Potential Magazine College Organizer 2019 | Page 63

myths
Y MY
MILITA R
military guide
THS
While there’s a wealth of information out there about
joining the military, there’s also a wealth of MISin-
formation. Cpl. Krista E. James debunks some of the
most common myths about military service.
MYTH: B  ootcamp is designed to make you fail.
False. Recruit training is designed to break down the old version of
recruits and mold them into well-disciplined members of the mili-
tary. Recruits learn the value of teamwork and leadership, straying
from a, “What’s in it for me?” mentality into a, “How can I help the
team?” mentality.
MYTH: W
 hat you learn in the military has no
applicability to life outside of the service.
False. There are many Military Occupational Specialties (MOS’
in the Marine Corps that translate into the civilian world. We have
jobs in fields such as administration, communications, electron-
ics maintenance, legal services, music, aircraft maintenance, and
many others that can all translate into the civilian world. Many
people think we are just taking young adults and sending them off
to war, but we are actually preparing them to be great leaders in
the community.
MYTH: All military service members have to go
to war and fight. MYTH: Going into the military forfeits your
chance to get a college education.
False. While it is a Marine’s duty to serve their country, whether in
a war-zone or in a peaceful atmosphere, there are many Marines
who have never seen combat. I myself was on a non-combat
deployment for six months on the Black Sea Rotational Force in
Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania. Our primary job was crisis con-
tingency, not fighting a war. False. We have many resources that allow recipients to get a college
education and then serve their country as an officer. We also pro-
vide tuition assistance. That means Marines can serve their coun-
try, receive benefits like medical and dental, and still go to school
free of charge. After their time-in-service has ended, Marines
can still utilize their GI Bill. This bill provides up to 36 months of
education benefits, to include a housing allowance.
1-800-GOGUARD
NATIONALGUARD.COM/AL
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