Army or civilian service,what did you do?

[falling bird]

Hi
This may be a bit off-topic but since i had my last day today doing my civilian service(which is 10 months at the moment here in Germany) i would be interested in knowing what you guys did,Civilian service or did you go to the army?

Tell me about the time and what time it was for you, important,and if yes in which way, or just senseless because... Where did you do it? Me for example,i was in a hospital,that was very cool,very many nice people and above all
sweet nurses

Hey folks,come on,give it a try and think back in time.
I'm looking forward to your replies

 

[my dying groom]

Civilian service for me. I chose to work in a joint residence for disabled people, aiding them a bit with their daily life in a fucked up world that shows no respect for them.
Fortunately, I had nice colleagues, so it wasn't only work but also a lot of fun and laid-back at times

Senseless? Nope, I'm still working there now and then

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Thankfully, here in NZ we don't do any of that

 

[Deadhouse]

I'm in the army now, going to be promoted as a seargent soon.

 

[elric]

(question from stupid american) i knew that some places have mandatory military service, but what exactly is civilian service? you have to work in a government-y job for a certain amount of time? that's interesting... so is this something you'd do like while going to school? or is it like a take a year off before college (university) thing? just curious... nothing like that here...

 

[Parabola]

I didn´t do anything ...

 

[Parabola]

i knew that some places have mandatory military service, but what exactly is civilian service?

You have to choose whether you do military or civilian service. If you are a pacifist you do military service, if you like weapons you go to the army... And if you don´t think much of both, you can choose jail (third option). Anyway, in my opinion it´s a "lost" year.

 

[Dionysos]

Military service is obligatory in Greece. Hmmmm actually we also have civillian service but i think that it's double the time of military service (not sure)..... At the moment it's 16 months so the civilian service must be about 30 months or something.. so you can understand that no-one does civilian service....
I was in the army from 27 Nov 2000 to 12 May 2002....

 

[Don Corleone]

i'll be doing my duty in 3 years: army, as soon as ii graduate from university.

 

[Wanderingblade]

We don't have that sort of thing in Britain, a pity really as we could use people to bolster out public services...

 

[falling bird]

@elric: When you are 18 years old they can draw you in. But let's say you just finished school and want to start to study,then they have to let you study first. The same thing goes with doing an education.
Here in Germany i think they have the right to draw you in until the age of 26 or 27 or something(maybe it's 28 )

Most of these civilian service places are in the health sector.
So like my dying groom you can do something with drug addictives,hospital, or you can go to the Kindergarten and so on.
A friend of mine is doing his civilian service in the botanical garden(a place here in Berlin with lots of flowers and all kinds of different green things).

So you see, there are a few possibilities.

 

[falling bird]

Originally posted by Parabola


And if you don´t think much of both, you can choose jail (third option).

 

[elric]

ahh thanks, that clears things up quite a bit sounds like it could be either a really great time if you get put somewhere interesting, or it could be pretty terrible... still, interesting idea...

 

[requiem]

Originally posted by yourdeadgroom
Thankfully, here in NZ we don't do any of that

Same as Australia, only better than New Zealanders....

Isn't it odd to see the differences in cultures. I never knew people had to do that kind of thing in Europe. I know Pakistan and India have mandatory service, but I thought Europe would be more progressive than that.

If they tried that here, we'd riot!

 

[Parabola]

If they tried that here, we'd riot!

I don´t think it makes sense either. As far as I can remember France abolished mandatory service a few years ago. I hope Germany will follow.

 

[Malaclypse]

well, i did civil service in some sort of charitable organisation. the one i was in, the "malteser hilfsdienst", formerly has been a knight order in the medieval age. now they do about the same stuff as the german red cross: ambulance, food on wheels, taxi for disabled people, and so on. i did the latter one, driving old and disabled ppl to their relatives, doctors, whatever. the job itself was quite good, but my bosses were all fucked up. i just had bad luck. and i had to work 38.5 hours/week which is quite unusual for civil service as it is normally a rather lazy life you can live during that year. i had fellows who had to work about 2h per day... too bad there's no regulation for that. but i survived it all, and would i not have had these strange and stupid co-workers and bosses, i would not call it a lost year as i do sometimes. i'm of the opinion that such a service helps you progress in handling people in general. and that's no fault.

 

[the_joy_of_grief]

The draft might be abolished in Germany some day. But if they did that, they'd have to abolish civil service as well. Which they can't because it's cheap labour...and full-time jobs (with full payment) would be too costly for most organisations.

 

[Hobo]

I was sent home after half a day of examines.. too small, to weak, bad condition, pacifist (perfer dying before killing...) i faint when seeing blood and needles...
i simply would not take any of the jobs they had to offer.

 

[falling bird]

here in Berlin many people,especially those in the hospital i was in,say, that everything would break together if they hadn't got the people who do civil service.The system would break together.
I don't know what to think of that,cause now when i and many other people in that hospital were done with our 10 months service time,it has to go on,somehow.
The only thing is that the nurses themselves have to do more now until the next people will begin their service.
Where i was,had nothing to do with any nursing of the people. We just brought the people to the x-ray for example or went out walking with them,bringing papers from here to there,you see,we were mother for everything(i don't know if i can say that in english,the other germans here will understand me,oder?)doing these things the nurses would not be up to manage due to too less time.

So, i think in places were people doing civil.serv. really nurse people,like in people's homes,this help is really needed,because they really are a 100% worker.

But in all the other places were these people not represent 100% workers i think it would not break together,so what do you think,are people who do civilian service being used,kind of from the government? Would it go without them?

 

[Hobo]

But i think ppl are being used here.
the pay for military/private service is almost less per day than an average hour salory.
the saying is you should afford a pack of cigarettes and a cup of coffe / day =)
that aint exactly fair for doing the same work as a full employee