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Pros; it will help your career,
it will "toughen you up"
it will organize you and put you on a regimen,
it will help you make long-lasting friendships and maybe career contacts,
it will pay for college,
it will change your views on the world around you,
Cons; if it doesn't make you, it could break you and that could cost you in the long run if you find out too late that it is not for you.
I used to think about joining the military. I always envied people who had the strength to serve our country in such a way, and I still wish I had it in me to do something like that, but I always worried that I am the wrong kind of person for the military and therefore wouldn't benefit personally from it. I realized instead that I'm better off doing some other kind of "community service" with a little less of a commitment.
My son is in the military, he likes it..but it does take a mind set. And with your qualifications, and education in Graphic Arts, they may use you in a speciality area, working in DC or something, you never know. There are alot of benefits from being in the military, my son has travelled, gone places and done things he would have never done if not for the military, he is getting experience, and learning a trade, he is learning disel mechanics, something he was never interested in before. So, you can check it out...he is Army, maybe you would prefer Coast Guard? Navy?
I have a hard time answering this as an answer to financial problems.
Military life is hard, demanding, and relentless. It takes self sacrifice in many ways. It requires selflessness and putting others over self. Yet if you are a person who can rise the the difficulties and prevail, or you love the lifestyle, you may do well.
It worked for me and good luck in whatever you do.
I went to the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for 3 years. Got my Bachelors Degree in Graphic design. I'm 23 with a degree and no job. I'm about 80,000 in debt. My plan is to move to the northwest and live in the city and roommate and intern my way up for a job(something I'm losing motivation for quickly) and this plan has struggle written all over it and I'm afraid it might not work out and I don't want to be 30 unemployed. I can't take it anymore I need to get out and am willing work my ass off.
I know my friend who's in the army. He gets steady money coming in. He's a got car. He's insured. He's been in the service since he was 20 and he's 30 now. Hard work in the army has gotten him a long way. I feel like I'm at a dead end and made a horrible decision going to The Art Institute and getting my self into crazy debt. Will going to the military and ranking up will help my situation? Anybody have military experience? good or bad? Has it helped you out financially?
I'm a retired Navy Intelligence Officer and I loved it! I was a journalism major and worked a couple of years in my field before joining the Navy. I travelled all over the world and once I retired from the Navy I was able to work for several more years both as a Federal Employee and as a Government Contractor in the Intelligence field.
Since you have a degree, I strongly recommend you go Officer Corp and I would recommend you look at the Navy or Air Force.
I'm a retired Navy Intelligence Officer and I loved it! I was a journalism major and worked a couple of years in my field before joining the Navy. I travelled all over the world and once I retired from the Navy I was able to work for several more years both as a Federal Employee and as a Government Contractor in the Intelligence field.
Since you have a degree, I strongly recommend you go Officer Corp and I would recommend you look at the Navy or Air Force.
How far can Graphic Design go in the NAVY?
Thanks for the feedback guys. It's definitely something I'm going to think hard on the next couple weeks and try to get a hold of a recruiter.
Thanks for the feedback guys. It's definitely something I'm going to think hard on the next couple weeks and try to get a hold of a recruiter.
You need to understand that every civilian career or job is not going to find a parallel career in the military. Now having said that, perhaps the Public Affairs area would be closest to your degree field.
I would go onto the Navy website and take a look at Public Affairs, both Officer and Enlisted. If you don't mind earning less money, then looking at the Enlisted designators might be your best option in order to get a job doing exactly or close to what you want to do. As you become more senior, your duties will entail more management than hands on. As an Officer you are predominantly management with not as much hands on unfortunately - but again, that is very designator specific.
As others have said, not everyone is cut out for the military, so going into it with the right mindset as well as understanding that graphic design may have very limited opportunities needs to be one of the things foremost in your mind.
I went to the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for 3 years. Got my Bachelors Degree in Graphic design. I'm 23 with a degree and no job. I'm about 80,000 in debt. My plan is to move to the northwest and live in the city and roommate and intern my way up for a job(something I'm losing motivation for quickly) and this plan has struggle written all over it and I'm afraid it might not work out and I don't want to be 30 unemployed. I can't take it anymore I need to get out and am willing work my ass off.
I know my friend who's in the army. He gets steady money coming in. He's a got car. He's insured. He's been in the service since he was 20 and he's 30 now. Hard work in the army has gotten him a long way. I feel like I'm at a dead end and made a horrible decision going to The Art Institute and getting my self into crazy debt. Will going to the military and ranking up will help my situation? Anybody have military experience? good or bad? Has it helped you out financially?
You're not going to get rich in the service. The money's just not there and never will be. In fact, if that's your primary reason for considering the armed forces, you're bound to be disappointed and serving would be a huge waste of your time and the Army's resources. Better just stay at home.
But, consider this from an old Veteran who's been around for a few years. Later in life, most men and women look back on the decisions they made and one of their chief regrets seems to be not having served, especially during times of war. In their forties or fifties, they suddenly become aware that they missed something important, something they should have been involved in, something others did in their stead and they often see that as a personal failure, a missed opportunity to know something those others found out. When the subject comes up in conversation, they offer their "excuses" for not having had the guts to meet the challenges of their youth. I've heard it a thousand times. "Well, I couldn't go because of (fill in the blank)."
If you go into the service and do your duty, you'll NEVER have to justify yourself to anyone, ever again. You won't have to feel the shame they feel when in the presence of men and women their own age who didn't shirk their responsibilities. The day will come when the current war is over and, for the rest of your life, you'll be sorry you didn't do your part. And, when you find your co-workers or friends or family members were there, you'll find yourself making YOUR excuses for staying home while others fought for you.
Good luck. Click on the links to explore the jobs, a lot of them deal with photography and manipulate photos after you take them, others are about analyzing photos.
Later in life, most men and women look back on the decisions they made and one of their chief regrets seems to be not having served, especially during times of war. In their forties or fifties, they suddenly become aware that they missed something important, something they should have been involved in, something others did in their stead and they often see that as a personal failure, a missed opportunity to know something those others found out. When the subject comes up in conversation, they offer their "excuses" for not having had the guts to meet the challenges of their youth. I've heard it a thousand times. "Well, I couldn't go because of (fill in the blank)."
"Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier. " --Samuel Johnson--
This is true. I can't tell you how many Vietnam era people who didn't go to war come up to me when I am in uniform and make some sort of excuse or apology for not being in the war. It's wierd.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stillkit
You're not going to get rich in the service. The money's just not there and never will be. In fact, if that's your primary reason for considering the armed forces, you're bound to be disappointed and serving would be a huge waste of your time and the Army's resources. Better just stay at home.
But, consider this from an old Veteran who's been around for a few years. Later in life, most men and women look back on the decisions they made and one of their chief regrets seems to be not having served, especially during times of war. In their forties or fifties, they suddenly become aware that they missed something important, something they should have been involved in, something others did in their stead and they often see that as a personal failure, a missed opportunity to know something those others found out. When the subject comes up in conversation, they offer their "excuses" for not having had the guts to meet the challenges of their youth. I've heard it a thousand times. "Well, I couldn't go because of (fill in the blank)."
If you go into the service and do your duty, you'll NEVER have to justify yourself to anyone, ever again. You won't have to feel the shame they feel when in the presence of men and women their own age who didn't shirk their responsibilities. The day will come when the current war is over and, for the rest of your life, you'll be sorry you didn't do your part. And, when you find your co-workers or friends or family members were there, you'll find yourself making YOUR excuses for staying home while others fought for you.
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