Pros and Cons of military training for preppers

[Scythe13]

This is as the title says, a thread about the pros and cons of military training.

To sound like a complete [insert expletive], I have started this thread so that people can discuss the up sides and down sides of military training. The subject seems to have hijacked a thread I made about styles of prepping, where I was hoping to get ideas about where people were coming from and could thus better understand their view points in regards to prepping and their comments. Furthermore, I was hoping to gain knowledge of alternative systems of prepping that I had not looked into, or realised existed. Instead the thread is about 50-60% about military stuff. Yes it was mentioned, but that's not the subject I was hoping to discuss.

This is the thread to do that in.

Having MANY military friends and family (my experience will not be spoken of) I hope to see other people's views of how military training is of benefit or detritus for prepping.

Please discuss (not argue).

If this gets personal, I am, ahead of time, asking SD to shut this down ASAP!!! This is a discussion from adults and we should be able to respect view points and opinions. We are all entitled to our own opinions, and should thus RESPECT (not necessarily agree) the opinions of others.

[Waylander]

I personally think it has no benefit, or detriment.

Ex squaddies are no different to civvies. Some good some bad.

Having military training will be of little benefit, because sitx will not be a military situation, at least as far as they are concerned, because they will be civvies.

Waylander

[NorthernRaider]

Waylander, Are you being serious?
NR

[Waylander]

(2 September 2013, 10:27)NorthernRaider Wrote: Waylander, Are you being serious?
NR

In saying ex military are the same as civvies, some good some bad ?

Absolutely

Waylander

[Tartar Horde]

When talking about military training most people immediately think about the use of various weapons platforms and combat training. I like to think a bit laterally here and would say I would welcome any ex military depending on what they were trained in. for example a Para might very well be able to handle all types of weapons etc, but I would rather have an Engineer or someone trained in logistics. The frontline soldier only has a use from a weapons point of view, and I doubt he would be turning up with SAW and SA80, the only other thing he could bring to the table is his survival training, and you can learn that in the scouts. To be honest someone well versed in bush craft is far better trained to survive than the average infantryman.

[NorthernRaider]

(2 September 2013, 10:53)Waylander Wrote:

(2 September 2013, 10:27)NorthernRaider Wrote: Waylander, Are you being serious?
NR

In saying ex military are the same as civvies, some good some bad ?

Absolutely

Waylander

OK just wondered, I could'nt pick up the true inflecton of your post and just wanted to clarify it

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I'm looking at a brochure NR Junior has laying around his bedroom , its a waffling preamble about the army and its from the 90s but I cropped the interesting bits I hope.

First aid and improvised first aid
Combat medic
Wilderness survival skills and bushcraft skills (fire lighting, trapping etc)
Long range cross country navigation in all weathers and climates / environments
Improvised and expedient field cooking
Improvised cooking for large numbers of people
Improvised hygiene and personal health care
Shelter building and concealment
Obstacle crossing
Rock climbing / fording/ gorge crossing / abseiling/ caving skills
Two Way Radio set up and operation /
Improvised signalling and comms
Operating as a team member and individually
Operation and patrol planning and implementation
Vehicle maintenance for bike, truck, HGV and plant equipment
Motorcycle, horse, car, HGV and tracked vehicle licences and skills
Inshore boat operations (sail and powered)
Advanced leadership and management training after basic training
Operational planning
Skill at arms with multiple weapons systems
Unarmed combat
Crowd control
Event control
Industrial plant operation (JCB , Dozer, Crane, Fork Lift, Drops palletisation, HGV class 1etc)
Disaster first responders and aid providers for civil emergencies and natural disasters
Civil engineering skills like road building or bridge building or reinforcing / repairing buildings
Restoring / repairing utilities in disaster areas and war zones
Caring / accommodating / feeding for large numbers of refugees
Building and operating large scale mobile water purification systems
Building and infrastructure construction
Foreign language skills

[Tibbs735]

I'm hoping to join the REME as a weapons system engineer (Armorer) which 'm sure has some sort of post-shtf application.

[NorthernRaider]

(2 September 2013, 11:20)Tibbs735 Wrote: I'm hoping to join the REME as a weapons system engineer (Armorer) which 'm sure has some sort of post-shtf application.

You will be amazed by the huge and broad range of skills Sappers learn, they never cease to amaze me, and the options in the modern REME or RE for developing new skills and qualifications is great.

My cousin joined the REME he heads up and LAD some place now he got his bike, car and HGV licences and plant operator licences in just over 4 years, the bugger can fix just about anything ( still cannot shoot straight though)

[Prepper1]

If military training had no use and you were no different from a civvy, they wouldn't do it and anybody would be allowed to pick up a weapon, drive a landrover or operate a clansman etc...

Military training doesn't just involve shooting and killing, though that is indeed a great part of it.

It also involved unarmed combat, boxing, general fitness, swimming etc...

During my career I did many things from infantry, to company runner for a whole garrison to prisoner control and escort to being the o.c. commanding personal assistant and platoon commander for a while albeit unofficial.

I also was a fireman, bin man, general handyman, weapons and ammo shipping in vehicles you weren't supposed to be driving , working in the armory, range master etc... the list goes on and on.
All from signing up to be a simple grunt.

You get discipline, learn to maintain equipment down to the finest detail, you can be asked and are expected to do any job given to you no matter what it is.

One day you could be in England doing general grunt work, next day you could be anywhere in the world doing some weird and wonderful stuff most probably illegally.

Do I think ex millitary are better than civvies?

Damn right I do, hands down.

I've had about five lifetimes experiences that I'd never have gotten in civvy street, met some great people from many different countries, for example we had Maltese and south African in my unit.

It was hard and sometimes very difficult but the experience helped shape who I am today good or bad, I dont care.

All I know is ex mill are better than most civvies.
Notice I said most not all as there are some decent reliable civvies knocking about as well.

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And as for being civvies even when you leave your not or dont feel like one, its been over 20 years since I left and im still not a civvy nor will I ever feel like one or indeed be one.

I shall always feel different, better, superior if you like.

[Scythe13]

(2 September 2013, 11:48)Prepper1 Wrote: All I know is ex mill are better than most civvies.
Notice I said most not all as there are some decent reliable civvies knocking about as well.

The average squady will have more survival experience than the average civilian. Nobody is doubting that.

My question is, as a prepper, does military prepper with military experience give any advantage that a civilian prepper with civilian prepper experiences cannot gain?