went and talked to a recruiter....

[xj5399]

ive been tossing the idea around of going into the army or the marines.

i talked to a army recruiter today and was asking him tons of questions about school and things i can do...

i know id prolly be going over seas its just a matter of what i wanna do over there to keep me burro outa trouble so to say..

i asked if it be better if i went to school for welding then joined the service and his response was...

yeah you do get a bonus pay BUT he said something like they will only pay you that bonus if thats what they were looking for... so if i go to school for it and there not looking for it its a waste because id get no bonus..

then there is

if i join and go to there school they pay me to learn everything then id be using it and geting normal pay..

then i asked if there was a chance were as soon as i Sign up they ship me off to bootcamp and throw me out over seas with a gun in hand... he said the army doesnt do that the marines do thow..

i know id be going over there

i just wanna make sure i learn something while im there.

any input?

[Warpig]

I've never served but have thought about it.  I dont know how well I would do with the rigid chain of command structure.  It is perfect for some people and a waste of time for others.  It is a noble profession if you go into it because it is something you want to do, not that you are forced to do, either by parents or friends, or judges.  If you serve then we will support you, if you dont, we hope you will support the others that are serving. 


Caleb

[ZukiJon]

Good luck, basic is actually fun (at least I thought so)  

[zukitough]

i'll be honest with u. no matter what job u end up getting u will still be a Soldier first, so that means u could still be doing convoys, etc. but the job u decide on could make a difference on  how much u go "outside the wire". if u want to be a welder for the Army i say go for it, but remember no matter what job u pick, the Army will train u for it and pay u while u get trained. u dont need to be trained prior to entering service.

[Lizooki]

then i asked if there was a chance were as soon as i Sign up they ship me off to bootcamp and throw me out over seas with a gun in hand... he said the army doesnt do that the marines do thow....

Don't believe that.  It's war-time. The only ones who get any choice at all are the ones who have been in a long while. But not much choice.
Unless you are prepared to be in an active war zone, re-consider.
I'm not telling you not to join....just be prepared to be in combat if you do.

Matt

[NC Zuk]

Hi! My name is Art. I have been in the US Army for almost 17 years now. I spent 5 years in the INfantry and have been a Green Beret for the past 11 years. (I was in school for a year to become a GB) Anyways, I joined the Army in June 1990 and ended up in Iraq by Jan of 91. I have been to over 50 different countries, speak Spanish, Italian, and understand Portuguese. While the Army isn't for everyone, it is definately for me. All I ever wnted to do was be a soldier for as long as I could remember. I have no idea how long I will stay in the Army past 20 years but I assume I will be here for many years to come. The thing I ask you is WHY you want to join a service? If it is dedication to country then I say go for it. You will definately deploy to a combat zone, there are no doubts about that. But you will have to make your decision based on your own reasons. I look to my left and right and I see my men standing there shoulder to shoulder with me and we are out there kicking the snot out of the Taliban everyday................... and this is what I look like doing it I love my job, can't think of doing anything else. I love serving my country................. that is why I serve.

Master Sergeant Art Lilley
US Army Special Forces
De Oppresso Liber!

[Biggerhammer]

i'll be honest with u. no matter what job u end up getting u will still be a Soldier first, so that means u could still be doing convoys, etc. but the job u decide on could make a difference on  how much u go "outside the wire". if u want to be a welder for the Army i say go for it, but remember no matter what job u pick, the Army will train u for it and pay u while u get trained. u dont need to be trained prior to entering service.

X2

Hi! My name is Art. I have been in the US Army for almost 17 years now. I spent 5 years in the INfantry and have been a Green Beret for the past 11 years. (I was in school for a year to become a GB) Anyways, I joined the Army in June 1990 and ended up in Iraq by Jan of 91. I have been to over 50 different countries, speak Spanish, Italian, and understand Portuguese. While the Army isn't for everyone, it is definately for me. All I ever wnted to do was be a soldier for as long as I could remember. I have no idea how long I will stay in the Army past 20 years but I assume I will be here for many years to come. The thing I ask you is WHY you want to join a service? If it is dedication to country then I say go for it. You will definately deploy to a combat zone, there are no doubts about that. But you will have to make your decision based on your own reasons. I look to my left and right and I see my men standing there shoulder to shoulder with me and we are out there kicking the snot out of the Taliban everyday................... and this is what I look like doing it I love my job, can't think of doing anything else. I love serving my country................. that is why I serve.

Master Sergeant Art Lilley
US Army Special Forces
De Oppresso Liber!

