Is it true that you have to be mean and tough and good at sports to survive the military?

Answer 1

I am in the Army and before I joined everyone who knows me knew that I was neither tough, mean nor have I played any sports. But that's why I joined. I joined the Army to take my life in a different direction and to join I believe benefitted me 100%.

In the military you will learn to be tough because no matter who you are you will be faced with challenges and situations you will have to do no matter how fearful you are so toughness will come because everyone gets the oppurtunity to face personal fears.

Being mean is not the way of a truly model soldier. As early as possible soldiers learned the Army leadership values and for this case RESPECT comes to mind. Each and every soldier is suppose to be treated with RESPECT. That being said sometimes discipline can be viewed as meaness. Each leader has a different leaddership style but the two can not be confused. We are at war right now so sometimes there is no time to say things nicely, orders are often barked to be heard clearly or to get things executed in a timely fashion. But before we are all looked at as military personnel we are all humans so we should treat others how we want to be treated. And as in all walks of life, here in the military, one can also find "mean" individuals. Don't worry about that. To join, you personally do not have to be mean. I don't believe I am mean.

AS far as sports are concerned, I have never personally played sports before I joined. I was significantly overweight and that's another reason I signed up. The cool thing about the military is it will whip you into shape because physical fitness is a requirement to being a good military person and can save your life. What is also cool is that when you get in shape, the military has many sports that you can join if you decide that's what you do want to do. But from real personal experience I would advise that you get into some kind of shape before joining. It will make the transition from civilian to military leader that much easier.

I know movies and television make it seem so difficult to being in the military but if an overweight and depressed girl can turn into an in shape future leader of the Army, I feel that at the verry least that anyone interested should try. I have overcame alot of personal issues while I am serving and I only been in one year and this very question I asked myself. So I know where you are coming from. One only truly knows how the miltary is by joining. This lifestyle means so much to me that's why this answer is so long because I wanted to share my heart on this situation. I hope I answered your question more indepth and I hope you have fun in whatever decision you make about the being apart of the military.