7 Reasons Why You Should NOT Join the Armed Forces

Many of us have dreamt of joining the Armed Forces since we were kids. Some of us like the uniform, some like the guns, some of us like the aircrafts and so on… But what we need to keep in mind is that working in the Armed Forces is not an easy task by any means. Most of us would not even get into the Armed Forces, and out of the few that do manage to get in, majority would not be able to adjust to the extremely structured environment.

This list will inform you about the 7 reasons as to why you should not join the Armed Forces as they are not meant for everybody. It will inform you about the various aspects of this profession that you might not be able to adjust to and accept.

Organized Atmosphere

The Armed Forces include the Army, Navy and the Air Force. All three of these wings of the Armed Forces have extremely structured, disciplined and organized atmospheres. Breach of protocol is never allowed. Uniformity is always maintained. Every soldier has to follow a rigorous routine that might include activities you do not like. There is a lot of discipline required to succeed in this career as you are always required to follow rules, procedures and codes. The Armed Forces do not have room for any flexibility in their procedures and methods. For example, you will always have to be dressed in uniform. All soldiers have to follow a strict timetable that includes getting up early, eating the right food and exercising the right way. If you think you will not be comfortable in living in such a disciplined and strict environment, then you should probably not join the Armed Forces. To know the Top 7 Fixed Hours Jobs, click here.

No Creativity

The Armed Forces do not really provide much room for creativity. At least not till you reach a high rank when you might have the opportunity to improve processes. The daily activities of soldiers include a usual set of procedures that have to be completed. You cannot use your own methods or procedures to get things done as everything is clearly specified beforehand. The Armed Forces require a person to follow strict methods and routines. As the nature of work is very physical and vital to the nation, there is no creativity involved and uniformity is maintained within the Armed Forces throughout the country. This means that the procedures that a Pilot has to perform will be the same during a case of emergency in Chandigarh as well as Kerala. A Pilot is not supposed to use his own methods and procedures to try and solve the situation as that may further complicate matters and endanger lives. If you’re the type of person who cannot tolerate uniformity and if you want to be creative in what you do as use your own methods and techniques, then maybe you should not be a part of the Armed Forces. To know the Top 7 Creative Careers, click here.

Physically Taxing

The Armed Forces is one of the most if not the most physically taxing profession in the world. It not only involves rigorous exercise and physical hard work, but also involves a potential threat to a person’s life and body. The career requires you to follow rigorous training routines and survive in harsh weather during situations of emergency. During battles and wars, you might be required to save your country and fight even if you are injured. The career comprises of immense physical struggle including handling heavy machinery and equipment. The Armed Forces is one profession in which you are required to risk your life for the benefit of a thousand other civilians. Be it Army, Navy or the Air Force, soldiers in all the wings of the Armed Forces dedicate their lives and bodies for the benefit and safety of the nation. It is to be kept in mind that not everybody is ready for that kind of commitment towards the nation. Also, not everybody is that physically strong to manage to meet the physical demands of this profession. You need to be extremely fit, physically and mentally and should be willing to let go of your life if the country needs it. If you want to join the Armed Forces hoping that you have to never face a war, or if leading a physically taxing routine seems like a daunting task to you, then you probably shouldn’t think of joining the Armed Forces. To know the Top 7 Physical Careers, click here.

Money

The monetary remuneration in the Armed Forces is not as attractive as in the private industry even for the senior ranked officials. The lack of monetary remuneration is compensated for in some form because of the various benefits. However, you can earn much more that too by doing much lesser work in other industries. The payment in the Armed Forces is not much but you can still manage to live comfortably if you use the benefits as well. But still, joining the Armed Forces should not be based on the pay as it is generally much lesser compared to other jobs even if you make use of all the benefits. The attractiveness of this career is not in its pay but in the respect one gets. If you want to be rich and live a luxurious life, then you should probably not join the Armed Forces as there are very little chances that you will ever be paid the kind of amounts you could have been paid in other industries. To know the Top 7 Money Making Careers, click here.

Passion to serve the country

The Armed Forces are right for individuals who are passionate about their country. It is that very passion that motivates these individuals to join the Armed Forces and defend the country’s honor. It is not money, it is not benefits or anything else, but this very passion that helps people succeed in this field. It motivates people to risk their lives for the country and its citizens. Without this passion, you can never succeed in this profession. This is not a just a feeling of patriotism but a desire to sacrifice everything else for the love of your country. Most people work to improve their own lives and become more successful. However, soldiers in the Armed Forces put their own lives in danger for the benefit of other people. Needless to say, only a select few are that passionate about the country. If you feel you do not have that kind of passion, determination and selflessness to serve the country, then you shouldn’t join the Armed Forces as you will never be able to succeed in this profession.

Relocation

Another aspect of working in the Armed Forces is constant relocation. On an average, people working in the Armed Forces are posted at a particular location for a period of 2-3 years and not more. This means that you will have to shift your residence along with your family every 3 years which is not an easy task. Many of us are very attached to our houses and the places we live in. But people working in the Armed Forces cannot afford to do that as they have to regularly relocate their houses. Please keep in mind that this does not in any way mean that you will be only posted to cities like Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore. As a matter of fact, you might have to relocate to a remote location in an area that you have never even heard of. During wars and other emergencies, you might have to live next to the border or war site for several months altogether.  If you think that you will not be able to deal with this constant relocation and that too possibly to locations that are not in metro cities and are comparatively less developed, then you should not join the Armed Forces as this is a regular aspect of this profession.

Following Orders

The Armed Forces revolve around the concept of authority. The ‘Junior’ is supposed to follow the orders of his ‘Senior’. The main aspect of a soldier’s job is to follow orders given by his seniors. Soldiers in the Armed Forces are trained to make sure that they follow the orders of their seniors during all types of situations. There might situations where you do not agree with the instructions and orders. But it is important for a soldier not to focus on ‘why’ and rather focus on ‘what’.  People working in the Armed Forces are not supposed to act as per their own opinions or judgment but rather act on the basis of the orders given by the senior. They are expected to follow these orders at any cost and that is most important task for any soldier in any wing, be it Army, Navy or the Air Force. This is not easy as you are often required to go against your own wishes, beliefs and opinions and follow the opinions of your seniors. If the thought of not being able to use your own opinion disturbs you, and if you think you will not be able to follow orders without agreeing with the motives behind them, then you should not join the Armed Forces. 


Careers in the armed forces

Entrance Exam

MyVideos

Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams, follow their interests & curiosities and see the opportunities in life's setbacks-- including death itself.