stop death, plague pestilence right at its hart. I swear to you on my honor if that chance came I would take it.

But Mostly... For the people EVERYWHERE around the world that could use a good hero by there side.. i see no reason to stay here when i could be protecting people in congo or anywhere else around the world... in my eyes there are NO nations... only people... like me or you, who did not have the luxury of chance to be born here.

Really. Its preety personal why most join. Given more time to think i could come up with more. I mean i find it... craven is the word i guess when i see pics like CFL Lui where it says " WTF AM I DONG HERE! I ONLY JOINED FOR THE COLLEGE MONEY " or when people say " Why are you going to fight THERE war" every war is OUR war, as a race. Martin Luther King Jr. once said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"

Im sure CFL Lui is a good soldier though

So yes... i guess im going to join to be a hero. And yes i know... Heros are not choosen, it just happens. No one chooses to be a hero. Well... really i guess i disagree with that, Cause you really do.

 

[Travis]

in short. Its a matter of honor.

 

[FlightSergeantRose]

I don‘t care what anyone say‘s. As far as I‘m concerned noone will truely know how they‘ll feel or how they‘ll react when it comes to killing someone else until they are put in a kill or be killed position.

 

[Thaedes]

I don‘t care what anyone say‘s. As far as I‘m concerned noone will truely know how they‘ll feel or how they‘ll react when it comes to killing someone else until they are put in a kill or be killed position.

Everyone is entitled their own opinion. Regardless, your comment seems oddly out of place in this thread. (sorry for getting off topic here, but I couldn‘t let it pass.) I believe Rob was looking for reasons why people are in the forces, not comments about what you think of those reasons. Are you in the forces? Do you plan to join? if your answer is yes to either then why don‘t you share your reasons. We aren‘t here to disapprove of you, we don‘t think less of someone because they are joining the forces because they want their tuitions paid.

As to your doubts, thats a mighty claim. There are many varying mindsets out there. People don‘t all see things the same way. Life experinces are different, attitudes vary, and in the end the total sumation of a persons experinces will help give a good baring on just how they would react in given situations. Truly, you can not ever know exactly what you will feel or think of taking an individuals life before being in that situation. But one can know their self so well that they know they would not hesitate in the given situation, they know they would not break under the stresses.

The reality of it is in the science, psychologists have been figuring out these things for quite some time.

Course, thats just my $0.02 worth.

As to all you guys who are doing it for the honour. Good for you guys, take what pride you can find in life, for I see few jobs that offer it.

As for me, I‘m not joining for Honour. I hope that throughout my career however, that a sense of honour developes, and that I can take pride in that, if only in modest amounts.

Take care.

 

[Korus]

The hardest thing to explain to someone on "the outside" (per se), is just the feeling of.. well, a belonging, a calling, and the always wanting to have done it.. even that‘s not a good wording...

As for joining the Canadian Army.. wow.. some people just don‘t understand. I‘ve had people asking me if I was going to go join the US army after Uni. I just stared at them for a few seconds, and asked.. "Am I an American?"

But then again, justifying it is often a pointless endevour, since most people just don‘t understand. But then again, they don‘t have to understand, that‘s not why I do it. As long as they respect the sacrifices those who have gone before me have made for their Freedom, it‘s ok.

 

[WINDWOLF]

Rob:
As you can see,very one has their own reasons
for joining.The big thing,i feel,is that it
has to be right for you.Only you can make that
chose.There have been alot of questions about
this subject,browse past topics,it may answer
some of your questions.

I joined for various reasons. The most because
i was a bit of a wild child,Needed disciple.
Chose 031 because it fit like a glove.
Always wanted to be "Sgt Rock"but those
were just childish dreams.There are no Rocks,
just good soldiers doing what needs to be
done.

I loved it.I miss it even after 14 yrs.
Once a grunt,always a grunt.

