getting ready to join the US ARMY

[thegoofster21]

Well im going to try to get in to the US Army. I have no job holding me back right now. My wife said she is okay with it has of right now. I went in and talk to a recruiter today and its looks pretty good for me to get in. I'm not 100% sure on what ill be doing but most likely be in the infantry. So wish me luck ill need it. 

[46&2]

Well im going to try to get in to the US Army. I have no job holding me back right now. My wife said she is okay with it has of right now. I went in and talk to a recruiter today and its looks pretty good for me to get in. I'm not 100% sure on what ill be doing but most likely be in the infantry. So wish me luck ill need it. 

Right on man. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[thegoofster21]

Right on man. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

I will for sure man! We need to get together soon!

[46&2]

I will for sure man! We need to get together soon!

Yeah after this week finals are over I will have a lot more free time.

[axled89]

that's cool bro.   have fun.  pay attention.

[thegoofster21]

Yeah after this week finals are over I will have a lot more free time.

Sweet Jessi will be out of school for two weeks after this week

[thegoofster21]

that's cool bro.   

Thanks man i need all the luck i can get.

[germ]

Good luck! Make sure you get a GUARANTEED job description before you sign up, and absolutely make sure you take the GI Bill. When you pick and MOS, think about getting into something that you can also use as a civilian, not too many bomb loaders in the real world.

Erik

[thegoofster21]

Good luck! Make sure you get a GUARANTEED job description before you sign up, and absolutely make sure you take the GI Bill. When you pick and MOS, think about getting into something that you can also use as a civilian, not too many bomb loaders in the real world.

Erik

thanks man. ya i was talking to them about becoming a welder.

[kneedownnate]

X2 on what germ said    Don't believe a thing the recruiter tells you, think worst case scenario.  Good luck!

[thegoofster21]

im trying to pass the asvab right now. have not been in school for 5 years so its hard

[hilux-1983]

Good luck! Make sure you get a GUARANTEED job description before you sign up, and absolutely make sure you take the GI Bill. When you pick and MOS, think about getting into something that you can also use as a civilian, not too many bomb loaders in the real world.

Erik

Roger That, over!

[THK Matt]

Good Luck Goofster!!!

Have you thought of the Gaurd? just a thought.

[mudmaster]

Go for a aviation MOS  and good luck

[germ]

When I joined the Navy, they tried to get me to go into a "general field", rather than have a guaranteed A-School. I walked out of the detailers office 3 times before he finally "got me in". I had already called the recruiter to come and get me, and told him what he could do with "his navy" when they called me back in to the detailers office, and guaranteed me a job in Medicine. I was willing to walk away, and you should be too. They can get you any job there is, as long as you're scores are high enough on the ASVAB, and even then, if you're close, they can get a waiver to some extent. They will try and push you into certain fields because that is where they have the biggest need, but unless it will be a skill set you can (and want to) use later, tell them you'll just come back another time. they don't want you to walk out of MEP's, 'cause then they've lost you. (It's kinda like dealing with a used car salesman).

Erik

[jimbo74]

army is the easiest to get into.....

you don't seem like a total moron , you could do a lot better

im a newbie in the air force, and that is a lot harder to get into than the army.... it's a lot better for the family, and it has a lot better quality of life.....

you do more with your brain, than boot pounding...

i'm not dissing on the army, but don't get all psyched up to get let down... research all the services and decide for yourself

i love the air force --- already an e3 and i've been in less than 6 months, fully operational now (got e3 due to prior college though)

recruiters are shady! don't trust them

and i am 27.... so if i can do it......

talk to red, motorrider228 (or something like that) that are both in the air force..... also talk to john doe, he is in the army

[COToy91]

army is the eassiest to get into.....

you dont seem like a total moron , you could do a lot better

im a newbie in the air force, and that is a lot harder to get into than the army.... it's a lot better for the family, and it has a lot better quality of life.....

you do more with your brain, than boot pounding with the army...

i'm not dissing on the army, but don't get all psyched up to get let down... research all the services


i love the air force --- already an e3 and i've been in less than 6 months, fully operational now (got e3 due to prior college though)

recruiters are shady! don't trust them

and i am 27.... so if i can do it......


talk to red, motorrider228 (or something like that) that are both in the air force..... also talk to john doe, he is in the army

Chairforce......

[jimbo74]

Chairforce......

and what service do you serve in?

[YotaChris]

Marine Corps is where it's at!!

[Plekto]

My thoughts on this are that if you are married, don't join the Army or Marines.  Because you will be sent overseas 98% of the time right now and will end up with a lot of bad experiences, a stressed marriage, and a government that doesn't give a damn about you when you get back - well, more than they are literally legally required to.  With anything in mechanical skills or welding, you'll be put into logistics and be doing stuff like vehicle recovery and repair while dodging sniper fire.  No way they'll keep you in the U.S.

