My plan

[Datdarkness]

Hey, i just wanted to drop by in here and see what some service members think of "my plan". and maybe some tips on what to do.

right now, im 16 and a sophmore in HS.

I know for sure that im going to join the military. Its always been in me to serve my country, and I dont really see my self doing anything else. Even if i do find something else, i would still like to serve at least once to have done it in my life.

"MY PLAN"
After graduating I plan on enlisting in either the Marines or The Army. I want to do an enlisment, and after that i plan on going to collage getting a degree ( either during enlistment or after ) and then i would like to transfer over to an officer program.

anyone see any problems in that??

maybe some short cuts or certain things to do first?

THANKSS
-Darkness

[ChrisO]

I would do my college first. I am basically in the same boat as you I have always wanted to serve my country since I was younger. I am now 19 and going to college, I plan on joining the Army National Guard when I'm close to graduation as I don't want to be deployed before I finish and put school on the back burner. If you enlist with a AA you can work on you're bachelors later but I would at least get you're AA thats what I'm doing. From my understanding "my friend is a Army recruiter" It is hard to get a degree while int he active Army but is doable. It's you're dream make it happen, The upside to getting you're college done first is if you like serving and want to make it a career you don't have to take a break for more schooling if you get it knocked out first you can focus on serving you're country and you're career!

[Datdarkness]

Chris: so are you going in as enlisted with an AA?

ALSO if anyone knows, say you serve 4 years. stay out a year, than re enlist. does that reset the 20 year timer? or does it just continue?

[kermit315]

no, it doesnt reset the counter, but it will count as broken service, and can affect the paygrade that you come back in with.

If it was me, I would get my 4yr degree, through a ROTC or NROTC program and just go in as an officer. Better QOL, more money, etc.

JMO.

[M47_Dragon]

In your position, I would do something like this:

Start talking to a recruiter during your senior year. I say Marine Corps, but I am biased.

Tell him you want to go into the reserves and you want to go to boot camp right out of high school. You can get into the delayed entry program and start accumulating time early.

Graduate HS, get on a bus/train/plane to MCRD San Diego. Go through boot in the summer, go to your MOS school after. I don't know what the longest school is, but chances are, your MOS school will be done before the start of a spring semester at your college of choice.

Go to college, do your one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Maybe join the ROTC if the college has one. Graduate college.

Go to OCS and become an officer.



The only problem I can foresee with this plan is if you are deployed as a reservist. In a time of war, there is probably a good chance of that happening.

[ChrisO]

Chris: so are you going in as enlisted with an AA?

ALSO if anyone knows, say you serve 4 years. stay out a year, than re enlist. does that reset the 20 year timer? or does it just continue?

Yes Sir, I am going in enlisted with a AA and if I plan on sticking with it I can do the rest of my bachelors while I am enlisted. School was never really my thing but I know what I have to or should do to make my life a little easier. It won't hurt you to have some college done before you enlist just to fall back on. Like I said I have always wanted to join the military and serving my country just seems right to me. I figure if I'm going to serve my country I could serve it the best I can by picking up all the knowledge I can handle before I enlist . Like I said before school is not my thing but I to once was considering transfering to a 4 year and doing OCS for the USMC but I figured I would get my AA out of the way and go for it and if I like it take things from there, If not I will have a AA and a EMT Certification to fall back on and military experience. The only problem I have right now with joining before I am done or super close to done with my AA is getting deployed before my school is done and putting my school on the back burner, Thats why I plan on enlisting when I am done or extremely close to done so I can basically finish before boot and If I finish before I enlist I can get a E2 rank off the bat from my understanding and If I wanted to go combat medic for the Army/NG I would only have to do 6 of the 16 weeks for MOS training as a medic.

[Desert_Rat]

In your position, I would do something like this:

Start talking to a recruiter during your senior year. I say Marine Corps, but I am biased.

Tell him you want to go into the reserves and you want to go to boot camp right out of high school. You can get into the delayed entry program and start accumulating time early.

