[ENFP] Why an ENFP would be successful in the military.

[kyuuei]

I know Wonka in particular is always puzzled by my career choice, and I thought I'd take a moment to list the reasons why I think an ENFP would actually be well suited for the army.

It's true that my ideal thoughts don't always mesh well, or at all, to that of the military mind-set, which gets me in trouble a lot because I can't comprehend some of the rules and standards they have set out. Even so, here's why I think ENFPs would do well anyways:

1. The structure of it all. I've been forced to learn time management, how to keep my areas of operation sanitary and to a standard, how to accomplish and finish goals I set out to do (if not only because I'm forced to do them lol) etc. The things that I think ENFPs on here tend to complain about like never being able to complete projects or keep up routines like working out and such would help be resolved with the military's strict procedures.

2. The forced recognition of different thoughts and lifestyles. You HAVE to work with people you don't like or don't even appreciate, people that are going to be above you and people you have to learn to cope with. There's a huge dose of reality given to what, for me, was a very idealistic and imaginary world. You learn to swallow your pride, prioritize your battles, and help with personal communication skills when it comes to the more negative aspects of social interaction.

3. Extroversion. This part here is where I believe ENFPs would surely shine. EVERYTHING involves people, you work with others, shoot the bull with others, you pass time, live with, deal with, EVERYTHING is with people, and by the masses! If you're the sort of person that enjoys hanging out all the time with friends, I guarantee you the military definitely gives you an extroversion outlet unlike any other job. The brotherhood, camaraderie, and support you get from people is something that fuels that energy.

4. My last point, is the recognition for merit. The promotions (when and if they happen lol), the awards, and even if you get nothing the comrades that come by you all the time to say you've done well at this or that, people in the military do go out of their way to recognize effort and good behavior.. I think these things help fulfill that need to be recognized in a way that no civilian job can offer.

Feel free to dispute, comment, add on to, etc.

 

[ergophobe]

I don't know anything about working in the military and am glad to learn about people's experiences.

A clarification question --

Is the question more about what the ENFP would gain from the military personally (your points seem to be more along those lines which I can certainly appreciate. Perhaps I need a boot camp for increased discipline).

Alternatively, is the question more about whether ENFPs are well matched with the profession - a mutual gain perspective - what could they bring to the military that others can't? I don't see that addressed as much.

Just wondering.

 

[heart]

1. The structure of it all. I've been forced to learn time management, how to keep my areas of operation sanitary and to a standard, how to accomplish and finish goals I set out to do (if not only because I'm forced to do them lol) etc. The things that I think ENFPs on here tend to complain about like never being able to complete projects or keep up routines like working out and such would help be resolved with the military's strict procedures.

Right brain techniques might work better for many ENFP. I've never found external habits learned by force to last any longer than they were externally enforced. And the military is very left brained in its approach.

 

[kyuuei]

I don't know anything about working in the military and am glad to learn about people's experiences.

A clarification question --

Is the question more about what the ENFP would gain from the military personally (your points seem to be more along those lines which I can certainly appreciate. Perhaps I need a boot camp for increased discipline).

Alternatively, is the question more about whether ENFPs are well matched with the profession - a mutual gain perspective - what could they bring to the military that others can't? I don't see that addressed as much.

Just wondering.

I suppose this is because I classify what someone gets out of their careers a part of the career's success. You ought to do something you enjoy for a career, or at the very least, something that benefits you, imo. I think I bring a lot to my platoon and my need to succeed and not disappoint those around me play a role in benefitting the military itself. To me, work is partly the success you create, and partly the success of your own benefit.

Right brain techniques might work better for many ENFP. I've never found external habits learned by force to last any longer than they were externally enforced. And the military is very left brained in its approach.

I'm not familiar with the whole lefty righty thing. But so far as things not sticking past the areas in which they are applied to, I have to disagree. To take the example of running: If you run three miles averagely, you'll run two decently. In that same way, even though my standards are not the same as the military's when I am home, I still have standards surpassing those I ever would have had beforehand. It's, quite simply, impossible to go into the military and not take parts of it away and home with you forever.

 

[Nillerz]

hey, I'm an ENFP in the military!

I'm Infantry. This leads to problems as I don't really know HOW to socialize with infantrymen, who are either

-Too dumb to get any other MOS
-Really just want the most violent MOS there is
-Me

So it is hard, but the structure really helps me deal with life a bit more maturely now.

