My Wife Wants to Join the Military

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Tonight still I want to look and see if there is anything I can find online for upper body strength that wont hurt my shoulders so bad, besides the push-ups.

Anything that doesn't fix your arms and allows them to rotate. Those lengths of surgical tubing work well that you tie to a door handle, and there is that thing I see on TV that allows you to grip and twist your arms as you do push-ups. Dumbbells, rather than barbells, stay away from pull-ups, dips, anything with a fixed bar. At the gym, use the machines with cables and a free grip for each hand.

It's been over a decade since I could throw anything over hand, so I am in the same place physically.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I do a lot of yard work. Using a shovel, rake, or pitchfork doesn't seem to bother my shoulders. But I pay with my back if I overdo it.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I put together a folder for her today... showing the requirements at graduation, what they want her abilities to be when she arrives at the beginning, and a 14 week training program for her to follow to get in shape before she would go. Tonight she watched videos on doing proper military push-ups and sit-ups. She has no problem with the sit-ups, but is going to really struggle bad with the push-ups. Right now I tried getting her to do one good push-up. She wasnt successful. She came close though. She did a handful of "unacceptable" push-ups. It was a start. I dont know how it will end, but I will help her as much as she wants. This was the first day...we will see what she does tomorrow. In a couple weeks we will see if she is making any progress. I know it is hard to develop upper body strength, and it takes time. If she stays with it over the course of a few months she can do it. I know that all of a sudden it seems the push-ups just start improving. If she wants to do it bad enough, she will do it. I need to just stay out of it unless she asks for help I think, because it is a personal commitment that she needs to make herself, and she needs to decide whether she wants to give it her all and do it or not. I cant and wont drag her through it.

I was just thinking how I have been through it all 4 times in my life. First with Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, when I went on active duty right after high school. The 2nd time was going through Airborne School. Then 3rd time was Advance Camp at Fort Lewis, Washington with the Army ROTC program when I was in college a year prior to getting my commission, and 4th when I went through the 3-1/2 months Infantry Officer Basic Course at Ft Benning, Georgia. I know I wasn't in Special Ops or anything, but those 4 times was plenty enough for me.

Anybody that went thru anything at good Ol' Ft B went thru a tough course.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Anything that doesn't fix your arms and allows them to rotate. Those lengths of surgical tubing work well that you tie to a door handle, and there is that thing I see on TV that allows you to grip and twist your arms as you do push-ups. Dumbbells, rather than barbells, stay away from pull-ups, dips, anything with a fixed bar. At the gym, use the machines with cables and a free grip for each hand.

It's been over a decade since I could throw anything over hand, so I am in the same place physically.

Good advice. One of the biggest mistakes most folks make is shooting for those huge Bench numbers. Your chest gets strong and developed, your shoulders do not. Your pecs pull inward on your Delts and shoulder joints making the problem worse. Sooner or later your going to tear something. I know from experiance.

This is the best website I have ever seen for muscle development, This guy's info is straight on with none of the mis-information you see on lot's of sites.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/shoulder-exercises/

[Daryll and Janine 4]

I went through Air Force basic training @ Lackland AFB, TX, just last year. Off the top of my head... It's not incredibly difficult honestly, it is possible to get "recycled" and stay their for longer, or washed out. 10% or less do, usually from saying they want out, saying they'll commit suicide, doing something mentally strange or aggressive (like punching the floor & breaking your hand). They will give you an Early Separation Discharge on reasons of Failure to Adapt (to military lifestyle).

AF secret, you can't be recycled in the first 3 weeks, as much as they threaten you with it.

They tell you the military's basic training is mind games. In the marines, it physically sucks, bad, all the time. In the Air Force, they can really, REALLY break you down. I've never seen so many grown men cry. They attack your family, kids, race, anything legal. They'll tell you that your father is worthless your mother is a #######, they had a useless child that should've never been born and that your kids have the worst father/mother in existence. You hear this everyday and you start to believe it. They'll crack on age but that's not nearly as annoying as hearing someone knock on your family and not be able to say anything about it.

It's only a stress test. After that, the AFSC tech school training is much easier, just a lot of powerpoint/hands on learning, memorizing regulations & publications, & a ton of fairly easy multiple choice tests.

The 'REAL' Air Force, or permanent party, especially ANG & Reserves... Of course it depends on your job, BUT some days you feel so relaxed and laid back it feels wrong. It's like any regular civilian job at that point. If I could do it again I would go back and do ANG or Reserves to finish college. But now I'm seeing my job is as easy as it gets (Enlisted aviator).

It's not for everyone, it's not even for a majority of people. Deployments (mostly AD), random recalls, doing petty low rank janitor duties, and there's a lot of scary statistics on Marriage rates & sexual assault pertaining to females that would really make me research this a lot if it was my wife.