A salute goes out to you and those that are still serving as well as those that have served. [SALUTE]

[R/T]

R/T Gray here, 14 years in the Coast Guard as an Electronics Tech. My advice:
 Pick you service wisely. Understand what the main job of that service is. Do NOT blindly listen to the stories the recruiter tells you, first understand what HIS job is....
I recommend talking to all of the services, each one has a welding program (I just ordered the Damage Controlman course from the Coast Guard to better my welding skills last week.) and each service has a specific main job they do for our country. Talk to the recruiters then talk to someone who's in the service, or three or four people in the service and ask them about their job, ask them if they like it, ask everything! We have a representative for each service on this board.

Each branch is special in it's on way and each is a noble profession for those who are willing to possibly give up everything, maybe even life itself, to defend our great nation. No service is perfect and every one of them has good days and bad days. You just have to find the one that fits your personality.

R/T
Electronics Technician 1st Class
U.S. Coast Guard

[durnzuki]

If you are trained as a welder you will NOT be handed a gun and put on the front line.  You will work in a maint. area.  Like Art I have over 20 years in the Military and know this from experiance.  It dowsn't matter what branch you go in you will get the best training you could ask for.  If you want to be a welder my opinon is let the military teach you. Like Art said though, it's not for everyone. You will be overseas in a matter of a few months most likley no matter what branch you go in.

[xj5399]

thats the thing i can wish everyone good luck and thank them for helping our country but i feel it be even better if i could get out there and help.

i am going to take your advice and look into other branches as well.

this type of thing is not what you wanna look at with a closed mind.

[SAMSZUK]

Chris,

I joined the US Army to be a Black Hawk mechanic 4 yrs ago.  I was 23 when I joined and a colledge student trying to make it working full time and going to school at night.  My Father was a Black Hawk pilot in the Army for 26 yrs.  I had always thought about joining the Army when I was younger.  But then one night I realized I wasn't getting any younger and I didn't want to be an old man one day and regret never serving my country.  It has been the best decision I have ever made and the Job I picked is one of the best in the service.  It is all about the job you sign up for.  Educate yourself and really go for it if the time is right.  I don't regret waiting till I was 23 and I'm sure if you gave school a shot you wouldn't regret the experience either.

Ask your recruiter what you can do to come in as an E-3 now.  There are a number of ways to do it.  One is school, another is by enlisting a friend, and the one they might work with you is a PT program with them.  If you do very well on it you can come in a step ahead of the game.

I agree with R/T and Art  find the reason you want to come in.  And make sure this reason is good enough to last the years and the hard times.  You see it all the time guys that don't care jacking it up for them and us.  And then check all the services out.  Some of the most important questions of a Millitary Carreer need to be answered now before you join.

1: Where in the world or country do you want to live and serve?  Do you want to try and be close to home and family or see the world?

2:  Which job suites you best?  Does this job excite you just doing it or would you want one of the more safer jobs that will keep you off the front lines?

3:  Enlistment time requirements for each job are different so find out now how long you would want to stay in before you had the option to re-enlist or get out.  My MOS has a 6 yrs first enlistment and that is a long time if you didn't want to be in this once you got in.

4:  Which job would give you the training in the feild that you want to make a living in when you get out.  Make yourself marketable for the day you leave the army.  Get every possible training you can get so that when the time comes to apply for a job you are set.

And a few others

Seth

[hughmungas]

Hi! my name is Jim, lol. I have spent 19 years in the Air Force.

Don't overlook the Air Force. A few cool enlisted jobs are Loadmaster or Flight engineer on C-130s, or if you like to lug a rifle around and ruck through the desert and lase bad guys, you could go into the combat controller field (commonly known as CCT or STS)


Whatever service you choose DO SIGN UP FOR THE GI BILL!!! I didn't, and kick myself in the [censored] every day for declining it.

 

[R/T]

You will be overseas in a matter of a few months most likley no matter what branch you go in.

With the exception of the Coast Guard, but you CAN go over there if you want in the CG.

The Coast Guard has no different enlistment times for different jobs
I'm not recruiting, I only want people in my service who want to be here, it makes it easier for the rest of us.

and DO take the GI bill!!!

[xj5399]

GI BILL an education thing thats all i could really come up with by google haha...

but yeah i have no problem going overseas. actually i prefer it.. i wanna be over there helping and not onlythat but seeing the world.

there is alot more out there then whats stuck between CA and NJ

[Polie]

With the exception of the Coast Guard, but you CAN go over there if you want in the CG.

The Coast Guard has no different enlistment times for different jobs
I'm not recruiting, I only want people in my service who want to be here, it makes it easier for the rest of us.

and DO take the GI bill!!!

Coasties=DOT, unless in war and they your in the Navy baby!

But I am sure you know that. lol

Do Coast Guard and become and officer, I hear promotions come allot faster there.