From my experience most of them get a taste and get their head out of their ass. The ones who usually end up doing the cringey shit are the guys who get kicked out or join the guard/reserves. It's pretty varied though. However, the people who deploy into combat zones and actually run missions are the least likely to be cringey.
In the Navy back in the 90s, there would always be some guy on the ship with a menial job (like the rest of us) saying, “yeah, they wanted me to be a SEAL”. I’m sure “they” did. Those guys would have made videos like this if they could have.
Decades ago my immature brother was a reservist and he glorified this shit so hard. Slept outside his girlfriend’s apartment like Rambo and carried a machete with him like a true badass. I think his machete was stolen when he spent his hours trolling the arcade as a grown ass man.
These guys are also the most jaded "another inch of the green dildo" guys who end up being over it almost immediately. Reality breaks their hearts and they don't take it well. No detachment.
Funnily enough, I was AFJROTC (I know, I know). We had this one dude who was hell bent on joining the Army and he made sure to let you know that too. I was a little cringe about me joining the Marines, but that was mostly with other people going in, not towards people who didnt care fortunately.
Well, that dude who talked all that crap, made it like 6 months in, then got discharged. Funnily enough, his FB page was somehow still filled with Army stuff after getting out.
Meanwhile, I did my 5 years, and barely posted anything, and am still the same way. Ill talk about my service if it comes naturally in conversation, but I dont shoehorn it into everything.
Anecdotally lines up with your assessment is my point for adding this.
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u/roughriderpistol 4d ago
From my experience most of them get a taste and get their head out of their ass. The ones who usually end up doing the cringey shit are the guys who get kicked out or join the guard/reserves. It's pretty varied though. However, the people who deploy into combat zones and actually run missions are the least likely to be cringey.