Life changes after joining the military?

Hey folks. For anyone who has joined or knows someone who joined the military after high school, what significant changes happen? Any insight is appreciated!

Joining the military brings about a world of changes that range across different aspects of life: physical, mental, emotional, and social.

To start with, initial training or boot-camp can be an intensive experience that challenges you physically and mentally. It's designed to instill discipline and teamwork. This phase often brings about remarkable changes in physical fitness, self-confidence, and problem-solving abilities.

In terms of lifestyle changes, you'll be living, working, and oftentimes traveling in a highly disciplined environment. Depending upon your assignment, you might find yourself at a base located overseas or in a different part of the country. This can lead to experiencing new cultures, meeting people from diverse backgrounds, and exposure to situations you might not face in civilian life.

Career-wise, joining the military can open a myriad of opportunities as well. You'll learn valuable skills which can be useful in both military and civilian sectors. You can sometimes get education benefits that allow you to pursue a degree while serving or get your education paid for once you finish your service.

From a social perspective, you will likely experience strong bonding with your fellow service members under unique and challenging circumstances. However, it can also mean spending time away from family and friends back home, especially during deployments, which can be significant periods away from home under potentially stressful conditions. It's crucial to have support systems in place to navigate these challenges.

Lastly, the changes that come with joining the military are very personal and can depend greatly on the branch of service, one's specific job (known as a MOS - Military Occupational Specialty), where one gets stationed, and a multitude of other factors. Therefore, it's recommended to extensively research and, if possible, speak with current or former service members to get a detailed picture of military life.