This is what happens when a dependent male gives up PR

[x9200]

No worry, I can recognize the benefits but the problem is even if you are not a doof surely there may be some doofs around you. Being a top driver of F1 will not save you from being ran over on the zebra by a drunken idiot and some of them may have SAR-21 in their hands.

[JR8]

Almost, JR8, but not quite. The school network is good, no doubt, buy I daresay, you school mates wouldn't throw them selves in front of a bullet for you.

Well maybe not but then I think you have the potential downside of gaining this virtue, i.e. getting killed. Is the cost worth it?... I'm not equipped to say.

Don't get me wrong, as I said earlier, the School Tie network is damned strong and will get you the intro's, but you are more or less on your own from that point on.

Just to note for the sake of international clarity, in the UK it's called the 'Old Boy Network'. But yes I take your point, perhaps a bit like being a member of Rotary Club or similar, great for contacts, opening doors, but you're not going to be given a free ride off the back of it. Maybe long ago, but the world has moved on.

The military network will give you the job. Keeping it, of course, is up to you. Of course, in a lot of instances, we are talking about two distinctly different classes of people but there is a lot of mixing at the upper echelons as well.

Hmmm... so maybe it's not that different after all.
The issue gets clouded by the phenomenon of 'Officers and Gentlemen'. In times past the wealthier who had been educated, qualified for officer training school. On the flip-side the 'gentlemen', enrolled in non-officer ranks, infantry and the like. I suspect there's more mobility up and down these days. One friend from school ended up a pretty distinguished officer, a colonel I think, incl tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another friend, a dive buddy, went to boarding school but wasn't academic, got refused officer school (Sandhurst) so enlisted as a 'grunt' and served in Iraq.

The School Tie network is usually from the pampered, silver spoon class, while the military is predominately from the "I worked for it class" or, like some of us, "My word is my bond and I've got your back" if you know what I'm sayin'

Hmmm. I saw both sides of the coin. I started out in state schools, and was turning into such a A1 grade no-hoper my parents flailed themselves financially to get my final two years in a boarding school. [Just a bit of a '''straightener''' that was... ! ].

The biggest shock was the unspoken hierarchy amongst house-mates. When you're all living under one roof you can't get away from it, so you have to learn how to deal with it. The spectrum of wealth and class was striking, and IME far from the stereotype. My first room-mate was a son of a Nigerian (Ibidan) surgeon. What an eye-opener I can tell ya!
My second had expat parents who lived in Malaysia. He always came back after holidays with bags of those eye-popping red salted plums. I don't think he came from a wealthy family, and last I heard of him he'd 'come out' and was working as a bus driver in Brighton!

Another housemate his parents owned a trucking company. Another, his parents were missionaries somewhere tropical. So socially it was very diverse IME. Now if you were to be discussing some of the super-high-end places Eton, Harrow and so on, then yes I would believe they're $$$ and 'privileged'. That said I have known a few old Etonians and can only describe the personality as 'dazzling/anything is possible'. Hard to explain until you encounter it... one was an organiser of raves/mega-parties. Another wrote the soundtrack for David Attenborough's 'Blue Planet' series... these people aren't stuffy, snobby or judgemental, quite the opposite in fact, they're incredibly creative, and they have been taught that doing what you enjoy in life, what ever it is or pays, is far more rewarding than the phenomenon of 'My son the doctor'. Richard Branson is probably a pretty good example of what I'm trying to convey.

'My word is my bond' was the mantra of the City of London (The City/banking) in past times. So yes, I understand the unspoken bond of trust to which you're referring.

[sundaymorningstaple]

No worry, I can recognize the benefits but the problem is even if you are not a doof surely there may be some doofs around you. Being a top driver of F1 will not save you from being ran over on the zebra by a drunken idiot and some of them may have SAR-21 in their hands.

I'd agree, but again, I personally think that your odds are better of getting whacked by an errant Black Beemer driver or a Taxi driver who, despite the training, in my books are both nothing but terrorists in disguise.

Additionally, the psychological testing used by the military usually manages to find all but the most deeply buried whack jobs and they are usually outed by their platoon mates if they aren't up to snuff mentally.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Military Service is a skate in the park, but I think it is an essential part of becoming a complete person. Even those who say they hated NS, don't really. In fact they will reminisce about certain times the rest of their lives. I won't even go into the "you owe it to the country that provided you a safe haven to and educated yourself in relative safety in an increasing hostile world." Joining the US military is almost a sure ticket to get shot at because we "THEY" keep insisting on sticking their noses in everybody else business. I don't want to sound like a recruitment officer, but it does sound that way. I don't mean to. I just believe every male AND every female should do some form of National Service (defense). In fact, I think the female of the species would make better "special forces" then the males. The female is much more deadly than the male. Even in the wild this is usually true.

[PNGMK]

No worry, I can recognize the benefits but the problem is even if you are not a doof surely there may be some doofs around you. Being a top driver of F1 will not save you from being ran over on the zebra by a drunken idiot and some of them may have SAR-21 in their hands.

SNIPP
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Military Service is a skate in the park, but I think it is an essential part of becoming a complete person. Even those who say they hated NS, don't really. In fact they will reminisce about certain times the rest of their lives.

the wild this is usually true.

My son is in the national police cadets in Singapore - it's been a real challenge to him and he has become a much better boy because of it. He's up for a promotion to L.Cpl and I think he'll get it.

[x9200]

Guys, you are preaching to the choir. I really think it is a useful experience and no need to convince me. Yes, very often harder the experience more valuable memories/relationships as long as there is something good coming out of this what I believe is here the case.

I am fine if this is difficult, no problem with this. Difficulty is the essence of good and lasting experience. I am also fine if the safety is just standard safety expected.