two questions regarding enlistment?

[Germz]

First off I plan on joining sometime next June but Im still about 30 pounds overweight. I tried dieting but I'm losing the mind game. Wondering if there are any tips you guys can offer?

Secondly, do military background checks(the ones for a security clearance not the inital one) go into medical records? I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 12 and I took meds till 16. I know I don't have it because I went through senior year and 4 years of college without meds without issues.

Im kind of apprehensive to go to the recruiting because Im still overweight and I feel like they wont take me seriously. Thanks for the input.

Depends on the branch you want to get into. If you struggle with weight, the Marine Corps. may not be for you, as we are getting a lot stricter in regards to making weight, and separating those who can't conform.

Recruiters and MEPs will only know what you tell them about, medically speaking that is. they cannot subpoena your civilian medical records.

[Triton8260]

Depends on the branch you want to get into. If you struggle with weight, the Marine Corps. may not be for you, as we are getting a lot stricter in regards to making weight, and separating those who can't conform.

Recruiters and MEPs will only know what you tell them about, medically speaking that is. they cannot subpoena your civilian medical records.

Im trying for air force or coast guard. I dontwant to join the marines. Not to offend any Marines or military here, but all the people in my high school who joined the marines were pompous douchebags. I wouldn't want to be around those people.

[anthonyca]

Luckily, I have never been overweight buti.was a soda addict. It was so bad that I would get headaches from not drinking cold cokes. The only way I could quit was to tell myself that I would not let that can beat me. Soda became something I hated because it controlled me and I wasn't going to let anything win.

Its bee. Years with no soda or caffeine and the headaches went from a couple a week to maybe onevery few months. The first month or two without coke was brutal. I would get cravings that would almost consume me. After they wore off, don't even think of soda. There can be a 12pack in my fridge and it doesn't temp me at all.

As far as no private employer hiring a reservist. I was never uemployed. One of my.employees just got back from Afghanistan an I took him right back to work. Two guys did tell me at an interviews that they wouldn't hire me because I was a reservist but I ended up at a MUCH better company anyway.

Good luck and learn to have a burning hate for fat on your body and for any.substance that has influence over you and your self control. It may not work for you but it has kept able to out cardio 18to 24 year olds in Ju Jitsu and I going to be 37 tomorrow. Being lighte is also much easier on your joints and body as others have said. I see few guys in my trade with bad knees and backs who are in shape but almost every overweight guy has missed time due to injuries and surgery.

[Germz]

Im trying for air force or coast guard. I dontwant to join the marines. Not to offend any Marines or military here, but all the people in my high school who joined the marines were pompous douchebags. I wouldn't want to be around those people.

It's ok, not everyone is cut out for the Men's department
Its a thick-skinned society where everything is a competition. but Obama has been doing all he can to soften the military up.

I can only speak from my few experiences. but the Air Force has the hottest women...mostly because its ridiculously easy to be in the Air Force.

[doc1buc]

Suck it up man. If you are having a hard time giving up coke, you are in for a rude a55 awaking in ANY branch of the military. I have a relative in the Air Force and he mentioned something about a max waistline of 39 inches (Dude that is ridiculous) or you are out. I have another relative in the Coast Guard, the puddle jumpers are slowly but surely "trimming" the fat of their service according to him, and their standards are, apparently, modeled after the Marine Corps. SOOOOOOOOOO I ask this with genuine interest....are you viewing joining the service as a "last resort" since college isn't panning out or is this something you are ready to commit too? I ask this because weight standards are not a one and done like the police department.....if you get too fat...you lose your job. Period.

[Atomic Donut]

It's ok, not everyone is cut out for the Men's department
Its a thick-skinned society where everything is a competition. but Obama has been doing all he can to soften the military up.

I can only speak from my few experiences. but the Air Force has the hottest women...mostly because its ridiculously easy to be in the Air Force.

Airforce DOES NOT have the hottest women!! From all the bases I've been the marine corp has the hot ones. The Airforce just has more. Also The security forces at my base (Rescue) do not deploy and usually just Check IDs and do security sweeps. A lot of the Security forces are Pararescue dropouts.

Usaf is a good choice however it has its plus and minuses. There is not as much pride within our service as say marines and our brass lacks the backbone that Marine Brass has. On the other hand we don't have to do a lot of the stupid useless assignments that they put up with. As a reservist you will never be 100% as proficient as most active duty counterparts and that's solely based on the amount of time/training you receive. I'd look into flight crew for a fun experience while your in.

[ducky_0811]

Pompous douchebags? That's a subjective opinion coming from an objectively overweight individual. Want to be an airman? Go talk to an Air Force recruiter, see if he will work out with you every day like Marine recruiters will. See if that Air Force recruiter will even call you back, see if you get treated like anything close to a human. Go tell a Marine recruiter your serious about being a part of our family and show him a little dedication. You'll see the difference. Don't believe me? Come to my office in San Jose on either stevens creek blvd or McKee rd, I'll even introduce you to the Air Force guys, if they're even there.
I'm not trying badger your, but you seem bent up by a few guys in high school, you don't think the Air Force has any over confident people? Please,
The Air Force gets bent out shape if they have to stay on a Marine instillation and actually clean their own rooms.
If your comfortable being treated like you're 6 go right ahead, I'm sure the Air Force needs guys exactly like you. If you want to be treated like the grown man you are, like I said my offices are open 12 hours a day.

