Thinking about enlisting? PM me for some things you need to know...

[Supersapper]

Hi,

I hope this day finds you well and healthy. To begin, I have served for over 18 years and am proud of my service. I'm getting older, but in many ways I enjoy watching new Soldiers do great and wonderful things for our country. I am glad that we live in a time where our Soldiers are appreciated, valued and whose committment is respected. Also, this is important to note: I am NOT a recruiter.

Forever gone, I hope, are the days where we get off planes and are cursed or booed because of service. I have friends who remember those days.

In the spirit of that, I still serve and have seen many Soldiers who were lost in bewilderment over things they were or were not told prior to signing on the dotted line for service. Things that made them feel as though they were not appreciated, but now are stuck in the committment or that they would not have signed up if they knew beforehand.

If you are prior service, the Guard and Reserves are NOT like active duty...there are many things you may be used to on AD that you won't have in the Guard.

If you have never served before, the military is a different sort of animal than a regular job, with a different set of requirements.

In either event, please feel free to PM me if you are considering signing up. You will no doubt be given the good things you can do for the country...let me just give you the other side of the coin: the things that may make you think carefully when you sign up. Transparency is what they used to call it.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I served one full enlistment in the Army Reserve and I never regretted signing up. We got to travel OCONUS a lot for AT and I did a full deployment in GTMO that was quite an experience. I didn’t join for benefits per se, but later on my GI Bill paid for most of my degree.

I always tell people to go for it.

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

I served one full enlistment in the Army Reserve and I never regretted signing up. We got to travel OCONUS a lot for AT and I did a full deployment in GTMO that was quite an experience. I didn’t join for benefits per se, but later on my GI Bill paid for most of my degree.

I always tell people to go for it.

I wasn't saying not to do it...there are many benefits. I just want to make sure that when someone signs up, there are as few surprises as possible. Ironically, it would help retention, since people wouldn't say they weren't warned.

[Skip_Dog]

The military is becoming more "woke" every day. Please pass that along to those that pm you.

Yes I have served.

[johnthomas]

I served 6 years in the RA and 8 in the NG as a Retention NCO. Retention is a tough gig. Several factors are in play. Economy, command support, family and job satisfaction are a few. Almost every veteran I know has good and bad things to say about the military but would not trade what they learned for anything. Much of what I am today is because of the military.

[denpython]

My nephew just graduated from coast guard boot camp. My other one is an officer in the Marine Reserve.
No problemos. Thanks

[Snoopy47]

I observed that the reserves is not for the young looking to get a footing in life.

1) You don't vest any education benefits until you are put on deployments and active duty.
2) Yes, there is $4500 a year in tuition assistance, but you can get that working at McDonald's and Starbucks too.
3) There will be conflicts that can derail younger soldiers with work and school. These conflicts come at the last minute and many times at the end of it a soldier will get spun up for a deployment, put off school, quit a seasonal job and then have the deployment canceled.

Active duty is the way to go. Even at worst, if it sucks, and is nothing you wanted your initial enlistment is not a huge time investment in your life. Then you walk away with the ability to basically get through a bachelor program.

Reserves, well, you are on the hook for 8 years, which is 1/3 of an entire career. By time you figure out the conflicts you still have 6 years left.

I'm not saying you can't have a 1 weekend a month 2 weeks a year experience in the Reserves. I'm saying it's not guaranteed, and if that's what you need and your life doesn't fit in a high OPTEMPO reserve unit you can be in a world of hurt.

But, if you just do 3 ish years Active you come out with the GI Bill, and a better ability to assess what the military has to offer you longer term.

You can spend all 8 years in the reserves and still not have vested any GI Bill or VA Benefits, and all you come out of it in the end is an 8 year part time job that constantly derailed your attempts to attend college, and now your nearly 30.

[Supersapper]

Thanks everyone for the input. This is also being used for the posterity of it and for info purposes for any who would sign up.

Good or bad, by all means mention it, but I'm going on the idea that we want to have all of the things that recruiting isn't telling folks.

But good experiences are good for the positive side too.

[middleofnowhere]

Is this like a grindr thing? Looking for a good time, PM op for details?

Seriously, I’m sure your heart is in the right place, but c’mon man...

[Endless]

Originally Posted by Supersapper

Hi,

I hope this day finds you well and healthy. To begin, I have served for over 18 years and am proud of my service. I'm getting older, but in many ways I enjoy watching new Soldiers do great and wonderful things for our country. I am glad that we live in a time where our Soldiers are appreciated, valued and whose committment is respected. Also, this is important to note: I am NOT a recruiter.

