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Original poster

If WW3 kicked off, and you were forced to enlist, do you think you'd cope?

228 replies

BaubleTheLumpOfCoal · 04/01/2020 21:25

I 100% wouldn't.

I've looked at the army website and the fitness levels they require alone are way above my baseline level (out of breath when running up stairs Grin)

I'm very small and weigh 6 and a half stone, so would probably be a liability to my fellow troops.

How do you think you'd fare?

OP posts:
IdblowJonSnow · 04/01/2020 22:30

No! I'm a total wuss and not very strong/zero stamina.
Let's hope we dont ever need to rely on the likes of me!

WheresMyChocolate · 04/01/2020 22:34

I'm autistic and would collapse into a wailing heap at the first sign of a loud bang. So that's me out.

DH is also autistic but of the completely unflappable variety. He'd do well in special forces as he's like the terminator. Except they wouldn't let him as his profession would most likely be protected.

CountFosco · 04/01/2020 22:36

DH and I are too old (assuming same rules as WW2) and DC are too young. A Sweet spot, until you read Testament of Youth and discover the food shortages in WW1 badly affected her (rich) parents but not Vera Brittain who as a nurse had access to plenty of food. WW2 workplaces and restaurants weren't rationed though.

FrogsFrogs · 04/01/2020 22:36

I'm well over 40, and disabled. And small.

Thinking on it, would be a shit hot sniper, have beaten all the men at that stuff at shite work away days.

Does that help? Not rtft.

In wars previously the role of women has been written out. A lot.

Crinkle77 · 04/01/2020 22:37

Nope not a chance.

helpfulperson · 04/01/2020 22:39

I have a feeling that an all women army would spend so long trying to reach a consensus and making sure everyone was OK with the plan of action that they would be walked over by the opposition.

Queenest · 04/01/2020 22:40

I’ve often wondered this and whether as a nation we would have the spirit they had in the previous World Wars to get us through.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 04/01/2020 22:41

Fitness-wise, I’m fine. But I’m a widowed parent and my DC have no one else who could look after them

Queenest · 04/01/2020 22:42

Forgot to say I’m probably way too old to be of interest to them Grin

KnowBetterDoBetter · 04/01/2020 22:42

know I can assure you British rules of engagement do not allow collateral these days , at all. Zero tolerance.
The targeting cycle includes a lawyer now and NO civilian deaths are tolerated for anything. That's British ROE anyway. (I cant speak for other countries I dont have experience of that).

But thousands of civilians did die from air strikes? The government said they don't know how many civilians died as a result of UK airstrikes in particular. I'm sure it is primarily due to the US. But even if ours didn't cause harm to any civilians whatsoever (very improbable), why would anyone want to be on their side, whilst they do that? For a war most likely based on oil and distraction from impeachment. You obviously know a lot more than me, but I just don't get it.

Also I was in the forces, many of my friends were, none of us have PTSD.
Some do, but it's no where near the levels people think (I was a welfare officer so saw the cases).

I know an ex soldier with PTSD, after seeing his friend get killed. My friend's boyfriend went AWOL because he couldn't cope. Went to prison for it. He's never been the same. Were you and your friends on the frontline? Like I said, my best friend is a nurse in the army and loves it. But I think the young boys on the frontline have a very different experience. In any case - surely even one veteran with PTSD on the streets is too many? Surely anybody on the streets, actually? Of course, there isn't money to solve that. Plenty of money for wars though.

TheCaddyisaBaddie · 04/01/2020 22:43

I'd be lucky to slow walk a mile in a day nevermind anything else. Would be good as a land girl though.

Purpleartichoke · 04/01/2020 22:49

I’d never pass a basic medical exam. I’ve got a daily med list a mile long after losing some organs to cancer, I have to carry epi-pens, and I require regular injections of a refrigerated medication. We would never get to the fact that I am overweight and out of shape.

Of course, given the right circumstances, they might need a supply of medically fragile office workers to process paperwork or something. I could do that.