 

[kyuuei]

^ Exactly. I think without the army at a young age I'd be leagues behind myself right now, and would have been 30 years old kicking myself in the ass for not gaining the structure I have now. Yeah, it was forced on me, and yeah I didn't like it at first, but what you like from an immature sense is outweighed by what you like about yourself later on thanks to it.

The social interaction with infantry men? Unless you know a lot of dirty jokes, good luck with that!. I suppose it's better than dealing with MP interaction, since there's always that anal "I have to do everything by the book" guy and the "I'm an arrogant ass because I have a badge" guy.

I think the only thing that keeps me from totally enjoying it all is the attitude of the military itself towards women, and the attitude towards how people are treated. I don't agree with a lot of the systems they have in place because they clash with my personal ideals.. but I even gain something out of this, because I've learned to at least figure out how to cope with systems that I don't agree with and learn to work things out despite them.

 

[The Decline]

Maybe they'd be savvy to the impending PTSD and be able to cut out of there before being irreparably scarred. That's probably a useful trait.

 

[Avocado]

I've considered navy or air force before

 

[Coriolis]

I've considered navy or air force before

What made you consider them? Did you end up joining? If not, why not?

 

[Avocado]

What made you consider them? Did you end up joining? If not, why not?

I'm getting a General Studies degree with a focus in Humanities. After changing my major a few times, I had to change it to that and I'm unhappy with that. I cannot afford a masters and I really do not want to take out a loan. I also want to travel the world. I also want a buffer between being somewhat tied to my mom and being completely on my own. I want something with structure. Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard are attractive to me. Army and Marines aren't my cup of tea. My plan is to finish out these last couple semesters, sign up for one of those 3 branches, hopefully get in as I have both mild mental and mild physical issues, and if all goes well, I can get a masters in social work or something. I'm going to talk to an armed forces recruiter monday and discuss my options. The idea of basically signing my life away for a few years scares me a little, but it excites me, too. Regardless, I have till May 2018 to fully make my mind up.

 

[Coriolis]

I'm getting a General Studies degree with a focus in Humanities. After changing my major a few times, I had to change it to that and I'm unhappy with that. I cannot afford a masters and I really do not want to take out a loan. I also want to travel the world. I also want a buffer between being somewhat tied to my mom and being completely on my own. I want something with structure. Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard are attractive to me. Army and Marines aren't my cup of tea. My plan is to finish out these last couple semesters, sign up for one of those 3 branches, hopefully get in as I have both mild mental and mild physical issues, and if all goes well, I can get a masters in social work or something. I'm going to talk to an armed forces recruiter monday and discuss my options. The idea of basically signing my life away for a few years scares me a little, but it excites me, too. Regardless, I have till May 2018 to fully make my mind up.

I am an Air Force veteran myself. I joined for some of the reasons you mentioned: not entirely happy with my undergrad degree, and willing to roll the dice and spend a few years getting diverse experiences. I didn't end up seeing too much of the world, but easily could have, especially if I had stayed in after my initial commitment. My philosophy was: love it or hate it, it is only for a few years, and I will learn and benefit from whatever I do on active duty. I was right about that, and left only because I found something even better.

If you just enlist, having a college degree, you may eventually be offered the opportunity to go to officer candidate school. I'm not sure how the need is now. Sometimes the military is trying to reduce the number of officers, other times to bring on more. In any case, when you get out, you can use the GI bill to get additional education, and may have a better idea of what you want to pursue. The AF and Navy have some great technical training that can lead to jobs on the outside. I'm not sure how the training is on the humanities side, but military experience is generally viewed positively for the general leadership, responsibility, and organizational skills it encourages.

 

[Avocado]

I am an Air Force veteran myself. I joined for some of the reasons you mentioned: not entirely happy with my undergrad degree, and willing to roll the dice and spend a few years getting diverse experiences. I didn't end up seeing too much of the world, but easily could have, especially if I had stayed in after my initial commitment. My philosophy was: love it or hate it, it is only for a few years, and I will learn and benefit from whatever I do on active duty. I was right about that, and left only because I found something even better.

If you just enlist, having a college degree, you may eventually be offered the opportunity to go to officer candidate school. I'm not sure how the need is now. Sometimes the military is trying to reduce the number of officers, other times to bring on more. In any case, when you get out, you can use the GI bill to get additional education, and may have a better idea of what you want to pursue. The AF and Navy have some great technical training that can lead to jobs on the outside. I'm not sure how the training is on the humanities side, but military experience is generally viewed positively for the general leadership, responsibility, and organizational skills it encourages.

