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Need Advice (from Armed Forces guys)

D

djscoo

Charter Member
Hey all! I'm 17 years old, and just trying to figure out my purpose in life. I'll be graduating from high school this June, and plan on going to the local college for my first year. After that...I'd like to transfer to Texas A&M and join the "Corps of Cadets" (ROTC program). Anyways, the reason for this post is I'm just curious about how you guys who were in the Service went about joining up (enlisted or ROTC) and any particulars on branches/specific jobs y'all held. I'm hoping some specific examples of paths can help me figure out for sure what I want to do...Thanks in advance!
:wavey:
 
Back when I was your age, there was a draft and all able bodied young single men ended up in the military for a couple of years. I wasn't interested in college when I graduated from high school so I enlisted in the Air Force. I had no skills and no future at home so I ended up staying in for 20 years and retired as a Master Sargent. In the ensueing years I traveled all over the US and across both oceans to Europe and Asia. I also spent some time in the far north. I worked some long hard hours, visited some spectacular places, and have some great memories. Plus a good pension and health care. Would I do it again? Maybe.
 
DJ, you have plenty of time, I'm 60 and still trying to figure out my purpose in life. :d I enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve during my senior year of HS (age 17 like you), then spent the next two summers (1966-67) on active duty for Boot Camp (recruit training) followed by Aviation Fundamentals class and then my professional school (Photographic Intelligence). Commenced real active duty (not training) in 1968 and stayed in for 24 years. I was enlisted, retiring as a Chief Petty Officer (pay grade E-7). Since you're considering a military career, you may want to continue your college education while participating in the ROTC program. It's a good way to get your officer's commission. If you want to enlist, regardless of your service preference I'd suggest at least getting that first year of college under your belt. And when you go to the recruiting office, always go with an older person (preferably a vet), who has your interests at heart and can ask the recruiter a few questions you might not come up with. :)
 
The best advice has been given and I'll give it again. Stay in school (college) and then get a officer's commission in whatever service that would be mutually beneficial. Each service has it's own advantages for a young man or woman and a chance to learn a very rewarding carrier that may be used even if you decide not to make it a carrier.
Good luck to you and I admire any young man that looks at a chance to safeguard and protect their country.

Semper Fi

Chris
 
Don't follow my path :costumes:.

I quit HS at 17 and joined the Navy (got my GED before I would have graduated though). I ended up doing 6 on that first hitch and got out. A few years later I decided that maybe the Navy wasn't such a bad deal and went back for the career. Havent regretted going back one bit. I retired at 41 and haven't punched a time clock since.
 
Service

I spent 7 1/2 years in the Canadian Forces where I learned my trade (avionics) and got to see some places. As was mentioned above, best to approach it with as much schooling as possible. Your ROTC program that pays you as you go to school sounds like a good program. As a general rule officers have a better life in the service. Most of the guys I served with who had any gumption wound up being commissioned from ranks as it was a better career path. In my case it was a great way to learn a trade and some life skills.
The big issue for me, which you haven't thought of yet I'm sure, was marriage. Military life is hell on marriages and there is almost no way around it, so best to keep that stored in the deep recesses.
The advice about taking someone knowledgeable with you to the recruiting center is very wise as those guys will promise you the moon.
Hope this helps.

Regards, Rob:ernae:<-- root beer for you djscoo
 
DJ,
It's a heck of a decision to make. The best way to go about it (IMHO) would be to look at what jobs are available in each service and see which service offers what you are interested in. If you want to fly jets don't join the Army, if you don't like boats don't join the Navy, etc.

Going the officer route is good, but there is nothing wrong with going enlisted then getting a commission, that's how I did it. When I was a Sergeant I got accepted for the Marine Corps Enlisted College Education Program (MECEP), went to college, got my degree. It is an awesome program, I was still on active duty with full pay and benefits, and my "job" was to go to school. The Navy calls it the Officer Candidate Program (or something like that), the Army calls it Green to Gold. I'm not sure about the Air Force, but I'm sure someone here knows.

TARPSBird said:
...And when you go to the recruiting office, always go with an older person (preferably a vet), who has your interests at heart and can ask the recruiter a few questions you might not come up with. :)
Click to expand...

That right there is best advice anyone here can give you. Recruiters have a job to do and a quota to meet so they might stretch things a bit to get you to sign.

Good luck and best wishes,
Ray
 
Speaking of recruiters. A buddy of mine did a recruiter tour. He said the rules of a recruiter were Lie, Lie, Lie. And if caught out, Deny, Deny, Deny.
 
I can't think of a better way to go than to get your degree via ROTC and then join up. ROTC is an excellent way to prepare for service as well as to get a large chunk of your college tuition and books paid for. It took me almost 20 years to get my bachelor's degree as I could only attend classes irregularly while on active duty, so getting it out of the way up front is a good idea. Whether you make a career of it or not, your time in the service will benefit not only you, but the country as well.
 
I made a decision when I was very young that I would end up in one of the Services.
My father was a career RAAF officer, I was an 'Air Force Brat', and much to his disgust I decided on the Army.
In brief, I did four years at University (Political Science, History etc) and was accepted into the Duntroon Military College as an Officer Cadet, graduated three years later, posted to the Regiment of my choice and found myself in Viet Nam six months later.
That was over forty+ years ago and I still have close ties with the ADF and the Defence Acadamy.
Despite some radical career changes, I regret nothing, but if you do go into any of the 'Services' remember that you may, at some point, be required to deploy into an 'unfriendly' zone.
Think long and hard before you make your decision, Jagdflieger has summed it up (from the US perspective) very well indeed.
:australia: :unitedstates: :unitedkingdom: :southafrica: :canada: :israel: :france: :southvietnam: :easttimor: :yugoslavia:
Of course, the employee 'travel packages' are very interesting and free.
 
