should i read this or should i go?

Stay in and finished out man. You get more action in the poker scene in the army because u get to travel more on the government time. I am in the army and even though I hated it but it was the best thing I ever did.

I got to see the world and fight for my country. I been to Korea I played in the casino over there . I even plan against David " chino " cousin lol. every city u go to in the united states there is always a game to be found. Just look online for a home game. That is how I did it. Central Texas very juicy home games.

Don't worry about the online games, by the time u are done with West point the new poker boom will be back.

Commision vs enlisted is a no brainer. Get your education and then go sit behind a desk signing off some training that is going to waste tax dollars lol. Oh yea when u get commission , don't be a douchbag. What enlisted soldiers hate the most is a mister know all officers who just got out of West Point . Just listen to your Nco and u be all right

Honest reply: Be a man and think long term. Stick to your plan and sign that paper. Don't be a short term idiot. Good luck

Enlisted for a year? I'm not gonna derail your thread anymore, but it's sad this is a real question you have to ask yourself.

Could easily of been a medical problem.

I think you should stay in OP.

It sounds to me in my unprofessional opinion through what I know about you on an internet poker forum that you are having the jitters at making a final commitment to anything -- it's simply the thought of locking yourself into something for the long term that's upsetting you. And so now you want to back out, or do it half-way.

I want to strongly caution you to fight that urge and follow through with your original plans. You clearly find meaning in serving your country (this is not just a "job" where you would be miserable) and have put in a ton of work to this point to get where you are going (****ing West Point dude! Nice!).

DO NOT back out now because you see the commitment WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED, looming.

Although I was never going to be committed to the Army for 8 years, I did spend 7 years of education in college/law school training to become a lawyer. When law school was winding down, all of a sudden I found myself looking for every other possible little thing I could do to NOT become a lawyer.

Every excuse I could think of. I left opportunities, opportunities that I had wanted for a long time -- either on the table or without having pursued them as strongly as I could have. Every little thing that went wrong, I seized upon it to say how I was never going to be a lawyer-- I also graduated law school in 2010, right when everything was bust and the sky was falling, so it was an easy sell to myself and my family.

My guess is that you have a certain "wander-lust" and want to experience all life has to offer and see the world. That's probably why you love poker -- and it's a good reason to love poker. I get it, because I am like that too. In the end, I ended up walking away from what I had always told myself I wanted to do to go find other opportunities (I should say here before I get flamed that these did not include playing poker for a living) to just KEEP MOVING and never feel "locked in" to something.

I swear to you OP, I get it. And I want to strongly caution you against it.

I am doing pretty well where I am now, and in truth am having some great life experiences. I'm only 28 and could go back to the professional world if I really want to pretty easily (I did get my degree). At the same time though, I feel IN MYSELF like I walked away from something I loved because I have an independent streak in me. That's bothering me, because I'm wondering if I will ever be able to be truly "stable," which of course in the entirely un-logical human mind is totally supposed to be compatible with being a vagabond.

The thing is, that while it felt good at the time the fact is that what I had built towards was WHAT I HAD ALWAYS LOVED AND WANTED TO DO. Now I'm wondering why I'm not doing the thing I love, why I feel like I'm on the outside looking in at it after "I did so much to get it." I find myself fighting off fits of self-pity, which is ridiculous b/c it was my ***ing choice to leave the damn profession in the first ***ing place.

The simple fact of the matter is you can't have it both ways -- doing what you love necessitates -- DOING IT -- I.E. cutting off other other experiences that you may have had b/c you are spending your time doing what you love. This is something I didn't quite understand at the time, and which I have learned to appreciate now.

And in truth -- it's my own fault -- and it will be yours too if you decide to walk away from this.


I love poker as much as the next person, and I didn't walk away from the law for poker. So believe me when I say "Poker will always be here." Poker is not going anywhere. While you are in the service you can always read, download vids onto an ipod, play when necessary and feasible. And when you are the ripe old age of what? 28? when you get out of the military (which is my age right now), poker will be in a better place anyway, and so will you -- secure in the knowledge that you took your shot at doing what you had dreamed of doing since the 5th ***ing grade.

Don't throw it away OP. Think about it.

I would say I would go down to West Point and kick the crap out of you if you don't stay, but we both know trying to kick the crap out of a West Point Cadet is a seriously -EV move for me. :-)

Stay.


/end most sincere post in BBV history.

I did 13 years in the Army 11B4V got out 2010 wish I would have stayed. You did not get in West Point by accident finish what you started. If not and u want to go AWOL I live right in Newburgh. Heads up for rollz. LOL. don't be stupid sign it. Any questions about the regular Army (in an actual unit/not West Point)vs civilians poker life let me know. What is your poker experience/knowledge level? What is your plan start professionally grind 5/5 PLO? What is your bankroll? What is your busto plan? ETC ETC ETC Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

OP,

I am currently a CPT in the Army, I did not go to WP, but I understand the conundrum you face, because I myself have had to face these same situations.

Over the past years that I've been on active duty, there hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about what my life would be like if I didn't join the Army. There hasn't been a day that I've not stood in front of the mirror with razor in hand, and been utterly soul crushed that I couldn't grow out my beard. There hasn't been a day that I've not dreamt about how sweet it will be when I take off my uniform for the last time.

That all being said, if I could go back in time and re-make the decision as to whether or not to join the Army...I would make the decision to once again join without hesitation.

Our country needs people who are willing to suffer more, so others suffer less. In the olden days they called this sacrifice, men used to give their lives, so their families and friends and children would be able to live in a free-er world then they did. Men used to willingly suffer, if it meant the ones they loved would not. This is something we've lost in our society.

Continuing your time at WP and then going into the Army for however long you do will be some of the most frustrating, hard, tiresome, and dirtiest days of your life. It will not be easy, it's not supposed to be easy, and most importantly it won't be forever, everything comes to an end.

My advice to you is to continue towards your commission, spending 5 years in the Army will give you a start on life that many people your age are not afforded. Example: When I get out of the Army I will have spent 5 years of total service, deployed twice to Iraq, payed off all of my debt, developed management and leadership skills, and nested close to 100k cash in the bank...and will still have the freedom to then one day tell my grand children how I wasted all of that on a shot a the poker.

What are your questions?

Before I respond to individual posts, I just want to say that I appreciate all of these responses. Hell, some of yours are longer than my original post. This is why I appreciate this forum and it's so unique; contrary to popular belief it's not entirely composed of people just looking to put you down. Thanks.

Op you need to stay. Who else is going to defend us in the event of a zombie, alien, or ewok attack?

The people of the republic salute you, Mister Latinbeefy-ness!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3

OP, you were misinformed, Afghanistan or Taliban had nothing to do with 9/11. I feel sorry for you being brainwashed by the Bush administration.

just quoted this so that everyone could see what you tried to post.

Relax man, I know you probably get a hard on when you're able to point out when people mess up at something online, I'm sure everyone saw it. Look how many posts I have. Did you consider that it might have been my first attempt at posting images on here?

The army is gonna get your soul, mind and body and rip it apart.

Ever heard of Barium? Like in bullet-filled Barium?

Get out of there before you realise how wrong you are.

Go get an education, **** propaghandi ad infinitum and the military industrial complex.

Also your obv not a FM so you won't get any rankings anytime soon, so....