 

[sgtdixon]

Well I have three reasons for Joining (im going on BMQ this fall)
1- I want to Serve My Country to the fullest, it has been kind enogh to raise me, house me, feed me, and bring me upp with Honour and pride, time to pay my dues
2- My Father, ever since i saw my dad come home from a Bg Ex resplendant in his Maroon Beret, throw me his ruck and say he trooper i knew i wanted to serve
3- There hasnt been a single generation without a Dixon in the Army or Airforce,be it in Canada or Scotland, cant mess with tradition.

Well some may say im not serving for my self, but **** you dont serve for yourself (HINT LUI) im serving my country first, myself lastly.

 

[Evan]

[No message]

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

I‘m 34,but in better shape then most 18 yrs old. All my life I wanted to join CF,but never could because I was always sick.Now that I‘m better and haven‘t had an epileptic seizure in 4yrs. I feel this is a good chance to take advantage of it.

Reasons I want to join:

1/I love challenges

2/I‘m an exercise addict

3/I have experience in unarmed combat from doing 17 yrs of martial arts.

4/I want to be there for my country should it ever need to protect itself.

5/The thought of helping others is a great feeling.

6/I love travelling

7/To Be part of a team that believes in what it represents.

8/I know how crappy and small our army is,and how badly they need people.I want to be able to support the Canadian Forces.

9/I‘m simply "PROUD TO BE CANADIAN"

10/To be known as a peace maker

11/Learning a new trade

12/Free education

13/Pay

14/ To help find and kill Bin Ladin.

:sniper:

:fifty:

 

[Ruthless4Life]

Let‘s put it this way:

Nothing can make me more proud than protecting my country. Period.

Ruthless

 

[Caz]

I thought the only reason I was born was to serve my nation?

That, and if they are going to let me fly, well, why not live the dream?

-R

 

[Troopasaurus]

why am i joining ?
1) well the defender of the breeding ground is the most important thing to civilization nothing has changed sence the cavemen. In order for the race to survive they need to breed and to breed they need land. And i want to do an important job.
2) honour - My forefathers fought as loyalists in te american revolution so military history goes way back.
3) Its what i was ment to do
4) judging from the people i know that are joining or have joined the military they are the people i want to be around.

 

[deathwing5]

I‘m a Turkish, Kurd and Kurds are really proud warrior people,
I‘m lucky enough to be here in Canada and I appreciate it, especially the army.
Sometimes it saddens me when I talk to people who have lived here all their lives and have no respect for their countries army (mostly thinking about what this one girl said)
Every single man in my family and ancestory has served in the Army back home, Kurdish or Turkish.
I will be the first in the Canadian Army.
I would lay my heart down for my country,
and right now my country is Canada, the army
here is really generous compared to the one
in Turkey.
I believe I was born for this, I have a huge
belief in Honor, Pride, and country. I‘ll
be happy to serve this countries army. :evil:

 

[ForeverPvt]

Its the best thing a person can do to give a little bit back to our great country and at the same time earn back some of those tax dollars that the government keeps stealing from my cheque.

 

[dano]

I‘m not in it yet and theres alot more reasons then just this but basicly I want to do join because of the structure. Structure is the one thing that I found to be the only right thing in my life.

Being that there is structure and people will do what they are tould and do it with no or little questions asked enstead of slacking off and tiping the birdy to anyone that pass‘s.

Theres to-meny undisiplened people out here who don‘t give a rats as* about anything and knowing that i‘m starting to turn slack means i‘m just gunna turn in to the drunk down the street.

Being that i‘m not from a scholastic family at all! belive me, and to top that ADD runs in the family.

The one thing my family and I have that are better then the average shmo is dexteriety. Would‘ent have seen the best hands-on family in brampton!

My grand father was in the Airforce during WWII and my father was in the Ress at my age. Infact he was in the exacted same unit i‘m apllying for now.

I‘m defietly not in it for the money. I never even knew how much anyone got paid untill probobly 6 months ago. Serving the country and going on peacekeeping missions are just a few of my goals.

Overall i‘m want to be in to be proud of somthing that i‘ve done and have a great career at the same time!