I'm going to enlist, any Army 31B's (MP's)[or 11B/19D] out there that have opinions?

[JJKESSEL]

Michelim21 is now on his way!... I am very excited for him. I also wanted to say thank you again to all that have posted on this thread. I learned a lot and truely value everybodies opinions.

[KevinXT]

Why not think about your future...leaving the military as an MP you will have NOTHING to offer the civilian world. Police agencies will take a new hire over a former MP for the simple fact it is easier to train someone in civilian law enforcement rather than retrain a former MP who already has Military law enforcement drilled into them. Why not choose an MOS that will give you skills and training you can take into the civilian world?

not entirely true.... i just enlisted as security forces in the air force reserve (air forces verson of MP) and several in the squadron are civilian law enforcement during the week. and a few have used it as a stepping stone to a civilian LEO job. Keep in mind if you want to be a cop when you get out use the GI bill and go to the police academy of your choice on uncle sams dime and you will have a step ahead of the competition plus the whole training argument is out the window... Plus you will have veterans preference points....




to the OP... keep in mind people will hate you because your a cop military or civilian. It comes with the territory....

[4thSBCT]

not entirely true.... i just enlisted as security forces in the air force reserve (air forces verson of MP) and several in the squadron are civilian law enforcement during the week. and a few have used it as a stepping stone to a civilian LEO job. Keep in mind if you want to be a cop when you get out use the GI bill and go to the police academy of your choice on uncle sams dime and you will have a step ahead of the competition plus the whole training argument is out the window... Plus you will have veterans preference points....




to the OP... keep in mind people will hate you because your a cop military or civilian. It comes with the territory....

I think we are talking about active duty here. reserve is hardly training......and I bet most of those guys you speak of were already LE. In addition SR GI bill is SQUAT compared to active duty GI bill.

[bambam8d1]

Wish I had gone 19D in the Army, instead I went USMC and now Im a damn mailman.

a mailman that could kill an entire enemy platoon with a bone he chewed into a toothpick

[Maddog5150]

Wish I had gone 19D in the Army, instead I went USMC and now Im a damn mailman.

Hey, everyone does thier part. Every cog is appreciated in the machine. Less your MP or CID



My new ***** about MPs. Got the police report that the MPs did back in November from when I was pinned between two vehicles over seas outside the base. They were so lazy, they didnt put mine or my buddies sworn statement. In fact, they put down that one of the civillians was injured and the driver who was inside the hummvee got a bruise on his leg but didnt mention that I was between the two vehicles
HAHAHA. I was counting on that to help me prove I got injured so I could get my legs taken care of in the future.
cant spell chump without MP

[Richie Caketown]

Hard pressed to find Ranger contracts these days, especially for Infantry. Theyve started keeping those slots until OSUT when they can actually measure the ability and motivation of the recruit instead of wasting contracts on recruits who complete OSUT, Airborne and then quit on day one of RIP/RASP.

Since your knowledge is vast , if one has not yet enlisted and is currently studying for their ASVAB and 5 miles runs .... what path would you recommend to them to take if they wanted to be a ranger?

[develown]

while im not cav trooper, id recomend they go to school so they dont have to partake in 5 mile runs

[CavTrooper]

Since your knowledge is vast , if one has not yet enlisted and is currently studying for their ASVAB and 5 miles runs .... what path would you recommend to them to take if they wanted to be a ranger?

Depends on what they want to do in the Ranger Bn.

You want to be a trigger puller? Go Infantry and bust your a**.

You want to be a medic? Go medic and bust your a**.

You want to be a truck driver or parachute rigger, commo, FO, whatever... go and bust your a**.

while im not cav trooper, id recomend they go to school so they dont have to partake in 5 mile runs

Id reccommend some tissues and a tube of triactin.

[Richie Caketown]

Depends on what they want to do in the Ranger Bn.

You want to be a trigger puller? Go Infantry and bust your a**.

You want to be a medic? Go medic and bust your a**.

You want to be a truck driver or parachute rigger, commo, FO, whatever... go and bust your a**. .

so what you are saying is that even if you pass ranger school it doesnt mean you are going to be a ranger?

[4thSBCT]

so what you are saying is that even if you pass ranger school it doesnt mean you are going to be a ranger?

If you go to ranger school, your ranger "qualified" and given the tab and sent right back to where you came from, Ranger school is just a gut check, nothing more really (besides old school stuff like mountaineering and waterborne operations). More recently POG's are allowed to go to ranger school where as before only infantry were allowed. Your only a ranger if your sent to a ranger battalion and sportin that tan beret. Just go infantry if you cant get a ranger contract, when the time comes some units get a few slots for ranger school and you will have to compete with your buddies for the slots, then from there your going pre ranger which is 1 or 2 weeks I can't remember. If you make it through that then you get to go to ranger school. When you get to ranger school you still run the chances of getting kicked out very easily. (missing one item on packing list, being couple minutes late, ect) I saw people get kicked out for having blue ink pens instead of black. Anyway go infantry, ask for as much signing bonus as you can, and try to pick your duty station, and get the GI Bill. good luck trooper.

