INFJ's As Soldiers.

Can't say as I know any personally. I am currently dieting and exercising so I can join the Navy...I know you specifically asked about soldiers but if the Navy won't let me in to be a sailor then the Army is my next stop.

 

NAXX is an INFJ Infantryman in the USArmy.

 

I could never do it. I can't think of much more that would crush my soul.

 

I know 2 guys who I suspect are INFJ. One does very well and one cant take it so I think they kicked him out.

 

Some INFJs are very self-destructive.

 

Well some believe Fe to be more caring and would think that this would make a bad soldier. Yet Fe is actually more about expressing your emotions outward which can be a whole range, not just love. Anger and hate also get expressed. This wouldn't make a good soldier I guess but it doesn't exclude them from the profession. Also a well developed Ti and strong J would make an excellent tactician.

 

I considered it during my younger days. I thought that I'd really enjoy pushing myself and learning the discipline -- it's tough, but you can definitely come out stronger, I think.
It wasn't too long before I scrapped the idea. Too connected to the system.

But, while I don't know any INFJs in the military, I do think that we can definitely be capable of pulling through.

 

I personally can't imagine myself doing such job, I have always had an innate dislike for it.

 

I don't know any INFJ's in real life who are in the military, however several members here are. Naxx, MotorJax, Alcyone, jftfx are the the ones that come to mind. There have been others that have come and gone. I don't think that your personality type is going to allow you or disallow you to do well in the military or not. Of course there are a very high number of TJ's in the military, they aren't the only ones. The abillity to be able to do well and enjoy the military has to do with what you want, and what your abillites and limitations are. Personality is only a loose corralation to it.

 

I don't know, to me there is still some significant correlation based on MBTI definitions.

For example, by definition the feeling function emphasizes how it affects others, it seeks harmony while the thinking function looks at situations from a more detached point of view. To be able to fulfill the roles of a soldier one must be ready for the worst, even kill. I believe one who seeks harmony and considers the emotions of others will have more of a hard time deciding to take such drastic measures then someone who is detached and only looks at the rational benefits behind the situation. Feeling tends to be correlated with the facet of morality, which is why I believe it is harder for a feeler to engage in such profession as there is a lot of morally questioned actions which take place in the military.

This are just some examples and by no means I am saying an INFJ can't serve in the military, I just believe there is some significant correlation.

 

I understand there are corralations. What I am saying is that this isn't a limitation though. Just because you are an INFJ with a really strong concern for others, doesn't mean you couldn't handle being in the military. Simply having these traits is not a death sentance. For some, yes it will prevent them, but what I am saying is you simply can not predict how traits are going to be determined. You also have to remember, not all jobs in the military involve direct combat. Other people have different duties that involve no fighting at all. INFJ's actually could do quite well in the military. I have no doubt in my mind. The issue is most of them would not seek it out. If I could get over the physical nature of the military I actually think I could do alright (it took me a long time to accept this).

If we're talking corralations, I would state them to be this (this is arbitrary, but it's something), the top being the most common, the bottom being the least:

ESTJ
ISTJ
ENTJ
ISTP
ESTP
ESFJ
INTJ
ENFJ
INFJ
ESFP
INTP
ISFJ
ENTP
ENFP
ISFP
INFP


To be honest, I don't even really like this list, there is too much grey area.

 

http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/extravertedfeeling.html

I believe your description of Fe to be incorrect.

"The process of extroverted Feeling often involves a desire to connect with (or disconnect from) others and is often evidenced by expressions of warmth (or displeasure) and self-disclosure. The "social graces," such as being polite, being nice, being friendly, being considerate, and being appropriate, often revolve around the process of extroverted Feeling. Keeping in touch, laughing at jokes when others laugh, and trying to get people to act kindly to each other also involve extroverted Feeling. Using this process, we respond accordingly to expressed or even unexpressed wants and needs of others. We may ask people what they want or need or self disclose to prompt them to talk more about themselves. This often sparks conversation and lets us know more about them so we can better adjust our behavior to them. Often with this process, we feel pulled to be responsible and take care of others' feelings, sometimes to the point of not separating our feelings from theirs. We may recognize and adhere to shared values, feelings, and social norms to get along".

quoted from a passage by Linda V. Berens direct and founder of interstrength associates and has 25 years experience qualifying trainers of the MBTI as well as...well a long list of other stuff, also holds a Ph.D. in psychology. Also taken from Dario Nard, Ph.D. holder founder of UCLA's Human complex systems program and has been working with type and temperament since 1992, has also been heavily involved with the Temperament Research Institute since then.

