journymans license + codings jobs?

[Dy7SLyTq]

so i dont know how many of you remember when i first came here, but i was attacked (and rightly so looking back) on char*s vs strings and that one thread where i talked about pokemon. well after that i decided to hide my age, but i realized im being ridiculous. i am 17, and the marines are trying to recruit me (i know that its not just me but thats not important). they said that by joining them they have programs tailored to computer science, and when i get out, ill have a journeyman's license, which they claimed is as good as a college degree, because it shows ive been working, not sticking my nose in a book (not meaning to attack college students) and a company wont have to a) train me or b)waste a (wo)man to train me. so anyways, is this true? do any of you interviewers see that license and think that? my second question is i hear and read that people who really enjoy coding (skill aside) that take programming jobs grow to hate it, because they are "forced" to do it now. is this true? i want to have a career in coding but not if im going to hate doing it.

[Disch]

There are numerous reports of people joining the armed forces because they were promised their time served would be "as good as" formal education and that their skills would apply to the private sector -- but after service they found themselves stranded with unmarketable skills.

The Daily Show has run numerous segments on the topic in efforts to improve veteran care post-service (yeah I know... "The Daily Show" is not a very credible source -- but still)

I'm not saying that's the norm, but it certainly isn't rare by any stretch.

Quite frankly... I think you'd have to be crazy to volunteer for enrollment in the US armed services right now. Besides the fact that we've been perpetually at war for the last ~15 years.... if you're looking to build work experience and/or education in a field (with the added benefit of not having to risk your life), you're much better off getting an internship.

Don't believe recruiters. They're trying to sell you a package. Do your own research before you make such a drastically life-changing and irreversible decision.

[Dy7SLyTq]

thanks. and dont worry i am doing research. im asking here (obviously) talking to my parents, talking to friends/family in/have been in the military, some of my bosses, and doing online research. however i still feel like it wouldnt hurt to still go in and talk to the recruiter and see if im at least qualified to join

[ajh32]

i want to have a career in coding but not if im going to hate doing it

I would strongly urge you to get a place at college on a programming course. If you don't like it then try somthing else, at least you will (a) have a qualification (b) be alive. If you do like programming you can progress from there.

[Dy7SLyTq]

so just to make sure im understanding all of you right:
-dont join the military because i have a chance of not getting good skills as high as useful skills

-go to college and take cs (which is what i would pick; i know no one recommended it) to see if i would like it as my career

[Disch]

Another thing to consider here is contributing, and potentially dedicating your life to a cause you don't believe in.

Did you support the Afghan and (both) Iraqi wars? Were they worth fighting in your opinion? What about the possibility of war with Iran/Syria... would you support that?

If the answer to any of those is "no", then don't join the military. If the military is doing things you don't approve of you should not contribute to that bad behavior. Boycotting is just as effective a tool in the military as it is in the private sector -- they can't keep starting wars everywhere if they don't have anyone willing to fight them.

[Dy7SLyTq]

actually i am very patriotic. i know there are things wrong with america, and i know that this country has done criminal things, but every other issue aside with joining the military, im proud to, if it comes to it, fight for my country (of course i might not be the best candidate).

edit: of course that doesnt mean i like war. personally i wish no wars were fought at all, and we live in peace, but i see the point in it. i mean im glad we didnt just sit around after 9/11 and took the fight to al quida. (excuse my spelling im not good at spelling foreign words)

[Disch]

DTSCode: That's fine. =)

I'm not trying to sway your opinion on the matter... I just want to make sure you understand the implications.

[Dy7SLyTq]

oh no i understand. i appreciate all of the questions and understand why your asking them. you couldnt possibly have known that so your just making sure i make an informed choice

[Cheraphy]

There hasn't been a legitimate war in the industrialized world since WW2. I just want everyone here to recognize this. Because a declaration of war is a legally binding document, and it just so happens to be cheaper to forgo that.

[ResidentBiscuit]

I thought about this same thing. I am so glad I didn't enlist now. Everyone I know who did hates it and just got entirely screwed over and totally regret joining. I've read about the programming involved with enlisted and it is apparently mind numbingly boring.

It's been about 2 years since I was pretty set on joining and decided not to, and I am so happy I didn't. Just my personal experience with it.

[Dy7SLyTq]

why did they hate it?