flatfourfan wrote: ^^^^ like I said..........a lot of laaaities got direction from it. If you're not one of them, so be it.

Yip. A week ago I was battling with addiction(weed) And it took all my motivation away. I can't get a job in this country that I want to do. And Going to england will be such an opportunity. My goal is the sas in a few years time then after that a high profile body guard.

I will be earning pounds and I worked it out I will earn R200 000 a year after 5 I will have close to a million. You don't have to pay for food or shelter in the army so I will be saving most of my money.

U learnt to gippo....if there were medals for that I would be most decorated man in history...

Being an immigrant I went late to army due to law change in 1984.... Being mucked about by 16 year old indoctrinated buffoons was not ideal....but I think I generally did learn a lot...

Like all wars they pretty senseless but the za war possibly more so....we conjured up a enemy to keep the presence up....

I never actually killed anyone in my service ..glad of that

Tokai SA wrote:

flatfourfan wrote: Good luck with this Daniel. I feel that the old national service in SA back in the day gave a lot of laaaaities direction as common lets be honest, who really knows what they want to do with their life at that age?


Vasbyt...........

I actually knew exactly what I wanted to do at that time in my life, I wanted to get on with my manufacturing jewellery apprenticeship...the army wasted 2 years of my life and nearly landed me up at the border fighting Cuban forces in Angola...I was saved by no Kosher food available in Grootfontein. ?

What the army did teach me was how to speak Afrikaans, yippeee. :? ?
It also gave me an incredible view of Table Mountain whilst I got tortured in the 'Wit machine' training area at Youngsfield army base.

There are far better things to do with your life than joining an army and learning how to kill.

Ahhh Wit Machine........I remember it well.....sandbags on the shoulders and back and forth through the water until we threw up or started to drown. Good times.....not :-\. Daniel I wish you well, but remember that unlike us you actually have a choice in your military future. Would I do the army again if I had the choice? No. Do I know anyone who was with me who would do it again if given the choice? No. Did we have some laughs? Sure, met some great people, also met some real &^$#$#. Would I defend my own family to the death in a war situation? Hell yes! Given the choice, would I shoot an Afghan villager for wanting an invading army out of his country (thousands of miles away from your own)? No . Whatever your decision, good luck and sterkte. If you start the course and realise it is not for you, there is absolutely no shame in going back to civvy life. Let us know how you are getting on and keep on rocking ?.

I will. As for the physical training I love pushing myself like that. I ran 4kms the other day threw up but I felt good afterwards.

That is really funny man!

Daniel Stuart wrote: I will. As for the physical training I love pushing myself like that. I ran 4kms the other day threw up but I felt good afterwards.

I think 4kms would be the warm-up. At 3am. Through mud with 25kgs on your back.

Giggsy wrote:

Daniel Stuart wrote: I will. As for the physical training I love pushing myself like that. I ran 4kms the other day threw up but I felt good afterwards.

I think 4kms would be the warm-up. At 3am. Through mud with 25kgs on your back.

Yip I know. But you need to run 1.4km in 12 minutes and straight after that you need to run 2.4km in 20 I think.

Daniel Stuart wrote:
Yip I know. But you need to run 1.4km in 12 minutes and straight after that you need to run 2.4km in 20 I think.

That's not very demanding at all...are you sure that's right?

1.4 km in 12 minutes = about 8.5 min / km pace
2.4 km in 20 minutes = about 8.3 min / km pace

That's really rather slow. On my absolute worst days where I'm practically crawling along on a trail run, I can still manage under 7.5 min / km...

Are you sure it doesn't state something like "whilst dragging your wounded buddy and three Iraqi hostages after taking an IED to the knee?" ?

ShreddySmurf wrote:

Daniel Stuart wrote:
Yip I know. But you need to run 1.4km in 12 minutes and straight after that you need to run 2.4km in 20 I think.

That's not very demanding at all...are you sure that's right?

1.4 km in 12 minutes = about 8.5 min / km pace
2.4 km in 20 minutes = about 8.3 min / km pace

That's really rather slow. On my absolute worst days where I'm practically crawling along on a trail run, I can still manage under 7.5 min / km...

