A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men As a civilian, many take for granted a lot of choices and decisions that they have the opportunity to make everyday. They usually look down upon them as inconveniences and everyday annoyances. I used to do the same thing, but then I went to boot camp. There are many differences between being a civilian and being in the military. However there are some surprising similarities. Most civilians have a warped concept of the changes incurred by enlisting. Many of these discrepancies are from movies and the media.

Most of the changes that occur are in one's attitude, respect, self-discipline, and responsibility. Although these are major changes, the core of the person remains the same.

Most of the differences between civilian and military lifestyle are in the opportunity of personal choice and freedom. As a civilian, the luxury of choosing what to wear everyday is often taken for granted. Most people wake up and sit in front of the closet complaining they don't have enough clothes or that they don't like what they do have. In the military, personnel have to wear the same thing everyday, unless told otherwise by a Commanding Officer. He or she doesn't care if this uniform goes with someone's eyes or hair color. All he knows is that it's winter and so everyone should be in his or her "winter blues". When a civilian is hungry, the only thing limiting their options is their budget. They could eat at home, McDonalds, McCormick & Kuleto's, or where ever their heart desires. Most don't appreciate this option. While in the military one's options are usually up to what the head chef wants to make. If enlisted in the Army or Air force, eating off base depends on the Commanding Officer, not what everyone else wants to do. Many other little choices that civilians make are privileges and luxuries in the military. Being able to drive a car depends on where you're stationed and rank. Vacations and days off don't revolve around when people want them, like in the civilian