zacs7

Hallo,

Before starting my SoftEng degree I'd thought doing it with the army (they pay you to do it). But instead I decided to stay in my own city -- otherwise I'd have to move. Doing it at a regular uni (Monash Uni).

However, the thought of being in a cubicle tapping away for the next 50 years is starting to lose it's attractiveness. My question is, has anyone here been in the army (doesn't matter which one)? And does anyone have an ideas as to what software engineering would be like in the army?

They sound like something a recuiter could answer, but they often 'twist the truth' to get you to join up.

Perhaps I'll finish my degree and join (that or move overseas).

Danke!

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abachler

I was in the U.S. Army, and my advice is join the Airforce or Navy.

Particularly since you have a brain. Once you have your degree you can go in as an officer, maybe even do ROTC in college and they pay for college. I suggest the Airforce for SE, since they are the only ones that really do any active research using service members that would require an SE. Plus it never hurts to get a security clearance, I know having had one helped me get my current position.

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He is free, you say. Ah! That is his misfortune… These men… [have] the most terrible, the most imperious of masters, that is, need. … They must therefore find someone to hire them, or die of hunger. Is that to be free? - Simon Linguet

Ancient Dragon

>>My question is, has anyone here been in the army (doesn't matter which one)?
Which ONE ?? Which ONE?? There is only ONE Army. We take that sort of thing pretty darned seriously. I was in the Air Force 23 years.

>>And does anyone have an ideas as to what software engineering would be like in the army?
Not me -- I was not in Software Engineering, but it would have to be pretty much the same as anywhere else

>>the thought of being in a cubicle tapping away for the next 50 years is starting to lose it's attractiveness
It had its advantages and disadvantages. There are other jobs such as ditch digger, construction workers and farming that will let you be out doors most of the time. I loved it, but I only did it between 1985 and 2007. You don't just sit in a cubical blindfolded. The offices I worked in had a lot of social activity among the workers too.

zacs7

Hmm thanks, since I'm still pretty young (18, finish degree when I'm 22) I might give the corporate world a try -- then join the air-force .

And I was talking about the Australian army

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brewbuck

Well, there are a lot of different nations, therefore a lot of different armies

(I know what you mean though. My wife made the mistake of asking a Marine how he felt about his time in the Army. Oooooh boy, that was an interesting conversation)

whiteflags

So that you know how to refer to them collectively from now on, yeah?

Mario F.

Hmm... if you are 18 and 4 years away from finishing your degree, I'd probably suggest you take the rest of this year to consider your options and enlist next year (or not, naturally). I believe, it will be more advantageous to you to take your course while "inside", instead as a civilian and enlist only later. But more important than that... don't wait it out after you finish your course. At the age of 22 you are already reaching the highest desirable age for new recruits.

With a degree you can shoot your way up to the officer ranks. And that's basically the only thing that should interest you. The only thing I can say is that, while I strongly dislike the environment and could have never lived the life of a military without being sentenced to jail every other day for assaulting an officer, that is on almost any part o the world the best place to work. You will be guaranteed for life, my friend. And that means even after your retirement. No private company will offer you that.

Money can be shorter if you turn out to become a computer wiz, but if you do you can always quit the military. The Australian military is one of the most modern military forces of the world. You will, if you become good enough work only with the best people and the best equipment. Something that you can only hope when looking for a job in the civilian side of the fence.

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Originally Posted by brewbuck:
Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

brewbuck

True, but your life may be... short. If you're brainy enough, chances are you won't get put on the front lines of a conflict, but in some nations' militaries you don't really get a choice.