[zuma]

JJ I wish you the best of luck. Don't believe most of what any recruiter says, they have quotas to fill and could care less about about your wife and kids. Human nature is what it is and a fact forever. A 28 year old man with 4 dependents and 3 years of college plus 24% body fat is not a good candidate for combat arms. You'll hate it every stinking day. To put your goal of completing your degree while in service in perspective consider this; Most of your time will be spent in the field, or training, or in the motor pool, or on some parade ground, or on 24 hour duty, everywhere you can't yet imagine except a campus classroom. Depending on WHERE (all bases are not created equal) you were stationed you'd be lucky to get 3 credits done spring or fall. In your situation you should really take a look at your aptitudes and take a long hard look inside yourself before you make this decision. Don't forget recruiters will and do lie, it's their job. And if it's not on paper it doesn't exist. BTW, does it have to be the Army? The other services are just as patriotic and 3 have many more creature comforts. Anyway best of luck to you and yours.

[Beagle]

and get the GI Bill.

Things have changed they don't have to contribute to the GI Bill

[bigred1]

Zuma speaks alot of truth there. I don't know if all recruiters lie, but they are in a sales postition. Everything and i mean everything must be in writing.

Here is a little story: On the day before i was supposed to flyout, I was called before the the contract man to do the final signing. When he got to the part that said E-2, I had to stop him. " I was told that i met the requirments for E-3 and thats what I want." things moved forward and it was the first time that i got to stand tall before the man ( an E-8 ) at MEPS. Things escalated as they tried to pursue me into leaving with out my requested rank..... Some F bombs later and telling the Army to F themselves.... I was on a ride home when i was told that my new contract would be ready the next day.

wow i thought that was gonna be a short story. Anyways, as a family man, you are really gonna want to pick your job carefully. While I have a firm distane for MP's mostly because they are the biggest dog and pony show pogues of them all. And this is coming from a pogue who spent a year kicking doors. But that MOS will more then likely give you just enough action and training that you don't get bored and still keep you close to home so you can be with your family. All the infantry units I was around, were on a cycle 30 days in the field, 60 days out, on a constant rotation.

If your dead set on combat arms go 19D, the cav has an awesome tradition set. Not to mention a host of different abilties, mechanized, air, scout.
or
what a lot of recruiters wont tell you, is that you can join as a flight warrant.(the greatest job in all the army)

[norcal01]

. Not to mention a host of different abilties, mechanized, air, scout.
or what a lot of recruiters wont tell you, is that you can join as a flight warrant.(the greatest job in all the army)

As a former Blackhawk helicopter crewchief and door gunner, I can tell you, flying is awesome. I had a blast for the six years I was in and don't regret it a bit. After I got out my military experience was a huge plus in getting hired as an LEO for my hometown police department. I wouldn't recommed 31B if you're looking to get into LE, as someone said above no department wants to untrain and retrain someone when they can start with a recruit that still has a clean slate. The only thing I'd do different if I had to do it over again would be to try to enlist as a warrant officer and go to flight school. Something to ask the recruiter about, I guarantee they don't advertise that program.

[JJKESSEL]

Zuma speaks alot of truth there. I don't know if all recruiters lie, but they are in a sales postition. Everything and i mean everything must be in writing.

Here is a little story: On the day before i was supposed to flyout, I was called before the the contract man to do the final signing. When he got to the part that said E-2, I had to stop him. " I was told that i met the requirments for E-3 and thats what I want." things moved forward and it was the first time that i got to stand tall before the man ( an E-8 ) at MEPS. Things escalated as they tried to pursue me into leaving with out my requested rank..... Some F bombs later and telling the Army to F themselves.... I was on a ride home when i was told that my new contract would be ready the next day.

wow i thought that was gonna be a short story. Anyways, as a family man, you are really gonna want to pick your job carefully. While I have a firm distane for MP's mostly because they are the biggest dog and pony show pogues of them all. And this is coming from a pogue who spent a year kicking doors. But that MOS will more then likely give you just enough action and training that you don't get bored and still keep you close to home so you can be with your family. All the infantry units I was around, were on a cycle 30 days in the field, 60 days out, on a constant rotation.

If your dead set on combat arms go 19D, the cav has an awesome tradition set. Not to mention a host of different abilties, mechanized, air, scout.
or
what a lot of recruiters wont tell you, is that you can join as a flight warrant.(the greatest job in all the army)

BigRed, can you tell me more about the flight warrant? I was actually looking into that but couldn't find much info.

Also, opinions on 68W?