
Ask HN: How many of you have military experience? - n0chi
If so, how strongly do you identify with that identity even after your service?
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tedmiston
I don't think you're including current/former defense contractors or those
that have worked in military research labs in contractor or civilian roles
here, but I believe you'll find a decent amount of those on HN.

In any case, just to add a data point, after working as a defense contractor,
a lot of that culture has stuck with me years later especially in terms of
security consciousness and inadvertently leaking information signals,
especially in this era of more and more publicly accessible social media
content.

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danieka
I was a musician(tuba) in the Royal Swedish Army Band for two years. So not
really military, but we did received thorough combat training.

I really enjoyed it, and it gave me really good experiences and taught me some
valuable lessons. Our CO always said "You can do ten times as much as you
think you can do and twice as much as we think you can do". The lesson is that
when you've done X amount of work you usually feel that you can do X more
work.

We spent a couple of weeks in the field training and that has taught me to
appreciate comfort without needing it. Whenever I'm cold, hungry or tired I
can always think: "I've had it much worse, this is nothing".

But still, I don't feel like a military man and don't identify much with it.
It's just a valuable experience.

edit: thought -> taught

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FrightHorse
I was in the US Army as linguist. While I've been out long enough that I no
longer feel like or identify as a soldier, I find I very much cherish the
sense of support I always felt while in the Service. I felt as though whatever
came, I'd have people around me that had my back. Civilian life doesn't seem
to have that. It seems an ultimately selfish culture. No tribe.

~~~
n0chi
Well said! Have you tried communities like www.rallypoint.com to keep in touch
with your tribe?

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fredophile
I was in armoured reconnaissance. I'm glad I did it and there are times that I
miss it. I still have some very close friends that I served with. However, it
isn't really a big part of my life now. Obviously my trade doesn't directly
apply to writing software but I learned a lot of lessons that I still use
regularly.

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halfbrown
I was in the US Navy on a fast-attack submarine. As a submariner, we all have
a very strong brotherhood/sisterhood due to the intense conditions and
rigorous training we go through to become submarine qualified, and so in that
regard I identify with my military service very much.

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chezzwizz
I am a former U.S. Marine and I have found that the things you learn and the
training you experience only give a glimpse of how strong the bonds you gain
are in service. I will always identify with my service as there is a implicit
understanding in the phrase semper fidelis, which is the Marine Corps motto.
But I think that many other service members hold the same value in their
service.

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navbaker
Current military here. Starting the process of resigning and will be out in
around a year. I’ve gotten some great training, but after ten years, the job
is becoming a PowerPoint and briefing hell. My masters is in CS with a focus
in machine learning, so I’ll be trying to find a position leveraging that or
my work in network security.

~~~
n0chi
Thats awesome, looks like you've set yourself up with an easy transition! Best
of luck.

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chad_strategic
USMC 0844/0803

CWO2 retired

Being in the Marine Corps is one of the hardest, craziest, challenging, worst,
miserable job I have ever had. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

Semper Fi

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rurban
I was 8 months in mandatory Austrian service, doing lots of sports and arts
and driving around in the country.

I liked it, but identification: 0

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flignats
USN - USS Boxer - 2003 - 2007

Specific 'core values' remain important to me.