Mother87 · 04/01/2020 22:50

If they wanted a mid-50's averagely fit woman with a dodgy shoulder then we're all dooomed I tell yaGrinand as a pp said, it'll be a cyber war or we'll all get nuked fairly swiftly and bump into Vigo Mortensen pushing an Asda trolleyGrinand I have 2 DS's with military/police experience and they're as fit as the proverbial butchers dog

PickAChew · 04/01/2020 22:54

They'd have to be desperate to enlist an arthritic 50 year old who needs to pop a pile of pills just to tackle a pile of ironing.

MissChananderlerbong · 04/01/2020 22:54

know
I can't speak for wars I wasnt involved in.
But recent UK efforts in Iraq/Syria do not allow civilian deaths.

Did you know the RAF helped liberate the persecuted people of Mt Sinjar (Yadizis) from certain death as Islamic state were stopping their food/medicine/clean water getting through, the allies completed air drops too.

I think people forget the british armed forces has actual humans in it, like me, sat here as a caring human being with children and compassion.

We're not heartless automatrons who order air strikes on kids and it makes me very sad when people think this of us. The Mt Sinjar liberation brought me a great sense of relief and pride that I'm British and we helped. All those lives saved.

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 04/01/2020 22:55

My FIL wasn't allowed to serve in the last war because of asthma, so I reckon I'd probably be exempt even if I wasn't a pacifist.

Omgilovedraving · 04/01/2020 22:58

MissChananderlerbong not all of us think badly of the armed forces, quite the opposite in fact.

AmazingGreats · 04/01/2020 23:00

If being a single parent to 3 young DCs didn't exempt me, then my weight and fitness levels would, if they didn't my mental health would, if my mental health wouldn't my physical illnesses and disability would, etc. However, I wouldn't be able to sit idle either so I imagine that I would end up doing something office based. I wouldn't mind being one of those people that listens to phone conversations and I love cracking codes, so that would be a great thing to do. I wouldn't mind cooking up all kinds of stews and casseroles and chillis and baked goods. I would struggle with anything manual work wise for long hours, but am good at fixing things and putting things together so I think I could find lots of ways to be helpful. I am a quick learner and good at explaining things to people too, and am good at problem solving. I am incredibly good in a crisis though and can manage much better when things are difficult, it's when I collapse afterwards that I can't get back up! I have managed to run off adrenaline for months at a time with hardly any sleep before, I always pay for it afterwards but I imagine that in a war situation I would go into adrenaline mode, and it's afterwards I would be left with shell shock and a broken body.

daydreambeleiver · 04/01/2020 23:01

I'm too old, but dd is in the navy, you do have to be fit but not super fit. My other dd would be exempt

Shockers · 04/01/2020 23:01

I’m ancient and suffer from osteoarthritis. I’m three weeks away from hip replacement surgery.

So I doubt they’d want me.

InsertFunnyUsername · 04/01/2020 23:03

I would be awesome. I'm deaf in one ear so everyone would be safe with me protecting them, as long as those pesky opponents dont sneak up on my right side.

But i have bad blisters caused by new shoes at moment, so count me out I'm afraid.

FloreanFortescue · 04/01/2020 23:03

Another asthmatic here! I'm bloody glad though, I wouldn't cope at all.

KnowBetterDoBetter · 04/01/2020 23:05

*I can't speak for wars I wasnt involved in.
But recent UK efforts in Iraq/Syria do not allow civilian deaths.

Did you know the RAF helped liberate the persecuted people of Mt Sinjar (Yadizis) from certain death as Islamic state were stopping their food/medicine/clean water getting through, the allies completed air drops too.

I think people forget the british armed forces has actual humans in it, like me, sat here as a caring human being with children and compassion.

We're not heartless automatrons who order air strikes on kids and it makes me very sad when people think this of us. The Mt Sinjar liberation brought me a great sense of relief and pride that I'm British and we helped. All those lives saved.*

I don't think that of you, or of any soldier. I think people like Blair and Bush and Trump are the baddies, not you, by any stretch of the imagination.

Anyway, this is a lighthearted thread, so I'm out. Have a nice evening Smile

daydreambeleiver · 04/01/2020 23:05

Actually my other dd could be sent to be a code breaker and language expert, she's autistic

Mrsmummy90 · 04/01/2020 23:11

4 stone overweight with a myriad I'd health issues meaning I'd be awful. Also I have 2dc both under 2.

DH is fit as a fiddle though. I'd have to find an excuse to keep him home 😬

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