Join the Army?

[MC#4]

Well, I find myself in a bit of a predicament. It feels like my life is going nowhere and I'm just bored all the time. I am part owner of an automotive garage with my father and we've been open 2 years now and it just isn't working out like I thought it would. I do 90% or the work around here, since He still has another full time job. I feel like I am stuck in limbo and I'm sick of it. I am 20 years old and live with my parents, I want to move out but I have little income and only about 6k saved up. Once I sell my R1 this spring that will go up a bit.

I have been considering joining the army reserves for a few weeks now and I'm pretty interested. I'd like to go through basic and then go for some form of mechanical work. I mostly just want to get out of the house once in a while. I don't really want to go to war, just get the training and if I get deployed so be it.

The reason I posted this is I was hoping some of you guys that have served or are currently doing so could shed some light on the subject. Any info or advice would be apprecitated. thanks for reading.

 

[bestmapman]

I would say it would be a big mistake.

 

[2much4u]

I was in and got out for my ex wife. Im also going back now, if you have a g/f its hard on them. But im tellinng you the long run makes it worth it in the Forces.

 

[MC#4]

nope no girlfriend. I am very close with my immediate family but the reserves are far from full time. From what I have read it's training one weekend per month with (1) two week session per year for a 3-6 term. My biggest worry would be deployment, I mean I still have to run the shop so, I don't know.

 

[MikeN02]

I've been debating whether to join the military or not like you for the past 2 years. I'm turning 20 at the end of february and thinking about The Marines.

 

[Spunky99]

I went into the Army in 1974 during the last couple of months of Vietnam.

I always wished I would have joined the Air Force. A jet or helicopter turbine mechanic makes a hell of a lot more than an ex Army or Marine Mechanic unless you get Heli Turbines in the Marines.

Or you can crew in a big old airplane and fly around to see the world instead of sailing in the Navy.

 

[dart1963]

I would say it would be a big mistake.

please elaborate... I never considered my service a "big mistake"!

I served 7 years in the AF... from 90-97. I think everyone should consider serving, whether reserves or active duty. It is not for everyone for sure... it's not a decision anyone can make for you. If you think it is something you want to do, then talk with the local recruiters, talk with friends/family who've served.

If I would have stayed in, I'd be retired by now... but I knew a career in the military wasn't for me, but I am always proud to have served for the years I did. I met a lot of great people and received top notch training for my service.

 

[husker525]

There will be very few things that you can look back on your life on, and be proud of, but serving your country and the bonds you make will be with you forever. It is hard on family if you are deployed. Depending on your MOS or the unit you are attached too, you are more than likely going to get deployed.

The benefits that you will have after serving will help you in other forms of your life, even as a reserve. You will have the opportunity to see places, and meet people that you can never imagine.

 

[Sage]

I have a few friends in the National Guard, and one who is active duty in the Navy. Some like it, some don't. It just depends on how you feel about the military.
Personally, I didn't like the idea of joining, but then again it would take forever for me to get in the right shape and I would most likely be rejected due to major surgeries I've had.

 

[bestmapman]

please elaborate... I never considered my service a "big mistake"!

In my opinion the big mistake is not the service, it is what you are signing up for.

What you are signing up for is ten years or longer of being on the hook to be called up for any reason and at any time.

I will give you an example. I have a nephew who joined the Marines just after 911. By the time he went in, he just made it to Iraq. He was all gung-ho and semper-fi everything. He was in the first wave that went into Iraq. After his second tour in Iraq, he was a bit less enthusiastic and after his third tour in Iraq, he was ready to get out. So up came his EAS and all of the sudden they instituted stop-loss so he had to stay in after his expected release. He was finally released 6 months later.

He finds a sweetheart and gets married, has a kid and another on the way. Got a job with an electric COOP as a lineman. Life is starting to look up and then comes the letter from Uncle Sam. He is to report for screening for a return to active duty. He did not realize that he was on the hook for a minimum of 10 years and maybe longer if they change the rules again. He reports for the screening and goes home. Everyone is real tight lipped.

Two months later, he gets orders for active duty. You see he was in the IRR. It is another name for what some call the Back Door Draft. That's right, you better read the fine print on your enlistment contract, you are on the hook for a very long time. He goes back on active duty. The rub is, his lance corporal pay is about 1/2 of what he was making, and he was ordered to Camp Pendleton, CA. That is a long way from Colorado where he and his wife are from. So now, his wife and kid with one on the way have to move out of their apartment and move back in with her parents. Meanwhile he is in California on active duty making 1/2 of what he used to make.

My point in all this. This is just my humble opinion.

It is a big mistake to join the military today. You have no idea what you are signing up for. You are signing up for a very long time. Read the fine print, all of it.

