Joining the Army, Any Advice?

[kirbsys]

A little background: I'm a Freshman in college right now, enrolled (but not contracted) in Army ROTC. I have a decent GPA (about 2.9), my PT test scores are almost passing (which is a huge improvement over the beginning of the semester), and I've got good ASVAB scores (at least on the pre-test). The problem is that I want to join Infantry, and from what I've heard you either have to be top 10% or bottom 50% to apply, and I don't think that I will fall in either category when I go to commission. Then I heard about the SMP, which lets you do Reserve and ROTC at the same time. That sounded good, until my Major informed me that you then have a commitment to return to Reserve when you get your commission, which doesn't interest me. I went to talk to a recruiter about it today anyways, and he recommended that I enlist now, finish out the semester (about two weeks), and possibly the next, and ship out to basic in January. He said you can finish your degree while active duty, and then apply for OCS (Officer Candidacy School), and my experience as an enlisted Infantryman would get me priority as a commissioned officer to get back into Infantry. With my ASVAB scores, he said I would likely even qualify for 18x (Special Forces Candidate) as my MOS.

Are there any enlisted Army in the Playground, or those who have friends/family serving that have any advice? How hard is it to continue your education while Active Duty? What about afterwords? I don't want to risk not getting the job that I really want, and I'd rather end up an enlisted Infantryman than a commissioned Transportation officer (no offense to support & sustainment, just not what I'm interested in).

[Crow]

I would be careful about anything the recruiter tells you. Theoretically what he says is true. Joining up is a big deal, so make sure you go in with a plan and stick to it as well as you can.

[DaMidget]

Just about to hit my 5 year mark here, got my E-5 right after the 3. I do satellite communications though, so completely different world. If you want to be pretty much be guarenteed infantry, enlisted is about the only way to do it. Had plenty of friends go through ROTC, work hard, and then get stuck Chemical :smallbiggrin:.


You can finish a degree as an active duty enlisted member, all depends on your unit. If you are constantly in the field, it will be much harder than if you say sit at a desk all day like I do. Though OCS won't give you any guarantee's either (there may be options I don't know about). I had a fellow SatCom guy go OCS with 8 years communications experience, he ended up being an Armor officer (wasn't exactly high on his list at the time, though I'm pretty sure he enjoys it now).

As far as SF, I get the mass SF recruitment letters, and the ones for special missions unit's all the time, many jobs will have an opportunity to go special forces if you're up to the challenge (and meet the requirements).

Also as a side note, I'm not sure if they are still offering it but there was a program where once you hit O-3 you could choose another branch to move to (also as an enlisted guy I might be a bit off on the details).

Just got off a 10 hour shift an hour ago, so excuse any incoherence or poor grammar :smalltongue:.

[wxdruid]

I'm currently in the Air Force, but a few things to mention.

Fitness: If you join, your fitness program is going to be 20 yrs long and I hope you're ready for formation running. I also hope you enjoy dedicating a significant amount of time to your fitness.

College: Yes, it is possible to finish college while in the Military, but it really depends on your job. Does the job involve shift work? Do you just want an online degree? How often does your future unit deploy? If you really want that college degree I suggest you get it now. The people I work with in the Air Force are getting their degrees, but it can take anywhere from 3-7 years since you will be working full time and trying to complete classes and it depends on how motivated you are over the long haul.

Enlisted vs Officer: Not sure exactly how it works in the Army, but coming in the Air Force as Enlisted with the goal of becoming an Officer is harder than it looks. They only select so many each year. The recruiter is interested in getting you in the military now, not later. He also doesn't really care what job you end up with, he just wants you to contribute to his statistics. If you want a specific job and be an officer you probably need to do more research. There may be others on here that know more about the Army than I do.

I hope you find out and get what you want. :smallsmile:

[ForzaFiori]

I got a friend who dropped out of college to join up, at Fort Stewart, and a buddy of mine at college is also enlisted. it's definitely possible to continue your education, and from what i've seen, the recruiter is telling the truth, though maybe not about how easy it is (they always lie about that). It's definitely a plausible idea, though I would talk it over with family/friends/etc.

