Comparison Contrast

It is a fact that not all people are capable of being a part of the United States Military. Many who join are usually high school graduates looking for a sense of direction in life. When I joined the military my decision was based on my particular situation in life and the minimal opportunities that were available to me. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the differences between military and civilian lifestyles. We will look at the kinds of activities, what it takes to do both, and the different drawbacks of being a soldier 24 hours a day.

The first major difference between military and civilian life is jurisdiction and authority. In the military, for example, there are many rules and regulations that a soldier must abide by at all times. On the other hand, a normal civilian college attendee has no idea of the discipline it takes being at “Parade Rest” at six a.m. at the crack of dawn in preparation to exercise. This means that being in the military requires a certain level of discipline that is not known to one who does not have to thrive in military conditions.

Another difference between civilian and military life is the clothing you are allowed to wear. In most cases in the military the clothing of choice is a uniform of sorts. Some civilian students enrolled in private institutions have some idea of the military’s concept of uniformity. Considering the many places our military may have to deploy there are certain uniforms for certain places whereas, in a private institution uniformity is practiced only within the confines of its walls.

The final difference between military and civilian life is the adaptation a soldier has to make when he is told that he/she is about to be deployed to war. Again this same thing is experienced by a college attendee but on a smaller scale than it would be compared to the experience of a soldier. When a soldier is deployed the time is 6-12 months in a combat affiliated environment. On the other hand a college attendee...