From your description I think...maybe you got Fi and Fe mixed up?

Fi:

"As a cognitive process, it often serves as a filter for information that matches what is valued, wanted, or worth believing in. There can be a continual weighing of the situational worth or importance of everything and a patient balancing of the core issues of peace and conflict in life's situations. We engage in the process of introverted Feeling when a value is compromised and think, "Sometimes, some things just have to be said." On the other hand,most of the time this process works "in private" and is expressed through actions. It helps us know when people are being fake or insincere or if they are basically good. It is like having an internal sense of the "essence" of a person or a project and reading fine distinctions among feeling tones."

quote from the same people stated above.

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Any type could be a good soldier just like any type could be a bad one but if we're going with stereotypical types....

It's difficult to really say what types would make good soldiers but I would say extroverted types mainly, types with Se as primary given the nature of Se, so ESTJ's would seem pretty good cause of the Te,Si combo also ESTP's Se and Ti really would make a nasty combination in a soldier (..by that I mean nasty as in theoretically a good soldier way ), for some reason I think ISTJ's would make good snipers with the Si, Te combo of course you have INTJ's I mean they're type are sometimes known as the "strategist" lol Ni,Te combo, also less not forget INTP's for strategists, I'd imagine they would work quite well with INTJ's in that manner (not sure about socially but work wise they would help each other or it would seem that way) with the Ti, Ne combination.

I wouldn't have thought that INFJ's would make good soldiers Ni seems to be a slow process and Fe sounded seem that good on a battlefield, however INFJ's as negotiators now that seems better suited maybe something more covert? but I dunno, being able to manipulate people and turn people would seem to be within the abilities of an INFJ, most INFJ's seem to have a hard set of morals to no go that way but it wouldn't be out of reach as far as asking if they could be able to do something like that is concerned.

Type isn't everything though, there are a hell of a lot of factors to take into account, the environment the person was raised in and so forth so, bit of a difficult question to answer.

 

I had a whim to join the military as a teenager, it was the discipline I was attracted to, the J thing I think.

A bit of pondering though and soon realised that supporting the war machine was completely out of the question.

 

I would expect most Feeling types in the military to be drawn to staff positions like the medical corps or communications or military liaisons to the public, that kind of thing.

 

I don't know if this is true for many or even some INFJs but I have noticed that I cannot be comfy and happy at the same time.

Stoic living and unrelenting discipline (although thouroughly displeasing to me) help keep me from depression/anguish about life or myself. It is as though I was built not to have an easy life.

 

It's very true. People delve into Religion for the same reason as the Army.

When you cede control to another, higher power, you are accepting security over freedom.
Most people do prefer security over freedom. Freedom means the freedom to suffer the consequences of your free choice actions.
It provides a strong buffer for your actions, keeping the need to face your moral consequences absent.

Obviously I would never be a candidate for either RHP Religion or the Military, but I can see the benefits for others.

 

Freedom lies in three things: the ability to choose, the ability to implement and the ability to decide.

Living an easy life without the ability to live a disciplined life is free insofar as one decides that that is what one wants. But one is not free to choose a different kind of lifestyle and does not have the wearwithal to implement it.

The ability to live a difficult, highly disciplined lifestyle gives one the freedom to choose between ease/leisure, moderate work, and intensely demanding work. It also allows one to implement whatever one chooses. Finally, one is always free to decide if one's life is congenial.

I decided that an comfortable life was not congenial to me a long time ago and it took many years to develop the ability to live a highly disciplined life (a work still in progress with need of maintenance). My Summer holiday break and Friday afternoons are times of ease, which I really relish - but they always leave me deflated afterwards.

The practice of religion is similar - it is very difficult to practice one's religion well and I have made little progress in it. Nevertheless, I was left in awe at the serenity and peace of some contemplative religious I met years ago. If I can achieve a fraction of that by the end of my life I will be happy. (I think it is not so much a matter of achieving as of cooperating with grace). In the meanwhile my own hypocrisy hopefully serves to begin learning some humility. I hope.

 

I'm not saying you're bad for wanting it. No one is. That desire is normal and is thus the moral norm.

It is just a different path.