September 14, 2015, by Anica Oaks – When you join the military, you aren’t just getting a job. You are joining a special club of the elite and your entire lifestyle changes. You no longer live for yourself. You live for the government and all of the citizens of your country. Your habits change, your mannerisms change, and many of these changes stay with you for the rest of your life. Here are four ways that military service changes you forever.
1. Your Appearance Will Always Reflect Your Military Uniform
When you dress in your military uniform, appearance is everything. Your uniform has to be 100% wrinkle-free and everything needs to be lined up properly. Your gig-line is something that they stress in boot camp, and you will check it several times a day, even after you leave the military. Your gig-line is the line from the buttons on your shirt down through your belt to the zipper of your pants. The flap of your shirt has to be perfectly lined up with your belt buckle, which has to be perfectly lined up with the zipper flap on your pants. If your belt moves then your gig-line is off and the state of national security is in distress. All jokes aside, it looks good, and ten years down the line, the belt on your jeans will still line up with your zipper.
2. Knife Hands
In the military, people always talk with knife hands. They’re just flat hands that look like they’re ready to karate chop something. When you give a stranger directions or tell a story, you’ll do it with knife hands. Try as hard as you want to stop, you won’t be able to.
3. You’ll Always be Early
If you aren’t early, you’re late. You hear it the first day of boot camp – and every day after. In the military, 15 minutes early is on time. If your post is at 1600, you need to arrive at 1545 to be there on time. To play it safe, get there at 1530 so you’re early. At first you might set your clocks ahead, but eventually, it becomes second nature. When you go to your nephew’s birthday party, you’ll be there at least 15 minutes early, because if you’re not early, you’re late.
4. Your Sidearm Becomes a Part of You
Whether you run with a Beretta M9 service pistol or prefer the throwback 1911 (with the help of a Discountrue Brownells coupon code), you have bonded with your sidearm and couldn’t imagine life without it. You can clean and oil it in a flash, and paper targets dread seeing you walk onto the range. You wear your 2nd amendment rights proudly, and consider your sidearm a part of the family.
5. No More Sloppy Talk
In the military you can’t say, “I’m sorry.” You have to say, “I apologize”. You can’t say “yah”, you have to say, “yes”. You probably said, “yah” all the time as a teenager with a slight attitude. After military service, it won’t even be in your vocabulary.
Military service changes people in so many ways. You’ll pay attention to small details, you won’t drag your feet when you walk, and you’ll work harder than everyone else around you. Once you join the military family, you’re never the same again.
About the Author: Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she’s used to putting things to a vote. Also, cartwheels are her specialty. You can connect with Anica here.