I'm thinking of becoming a government social worker, since all the career tests and my mom say that would be best for me, but I really don't know. Nursing was a bust, Sociology was a bust, Education was a bust, and now I'm stuck with general studies. I also barely keep my pharmacy job. I'm a reliable worker but a slow worker since I have to double check myself due to my mind wandering all the time--I'm accident prone. They give me hours, then they cut them way down to almost nothing, then I get them back a few weeks later, then they get cut down...and so on.

 

[Coriolis]

I'm thinking of becoming a government social worker, since all the career tests and my mom say that would be best for me, but I really don't know. Nursing was a bust, Sociology was a bust, Education was a bust, and now I'm stuck with general studies. I also barely keep my pharmacy job. I'm a reliable worker but a slow worker since I have to double check myself due to my mind wandering all the time--I'm accident prone. They give me hours, then they cut them way down to almost nothing, then I get them back a few weeks later, then they get cut down...and so on.

In that case, try to get assigned to either medical or personnel, even if just on the administrative side. That will give you insight into how these functions operate, and might put you in a position to deal with dependents, vets/retirees, or people dealing with the same sorts of problems you would see on the outside (substance abuse, domestic troubles, financial trouble, etc). That could lead eventually, say, to working at the VA as a patient advocate (not sure if VA has that job, but my MIL did it in a civilian nursing center).

 

[Avocado]

In that case, try to get assigned to either medical or personnel, even if just on the administrative side. That will give you insight into how these functions operate, and might put you in a position to deal with dependents, vets/retirees, or people dealing with the same sorts of problems you would see on the outside (substance abuse, domestic troubles, financial trouble, etc). That could lead eventually, say, to working at the VA as a patient advocate (not sure if VA has that job, but my MIL did it in a civilian nursing center).

that is what I am looking for. I'm not as kindly or supportive as my grandmother was, but being a kind, gentle person to talk to in what I'm best at.

 

[chubber]

Yes, except the OP isn't really an ENFP or should I have stayed quiet

 

[Smilephantomhive]

Yes, except the OP isn't really an ENFP or should I have stayed quiet

What type do you think they are?

 

[Avocado]

I know Wonka in particular is always puzzled by my career choice, and I thought I'd take a moment to list the reasons why I think an ENFP would actually be well suited for the army.

It's true that my ideal thoughts don't always mesh well, or at all, to that of the military mind-set, which gets me in trouble a lot because I can't comprehend some of the rules and standards they have set out. Even so, here's why I think ENFPs would do well anyways:

1. The structure of it all. I've been forced to learn time management, how to keep my areas of operation sanitary and to a standard, how to accomplish and finish goals I set out to do (if not only because I'm forced to do them lol) etc. The things that I think ENFPs on here tend to complain about like never being able to complete projects or keep up routines like working out and such would help be resolved with the military's strict procedures.

2. The forced recognition of different thoughts and lifestyles. You HAVE to work with people you don't like or don't even appreciate, people that are going to be above you and people you have to learn to cope with. There's a huge dose of reality given to what, for me, was a very idealistic and imaginary world. You learn to swallow your pride, prioritize your battles, and help with personal communication skills when it comes to the more negative aspects of social interaction.

3. Extroversion. This part here is where I believe ENFPs would surely shine. EVERYTHING involves people, you work with others, shoot the bull with others, you pass time, live with, deal with, EVERYTHING is with people, and by the masses! If you're the sort of person that enjoys hanging out all the time with friends, I guarantee you the military definitely gives you an extroversion outlet unlike any other job. The brotherhood, camaraderie, and support you get from people is something that fuels that energy.

4. My last point, is the recognition for merit. The promotions (when and if they happen lol), the awards, and even if you get nothing the comrades that come by you all the time to say you've done well at this or that, people in the military do go out of their way to recognize effort and good behavior.. I think these things help fulfill that need to be recognized in a way that no civilian job can offer.

Feel free to dispute, comment, add on to, etc.

Are you still in?

 

[Betty Blue]

1-3 sound absolutely horrid, 1 and 2 for obvious anti enfp aircraft reasons and 3 because sometimes i really REALLY need my own space or i'd go insane. 4 is about the only one which seems to be ok and even that at a stretch.

I'm not sure if the psychology is to make ENFP's address their fears in order to overcome them? personally i think i'd be taken out of the military in a straight jacket or persecuted for trying to reason with the 'enemy' aka other humans.