In my opinion, people who want a better financial situation and a vocation, should join the U.S. army immediately after graduating high school. The army life gives you many benefits for your present and future such as responsibility, working in a group, money, safety, education, and overall mental strength. These types of benefits are important for a person who wants to succeed in life especially when it comes the time to be independent. I think it is a clever idea to learn to be on your own in the world, because you don’t want to be depending on your family your whole life. In my research, in www.goarmy.com I found the qualifications that a person should have to join the army. I would love to put more websites that contains facts about the army, but it is impossible because this is the official website of the army and it has everything what you need to know. The following chart contains information from the website:

U.S. Army General Qualifications
1) U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
2) 17-35 years old
3) Healthy and in good physical condition
4) In good moral standing
5) High school or Equivalent Education
NOTE: Some positions may have additionals qualifications, but those are the main ones that you should have before join the army.

The army make you responsible of your decisions and also of your mistakes. The Basic Training is almost 3 months. When you are there you’re doing exercises, shooting guns, learning how to defend yourself and others, and also you get to learn how to respect your superiors and your peers. You don't have to take everything seriously, you can just play as you play Call of Duty. Sounds fun, right? You should do it. There's more: it is your responsibility to follow the rules of your sergeants because if you do the opposite you can harm yourself and others. For example, if you insult one of your superiors you and all your peers will be punish. Every base is different but I have some personal facts about Fort Leonard Wood, MO. My boyfriend Andres could call me every Sunday, everything depends on your peer’s attitude and yours. For them you’re in a group and everyone have to pay the consequences of one. That’s why I think one of your benefits the army gives you is to be responsible.

Money is what everybody wants in life. The army can give you money for your personal belongings and for college. You can make your dreams come true if you join the army. I do know you have to work hard and harder everyday because the life in the army is not easy, but it is worth it and .. I think you should really try it. Sometimes what will come to your mind while you are thinking about joining the army is the feeling of dying, but I’m going to tell you that the “army word” doesn’t mean you are going to die in war. My statement is, “Thinking in negative things is not going to take you or give you, positive things.” I know you are thinking, “This person is not being realistic, it is obvious that you might die in war.” Stop there; of course you might die in war, but not if you choose a career that is not related to fight with another military group. Here is more; you can choose a career that is about Science as a Laboratory Specialist and then you will be working in a Laboratory, while people are fighting in war. That sounds safer, right? it is. Being a Specialist is not the only safe career. There are more professions that keep you far away from war. In my research, I found that for civilians that want to join Reserves there is 150 jobs opportunities and for the ones who want to join the Active Duty there is 120 jobs. You might not like your profession, but you will be gaining money and you also will not have a connection with a war. What is incredible is that in 6 months you will be studying 2 years of college. That's awesome to have a career less than one year. That's what I called easy money and a fast career. After the 6 months you will be premiering your knowledge of your vocation at work. I'm going to answer you a question that everyone might have about the army. You do not have to stay with the same profession. That is why they give you money for college. You might prefer to study anything else that you really love and wish to study, but you will be doing that after you complete with your Basic Training and your Alternate Training Program. There is not a specific amount of money for college because everything depends on your career. You might want to find more about it. Here is the website where you can find it, http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/education-benefits/money-for-college.html, because I cannot give you all the information because things might change.

Some people join the army for many reasons. For example, for what I know is for college money, to help their families with money, to be the first one in succeed in the family, to have their citizenship, to serve their country, to retire from a job a certain age and still receiving their paycheck. There is many reason why people join the army or think about joining the army, but everyone has their own reason.

Now, let’s talk more about the Basic Training and the Alternate Training Program. Is for fact that you will have the feeling that you are alone, but it depends how close you are from your family, food, and country. Why I’m talking about this? People that are not very mentally strong they get depressed. I never went to the army, but I do know some experiences of people that had before and they got through these feelings, You can also do it. I’m here to encourage you to do it and to trust in yourself. Why I want you to do it? You will completely change in a perfect way. There will be moments that people will demostrate you their aprecciation for your service to the community. You will feel great at the moment when they get to tell you, “Thanks for serving the country, I really appreciated.” People will be proud of you and the most important thing is your family will be there, giving you support and feeling proud of what your done for them and for the community. While you are in Basic Training and in the ATP you will not be able to see the people you love and care about, until the graduation or vacations. Depends on what base you are in the world to know when you are able to have vacations and home calls. I know for sure that everyone has vacations on Christmas, it might be for two weeks and it also depends on the base that you are into it. You also will have the feeling of leaving the army but think about your family and the benefits you will have after all this process. Leaving the army after you already sign a paper confirming the years you will be serving the country, can be not a great thing to do. I’m going to tell you why I think this. From my research, there is not a specific information for this situation until you are into the army. If you are thinking to leave the army while you are into it, you might have to pay a certain amount of money and you might will be waiting almost 5 years or more until the papers are done. Everything depends on the base’s rules. I’m also going to give an advice for you to be more successful in the army; always follow the rules of your sergeants because they already passed the training and they also know what you are going through.

Here is more information you need to know. Before joining the army you will be doing some trainings in your country with sergeants and soldiers to prepare you for the Basic Training. There are some specific days you have to go and they might be always in the mornings. When you already decided to sign the papers you turn to be government property. That means the day after signing the papers, you will not have the same liberty. The government and the sergeants becomes to be your guardian as your parents. For example, let’s say you have a car accident, you obviously have to inform your parents what happened to you and why. Well after you agree with the army’s regulations they became to be part of your life because now you have to inform them everything which happens to you or what you do. I know you are thinking this is ridiculous but the government wants you to be safe.

You might disagree with me because I do know that the U.S. army is not the only way to succeed, but it is the most fastest one in order to start your goals. Now you can see how you get those benefits from the information I gave you. I hope this encourages you to join the army because you will see how your life changes in a positive way. After everything, you will have these benefits: responsibility, working in a group, money, safety, education, and overall mental strength. Those are the main benefits, but you might have more than that. High schoolers, the most quick success is here in the army.