re: Thinking about joining the military soon and...

In a nutshell:

Join the Air Force or Navy, based on the next paragraph. Whoever guarantees you the best job.

*Get a guaranteed job*, in a field that has some sort of in-demand civilian equivalent or trains you for one (anything medical, etc). Don't pick something because it sounds cool. Example: Aircraft mechanic sounds cool. Junior enlisted ones work like dogs and the market is saturated on the civilian side. On the other hand, my ex was an enlisted computer programmer in the AF. She did her 3 years, got out, has no bachelor's degree...but she has a skill and security clearances, and makes $100k+. She could make $70k and work from home.

While you're in...GET ALL THE EDUCATION (tuition assistance) YOU CAN. If you like military life and may make it a career, balance education with doing a good job. If you don't care for military life, just keep your nose clean, focus on education, and get that honorable discharge. Use your GI Bill for something that'll make you money.

No idea about the 51 (I'm an officer), but apparently it's not great but not awful. So....no computer programming for you....so I'd maybe look into jobs that teach you other skills....like electrical work, plumbing, etc. Money to be made there, on the outside. Don't fall for the rolling in the dirt/shooting guns/ooo-rah type jobs, thinking you can get security gigs later. That market's saturated and drying up anyway.You can maybe be a cop, but you can do that anyway....and those jobs wreck your body.

I feel my time in has been a great positive, even though I hate it a lot of the time and am admittedly not a very "military" person (I don't do well with authority...go figure). It's especially great for males who grew up without a solid father figure around. I'm a much more complete person because of it. I'm looking forward to getting out, though.

Basic training will vary by service, but...I've heard Air Force basic is cake. My prior enlisted officer friends who were in other services before said that their basic training sucked more, but the officer basic training was harder....if that makes sense. Just get in shape before you go, be able to pass the fitness test before you go, do what you're told, and you'll be fine.

Feel free to ask other, more specific questions. I work with active and retired guys from all 4 branches, so I can get answers even if I don't know them myself.

And yes, the recruiters are all bullshitting you. IF YOU DON"T GET IT IN WRITING (guaranteed job, assignment location, anything else), IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE RECRUITER SAYS.