There's nothing wrong with those two branches, normally, but family life and overseas combat isn't a good combination.  You sound like you're doing this for money and training, which is commendable.  But if you join the Army, you're going to either kill people, see your friends get hurt or killed, or end up being injured or killed yourself.  It's impossible to be in a place like Afghanistan and not have "bad things" happen to you or those around you.   Also, 40% of all soldiers suffer some sort of lasting effects or illness from experiencing combat.  It's honestly the last thing you want to do, but with two full-blown wars in progress right now, it's pretty much unavoidable.

I don't want to slight anyone, either.    It's much better to try to find a way to NOT be in combat and get your training and still provide something useful while doing it at this point, if you can.  

So that leaves three choices:
1 - Air Force.  This isn't so bad, really, as you could very well end up piloting those drones overseas or other activities.  But it really is repairing things and technical work for the most part.  You have a fair chance as well of staying in the U.S., where it then becomes a fairly normal 9-5 job.  But you have to be bright enough, which is a hard part, since unless you ace the ASVAB, they'll not put you into a specialized school.  But, that said, almost everything that they offer DOES have some use in real-world employment later on.  Also, the jobs they offer here are really vertically organized in that if you have a degree and are an officer, you're given the good jobs. Enlisted are not.  There's a sharper divide here, IMO, between officers and enlisted than the other branches.  Not surprising, since this branch does have the most advanced degrees as well.

2 - Navy.  The best engineering training in the armed forces is here.  They are away from the front lines and mostly doing transportation of materials and flying missions form their carriers and surveillance and so on.(since ocean based fleet battles and invasions are largely a thing of the past)  You very likely might get sent to fight pirates or something, as well.  This has perhaps the widest range of niche and oddball jobs in it, since they have to cover the widest range of skills and area on the planet of any of the branches.  The downside is that you almost always will end up in a small room on a ship somewhere.  But you also will get to see the world/get some travel.  Welding and fixing planes on a carrier isn't such an awful job... heh.   This branch has a fairly good officer/enlisted dynamic as well, since they all live in close proximity and every job is necessary to keep the ship running properly.   The big downside is that you might not see your wife for months at a time, like in the Army or Marines.

3 - Coast Guard.  I know this gets a bum rap from a lot of people in the military, but they have a horrendously hard job that actually does save lives and provides a needed service to the nation.   The job isn't glamorous, but you're not going to get shot at, either.  If I was looking for a job and money for college, I'd be tempted by this, though you'll likely work harder here than you can possibly imagine, because most of the time when they get called, it's essentially like being the ocean's paramedics or disaster team.  Always a bad situation and not enough time to do it.  Though, I would stay away from helicopters - they tend to crash more than one would desire, especially in places like Alaska where the weather is appalling.  Rank here isn't a huge deal by comparison, either.  Getting the job done is.(think of it as being police or firefighter in a way - beat cops still command fairly good respect)

Also, mechanics on ships in the Navy and Coast Guard are well loved.  This to me seems like a good possible fit with you as well - get some good mechanical skills and keep those ships(or planes if on a carrier or similar) running.

[motorider228]

Chairforce......

Are you in the Airforce Rejected Me Yesterday/Aren't Really Marines Yet? haha.  I think it's funny when people call it the chair force, I worked a 70 hour week, outside all night on the flightline in 15 degree weather, fixing jets that save the armys ass when they get into trouble.  I come from a Marine Corps family, they all hated the Corps and got out.  I get to go to Spain, turkey, Israel, Sweden, Utah and Vegas in 2010, along with Afghanistan in January 2011.  I'm also station in the wine country hills of Italy, must say I don't have a ton of complaints.  Yes, there are a lot of "noner" jobs in the AF, but there are a lot of careers that get worked over.

To the OP, at the end of the day, get a job you enjoy, we all make the same amount of money.  Do something that keeps you and your family happy.

[COToy91]

i was just giving him crap for ragging on the army. My brother in law is in the airforce and he seems to not really do anything when he is state side. when he was in Dubai and in Baghdad he seemed to sit around or go shopping in Dubai until he had a mission, radio/radar etc engineer on the AWACS.

Not trying to make anyone cranky, just having a little fun

[mudmaster]

We used to say Air Farce and yes, I was in the Army

[wakkjobb]

Go cav scout (MOS 19D); nobody can bug you for anything like if you're a mechanic, cook, supply, non-combat arms... but "scout-type" civilian jobs are pretty much limited to security/police when you're out. +1 on the GI Bill; mine's paying off nicely!
If you decide on Infantry, go for a mortar slot (11C) if you don't want to be on the front lines as much. Think of a mortar as throwing bigger grenades for longer distances... 120mm bigger.

But aviation is a great field to get into... 

And start running NOW!!!

[NoPower]

I am in the Army. Just so you know...if you go infantry you WILL be going to theater (Iraq or Afghanistan) I am only telling you this because I don't want you to B.S. yourself that you won't be going because YOU WILL BE GOING. If your married l will tell you that deployments are VERY  hard on marriages. Other than that l have loved being in the Army. Just some stuff for you to  :chew:on...

