There is no conscription in Belgium, as Arathorn pointed out. Belgium being a small country with an army that specializes in certain tasks, people who join the army these days are typically either:

- poor, older college students. Up until 26 you can pretty much get by with scholarships and don't need to join the army, no matter how dumb you are

- specialists with long training courses. Doctors and the likes.

- the bottom of society's barrel



It's a gross generalization, but probably pretty true. Most people regard the army as something of a last option, unless you're retarded and unlikely to make anything out of yourself in proper society I guess. It pays well enough and you get to retire early.

Personally I kinda like the idea of having to do military service to earn citizenship. Having felt what it's like to have absolutely no freedom, it made me appreciate my country more.

lol @ starship troopers. Cfr. our earlier conversation, the movie gave me a newfound appreciation for unisex showers. Not because of the unrealistic grade-a stock that populated them (well perhaps a little), but more because it made the idea seem so...normal. Which is what it always has been, really, but it's not something we're quite used to. I think BSG also has unisex washing rooms, at least it's implied.

I don't think I'd make a good army man, I like my privacy, I'm pretty self-serving and have too much of a temper (and authority issues). But who knows? I might have taken a shine to it.

The excercise, the playing in the dirt/woods, the cameraderie...they kind of appeal to me. But I hate loud bangs.

heh....I wasn't exactly the conformist, bend over for authority type when I joined. Or after I joined. Or after I let. But to each their own. I certainly didn't stay in... I enjoy my freedom too much. Once you realize it's all a mind game, it's not too bad.

Bend over and respect my authoritaaaay!

Sorry, I just felt like typing that.

How long is a regular 'tour' in the US army anyway? i mean, the minimum to make your eligible for scholarship and veteran benefits.

depends what you can con the recruiter into and how badly they need people for the job. My job was in high demand, so I got away with 2 years and training time (basically 2 1/2 years). I almost took a job for satellite uplink repair.. that would've required a year of schooling and 5 years of being in the Army.

I had no idea that you could negotiate terms with the army recruiters just like any other job. I figured there were just some fixed career paths and shit.

Does someone with a college degree automatically become a (petty) officer btw? I mean, not that I think they're superior (well actually...) or anything, but I can imagine having your more skilled assets put on assault infantry duty isn't perhaps the best way to go around managing an army. Not even taking into account the fact that they may not be as brave/stupid as others.

In the Belgian army, I believe most university-trained soldiers are officers. Except in the elite troops, perhaps, where there should be some trained footsoldiers. or are they considered officers compared to 'regular' land army infantry anyways?

Army = confuzzling

hah...it's not that complicated, honestly.

No, you're not automatically an officer if you have a college degree. As you earn credits in college you can join in at different ranks. Due to my college time, I entered as a private (e2) instead of a private (e1). Basically only pay grade above minimum. Someone with a degree can go in as an e4 (specialist).

On the other hand, if you took ROTC in college (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserve_Of ... ning_Corps) then you can go in as an officer, starting off as an o1 (lieutenant). But just because you're capable, don't expect the Army not to be retarded and not take advantage of it. I scored super-high on the DLAB (http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/dlab.htm) and they never did anything with it.

to confuse you some more, there are no petty officers in the army. I think that's a navy thing, There are enlisted (e1-e8), officers (o1-o8 I think), and warrant officers (wo1-wo4 or something). Warrant officers are kinda weird... they're basically enlisted that became highly technically specialized. These are the guys that know helicopters or radar systems or whatever... they're above enlisted but below officers, but anyone who 's got half a brain listens to what they have to say.

oh, as for negotiation, they don't like people to know that, but yea, you can totally negotiate. I had a high score on my entrance exam so I would've had leverage...plus they have stats they have to make.

What kinda jobs do you get with the DLAB stuff? Interpreting, translating, liaisons officer stuff? Cause you know, getting paid to learn a new lingo ain't all that bad, especially if it keeps me out of harm's way afterwards.

There's always a market for people that can speak foreign languages. Signal intelligence (intercepting commo) and interrogation spring to mind. I'm sure there are other jobs too.. embedded translators for any unit that needs to interact with the populace, certainly. Trainer for local troops. Hell, even something as mundane as buying supplies from local sources.