Considering Active Duty

[323ssplt]

"ass beating" schools... take it easy on an E6??...my friend...you'll have a target painted on your cammies...in a good naatured way of course. I hope you get all your "issues" cleared up, I'd hate it for you to get DQ'd...you need those jump wings...they look good on the dress blues

Yeah.....I know.......but one can always hope:rolleyes: oh well.....all will be good though:tough:

[broknbonz]

i'm holding out for jump school in my contract...I'll be 40 in April. I have some friends with 20th group that have been coaching me through the long process, just passed my +40 physical. My ultimate goal is 5th group (FT Campbell) nothing sexy just a mechanic for the highspeed's. Good luck to ya !

[Guest trippm]

I will graduate vet school in 2010. All the contacts I have searched out either love it or hate it... I have much more in common with the ones who love it however:). I am excited and I don't know if it is to finish school or serve!! I guess it is just icing on the cake.

[BimmerFreak]

I said after sniper school that I wasn't going to attend any more "ass beating" schools. But, I've been trying to get to jump school for almost ten years. The Corps just doesn't like to send that many people. I hopefully will get that chance this fall. I WILL take the seat if I can. Plus, I'm hoping they might take it a little easier on a Staff Sergeant. I just hope I can get this new round of back and knee issues ironed out before a seat becomes available.

Good luck with that...

As a SSG, you will be a Squadleader or Platoon Sergeant in charge of 30+ stupid f8cking Privates.

Hate to tell you, but they are going to wear your ass out!

[BimmerFreak]

(but its nothing you can't handle)

[DaveTN]

I don’t know if things have changed, but SEAL’s still need to have a rating. So you should be able to be guaranteed a “Class A†school and still have a shot at SEAL tryouts.

Only a hand full of people can make it through SEAL training; maybe you have what it takes. But if you have a rating you won’t have to scrape paint off ships when you find yourself in the real world.

[Guest bkelm18]

I don’t know if things have changed, but SEAL’s still need to have a rating. So you should be able to be guaranteed a “Class A†school and still have a shot at SEAL tryouts.

Only a hand full of people can make it through SEAL training; maybe you have what it takes. But if you have a rating you won’t have to scrape paint off ships when you find yourself in the real world.

Yes you still need to have a SEAL source rating before entering SEAL training.

[R1100R]

I said after sniper school that I wasn't going to attend any more "ass beating" schools. But, I've been trying to get to jump school for almost ten years. The Corps just doesn't like to send that many people. I hopefully will get that chance this fall. I WILL take the seat if I can. Plus, I'm hoping they might take it a little easier on a Staff Sergeant. I just hope I can get this new round of back and knee issues ironed out before a seat becomes available.

You're in for a real surprise. I can see the Black Hat's now.

You won't be able to shrink small enough to fall off their radar!!!

That's one school that hasn't changed in my 30+ years of soldiering. I was just there three months ago.

Edited February 7, 2009 by R1100R

[Guest jackdog]

Nothing wrong with the military, except maybe hard on the wife and kids. But then again if you just hang around the states you may find active duty on the home front.

[TNRobocop]

Ok, here is my opinion, take it for what it is worth. My career is as follows...

1988-1992 - Heavy Anti-Armor Infantryman, 101st Airborne

1992-1994 - USAF/ANG Security Police

1994-1997 - Heavy Anti-Armor Infantryman, USAIC, Ft. Benning, GA

1998-2004 - USAF/ANG Security Forces

2004-2005 - US Navy Reserve, Master at Arms

2005-2006 - Army National Guard MP

2006-2008 - USAF/ANG Security Forces - Traditional Guardsman

2008-Now - USAF/ANG Security Forces - Active Guard/Reserve

That being said, do NOT go Army or Marines. Been there done that. Instituational stupidity is rampant now days. I have seen the other side and it sucks, which is why I am in the ANG now, even though I got REALLY lucky and wrangled a active guard slot with the unit I am in now.

Yes the air forces does stupid ****, yes there is alot of nitpicky crap to put up with. But we are a smarter, well taken care of force that gets paid the same as any other branch.

And no matter how ****ty the field is, the hotel/nice barracks are only a truck ride away.

I am security forces, and while it seems like we play with a lot of cool ****, most of the time it is wackenhut in camo. Granted the cool times are there, but considering that we are "the infantry of the air force", most of the air force doesn't know what to do with us since we don't fly or work on **** that flies.

If you were to go AD, I would look into EOD. The guys I have worked with in the past were cool as ****, had the cool toys, and nobody ****s with people crazy enough to play with IED's by choice.

[mousegunner]

My hat is off to all who serve America in our armed forces. But have you ever considered that serving our government, and serving your country, could turn out to be two different things? I think you should think real hard about that, and come to peace in your heart/mind about it, before you sign up.

[Daniel]

I believe that is why its known as "serving your country" and not government....

[Punisher84]

That being said, do NOT go Army or Marines.

But we are a smarter, well taken care of force that gets paid the same as any other branch.

That whole One Team One Fight slogan must have gotten lost on you huh?

[Guest trippm]

My hat is off to all who serve America in our armed forces. But have you ever considered that serving our government, and serving your country, could turn out to be two different things? I think you should think real hard about that, and come to peace in your heart/mind about it, before you sign up.

I notice you have Dr. in your title. Did you serve in the Med corps?

[mousegunner]

I have a Dr.'s degree (Doctor of Ministry) from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. I'm not a physician.