Forever gone, I hope, are the days where we get off planes and are cursed or booed because of service. I have friends who remember those days.

In the spirit of that, I still serve and have seen many Soldiers who were lost in bewilderment over things they were or were not told prior to signing on the dotted line for service. Things that made them feel as though they were not appreciated, but now are stuck in the committment or that they would not have signed up if they knew beforehand.

If you are prior service, the Guard and Reserves are NOT like active duty...there are many things you may be used to on AD that you won't have in the Guard.

If you have never served before, the military is a different sort of animal than a regular job, with a different set of requirements.

In either event, please feel free to PM me if you are considering signing up. You will no doubt be given the good things you can do for the country...let me just give you the other side of the coin: the things that may make you think carefully when you sign up. Transparency is what they used to call it.

18 years? Why didnt you do 20-40 years full active duty and get that earned retirement benefit at 20 like a lot of us have?

At 10 years I told all folks under me it’s **** or get off the pot time and absolutely do not take the 15 year REDUX.

And folks full active duty is the way to go. I don’t like the new retirement system in place now. That’s a major con for me. I would still do it again in a heartbeat though. If you’re young and single then travel the world on Uncle Sams dime.

If you have a bad command your tour will be crap. If you have an awesome command your tour is typically great and you will want an extension. You see this in every service. Just an FYI.

[Milsurp1]

^ He didn’t say he left at 18 years, he said he has done 18 years so far.

[Endless]

Originally Posted by Milsurp1

^ He didn’t say he left at 18 years, he said he has done 18 years so far.

Regardless I am just letting him and folks know you do 20 if you’re at 18 years. I had a buddy of mine get out at 19 years and 5 months. It happens.

[VictorFranko]

Originally Posted by middleofnowhere

Is this like a grindr thing?

Ugh, the grinder, in boot camp, I left a lot of sweat on that expanse of asphalt.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by VictorFranko

Ugh, the grinder, in boot camp, I left a lot of sweat on that expanse of asphalt.

I think he was referring to someone else leaving their sweat on your asphalt.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I forgot to mention one thing that was bewildering during Basic Training.

“Exodus.”

After arriving, spending a couple weeks in purgatory aka reception, and getting somewhat acclimated to “Red Phase” BCT, they told us we were going home for the Holidays!!

Huh?

Having to arrange travel in the middle of BCT when we are getting constantly yelled at and smoked really sucked. Traveling across country in a completely unadorned Class A uniform, being allowed to revert to lazy civilian eating and sleeping habits for 2 weeks, and then returning to BCT to finish the training cycle was misery such as I had never known.

Of course it is great to spend the Holidays with family, but all I got from everyone was “WTH are you doing here? We thought you joined the Army! Did you get kicked out?”

Our return to our BCT company was marked by newfound fury from the Cadre to torment us. It was like starting all over again, except everyone was dumber and fatter than when we left.

Some recruits were allowed to stay behind. They were supervised by non-cadre junior enlisted soldiers and did mindless details for the entire two weeks.

Being Private Nobody, I was never privy to the Army’s grand strategy with Exodus, but none of it made sense to me.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

I forgot to mention one thing that was bewildering during Basic Training.

“Exodus.”

........they told us we were going home for the Holidays!!

Huh?

........... being allowed to revert to lazy civilian eating and sleeping habits for 2 weeks, and then returning to BCT to finish the training cycle was misery such as I had never known.......

Yea, same happened to me, but we managed to finish BCT and were only 1 week into AIT (so it really didn't get started).

[RickD427]

One of the most important things to keep in mind about enlisting is that military service is not a "job." It's a life. It's gonna pretty much consume you for the period you're in. I've got a lot of heartburn with recruiters that describe it as "job" and make comparisons with civilian occupations. The sad truth is that I had to process a lot of admin discharges for folks that came in with that misunderstanding.

Honest recruiters are worth their weight in gold. Having a well-prepared candidate helps everyone out beyond belief.

If a recruiter asks you to select an "MOS", run like hell and find a different recruiter. That question should set off every danger alarm possible. If your recruiter asks you to select a "rating", then you're well ahead of the game.

Don't select a rating that begins with the letter "A"

The military needs folks who serve only an initial enlistment and then move on just as much as it needs "lifers." Don't be bashful about not wanting to make a long commitment until you've been in for awhile.

[chris]

Originally Posted by Skip_Dog

The military is becoming more "woke" every day. Please pass that along to those that pm you.

Yes I have served.

I see this and it is disgusting and it's from the top and mean Chief of Staff top to the SMA as well.