[SDF]

My father enlisted in the marines after his sophomore year at Wyoming State. He came back finished then got grad degrees from Stanford and MIT. So very doable.

[Traab]

Assume anything the recruiter is telling you is an exaggeration or possibly even outright lie unless you can get it written on the contract. That is the single most important rule to follow. I joined up with the air force, but unluckily got sent home after a couple months. I got so ill with pneumonia that I coughed my lungs out and developed an awful wheeze, I couldnt even jog without nearly collapsing. But I made sure everything he promised me was on that contract. My job, my rank, my bonus, every little bit of it. If he cant put it on a contract, dont count on it working out that way. The recruiter has a quota to fill, he doesnt actually care about you, no matter how friendly he is. And the army has its own opinion on where you would work out the best, so dont go in assuming you will get the job you are after, GET IT IN WRITING!

Oh, and I hate army on general principles. I worked with the AF recruiter for 6 months losing over 60 pounds and getting in shape to sign up. Frequent meetings, scored a 96 on the asvab, finally the big day arrived, I was heading up to sign my life away and was at the recruiters waiting for him to give me a lift. THAT was when the army guy pulled me into his office and tried to poach me out from under the AF guy. He had seen me there once a week every week for 6 months working on getting in shape and never said more than hi to me, the day im ready to go sign the contract he wants to try and steal me? Screw him and the army.

[LaZodiac]

Unlike these smart people, my advice will not be a paragraph. My advice is simply this.

Don't get shot *pat on the back*

[TimeWizard]

Here's some advice from my friends in the Corps: Recruiters don't lie, but be prepared to face really stiff competition and really low chances of getting into exclusive things. Yeah, in theory you just gotta qualify, but there's always more to it than that.

Boot camp is all about running, getting orders, and doing more chores than any three housewives. And then you get to run again. And then learn how to stand very still. And then run again.

As far as continuing education, I'm not sure how the army works. The corp really love selling you on the idea of enlisted grunt. Army might be the same.

[Solaris]

Hey, four-year SPC here. They wanted to give me my stripes shortly after the two-year mark (couldn't, reclassed under the BEAR program so I had to stay a SPC), though, so I wouldn't be blowing me off in favor of the Air Force cats or the civilians.
I'm also a four-year SPC who's tired of dealing with people who outrank him and yet somehow seem to lack basic cognitive ability (you'd be amazed how many people don't understand cause and effect), so I'm not going to be nice right now.


... my PT test scores are almost passing (which is a huge improvement over the beginning of the semester)... With my ASVAB scores, he said I would likely even qualify for 18x (Special Forces Candidate) as my MOS.
These two statements do not belong together. I scored a 274 on my PT test without trying too hard (I was annoyed I did so well 'cause I could've gotten one more sit-up and gotten that PT patch). If you are 'almost passing'... buddy, you got a long way to go and a short time to get there. I'm not tough enough for SF, and odds are I'm the toughest Joe in any given room. I know I'm in better shape than you. Either get up to where you can do much better than me on the APFT (and get prepped for that PRT bull, too), or realize that you don't have what it takes to go SF.

That said, your plan to first enlist and then buck for officer is a good one. I wish more people would do it, it'd reduce the number of moronic officers we have to deal with. You will not have time to finish your degree if you enlist in combat arms, so get that out of your head right now. We're at war, sorry, it doesn't work that way. It might not be easy, but if you're looking for an easy way about it... well, we're done here, go find another job.


