<prompt> Human: Hey everyone, I wasnt quite sure what sub to ask this on but this one seemed the most appropriate. The title kind of says it all. Im 20 years old, relatively fit and getting better everyday, no real close friends, pretty disconnected from family, and no SO not that Im here for the pity party. Im going to a community college currently and Im almost finished with an AA in Psychology. Took me a couple years but I dont think college is really for me. Im currently working a minimum wage job with no chance of a promotion my boss said that herself and it gets me just enough to put gas in my car and occasionally get a decent meal. I remember in high school wed always have military people over basically saying you can find your purpose in the military. Would a military career work out in both short term and long term? Just looking for any advice at this point. Im on mobile so sorry for any mistakes. Edit: Well this got bigger than expected haha. I just got off work and I want to thank everyone who took some time to help me out. I got a ton of messages, Ill try my best to respond to each one. Thanks everyone, for the advice and words of wisdom. I have a lot to think about to say the least.Edit 2: Just finished reading the last of the messages I got, I really appreciate everyone that took some time to message me and offer advice. Thank you to everyone who shared their story and experiences with me, and thank you for your service. I still need to look into what job specifically I want to do, most people said to look for one that would be useful in the civilian sector. I definitely plan on continuing my education, especially if the benefits help cover it. Ill spend my day doing some research, responding to some messages, and looking for recruiters. Thanks everyone. Assistant: I was in your shoes once, about 12 years ago. Dropped out of college, it wasnt really for me, although I had high SAT scores and generally did well in my HS classes. I just wasnt interested in a liberal arts education. I was working in a restaurant for 9hr part time and going nowhere, so I enlisted into the Army.x200B;If I could give you some advice: do a short-term contract for your initial enlistment, that way if you dont like it, you can get out relatively quickly. I did a 3 year enlistment, but I think you can still do 2 year contracts in some branches. Also, get in shape beforehand, it will save you some headache once you get to BCT or whatever. Running, pushups, situps, and try to hike a few times with a 35 lb pack at a 4 MPH pace for at least 6-8 miles up to 15 if you can do it. If you can do those things, your initial training will be so much easier. Dont let them trick you into picking a job you dont want youll be miserable or signing up for a longer contract by enticing you with a bigger enlistment bonus. Heres the kicker with enlistment bonuses unless theyve changed recently: You dont get until after you finish training, and if its over a certain amount, you dont get a lump sum, it gets broken up into your future paychecks over X number of years. Also, go ahead and figure that youll lose 25 or more to taxes.x200B;Some additional advice: if you choose to enlist, be prepared to hate it for a while. I wasnt good at taking orders, wasnt a people person, needed solitude every once in a while, and was stressed out all the time. After my first year, I started liking it. After two years, I liked it a lot more. You gain some rank, get some experience, and people start treating you better, like you know your stuff. Your paychecks get bigger, you get your head on straight, and things start to come together. Its not a bad gig. Let me know if you have questions. I was active duty Army for 3 years, National Guard for an additional 2, and have a couple buddies who are recruiters now.x200B;EDIT: Wow, this blew up overnight. Thank you for the gold! Ill try to answer more questions down the thread, but Im sure there are plenty of others with the same or better insight than me since I was just a lowly short-timer.Human: First, thank you, I genuinely appreciate the info. A couple of questions if you dont mind: what are some of the recommended jobs in the Army? Is it just preference or does each job have its advantages and disadvantages? And if I may ask, what was your job and did you enjoy it?  <response>: There are many variables to choosing an MOS: some choose because they like the job area. Some choose to assure a looong school. Some choose to assure a particular overseas station. Some choose in an attempt to avoid overseas. Some choose based on how it will transfer to civilian life. Think about what you want most, and fight patiently for what you want out of an enlistment. Recruiters will act like they are in it for you, but they have quotas that are more important than any recruit to them. My bro n law wanted to get to Germany. He waited very patiently for a slot to open that would get him there. And he got there. 