Army

[Zerohour]

no i reenlisted for another 4 years last month

 

[Railrocker 10+ year member]

If you are single and know exactly what you want to do and the Military will help you in that goal here in the states I could see how the military would profit you. If your goal is to go in and get the training/college serve your time and get out to work for a firehouse here in the states. Then I say go for it. You will probably start higher up the ladder when you get a job at home or at least climb it faster.

But you must find out that you are going to get exactly what you want or its not worth it.

 

[dynamcpunk 10+ year member]

Go Navy. They have alot more schools to send you to and probably wont end up in a war zone.

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

they have my ASVAP and i scored "extremely above average"

Curious, what was your score? I got a 93 and was recommended for all kinds of crap...

Go Navy. They have alot more schools to send you to and probably wont end up in a war zone.

x2. The army will dick you on deployment time. Navy, from what I've heard from a few friends, is that its a 6month deployment with port calls every couple of days. Navy is where its at for me. 6 more months //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[POLKAT 10+ year member]

It doesn't mean anything until you go to MEPS and give the oath of enlistment. Signing some papers in your recruiters office does not put you under any type of legal obligation no matter WHAT he tries to tell you. You can back out with no problem until you raise your right hand.

I was thinking of joining the Army but went Air Force instead. The Air Force has a much better quality of life imo. The only problem is, while the Army and Marines are begging for people, the Air Force is booting people out left and right trying to save money so there is little to no chance of you going that route.

When I was deciding what to do, my Air Force recruiter pointed me to this website and forum which helped answer alot of the questions that I had about joining the military. Maybe it will help you as well.

http://usmilitary.about.com/

 

[dynamcpunk 10+ year member]

I'm leaving for a deployment in few months for six months wont be underway for more than 12 days at a time. Plus you don't have to eat MRE's and sleep on the floor. When people ask me if they should join the military I tell the either join the navy or the coast guard.

 

[memphis10 10+ year member]

94 on the ASVAP

Deployment doesnt scare me, and I would not mind going sooner rather than later. I would do 2 years active right now except that I feel like im the kind of person that if I dont go to college like, as soon as i can, i never will.

 

[memphis10 10+ year member]

Dont want to sound like a ***** but ocean and shit is no for me so no navy or coast guard (dont ask)

I really dont feel like I am capable to fly a billion dollar plane, or even **** with one - so no air force

 

[Zerohour]

you do know that you dont have to go on ships to be in the navy they do have hospitals and to be in the air force you dont ever have to work on a plane. just look around before you decide on one branch and make sure you pic you mos(job), dont go in open contract.

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

94 on the ASVAP
Deployment doesnt scare me, and I would not mind going sooner rather than later. I would do 2 years active right now except that I feel like im the kind of person that if I dont go to college like, as soon as i can, i never will.

Then why not do ROTC? I'm pretty sure you cant join the military, finish a-training and then just go to school. While your deployed, you can take classes online or you can drop a packet for OCS or WOC...

 

[docutech 10+ year member]

I dont think now is the time to enlist. I served 14 years in the army and when 9-11 happened i knew it was time to get out. Soo glad I did //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

The recruiter will tell you what YOU want to hear. They will hype it up to be the best thing on earth. As someone else said in the previous post, they are like car salesmen. Dont look at it from a $$ point of view. Pay is $hitty for a E-1 just going in. Bonuses dont mean squat no matter how much they are. You have a good score on the asvab, choose your MOS (the job you are going to be doing) carefully. A lot of them have hidden agendas such as BEING DEPLOYABLE! And remember, if you get cold feet AFTER you take the oath you CAN back out! Whoever said you cant if full of it. The whole "Oath" think is to make you think that you have enlisted without turning back. The only time it is sealed signed and delivered is when you get to your basic training destination and initiate the initial paperwork

What is your motivation for enlisting at this present time?

 

[memphis10 10+ year member]

My motivation?

Knowing I've done something worth a shit in my life. I have the grades to just go to college and coast for the next 4 years living in an apt with a halfway shitty job partying it up and then doing the career thing.

If I join the army, I learn discipline and it sets me on my way to any career i may want to do. When i come out i will have training, money, and hopefully have gained something valuable (something ive heard soldiers talk about, kind of a pride) that will help me down the road.

Deployment to iraq/afghanistan doesnt scare me at all. I wouldnt actually mind going asap so that I can come back and get my civilian life started. If im in the reserves I could get called away at any time and i mean one minute i could be sitting in class and the next im on the way to iraq. or iran, i dont see it getting better anytime soon. i know if i join reserves i will be used. its inevitable at this point.

Why wouldnt u enlist docu

 

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

If you are not going active duty you need to be talking to a National Guard recruiter as well the Reserve recruiter.

IMO National Guard > Reserves

In the Guard, you will get all of the Federal benefits plus state benefits. What this means is that you will most likely get greater college benefits through the Guard.

You say that you want to be in the Reserve components and you want to be a firefighter. Is there a position for a firefighter in a local unit? If not, this is just not going to be possible. Talk to Reserve/Guard recruiters about what MOS positions are actually available if you are going to go that route.

What college are you planning on attending? Do they have an ROTC program? If so, go talk to them as well. Ask them, as well as the Guard / Reserves about the SMP program. That is where you are a member of a Guard or Reserve unit and the ROTC program at the same time.

There are a couple of ways to go through the SMP program. One way is to wait until you have some college under your belt and then you could go to Basic Training one summer and then you would go to ROTC Advanced Camp the following summer. You would never go to AIT.

Get all the info you can and don't rush this. Have a plan. If you qualify for ROTC, there is absolutely no reason not to incorporate that in your long range plans. The Army will be there when you are ready.

 

[mattf 5,000+ posts]

i serve in the USMC and i will just tell you the military is not for everyone, ive been in for 3 1\2 years and most of my time ive been in iraq mainly because we deploy for 7 months then were back in the states for 5 months.

Welcome fellow Minnesotan. You're not too far from me either.

 

[memphis10 10+ year member]

Thanks Who, ima really consider that

...it is my life and all. not rushing i got till may 8 to make a serious decision.