spudly! your "NAVY Bound" caption really fits with the wave the spud is doing ...
anyway, about the navy. my whole fam used the navy to get out of their own useless town in Alabama. now all my uncles are well established in various parts of the country. my dad never killed his travelling bug and is now, good heavens, VOLUNTARILY stationed in Bahrain. before that he had the silly nerve to go to Qatar (United Arab Emirates) for 3 years.
no, you are not likely to go back home but you will travel, learn, and grow. that will also in a way make your own family and friends grow - they will have to think outside of the box and relate outside of the box because YOU'RE outside of the box. and let's face it, if you go somewhere exotic they're gonna LOVE to come visit!
i think the growth will be more fulfilling and a bigger return on the investment most especially if you go overseas, and also take advantage of the free continuing education stuff. get yer masters, etc. hell, get two or three degrees! being stationed in the US really doesn't do much other than reincorporate some things I don't think need reincorporating (i have issues with the military, but anyway ...) but i encourage you to head abroad while the ticket is free and while you're young. you won't regret it! and it'll make you incredibly wise and sexy. and then women will want you. yup.
and, SILVER! that song was hilarious! genius, I say. but that toothbrushing incident sure wasn't. i concur with patti. you have issues, boy.