If you have the tenacity to stick with it, get that degree first along with your ROTC committment. The armed forces will still be there when you are done and you will be better prepared to lead. I had to learn to lead the hard way. I can't recommend it. I do believe every young person should serve their country at least in a short hitch.
Ted
 
I took the ROTC route and loved it. I would have loved to attend the Air Force Academy but I didn't have the grades in high school. So, AFROTC was my ticket to pilot training.

Texas A&M is a good school. Especially, if you are interested in Engineering. Their "Corp" was, in my time, considered second to none in ROTC Corps.

Good luck in whatever route you choose. I personally think a couple of years in the military is an excellent way for a young person to start out in life. As an enlisted, you will be fed, housed and taken care of, while you learn a trade or skill. You will also have time to mature and decide what you really want out of life.
 
Having a goal is always smart, even if it changes over time. See if your local college has an associate program where you can get started on ROTC there. I'm not 100% sure how that works, but it's basically a satellite unit from a larger school.

I enlisted in the local Air Guard unit right out of high school and delayed Basic Training until after my first year of college. While it's worked out, I missed out on some benefits and an extra stripe or two that would've really helped out back in those days. My goal was to become a military pilot. However, my eyesight prevented that. I still could have become a navigator. After college, I decided I'd had enough schooling for a while and didn't want to go through AMS to become an officer.
 
I joined the Navy when I was 23. I had been sort of going to a community college, and working off & on. It became obvious to me that I was not living up to my potential, so I decided to see what the services had to offer. Since I lived in a Navy town that was where I started. I managed to qualify for the Nuclear Propulsion Program, and after about a year and a half successfully completed the training. Part of the incentive to sign up for the program was accelerated advancement to E-4, and a bonus of $5k (1988). I ended up re-enlisting once, and the bonus for that was $22k. Now days it's a lot more! I served for 10 years, was an E-6, and literally saw the world. My first deployment was a world cruise! After I got out I worked out in town for several years as a field mechanic working on compressed air systems. In 2004 I was able to get on at one of the Navy's shipyards working on repairing the plants the Navy taught me to operate. I really like what I do now, and the pay is very good.

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the Navy today via PM :)
 
As you can see, there are a variety of ways to get to the same destination. However, I think if you are interested in getting your education addressed first, then ROTC is probably your best bet.

Consider which branch of service you are interested in, and be realistic (like the man said -- don't join the Navy if you don't like boats). DO NOT get so hung up on a particular career field that you don't keep your options open. Get yourself a Scholarship and milk as much from it as you can...'cause the service will get their investment from you, believe me.

I personally would recommend the U.S. Army, mainly because I'm retired Army, and it's the largest service --which therefore offers the most options. Also, you get to jump out of airplanes and roam around the woods at night, freezing your a** off, It's wonderful! :woot:

Seriously, the military is its own community, with it's own creed and its own standards of conduct. There will be times when you will suddenly stop and think "man, I can't believe I'm doing this!" There will be other times when you think "man, I hope I don't have to do this again!" I did 24 years, and wouldn't trade a day of it, and not a day goes by when at least a piece of me doesn't wish I was back in.

Lastly, if you enlist, list an active or retired guy as having referred you (like say, one of us here in the forum). They will probably get a cash payout, and you can split it with them. :wavey:

Good Luck.
 
TeaSea said:
I personally would recommend the U.S. Army, mainly because I'm retired Army, and it's the largest service --which therefore offers the most options. Also, you get to jump out of airplanes and roam around the woods at night, freezing your a** off, It's wonderful! :woot:
Click to expand...

My dad was a Captain in the 82nd Airborne, so he'd probably get a kick out of that...

I think I want to get into Naval Aviation, I'm 6'4" and nearsighted, so I need to figure those out first. I think surgery can fix the eye issue, maybe I can chop off my legs to fit in the cockpit (joking).
 
At 6 ft 4 in you'll find that fighters are dangerous to eject out of. Used to be height was limiting factor cuz your legs and feet could get broken up clearing the cockpit.
 
There are several things you really need to think about. Many join up not realizing that WAR HAPPENS. I've spent my entire military career (I finished tech school in early 2001) at war, and I was prepared to do so. I'm a USAF NCO, and my brother was a US Army officer. We had talks at lengths about exactly what we were getting into before we did it. We were both prepared, but it turned out in the end my brother wasn't really.

Yes, the military is exciting, cool, fast paced and a HUGE challenge most people will NEVER understand; but first and foremost (if you join) you must put your service first because your country is counting on you even in times of peace. If you have specific achievements you want done by certain ages, a war can and will put that to a stop and consume your life. Are you ready? I still don't have my master's degree like I wanted, and my only paying flying jobs are involving general aviation aircraft. I had grand plans, BUT SERVICE COMES FIRST.

Would you give up your life for your country RIGHT NOW if it would save thousands of innocent civilians? You can't just join because it's cool and we have loud toys.

In a war, depending on what you do you are directly or indirectly killing people. Can you handle that? It's not the classy thing to post in a MSFS forum, but I'm giving you the dead honest truth the way it is in the modern military as it is: at war.

Your time in the military will consist of the worst times of your life and the best times of your life. Some of those "worst times" may involve deployments of 6-15 months. Can you handle giving up your toys, your car and women for that long? I have cumulative years away spent in support of these wars. Trust me, it will temper your personality and resolve, but not before you are tested in spades.
 
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