I'm joining the Army tomorrow

[SoggyMilk]

I received an 82 on my ASVAB, and I qualified for certain jobs.

I couldn't get infantry, but I CAN get Combat Engineer. SF isn't eligible for me untill a year into my career.

What do you think, should I get the C.E. job, and then get SF after 8-12 months? Or should I just do C.E., Re-Class to Infantry, and THEN get S.F.

Help!

[Irish Kin]

I'm no Army buff, but here's what I'd do. I would take the C.E. job and re-class to infantry. That way you'll some field experience before heading on to Special Forces.

And congrats on finally getting in. I still remember your stories about how you've been trying to get in for a while now.

[Z3CH]

If you re-class to infantry that would just push off SF even longer than a year. If you think you can physically and mentally handle the SF training a year int oyour career, then don't bother switching to infantry. If you feel you need extra training in whatever fields, then switch. Good luck, I'll be joining you for the 82nd airborne in a year! ;)

[SoggyMilk]

Irish, check it out.

In 2004, MEPS PDQ (Permanently Dis-Qualify)'ed me for Retinal Detachment. I didn't have a detached retina. And NO BODY CAUGHT IT. Everytime I went back to MEPS w/ a branch, they'd stop processing me immediately because of the PDQ. I went to another ARMY recruiter, and he did the research, knocked it off, and then retested me, and re-physical-ed me.

And now, I'm getting ready to go down to MEPS and finally pick the MOS I want. 21B was available to me yesterday, but I hope that it hasn't changed today, the available jobs change every day...

Umm....

ZECH, I was told that I can go for S.F. at ANY point in my career, with any MOS. So he (the recruiter) told me that S.F. isn't available now, but it's available after I join the military, get surgery done on my eyes (for free), at which point, Infantry is an option for me.

He suggested I go infantry, so I can be trained to be good physically, and then I can elect for an SF prep course, where they train me untill SFAS comes up.

[Z3CH]

Originally Posted by SoggyMilk

Irish, check it out.

In 2004, MEPS PDQ (Permanently Dis-Qualify)'ed me for Retinal Detachment. I didn't have a detached retina. And NO BODY CAUGHT IT. Everytime I went back to MEPS w/ a branch, they'd stop processing me immediately because of the PDQ. I went to another ARMY recruiter, and he did the research, knocked it off, and then retested me, and re-physical-ed me.

And now, I'm getting ready to go down to MEPS and finally pick the MOS I want. 21B was available to me yesterday, but I hope that it hasn't changed today, the available jobs change every day...

Umm....

ZECH, I was told that I can go for S.F. at ANY point in my career, with any MOS. So he (the recruiter) told me that S.F. isn't available now, but it's available after I join the military, get surgery done on my eyes (for free), at which point, Infantry is an option for me.

He suggested I go infantry, so I can be trained to be good physically, and then I can elect for an SF prep course, where they train me untill SFAS comes up.

I see, different from what I've heard, but I'm used to Marines and Navy since all my friends went to the dark side. But I thought with most branches in order to go to SF you have to be go through airbone school anyway? If so why don't you do that instead of infantry?
That'll get you in shape, they do a helluva lot of running.

[Sidewinder]

I wouldn't ever join the army. If the draft came, I'd be in Canada faster than John Kerry. Thats just my two cents.

But, I do think that if you are going to join, CE is better than plain infantry. You (most likely) won't be getting bombed on the streets of Baghdad because you are more valuable than plain infantry to them.

[SoggyMilk]

Originally Posted by Z3CH

I see, different from what I've heard, but I'm used to Marines and Navy since all my friends went to the dark side. But I thought with most branches in order to go to SF you have to be go through airbone school anyway? If so why don't you do that instead of infantry?
That'll get you in shape, they do a helluva lot of running.

Yeah, when you sign up for SF, I believe when you go through the school that they enroll you into Airborne as well. When I get to BCT and AIT, at some point, they should ask for volunteers to go AIRBORNE. I'll definately sign up for that, as well as anything else that happens to come my way while I'm in basic.

I'm going to get Airborne qualified, get surgery done, and then after a year, get surgery done on my eyes so that I can reclass myself as infantry.

I plan on getting in shape prior to being shipped out, because if i'm not...

I shall be getting smoked by the D.S.'s every single day.

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

I wouldn't ever join the army. If the draft came, I'd be in Canada faster than John Kerry. Thats just my two cents.

But, I do think that if you are going to join, CE is better than plain infantry. You (most likely) won't be getting bombed on the streets of Baghdad because you are more valuable than plain infantry to them.

I already joined. Combat Engineer is what I"ll be doing untill I reclass. Untill that time, hwoever, I shall be blowing **** up.

[Sypher]

Recruiters are nothing more than salesmen. I wouldn't necessarily believe everything they say.

[SoggyMilk]

Originally Posted by Sypher

Recruiters are nothing more than salesmen. I wouldn't necessarily believe everything they say.

You're right.

They have one job:

To get people in the Military.

But I guess I trust my recruiter to give me the business, and not screw me over. He knew that I wanted to get in. He knew I wanted to go S.F. (1), or Infantry (2). He did everything he could, went to hell and high waters in order to find out what went wrong, and how to fix it.

Something that a lot of other recruiters haven't even got the patience to do.

He was there w/ me when I took my oath, was there with me when I picked out my job, helped me do everything that I needed to do. Gave straight up answers to my mother, my sister, and myself, and didn't hold anything back, whether it be the hard truth, or the easiest.

I pretty much trust him not to steer me wrong, because he hasn't done anything to show me that I shouldn't trust him.

But I completely understand where you're coming from.

[Libertine]

Congrats I guess.

Be prepared for a big change in character.

And remember that your on call for 8 years. Not 4 years like they make you think.