But in the end on most days the hardest part of the job for me is staying awake through 10hr straight powerpoint days, and waking up on time for work after flying late night the day before.

Any Air Force, Coast Guard, Most National Guard & Reserve, Most US Public Health Services, Some Navy, Some Army, and a slight few Marines jobs are just all gravy these days. More benefits than I can count on two hands. Thanks for your service, and if she does also, what a strong woman!

[hellINTIM 9]

Washing out of Air Force boot camp? I didnt know people were that pathetic. Doesnt the PT test consist of walking on a tread mill for five minutes and being able to eat a large thick crust pizza unassisted?

hahahaha.. thats USMC ...... tsk tsk tsk... btw Air force base will take care the other branches soldiers (food and housing) lol....

[TiklingGuy 211]

hahahaha.. thats USMC ...... tsk tsk tsk... btw Air force base will take care the other branches soldiers (food and housing) lol....

I stayed on Goodfellow Air Force Base for 6 months and i want to say that the food is amazing compared to Marine Corps! I could take a Date to the Air Force Chow Hall!

[TiklingGuy 211]

Joining any branch on the Military is a good thing. Each branch has its own mission. Some people are not cut out for other branches. If you are a naturally born AzzKicker then the United States Marine Corps awaits you!

[JoBri 552]

When I was in Germany during a part of my Army days we played soccer (part of a Christian military organization) with teams from various Air Force bases, such as Ramstein, Hahn, Spangdahlem and Bitburg. When we played on the Air Force bases we showered in their dorms (still cant get over they call it a dorm and not barracks). They had cleaning ladies to clean their rooms and the food was great! But we learned at one time that even though it was a Christian organization they still were afraid to come play us because even in soccer we played very "aggressively". We played in rain or snow...sigh...the good old days...

By the way, we (Army) won in the championship games too! hehe

Oh, by the way (again), this past week my wife and I ran 5 days, swam one day, and one day off. Ran 1.5 miles 4 of those 5 days and 2 miles today. I am doing modified push-ups for now since that is all my shoulders will tolerate. But doing that and the running seems to actually be making my joints feel better. But I am just glad she is still hanging in there. If she hangs in there long enough she will start to see progress. In early July she goes to MEPS.

I stayed on Goodfellow Air Force Base for 6 months and i want to say that the food is amazing compared to Marine Corps! I could take a Date to the Air Force Chow Hall!

Edited June 27, 2012 by Brijo

[JoBri 552]

Found out yesterday my wife is to go to MEPS at 0600 on Monday to take her ASVAB and physical. Still moving forward. She is still running too. And she is doing better with the push-ups too. I watched...they are perfect military push-ups.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

She will do fine. Let her know she just has to survive the first week of basic, and then the rest of the journey will be loads of fun. The first Saturday, one of the DI's put us into a relaxed environment where we could discuss the previous week. That got to be a routine, tough week, relaxed Saturday, Church and barracks clean-up on Sunday.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That reminds me about push-ups: When they dropped us for doing something wrong, they made the whole group do push-ups until the last man couldn't do anymore. It seems that took longer and longer everyday.

[JoBri 552]

Josephine went to MEPS yesterday. She took the ASVAB and passed the physical with flying colors. The doctor even told her she is in "great" shape. So... step 1 was the recruiter, and step 2 was MEPS..... We are moving forward on this little journey! I like it because it lets me have this little part of the military back in my life again. I miss the Army.

[TiklingGuy 211]

That reminds me about push-ups: When they dropped us for doing something wrong, they made the whole group do push-ups until the last man couldn't do anymore. It seems that took longer and longer everyday.

That would have sucked! I hate static pushups. They will make you tough though.

Josephine went to MEPS yesterday. She took the ASVAB and passed the physical with flying colors. The doctor even told her she is in "great" shape. So... step 1 was the recruiter, and step 2 was MEPS..... We are moving forward on this little journey! I like it because it lets me have this little part of the military back in my life again. I miss the Army.

I am really excited for you two! I think it is great that she wants to serve! Does she know what she wants her MOS to be?

[JoBri 552]

That would have sucked! I hate static pushups. They will make you tough though.

I am really excited for you two! I think it is great that she wants to serve! Does she know what she wants her MOS to be?

Not sure what will be available to her at this time. We meet with the recruiter July 18 to go over her ASVAB scores. It feels good being a part of the military again. And I am proud of her too!

By the way, her grandfather was a Major during WW2 in the Philippines. And my great uncle was a Marine, Combat Engineer, helped put the airstrip back in on Corregidor when we took back the island from the Japanese in WW2, out there in Manila Bay.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Brijo