Military and Law Enforcement

[PvtNewman]

So I am about to go to Basic Training and become a Army MP (militarr police), I was wondering when I get home from my 4 years active duty is there a good chance if I apply to become a Officer that they will hire me? Do cops like the training I will be recieving or do they not like that?

If anyone has any experience in being an MP please give me some advice I will take all I can get

[Aussie George]

Obviously I can not speak for the US system, but from what I have read here, and from ten years in the Army before becoming a cop, I can say that it certainly will not hurt your chances of a career in LE.

The discipline and training is a bonus, but the biggest thing you will get from being in the military is the life experience. I was 17 when I joined the Army, and although I had moved around a lot as a kid, and lived in the city, the country and everywhere in between, when I joined the Army, I was serving with people aged from 17 - 37, country folk, city folk, heavy metal fans, and arty types who would prefer a Monet exhibit to a rock concert. I moved to many different cities within Australia and lived in many differenet types of areas.

This was more beneficial to broadening my life experiences than the training and discipline and prbably more effective in giving me a better appreciation of dealing with people, which is a major factor in this job.

Just my .02 cents worth. Good luck.

[PvtNewman]

I myself am an 18 year old girl turing 19 while I'm in basic training I am very excited to hear what you have had to say because I love to travel. I know there is a big percentage that I will be deployed to either Afghanistan or Iraq but I am so fucking hyped up for that...I will be a part of history ya know.

[Aussie George]

I was in our Army in the 90's. It was a quiet period for us and very few were sent overseas during that time. I did manage to see a lot of Oz in that time. I lived in nearly every state (keep in mind we only have 8 states/territories unlike you guys) and saw a great deal.

It is that type of life experience that is valuable for LE.

As a typical teenager you tend to mix within your own age group and rarely would you have the opportunity to be close friends with someone in their late 20's to 30's and upwards. In the military you become close friends with those around you and that opens up your experiences dramatically.

I was 17 when I joined the Army. I had my 18th birthday (the age you can legally drink etc here in Oz) in a gun pit on exercise. It was raining and wet and freezing cold. I saw the clock tick over midnight and thought "Happy FREAKING birthday" :D

My 21st was a Monday. I went to the Army canteent that night and got extremely intoxicated. The next morning I was woken early and jumped on a truck and drove an hour north of Melbourne to have front row seats at the Army's annual fire power demo. If one peice of advice I can give you sinks in, this is the peice that you need to remember the most...DO NOT go to a major fire power demo with a hang over.

Tanks, rockets, and helicopter laying down fire support, do not do well with a heavy head!!! For the record I was only spectating and not participating and most of the day was spent laying down in the rear of a friend's APC sleeping off my hang over. :D:p

[PvtNewman]

haha i will take that advice i didnt know australia had a military...? weird

[mcsap]

haha i will take that advice i didnt know australia had a military...? weird

Switzerland has a military and they have always been neutral in the big wars. The Vatican even has their own " guard".

[Aussie George]

haha i will take that advice i didnt know australia had a military...? weird

Most of the bases I have worked on had a US contingent at some stage posted there. One had a permanent Marine officer and annually held a cross country running race that the Marines sent a team from Hawaii to compete. They didn't do very well each year, because they trained on the beaches at sea level and our base was up in the mountians. The altitude smashed them!! :D

Australia has a very strong military history. Parts of france are named after Australia due to our efforts during WWII and WWI in those parts.

We were actually fighting in both those wars, well before the Americans got on the scene. We fought in Korea and Viet Nam with US Forces, and regulary have US Military come out to our training facilities to be trained in different aspects of warfare. Not to mention the Malayan and Indonesian conflicts, Boer War, Crimean War, China (Boxer Rebellion), the Gulf War in the early 90's (which I was very close to getting a trip to), and the current Iraq War, as well as numerous peace keeping missions around the world including East Timor, Bougainville, The Solomons, Somalia, Namibia, Western Sahara, etc etc. We have had special forces guys working with the US military in Afghanistan as well as a strong ground force there still to this day. Last week one of our soldiers LCPL Jason Marks paid the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.

In fact the Australian SAS are very highly regarded as one of the finest fighting forces in the world. If you ever get to Afghanistan ask a few of your older guys over there about them, in particular blokes like "Jock Wallace" and the other SAS guys who saved many an American butt during Operation Anaconda.

We also have military from Oz posted to places like the Pentagon. When 9-11 occurred a friend of mine's son was working at the Pentagon. He was posted with SAS at the time.

A little look into this site will reveal that yes, indeed we have a very strong military force and have been very active over the years. ;)

http://www.awm.gov.au/