[kneedownnate]

I think it's hilarious how each branch rips on the others.  To hear them speak, they're all a bunch of bumbling fools who couldn't find their way out of a wet paper bag, when in reality, they're all the glue that keeps us together.  Every branch has a place, hence there being more than one. 

A couple guys I work with both served, one in the army and one in the marines.  Both give each other endless crap about their branch.

[thegoofster21]

My thoughts on this are that if you are married, don't join the Army or Marines.  Because you will be sent overseas 98% of the time right now and will end up with a lot of bad experiences, a stressed marriage, and a government that doesn't give a damn about you when you get back - well, more than they are literally legally required to.  With anything in mechanical skills or welding, you'll be put into logistics and be doing stuff like vehicle recovery and repair while dodging sniper fire.  No way they'll keep you in the U.S.

thanks man you gave me a lot to think about it. my mom and dad want me to join the Coast Guard, but just not sure yet. the only time you are called for the Coast Guard is when bad weather or someone is going down. But im sure it would be better then trying not to get shot at. One of my buddy sister's is in the Air Force and loves it. She was in the Marines and said if you don't care about being home all the time it's fine. I've been married for 2 1/2 years and i really don't want to leave her alone for month's at a time. I just started thinking about the Navy as well. The whole thing boils down to is how i do on my ASVAB test. The math is the hardest part for me, but ill just have to study more on it.   

[94MtnYote]

 My buddy is in the USCG working as a chopper mechanic. he gets paid well, has his own house, rent is taken care of and he's been able to stay domestic with the wife. 

[Plekto]

Yeah - the CG and Navy do have the best mechanical and physical engineering schools and programs, overall.  Getting sent to the Persian Gulf, for instance, on a ship isn't a bad gig.  You won't see your wife for months, but it's pretty certain that you'll be eventually coming home.  As for stuff to do, there's everything from Seals and amphibious assault all the way to submarine duty, plus planes(carrier pilots are by far the most crazy and skilled out there) and ships and everything else.  I'm constantly amazed at the flak that they take, considering how many different things they do at once.

Oh - a bonus sometimes can be if you get shore leave or some time at port - the wife can fly out to see you for a few days.  Obviously you won't be able to afford a trip to Dubai or some other area like that, but if you're stopped over in Hawaii or Japan, it's only a few hours flight... Sometimes you also get a semi-permanent posting somewhere as well as a mechanic, and living on-base or nearby isn't so bad for the family.

Also, a lot of the work that DARPA is currently doing is with the Navy - tons of high-tech goodies and toys are coming out in the next few years - from satellites and new radar systems to new drones and missiles and everything else you can imagine(most cruise missiles, for instance, are fired from Navy ships).  Over the last 20 or so years, the Armed Forces have moved more and more towards using the Navy to get all of the "extra" stuff done.  So they've become a real jack-of-all-trades.

Note -
The CG also has a ton of planes and helicopters, which also see use for fighting forest fighters and other tasks if there's a shortage in the area.   It's a different job -  nor do they have the same level of specialties and schooling as the Navy.  It really matters, I guess, whether you want to make a 10-20+ year career of it or are looking for something for a few years.  Me?  If I was ten or fifteen years younger(and no kids - this is a huge factor), I'd probably join the Navy just to get the training and see some of the world.  Dive in head-first and go for it.  

The CG is well, different and probably also the hardest job.  But you're (almost)always the guys everyone wants to see.  Less "career" and more "firefighter/emergency" type job.  It depends on your personality type I guess.  I will say, though, that people who are in it are very loyal and dedicated as saving lives has a big emotional component to it(and you will also deal with the reverse - being just 50 feet from some guy in the water and not being able to save him in time).  It's a real love(more of this thankfully)/hate type job that's a lot like say, operating in a mobile hospital or similar in the Army. "It's the worst job you'll ever love" is a good way to put it. (that Dirty Jobs show comes to mind - heh)

Note - a lot of out leaders and influential people did this sort of thing and then went into politics or industry or law or whatever after they finished their time in the Armed Forces.  It seems a long time off, but being 40 or 45 with a pension/retirement, a degree, and a decade or two of experience under your belt is a fantastic thing, since that's 20+ years earlier than most people manage it.  And it's still young enough to start a second career.   It always amazes me how some people put in 2 tours in the Navy or Air Force and don't just finish out the last one or two to get that nice retirement.

[hilux-1983]

I think it's hilarious how each branch rips on the others.  To hear them speak, they're all a bunch of bumbling fools who couldn't find their way out of a wet paper bag, when in reality, they're all the glue that keeps us together.  Every branch has a place, hence there being more than one. 

A couple guys I work with both served, one in the army and one in the marines.  Both give each other endless crap about their branch.

We (all that served) are like a big ol "brady bunch". We may rip eachother but we will also do what it takes to protect eachother too. We're just a bunch of knuckle heads trying to get home safe.