I have an honorable discharge from the Army. But I wish I had it all to do over again. Nuff said.

[R1100R]

Originally Posted by TPS -TNRobocop

That being said, do NOT go Army or Marines.

But we are a smarter, well taken care of force that gets paid the same as any other branch.

Well on that note (Pay). In the Army I was an E-8 just before 10 years. Many of my counter parts in the Air Farce were still E-4 Sergeants(Only in the Air Force).

On the Reserve side I have soldiers making E-8 in 9 Years. I know a lot of NG and

ANG after 20+ years that are still E-3/E-4 today. On that note as far as smarter,

these were all soldiers in my career field which is medical.

Oh, and I know a lot about the Air Farce. My father was a CMS and my Brother a SP/Dog Trainer. Don't get me wrong, I love you guys. You give us rides where we need to go.

Edited February 7, 2009 by R1100R

[DaveTN]

Well on that note (Pay). In the Army I was an E-8 just before 10 years. Many of my counter parts in the Air Farce were still E-4 Sergeants(Only in the Air Force).

On the Reserve side I have soldiers making E-8 in 9 Years. I know a lot of NG and

ANG after 20+ years that are still E-3/E-4 today. On that note as far as smarter,

these were all soldiers in my career field which is medical.

Oh, and I know a lot about the Air Farce. My father was a CMS and my Brother a SP/Dog Trainer. Don't get me wrong, I love you guys. You give us rides where we need to go.

You couldn’t stay in the Navy for 10 years and be an E-4. They wouldn’t let you reenlist.

[R1100R]

It is mainly a NG thing. Due to the hometown unit concept and being governed

by the state. I have met Sailors that were E-4 over 10. I have done the

Medical SRP's at the MOB stations for all the services to include civilian contractors.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

You couldn’t stay in the Navy for 10 years and be an E-4. They wouldn’t let you reenlist.

When I was on the USS America in 1982.. we had a locksmith that was a Second Class that had gold service bars on his dress uniform. 7 of them.

[Guest bkelm18]

When I was on the USS America in 1982.. we had a locksmith that was a Second Class that had gold service bars on his dress uniform. 7 of them.

Well the rules might be more recent. I forget exactly what is is, but an E3 cannot be in longer than 4 or 6, and an E4 cannot be in longer than 6 or 8. My memory fails me at the moment.

[Guest Ghostrider]

1. I don't believe that career field to career field, that any service is necessarily "smarter, braver, or more patriotic" than another. Sure, a gun humpin' 155 rounds to the gun isn't usually going to be a phd. But then again, that's what he needs to be. And the vast majority of phds couldn't do what he does for a day, much less years.

2. Promotion is faster in the army. The air force primarily sends it's officers into combat, the army sends primarily enlisted into the fight. Who's going to get promoted faster in which branch?

3. There are a LOT of opportunities without a degree in the army, not so much in the air force.

4. Navy only if you enjoy sleeping cheek to jowl with 300 horny male strangers every night.

5.Coast guard is viable if you can find a job that either only exists there or is in demand in the private sector.

5. My suggestions: Best long term for you during and after the military.

a. Nuclear power plant operations.

b. Power plant operations of any kind.

c. Waste water treatment operations.

d. Rotor wing flight - not enough fixed wing to work on - and you can always work into that later if there is an opening.

e. EOD - if you have the patience and calm for it.

f. Don't go anywhere without a track to AT LEAST a WO slot. (i.e. Rotor wing aviation, power generation, or some other highly technical field). Lots of opportunites are out there where the military will pay for you to finish college to go on AD afterward - AND pay you besides paying for school - yeah, it's crap pay, but it's better than a finger in the eye... This is especially true for career fields that "never get smaller" like nursing, anesthesia, etc.

None of these jobs prevent you going to jump school, ranger school, or any of the expert tracks, such as Expert Infantry, or Expert Medic, if you're in those basic fields. But they fire you up the ranks fairly quickly and you absolutly have the best credentials ever if you walk away after a few years.

And finally - my heartfelt thanks, and my sincere best wishes to the future as you serve our wonderful country.

[Guest nraforlife]

Go into a intelligence slot and then after enlistment pop into a government job.

And for the rest of you prior service, the TNSG really really really could use you....

[Guest bkelm18]

4. Navy only if you enjoy sleeping cheek to jowl with 300 horny male strangers every night.

Its really not bad once you get used to it. You have your space, sure it can get cramped but you get your bunk and having a ship rock you to sleep every night is something I really miss. As far as nuclear power plant operation, been there, done that, have the t-shirt, and I'm stuck at a dead end job now. In the job market right now, there ain't sh*t for jobs in that field.

[TNRobocop]

:) That whole One Team One Fight slogan must have gotten lost on you huh?

I guess the whole listing of what branches I have previous service in got lost on you huh?

Don't get all butthurt. It is my opinion and I said to take it for what it is worth. My unit is made up of mostly prior service from almost all other branches except AF.

[323ssplt]

Good luck with that...

As a SSG, you will be a Squadleader or Platoon Sergeant in charge of 30+ stupid f8cking Privates.

Hate to tell you, but they are going to wear your ass out!

Yaaaaa! Can't wait. As a matter of fact just this weekend was OIC for our H&S POG's on their 240G range. 60 dudes who hadn't fired a round through that weapon system since MCT. FUN...let me tell you..Just glad the grenade range was cancelled..."Um ...sorry 1stSgt, they uh, forgot to order our grenades...uh, yeah that's the ticket"......