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Gave self a "terrifying lesson". Enlisted in the Marine Corps on an open contract. From Day #1, was surrounded by profoundly competent, but wholly crazy, people that seemed to cherish all manner of physical discomfort or mental terror experienced in the course of a day's 'work'. Damn right that the VA benefits were subsequently used for school and CS degree.

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Hah, I gave myself that experience after leaving graduate school, but I chose infantry.

I am about to be admin separated from the reserves, but I will say that the experience has been an overall huge positive. You learn how to quickly identify all of the ways leadership is poor in the tech industry, and then get it all fixed. You also don't lack for motivation since you know what it's like to be hounded by a DI or NCO :) .

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