It's sad to see what the US Army is becoming all in the name of equity and wokeness.

I'm still serving 33 years this year.

[AregularGuy]

If there are any questions about the AMEDD (medical) side of the Army/reserves feel free to ask me. One point about the blended retirement, for those that are not sure they want to do the full 20, or not guaranteed to get 20 in due to age, at least you get a little something contributed from the Gov toward retirement.

[sigstroker]

Originally Posted by RickD427

One of the most important things to keep in mind about enlisting is that military service is not a "job." It's a life. It's gonna pretty much consume you for the period you're in. I've got a lot of heartburn with recruiters that describe it as "job" and make comparisons with civilian occupations. The sad truth is that I had to process a lot of admin discharges for folks that came in with that misunderstanding.

Honest recruiters are worth their weight in gold. Having a well-prepared candidate helps everyone out beyond belief.

If a recruiter asks you to select an "MOS", run like hell and find a different recruiter. That question should set off every danger alarm possible. If your recruiter asks you to select a "rating", then you're well ahead of the game.

Don't select a rating that begins with the letter "A"

The military needs folks who serve only an initial enlistment and then move on just as much as it needs "lifers." Don't be bashful about not wanting to make a long commitment until you've been in for awhile.

I would think most would-be recruits already have a choice of job in mind when they walk in. I know I did during the brief period that I considered joining.

Back in the day they would look at your ASVAB scores and sort of tell you which jobs you had a shot at. They don't do that any more?

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by RickD427

Don't select a rating that begins with the letter "A"

I think you're talking Navy talk there.

Everything starts with a Number. Most of those MOS's with "A" in it are officer designations.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by sigstroker

Back in the day they would look at your ASVAB scores and sort of tell you which jobs you had a shot at. They don't do that any more?

That's how it generally is now, but you could still be the smartest light bulb in the room, and the jobs might not be there, and your still flipping burgers with a degree as an E4.

I think the jobs you need to look out for are those with the highest signing bonuses. They are either really hard to get qualified for, and you risk failing out of AIT and getting reassigned by the needs of the Army, or they jobs suck an no one wants to do them (sewage tech for example).

[RickD427]

Originally Posted by sigstroker

I would think most would-be recruits already have a choice of job in mind when they walk in. I know I did during the brief period that I considered joining.

Back in the day they would look at your ASVAB scores and sort of tell you which jobs you had a shot at. They don't do that any more?

The ASVAB score is a major thing. Your ASVAB scores will open, and close, a lot of career choices. But in simple terms, your ASVAB score, judgement, and how you use crayons will determine how you fare in the service. It goes kinda like this:

If you do good on the ASVAB, and have good judgment - Navy

If you do really good on the ASVAB and have good judgement - Coast Guard

If you have bad ASVAB scores, or bad judgment (and you draw with crayons) - Army

If you have bad ASVAB scores, or bad judgment (and you eat the crayons) - Marine Corps

If you have really good ASVAB scores, and really bad judgment - Air Force

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by RickD427

One of the most important things to keep in mind about enlisting is that military service is not a "job." It's a life. It's gonna pretty much consume you for the period you're in. I've got a lot of heartburn with recruiters that describe it as "job" and make comparisons with civilian occupations. The sad truth is that I had to process a lot of admin discharges for folks that came in with that misunderstanding.

Honest recruiters are worth their weight in gold. Having a well-prepared candidate helps everyone out beyond belief.

If a recruiter asks you to select an "MOS", run like hell and find a different recruiter. That question should set off every danger alarm possible. If your recruiter asks you to select a "rating", then you're well ahead of the game.

Don't select a rating that begins with the letter "A"

The military needs folks who serve only an initial enlistment and then move on just as much as it needs "lifers." Don't be bashful about not wanting to make a long commitment until you've been in for awhile.

If a recruiter asks you MOS or rating, it's a flag. Ratings are Navy, MOS are Army and Marines. A good recruiter will have the sit down with recruits and tell them what they can and can't do based on ASVAB. Of course things can change with time, and you can still take the ASVAB later to improve line scores, but the recruiter should be working with what they have, NOT what they think.

Agreed on it being a life vs a job. Also agreed not not being afraid to say no. Recruiters are paid to spend time figuring out who is and isn't ready. If you don't feel you're ready to commit to what amounts to a lifestyle change, then don't.

This applies ESP to active folks coming into the ARNG/USAR because it is also a lifestyle change.

