As J.R.R. Tolkien put it in his trilogy "Lord of the Rings, "It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Signing up for military service is a lot like this. You surrender a vast amount of control over your future and commit to obey any lawful order given to you by a powerful and thoroughly established hierarchy of men and women who may send you into harm's way at the drop of a hat. You could be deployed overseas and risk your life under heavy fire as you battle to secure the waterways and territories of the world for democracy, for our allies, and for people seeking to live their lives unmolested by tyrants and invaders.

Of course, you will get a lot of out of it. You'll earn new skills and travel to faraway lands. You'll get job security and a great pension with lifelong benefits. You'll make friends for life, and you'll know what it is to truly stretch yourself to your limits. You'll return stronger, wiser, and perhaps a little more cynical.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Let's find out!