 

[shooter77_98]

Well, all I can say is that I have spent the last 14 years in the Air Force and have really enjoyed it. I am a basic training instructor in San Antonio at Lackland now and I see all kinds of people come in. All I can say is that if you are not willing to do the "war"(deployments/playing in the sandbox/TDY/whatever you want to call it), then you should take a long hard look at why you are joining. With two "conflicts"(aka wars in our world) in the middle east, there is a pretty good chance that you will go and participate. We all deploy...some more than others...but we all do it. If you are just coming in for the benefits, cool, I see it all the time...just make sure you are willing to do the rest. I was once a 19 year old that had been interested in the military(and frankly had no damn idea what I was getting myself into) and I chose to join and I had my own reasons. Just make sure you are doing it for "your" own right reasons.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[cavcuz05]

if you want to be deployed 3/4 of a year join the army

i myself have only been deloyed twice in 7 years in the Air Force...on top of that the Air Force takes car of their people alot better than any other service...I deal with army, navy, and marines all who say they wish they could go back and join the Air Force...just my .02:thumbup:

 

[pincushion79]

I was in the Air Force for 7 years also (98-05), and was deployed once to Saudi Arabia. I worked in computer networking while I served. I knew next to nothing about computers when I enlisted, but now I am a DoD contractor making pretty decent money fixing computers at Ft Sam Houston. If I didn't enlist, I have no idea what I would be doing right now. I know I wouldn't be doing anything productive, that's for sure. The service has definitely improved my quality of life and has given me chances that I would never have had if I was still piddling around in my hometown.

To each his/her own, the military isn't for everyone. But it made a great difference in my life.

 

[dart1963]

In my opinion the big mistake is not the service, it is what you are signing up for.

My point in all this. This is just my humble opinion.

It is a big mistake to join the military today. You have no idea what you are signing up for. You are signing up for a very long time. Read the fine print, all of it.

Always something to consider.... this detail is in the enlistment forms... it's not hidden in "fine print" unless you had a sketchy recruiter and you just signed blindly... And now the people on here considering enlisting know for sure about it.

Most people have 8 years of service (4 active / 4 inactive)... a war makes it optional for the president to extend that service.... it's not open ended, it is until 6 months past the war...

It is tough on families for sure... and there are rewards and risks that you must way in on.

Think we all agree, it's not a decision anyone can make for you...

 

[Hellgate]

It is a big mistake to join the military today. You have no idea what you are signing up for. You are signing up for a very long time. Read the fine print, all of it.

He's looking at joining the Reserves not Active Duty.

I've done 20 years, Infantry with the Army Reserves and Army National Guard, I retired last June. Served during Desert Shield/Storm, Iraq, and a bunch of hurricanes, and trained in Kuwait, Romania, Honduras, Australia, etc. If I had the choice I'd do it all again in a flash. Not only did I enjoy my service to the country but I met some of my closest friends, and the Army paid for graduate school, and my GI Bill transfered to my 10 year old son whose education is now covered.

Like anything, it is what you make of it. If you're a poge and mope around it will suck ass, if you take some interest in yourself/career and your fellow service members you'll have a great time and succeed.

My suggestion, join, but as others have said talk to several branchs; Army, Navy, etc. Ask lots of questions, read about the different MOS' before you decide.

 

[MC#4]

I want to thank everyone who chimed in on the topic. I intend to read all of these posts several more times. I think I will try and talk to a recruiter and take a look at the paperwork. This is a pretty big deal for me and It's something I will be thinking over for several weeks, maybe months.

I do have another question though. It may sound ridiculous to the vets here but I have to know. If I joined tomorrow, When is the soonest I could be deployed? I assume I have to go through basic and ait but ?

Also since I want to go for reserves, basic and ait would take over a year since its only weekends and the two week per year deal, right???

thanks again to all responders.

 

[Sage]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure BCT and AIT are the same for anyone that joins the service, except maybe a few things that are specific for a branch and job you may be training for in AIT. correct me if i'm wrong tho guys

 

[dart1963]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure BCT and AIT are the same for anyone that joins the service, except maybe a few things that are specific for a branch and job you may be training for in AIT. correct me if i'm wrong tho guys

yeah, I wasn't in the reserves, but had a couple in my BT and tech school... you will be gone for that entire time... not just weekends... you will be essentially reserve "on-call" and will get full pay/benefits during that time.... ait/tech school varies based on your mos... in calibration, I had 10 months, 5 basic electronics/5 specific to calibration ...
also something to look into and the recruiters have all those details (length of training).

Also very important to narrow down how flexible you are in choice... I just wanted anything to do with electronics and I still had to wait 4 months to get in (back in 90 mind you).... if you want a guaranteed job it could be up to a year to get in... you can cross-train once you are in, but if you only want to do weekend reserves, you'll want to get in the right field from the get-go, or look at doing another school in 3-5 years.

 

[Professional_Noob]

I'm currently a in the Army and Active Duty! I would suggest looking at the Pros and Cons! Joining is a big decision and shouldn't be taken lightly! You would be surprised how many people join and go AWOL during basic training! Don't worry about deploying though! The deployments will come! I have only deployed once and it was for 15 months, the deployments are down to 12 months now! I would also suggest talking to a recruiter for better information! They are usually up to date on current information!

 

[Marthy]

Not like I'm thinking joining... but it's was my B plan if I didn't get accepted in tech school. (Tech. engineering in mechanic) The only reason why it wasn't my A plan... being Canadian the options were not very deversify like in the USA.