[Triton8260]

Suck it up man. If you are having a hard time giving up coke, you are in for a rude a55 awaking in ANY branch of the military. I have a relative in the Air Force and he mentioned something about a max waistline of 39 inches (Dude that is ridiculous) or you are out. I have another relative in the Coast Guard, the puddle jumpers are slowly but surely "trimming" the fat of their service according to him, and their standards are, apparently, modeled after the Marine Corps. SOOOOOOOOOO I ask this with genuine interest....are you viewing joining the service as a "last resort" since college isn't panning out or is this something you are ready to commit too? I ask this because weight standards are not a one and done like the police department.....if you get too fat...you lose your job. Period.

Its an ongoing process for me but I can get there. Weening myself off junk food is the hardest part. I d9nt mind exercise and 5am mornings at all.

College is going great. Its hard to explain but I just feel this need to serve. Like if I didn't I would die forever regretting it.

I wanted to serve after high school but I graduated when i was 17 still and my mother basically threw a hissy fit at the recruiters office and he stopped talking to me.

[doc1buc]

Pompous douchebags? That's a subjective opinion coming from an objectively overweight individual. Want to be an airman? Go talk to an Air Force recruiter, see if he will work out with you every day like Marine recruiters will. See if that Air Force recruiter will even call you back, see if you get treated like anything close to a human. Go tell a Marine recruiter your serious about being a part of our family and show him a little dedication. You'll see the difference. Don't believe me? Come to my office in San Jose on either stevens creek blvd or McKee rd, I'll even introduce you to the Air Force guys, if they're even there.
I'm not trying badger your, but you seem bent up by a few guys in high school, you don't think the Air Force has any over confident people? Please,
The Air Force gets bent out shape if they have to stay on a Marine instillation and actually clean their own rooms.
If your comfortable being treated like you're 6 go right ahead, I'm sure the Air Force needs guys exactly like you. If you want to be treated like the grown man you are, like I said my offices are open 12 hours a day.

"That's a subjective opinion coming from an objectively overweight individual."
LOL I see the sensitivity training kicking in there....I would have expected..."fat body". Way to throw out the challenge Devil Dog. Respect.

[doc1buc]

Its an ongoing process for me but I can get there. Weening myself off junk food is the hardest part. I d9nt mind exercise and 5am mornings at all.

College is going great. Its hard to explain but I just feel this need to serve. Like if I didn't I would die forever regretting it.

I wanted to serve after high school but I graduated when i was 17 still and my mother basically threw a hissy fit at the recruiters office and he stopped talking to me.

Well good on you man, that's the best point of view to have. The most basic formula for success or even a starting point, is take every meal you are currently eating and cut it in half...literally. You can't give up a happy meal? Go ahead, get it and cut that thing in half. This is the most BASIC calories on/calories off that you can get for losing weight.

[Germz]

"That's a subjective opinion coming from an objectively overweight individual."
LOL I see the sensitivity training kicking in there....I would have expected..."fat body". Way to throw out the challenge Devil Dog. Respect.

sensitivity training? nah man thats the recruiter filter turned on. its would have been a lot worse if he just went full fleetspeak...lol
either way, our standards are high and we take care of our own. "we won't promise you a rose garden" but I guarantee you won't find the same camaraderie anywhere else.

OP if you're not the driven, competitive type...save yourself the trouble and ignore the recruiter's challenge. :P

[coryhenry]

I dont have a government job and for any private job, they would never hire reservists. Id rather just do my four years and call it a day. I took to asvab in high school and scored in the 92nd percentile. I dont antcipate it being an issue. Especially since I want to be security forces and not a nuclear engineer.

I have been in the private sector for 25 years and have been a reservist for 15, I have never had a problem with my companies and reserves for two deployments.

[Triton8260]

I have been in the private sector for 25 years and have been a reservist for 15, I have never had a problem with my companies and reserves for two deployments.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/23/local/la-me-national-guard-employment-20121124

This made me really think about the viability of reserve service. I originally planned on going reserves but it doesnt seem like that great of an idea.

[bjpete1]

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov...yment-20121124

This made me really think about the viability of reserve service. I originally planned on going reserves but it doesnt seem like that great of an idea.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. However, this is why it's extremely important to pick the correct MOS/AFSC. Make sure you pick one that DIRECTLY translates to a job in the civilian sector. SF can correlate to civilian law enforcement or corrections officer duties, but they can also be very competitive positions to get into. Fire department, medical, finance, IT...the list goes on and on. Pick load master and you can throw bags for Southwest. If you went Army and picked 11B, then you can throw burgers for McDonalds. No offense to my Infantry friends - there's just not a military/civilian correlation...

[Triton8260]

I wouldn't worry too much about that. However, this is why it's extremely important to pick the correct MOS/AFSC. Make sure you pick one that DIRECTLY translates to a job in the civilian sector. SF can correlate to civilian law enforcement or corrections officer duties, but they can also be very competitive positions to get into. Fire department, medical, finance, IT...the list goes on and on. Pick load master and you can throw bags for Southwest. If you went Army and picked 11B, then you can throw burgers for McDonalds. No offense to my Infantry friends - there's just not a military/civilian correlation...

I honestly dont care too much what my mos is. Im ok with being private/2nd lt. Dirt scrubber for all i care I just want to serve for a couple years. I have my preferences which is SF or linguistics but I already know what i want to do as a civilian which is business tax law.