My boyfriend left to join the Navy... :-(

[Colonel Midnight]

Good luck to both of you and him, Naira!

Twelve months is a piffle -- it'll fly by before you know it.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Well you always have us.

.

This!

Sending you lots of hugs honey!

 

[WillsBabe]

Good luck, Naira. I'm sure 12 months will go fast for you both, and your boyfriend will have lots of great experiences to take him forward in life. Will you be doing National Service, too?

 

[Naira]

I'm not following...

All males go to the army for a year. Besides that, one can also choose to have a professional career in the army as well. So, generally in the Navy, people who man the ships belong to the second category.

Did your BF have his choice of branch?

People get to specify their choice but it is not binding for the Army. So, where you end up serving is generally random.

Good luck, Naira. I'm sure 12 months will go fast for you both, and your boyfriend will have lots of great experiences to take him forward in life. Will you be doing National Service, too?

Nope, males only.

 

[Holdfast]

I was under the impression from distant relatives that these days you can just not bother with National Service in Greece. I know in the past it was all much stricter but I hear that you can now ignore the initial summons completely and while you're technically breaking the law, they never chase you down and you can get on with life - getting jobs, paying taxes, buying houses, etc, etc - normally, without it ever really arising as an issue?


Anyway, hope the year goes by quickly!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm not following...

All males go to the army for a year. Besides that, one can also choose to have a professional career in the army as well. So, generally in the Navy, people who man the ships belong to the second category.

I'm still a bit flummoxed, does this mean your BF is part of the army *and* the navy?

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I'm not following...

All males go to the army for a year. Besides that, one can also choose to have a professional career in the army as well. So, generally in the Navy, people who man the ships belong to the second category.

I'm still a bit flummoxed, does this mean your BF is part of the army *and* the navy?

My take is that as a conscript, he won't be serving on a ship of the Hellenic Navy; that ship-board duty would be for the career sailors.

 

[Count Zero]

Shouldn't there be an alternative to military service in Greece, since it's part of the EU?

I don't think the EU has banned that sort of thing. I'm not even sure if they could. Is it in their charter to do so?

What Count Zero means with "alternate service", is a public service. Like helping out in a social environment.

Afaik the EU does not have anylaw or guideline against conscription.

Yep, that's what I meant. No, the EU doesn't have any guide line against conscription since we have it, too, but I was under the impression that an alternative to military service must be available to conscientious objectors. That route is probably just much more marginalised than here in my country, where a third of draftees conscientiously object.

Will he be on a ship?

No. Greece is kinda moving towards a professional army so most of the "heavy duty" stuff is done by those people who are getting paid to do the job.

Well, that sucks. I think it would be much more interesting for him if he'd at least get to sail the seas a little.

I'm not following...

All males go to the army for a year. Besides that, one can also choose to have a professional career in the army as well. So, generally in the Navy, people who man the ships belong to the second category.

I'm still a bit flummoxed, does this mean your BF is part of the army *and* the navy?

"Army" as in 'armed forces'. The Greek armed forces consist of the navy, the air force and the army. You get drafted into the armed forces and then are assigned to somewhere for the most part.

 

[Naira]

I'm still a bit flummoxed, does this mean your BF is part of the army *and* the navy?

"Army" as in 'armed forces'. The Greek armed forces consist of the navy, the air force and the army. You get drafted into the armed forces and then are assigned to somewhere for the most part.

Exactly. I meant army in general, i.e. armed forces.

BTW, what is the correct word in English for all three forces together?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

BTW, what is the correct word in English for all three forces together?

Military?

 

[Unicron]

* hugs Naira *

If it's any consolation, I know how you feel. I have a cousin with the Marine Corps who just got back from his third tour in Iraq around Christmas. He's a fine soldier, but I still worry about him a bit when he's on deployment.

 

[Orac Zen]

Nice to see you, Naira.

It very likely won't seem to, but the year will go by soon enough.

 

[RJDiogenes]

BTW, what is the correct word in English for all three forces together?

Military?

Or Armed Forces, or the Service.