Graduate HS, get on a bus/train/plane to MCRD San Diego. Go through boot in the summer, go to your MOS school after. I don't know what the longest school is, but chances are, your MOS school will be done before the start of a spring semester at your college of choice.

Go to college, do your one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Maybe join the ROTC if the college has one. Graduate college.

Go to OCS and become an officer.



The only problem I can foresee with this plan is if you are deployed as a reservist. In a time of war, there is probably a good chance of that happening.

^This is a good plan ^

[Datdarkness]

ok i understand everone so far.

now this probably should be a whole other tread, butt, Has anyone on here by and chance done an enlistment and then become an officer? where the experiences very different??

Reserves is also on my mind, and that did bring a great idea from M47dragon.

So far though, the way im looking at it is, i WANT to do an enlistment (even if deployed) to get the experience and then after choose to go to OCS and become an officer.

BTW: i do prefer Marines , and what im interested in is Infantry.

[Datdarkness]

OHH and also

If I do the delayed entry program, my time start than?? not at boot camp??

[Desert_Rat]

ok i understand everone so far.

now this probably should be a whole other tread, butt, Has anyone on here by and chance done an enlistment and then become an officer? where the experiences very different??

Reserves is also on my mind, and that did bring a great idea from M47dragon.

So far though, the way im looking at it is, i WANT to do an enlistment (even if deployed) to get the experience and then after choose to go to OCS and become an officer.

BTW: i do prefer Marines , and what im interested in is Infantry.

I personally was enlisted the entire time I was in the USMC and Natl.Guard
BUT,However I have served under both Regular officers and Mustang officers (regular being officer only,not prior enlisted and Mustang being prior enlisted)
With that being said I preferred the Mustang officers over the others.Not because they were cooler or "know what it's like" either.The Mustang officers I served under were more experienced and much harder than the others.
Made for a better unit.
This is just My experience and I'm not saying that this is the way all officers are.

[Datdarkness]

I personally was enlisted the entire time I was in the USMC and Natl.Guard
BUT,However I have served under both Regular officers and Mustang officers (regular being officer only,not prior enlisted and Mustang being prior enlisted)
With that being said I preferred the Mustang officers over the others.Not because they were cooler or "know what it's like" either.The Mustang officers I served under were more experienced and much harder than the others.
Made for a better unit.
This is just My experience and I'm not saying that this is the way all officers are.

would you suggest doing an enlistment first , than officer?? since you have enlistment experience.

I am considering reserves, but for some reason i really wanna fill an enlistment.

money and time do not have much effect on my choices either. money can be figured out after

[M47_Dragon]

A friend of mine and I went through Infantry School & Dragon School together. He was a reservist and did the exact plan that I mentioned. His reserve station was out at the Navy Seabee base at Port Hueneme (near Oxnard). It worked out well for him - he came out of OCS an infantry officer and was locked on because of his previous experience. And like Desert Rat mentioned, Mustangs are treated differently by their Marines and much more respected.

The other thing he did, which was brilliant: While in the reserves and while going to college, he took as many MCU courses as he could (small unit leadership, etc.)

It turned out really well for him.

[Desert_Rat]

would you suggest doing an enlistment first , than officer?? since you have enlistment experience.

I would suggest that You talk to as many Mustang officers as possible,although that would most likley be hard to do,go to every meeting the recrtiers have for their poolee's ,ask questions,questions,questions.Then go where Your heart and expreiences are leading You.

I am considering reserves, but for some reason i really wanna fill an enlistment.

If You really want to fill an enlistment first...Do it...but make a plan and stick to it.I served in active duty USMC and then went into the CaARNG,I could have done with out My time in the Guard (Army Guard and active USMC are two different worlds)

money and time do not have much effect on my choices either. money can be figured out after

One thing to think about is,once enlisted,MONEY and TIME will be at a premium,You won't get rich in the Corps.and if not careful it's easy to get distracted between deployments.
Have a plan and stick to it.

Answers in bold.
Please research Your decision thoroughly.
Jeremiah

[racky]

i enlisted straight out of highschool. no regrets here. my grades in school were never above a C so college was out of the question for me.