Are you sure it doesn't state something like "whilst dragging your wounded buddy and three Iraqi hostages after taking an IED to the knee?" ?

I think that is full loaded and kitted out.

We used to do 5km fully loaded in under 25min on a bad day. *caffs, when I wasn't so fat*

flatfourfan wrote:

I think that is full loaded and kitted out.

We used to do 5km fully loaded in under 25min on a bad day. *caffs, when I wasn't so fat*

Just checked online quick. Look here https://pdevportal.co.uk/assets/upload/ckfiles/kayak/files/RM_Fitness_Tests.pdf

So there is a BFT (Basic Fitness Test) which is what Daniel was talking about, and it doesn't involve any load. Doesn't look too tough. In fact, none of the stuff in there looks particularly challenging for the average oke who is in reasonable shape...

Interesting stuff. Now I need to get back to work! ?

French Foreign Legion... I still have 2.5 years before its too late for me. Hmmm... At least its a fresh start if I ever need one.

Of course I'll have to ignore my hatred for firearms and authority if I ever choose to go ahead with it.

Daniel Stuart wrote:
Yip. A week ago I was battling with addiction(weed) And it took all my motivation away.

This part makes little sense to me. A week is a very very short period of time.

Daniel, good luck bra! ?
{ I reckon this thread gonna kick the other ones arse! What was it again? Something about getting rid of a girl-fiend and turning to your guitar?}

Shibbibilybob wrote:

Daniel Stuart wrote:
Yip. A week ago I was battling with addiction(weed) And it took all my motivation away.

This part makes little sense to me. A week is a very very short period of time.

No no a week ago I gave it up. Just saying a week ago I was still on it ? I was smoking everyday since end of feb. I would wake up feeling stoned.

evolucian wrote: French Foreign Legion... I still have 2.5 years before its too late for me. Hmmm... At least its a fresh start if I ever need one.

Of course I'll have to ignore my hatred for firearms and authority if I ever choose to go ahead with it.

I'm right with you on both counts ? It's been a fantasy of mine while dealing with my research fieldwork. ?

And as for killing Its not nice but its part of the job

Actually it's psychopathic. You're better off going on a drug binge and killing yourself off that way, (if you care so little about your own life), and it's more "rockstar". Glad you finally lost your virginity though! :applause:

Viccy wrote:Glad you finally lost your virginity though!

WHATWHATWHAT!?!? How did I miss that? Oh man this is gold.

Daniel Stuart wrote:

Shibbibilybob wrote:

Daniel Stuart wrote:
Yip. A week ago I was battling with addiction(weed) And it took all my motivation away.

This part makes little sense to me. A week is a very very short period of time.

No no a week ago I gave it up. Just saying a week ago I was still on it ? I was smoking everyday since end of feb. I would wake up feeling stoned.

I hope you didn't make this decision to become a deadly Marine and then a bodyguard when you were stoned? :?

Watch Discovery or National Geographic Channel when you're stoned, don't make life changing decisions. ?

Look now I am getting annoyed. It wasn't the spur of the moment thing. I have been thinking about it for a long time now. I know plenty about the war and about a soldiers life in the middle east. I know there is a chance I might die but there is always a chance especially in this country you might die even more of a horrible death.

I wasn't stoned when I decided to do this. I am battling to get another job here. I don't want to work my ass off and never see whats out there.

I had my friends sister beg me not to go. I've had friends beg me. I know its not a game. I know its shit. I might end up shooting a kid and have to live with that. I might have my friends die in front of me. I could be lying in the dirt bleeding to death. But I have the warriors spirit. An office job scares the crap out of me. A job where you get up everyday drive to work doesn't appeal to me. It depresses me. I don't fit in with the civi world. I might just excel at this. Might open a lot of doors for me.

I spoke to an ex us marine tonight. He said if it wasn't for the army he would have nothing. and that hit close to home. Jobs are hard to get in this economy. And I will be earning a lot per year. More than I would at a normal job.

I thought about it extensively. I made up my mind. War is shit I know. But this is something I really want to do. Hardest choice in my life to make.

And thats all I am going to say now.

On a side note. Discovery doesn't show you the true horror of war. I have seen the true face of war and the stuff you see on tv is very censored. You can see real footage on youtube. Go look for syrian vids.