I've been in the RAAF for 13 years and love it. The thing with recruit training is that its supposed to sort out the crap. Its just a game. Play the game and you wont have problems. If you think they have to play by the rules, then your in for a tough time. Lets face it if you want to be a rifleman you MAY be called on to actually shoot at someone. You have to be in the right frame of mind to do that. I don't want someone in my section thats a cry baby and who thinks he's being hard done by if he gets yelled at! (I've already got one of those big skirts in my section now!)
Those people that have brothers/cousins etc that have injured themselves would of had treatment and rehab to fix them. If the injury can be fixed but it stops you doing your current role (infantry for instance) then you can change jobs. As long as you can pass the fitness tests your good to go. If it can't be fixed and you get medically discharged you can apply for compo for the injury. Military life is not for everyone, as Heapy22 has found out but your life is not theirs, thats crap. There are some sacrifce's that will have to be made, deployments etc. In my job as a shift worker I have missed birthdays/anniversarys/my kids sport days and partys but thats what I have to do. If you think you can't do that and want to go out all the time, then don't join.
Reserves will be a bit different BUT with todays reserves being deployed more often, you could be deployed to some where like Timor for a 6 month stint (once your 18). Do you think you could handle that? What happens to your study then?
If you join ADFA you will be smashed by the upper classmen, that can be worse than recruits as it lasts until you become the upper classman (look at the suicides at ADFA). Think you could handle that?
"I'd do it through RMC and do reserves while I'm doing my degree so when I finish the degree, I don't have to fill any more service commitments."
It sounds like you want the benifit of a paid for degree AND a wage but don't want to give any time back.
If thats the case then just go to Uni, get stoned and have a good time.