Stay safe, but out of curiosity what made you want to join the army?
I wanted better Job security, at the time I was a manager at a Sony Retail store and making good money, but i could just FEEL the economy crumbling around me and I didn't want to be like alot of my other friends/associates who couldn't find work and were struggling. Also my Father was in the Air Force when he was younger, my older brother was a Marine when he was younger, and my cousin just spent the past 13 years in the Navy and it seemed to me like it marked a point of growth and maturation at that point in their lives.
So I said what the hell...
The mistake in my estimation that I made is that I feel like military institutions are best to get into when your young, around 18-22 because it CAN help mature you but after that period your pretty much already grown and set in your ways. I joined when I was 24 and some of the bullshyt they try to get over on you wasn't flying with me. Plus these Cacs with rank truly expect you to be on some "yessa boss massa" and that DAMN SURE ain't my style...
Overall its been an eye opening experience to say the least....
Turns out I was partially right though, the year after I joined that Sony Store closed down...