A Veteran Shared Shocking Things That Happen In The US Military & Cheating Is So Common
There seems to be a lot of partying as well.
Air force members in a group photo. Right: Army members during basic training.
Americans have a range of preconceived notions regarding what it's like to serve in the United States Armed Forces. You probably have your own ideas created from watching epic war movies or listening to a family member's anecdote.
However, there's only so much a dramatic Top Gun film can reveal about the reality of serving in the military these days.
There are some juicy details about "base life" only a recent veteran could reveal. So, Narcity sat down with Will Jarman to learn what it's really like to serve as an active member of America's forces.
Jarman, a former navigation system avionics specialist in the United States Air Force, left service in 2019 and has six years of interesting experiences to look back on.
He recently spilled the tea on all things deployments, like the amount of partying that takes place and even the contentious issue of cheating among fellow service members.
Most members aren't deployed to combat zones
Jarman says one wrong observation people have is where they’re deployed or stationed.
They often think of soldiers being shipped off to face combat in the middle of a desert.
"There are many locations to 'Deploy' to. Some are in dangerous locations while others are more regional or remote," he says. "Only a small percentage of service members will ever experience a stereotypical combat zone deployment."
Infidelity among couples is rampant
Apparently, the interpersonal relationships on base were often "messy" and full of unfaithful people and divorces.
Despite infidelity being punishable by the Uniform Code Of Military Justice, Jarman recalls that "[cheating happened] on duty; even at work, no less."
"I knew two individuals who lost rank and paid due to an affair with a supervisor's wife, who also worked with the individuals," he said.
The veteran says this could happen because they’re all working in a "high-stress" environment or marrying at a young age for financial benefits.
Many active members work normal jobs
It's not all about training with weapons or fixing airplanes to send to danger zones.
People don't often think about the regular jobs, like dentists or accountants, that the military needs to hire as well.
"All those positions act very much like other businesses and often work alongside civilian government employees," Jarman said.
There's a ton of partying
While there's a lot of important work to be done on a military base, there's also much fun to be had. That enjoyment often came to Jarman and his squad in the form of going out to bars for alcohol, throwing raging house parties, and attending strip clubs in Gaum.
"Where I was stationed, drinking was the only thing to do outside of work," he said.
And the fun didn't stop with his leaders.
"I will never forget seeing one of our Production Superintendents drink a 30-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and a gallon of wine in one night, take a 30 min power nap and get back to it," he said.
Service members are allowed to drink in their free time but shouldn't be seen intoxicated. According to Jarman, they were held to a "higher standard in and out of uniform."
This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.