[sigstroker]

Originally Posted by RickD427

The ASVAB score is a major thing. Your ASVAB scores will open, and close, a lot of career choices. But in simple terms, your ASVAB score, judgement, and how you use crayons will determine how you fare in the service. It goes kinda like this:

If you do good on the ASVAB, and have good judgment - Navy

If you do really good on the ASVAB and have good judgement - Coast Guard

If you have bad ASVAB scores, or bad judgment (and you draw with crayons) - Army

If you have bad ASVAB scores, or bad judgment (and you eat the crayons) - Marine Corps

If you have really good ASVAB scores, and really bad judgment - Air Force

Ha! I had smoked the ASVAB, and just watched a tv show on how great it was to be an "engineer" (not really an engineer, but more like a technician) on a nuke sub because of all the money you'd make after you got out. So I talked to a recruiter, and he figured the book-learnin part wouldn't be a problem because of my ASVAB scores, but the determining factor would be the psychological evaluations. Made sense to me. The bad part is if I washed out of that job, there wasn't really anything else I wanted to do in the Navy. Hell, I couldn't even swim! This was peacetime, so there wasn't a lot of adventure aspect either.

[SnWnMe]

Joining the military isn't all adventure and travel. 99% of the time you're doing stuff you didn't sign up for.

Everything is very clean and organized because you and your fellows are always cleaning and stacking them.

Citizenship (or lack thereof) matters in job assignments.

Chances are you won't be a SEAL/PJ/Delta/"Green Beret"/operator of any kind so get that out of your head.

Whatever job you get, you do that to the best of your ability and you will succeed. A cook, a mechanic and an infantryman of the same paygrades, assigned to the same theater, all get paid the same. The SSG POG wields just as much positional authority as the SSG Ranger. Both can bite your head off if you screw up.

We don't care how good you are with guns/engines/tools/trades. You will learn to shoot/fix/use/apply them OUR way.

If you can show up on time, in the right uniform and do what you're told everyday you can stay for 20 years and do ok for the rest of your life.

Retired Navy SCPO (E-8 but don't call me that). My voice still carries from years of needing to be heard throughout a hangar bay or a pier ("Hey shipmate!" stops many Sailors on their tracks)

[Oxnard_Montalvo]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

That's how it generally is now, but you could still be the smartest light bulb in the room, and the jobs might not be there, and your still flipping burgers with a degree as an E4.

I think the jobs you need to look out for are those with the highest signing bonuses. They are either really hard to get qualified for, and you risk failing out of AIT and getting reassigned by the needs of the Army, or they jobs suck an no one wants to do them (sewage tech for example).

About that 'needs of the military thing'. Circa 1975, Millington Tn, Navy aviation school command, there was a AT3 [Aviation Electronics Tech, E4] who failed out of the advanced program [aka 'rent a crow'] and was sent to Japan for his failure and even kept his crow. Yup, we couldn't figure out how being sent to Japan was 'bad' after being constantly threatened with 'the most horrible duty possible' if we failed out of our particular school. Sure there was absolutely a possibility of being sent to the fleet as a non designated airman, virtually assuring duty on the roof of a carrier as an AB [the AB's {Aviation Boatswain's Mate} get treated like absolute dogs] but the guy smiling all the way to Japan kinda undermined all of the threats...

[kingransom]

Thank you for your service! Back then you were taught to be tough, be a man, and learn how to fight. Pretty soon these trans testicles won't want to fight with an AR-15 because it scares them

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Oxnard_Montalvo

but the guy smiling all the way to Japan kinda undermined all of the threats...

Well, there are a few POS's that I've crossed in the Army. One in basic training, he got caught with a cell phone and decided to just quite rather than take his punishment.

Anyway, he was laughing and hollering at us running up and down the stairs playing army games while it was in his bunk sequestered in hold over area waiting to be discharged. But the Drill SGT's were right. The fastest way out is through.

He wasn't mouthing off at all the day we all dressed up fancy in our blues for graduation and onto our MOS schools, and his *** was still stuck there waiting to get out.

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

I observed that the reserves is not for the young looking to get a footing in life.

1) You don't vest any education benefits until you are put on deployments and active duty.
2) Yes, there is $4500 a year in tuition assistance, but you can get that working at McDonald's and Starbucks too.
3) There will be conflicts that can derail younger soldiers with work and school. These conflicts come at the last minute and many times at the end of it a soldier will get spun up for a deployment, put off school, quit a seasonal job and then have the deployment canceled.

Active duty is the way to go. Even at worst, if it sucks, and is nothing you wanted your initial enlistment is not a huge time investment in your life. Then you walk away with the ability to basically get through a bachelor program.

Reserves, well, you are on the hook for 8 years, which is 1/3 of an entire career. By time you figure out the conflicts you still have 6 years left.

I'm not saying you can't have a 1 weekend a month 2 weeks a year experience in the Reserves. I'm saying it's not guaranteed, and if that's what you need and your life doesn't fit in a high OPTEMPO reserve unit you can be in a world of hurt.

But, if you just do 3 ish years Active you come out with the GI Bill, and a better ability to assess what the military has to offer you longer term.

You can spend all 8 years in the reserves and still not have vested any GI Bill or VA Benefits, and all you come out of it in the end is an 8 year part time job that constantly derailed your attempts to attend college, and now your nearly 30.

yep, the only way I would recommend going into the reserves is if its into a miltech or ART position. Otherwise, do a 4 year stint as Active Duty, get your GI Bill, your feet wet, and some job skills if you decide it's not for you.

I did 7 years Active Duty Air Force and went into the reserves and to school. I'm at 14 years now with a degree, and a decent job, and plenty of retirement points, just need good years. The health insurance for reserves is awesome as well. $250 a month for my family (two dependents) covers pretty much anything ie my wife's C-section was $85 out of pocket, my tonsillectomy was less than that.

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by Oxnard_Montalvo

About that 'needs of the military thing'. Circa 1975, Millington Tn, Navy aviation school command, there was a AT3 [Aviation Electronics Tech, E4] who failed out of the advanced program [aka 'rent a crow'] and was sent to Japan for his failure and even kept his crow. Yup, we couldn't figure out how being sent to Japan was 'bad' after being constantly threatened with 'the most horrible duty possible' if we failed out of our particular school. Sure there was absolutely a possibility of being sent to the fleet as a non designated airman, virtually assuring duty on the roof of a carrier as an AB [the AB's {Aviation Boatswain's Mate} get treated like absolute dogs] but the guy smiling all the way to Japan kinda undermined all of the threats...

My career field has one of the shortest medical tech schools (4A1 Medical Logistics) so we had all sorts of other tech school wash outs go through our course. In my active duty unit there were 4 dudes at one time that washed out of PJ school for various reasons. 1 worked his butt off and went back to PJ school and made it second time around.

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

That's how it generally is now, but you could still be the smartest light bulb in the room, and the jobs might not be there, and your still flipping burgers with a degree as an E4.

I think the jobs you need to look out for are those with the highest signing bonuses. They are either really hard to get qualified for, and you risk failing out of AIT and getting reassigned by the needs of the Army, or they jobs suck an no one wants to do them (sewage tech for example).

My buddy got a 99 on the ASVAB, at MEPS they told him he can do any job in the ARMY, then he took the color blindness test, they told him you can do 4 jobs in the ARMY. He ended up choosing combat medic.

[Kyle1886]

Since my time in the military probably doesn't apply to today's (1959-1963) military, my only advice is:

What ever the job/chore/assignment, do the best you can +1 and remember you are part of a team.

Those that choose to join in this thread, regardless of service, and yes, including the Coast Guard, I wish you the best.

Those that have already served

Semper Fi

Kyle

[mattgb]

Originally Posted by Supersapper

Hi,

I hope this day finds you well and healthy. To begin, I have served for over 18 years and am proud of my service. I'm getting older, but in many ways I enjoy watching new Soldiers do great and wonderful things for our country. I am glad that we live in a time where our Soldiers are appreciated, valued and whose committment is respected. Also, this is important to note: I am NOT a recruiter.

Forever gone, I hope, are the days where we get off planes and are cursed or booed because of service. I have friends who remember those days.

In the spirit of that, I still serve and have seen many Soldiers who were lost in bewilderment over things they were or were not told prior to signing on the dotted line for service. Things that made them feel as though they were not appreciated, but now are stuck in the committment or that they would not have signed up if they knew beforehand.

If you are prior service, the Guard and Reserves are NOT like active duty...there are many things you may be used to on AD that you won't have in the Guard.

If you have never served before, the military is a different sort of animal than a regular job, with a different set of requirements.

In either event, please feel free to PM me if you are considering signing up. You will no doubt be given the good things you can do for the country...let me just give you the other side of the coin: the things that may make you think carefully when you sign up. Transparency is what they used to call it.

Pm sent. Thinking about becoming an officer. Thanks!

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by mattgb

Pm sent. Thinking about becoming an officer. Thanks!

What specialty? In my experience, the MSC (medical service corps) officers are pretty happy, they are hospital administration types. MSCs that I've worked with have had degrees from business to even IT.