Assume anything the recruiter is telling you is an exaggeration or possibly even outright lie unless you can get it written on the contract. That is the single most important rule to follow. I joined up with the air force, but unluckily got sent home after a couple months... But I made sure everything he promised me was on that contract. My job, my rank, my bonus, every little bit of it. If he cant put it on a contract, dont count on it working out that way. The recruiter has a quota to fill, he doesnt actually care about you, no matter how friendly he is. And the army has its own opinion on where you would work out the best, so dont go in assuming you will get the job you are after, GET IT IN WRITING!
Excellent advice. Also do not let your sergeants dither about with your bonus paperwork. I've seen too many privates lose their bonuses to both lazy/deceptive recruiters and to lazy sergeants who couldn't be bothered to take them up to finance to do the paperwork.


Oh, and I hate army on general principles. I worked with the AF recruiter for 6 months losing over 60 pounds and getting in shape to sign up. Frequent meetings, scored a 96 on the asvab, finally the big day arrived, I was heading up to sign my life away and was at the recruiters waiting for him to give me a lift. THAT was when the army guy pulled me into his office and tried to poach me out from under the AF guy. He had seen me there once a week every week for 6 months working on getting in shape and never said more than hi to me, the day im ready to go sign the contract he wants to try and steal me? Screw him and the army.
I hate the Air Force because a couple of those weenies complained about lacking a pool and their AC units freezing over when I was rucking around in 140-degree weather carrying about sixty-eighty pounds of gear for eight to twelve hours a day, and at the end of a good day I came back to a COP that had power only occasionally with AC units that worked about three times the entire year.
D'ya see how stupid that complaint sounds now? It's inane, dude. "Recruiters are tools, so I hate soldiers". Now me, I despise the Army. I have many good reasons, up to and including my service having left me so psychologically skewed that I can only interact with civilians for brief periods. I don't say them in public because I have too much respect for my fellow servicecritters to do so. You might want to consider doing the same.

[Crow]

Holy crap dude, I didn't see that SF part the first time through. Don't do it. You won't get through, and you'll get dumped into some ****ty job.

Your PT is nowhere near where it needs to be. In the early stages, the main method of inducing stress is through physical activity, and if you cannot already *exceed* the physical requirements, you are a washout waiting to happen (whether by bowing out, or by outright failing a physical qual).

When I showed up for Indoc, there were way too many people there who were just not physically prepared. So many in fact, that you could pretty much tell when they took off their shirt for the first time that they weren't going to make it. Don't be that guy.

Also, there are many other things that can go wrong during your training that you cannot really prepare for like injuries. At least with injury, you can get another shot after you heal up, but too many guys either rush it and go in with a less than 100% ankle or something and fail out/re-injure, or were barely on the cusp to begin with and the downtime degrades their readiness (though this is less frequent). Either way, an injury can land you in a crappy job if you're not careful.

[kirbsys]

Thanks for the advice guys, especially about not joining SF with my PT scores. The recruiter made it sound like I'd have enough time to get them up high enough, but I don't want to get an injury that will disqualify me from Infantry, which is the whole point of me enlisting. My PT scores are improving pretty fast, but I'm not sure that it'll be fast enough to meet SF standards before training. I'd much rather wait until I get another chance later on in my career. I understand that it's going to be a hard job, and that infantry will involve getting sent to the sandbox at least once. I'll make sure that the Sergeant gets in all the paper work for my bonuses. He told me that I'd most likely get promoted to E-2 or E-3 for my time in ROTC, so I'll make sure I get that in my contract before I sign.

EDIT: Something I forgot to ask the recruiter, how much control over what unit you get assigned to do you have? I'm interested in Airborne, both school and the actual infantry regiments. If at all possible, I'd like to end up an Airborne Infantryman.

[Silverraptor]

Uhhh...

Don't get shot?

[Traab]

Thanks for the advice guys, especially about not joining SF with my PT scores. The recruiter made it sound like I'd have enough time to get them up high enough, but I don't want to get an injury that will disqualify me from Infantry, which is the whole point of me enlisting. My PT scores are improving pretty fast, but I'm not sure that it'll be fast enough to meet SF standards before training. I'd much rather wait until I get another chance later on in my career. I understand that it's going to be a hard job, and that infantry will involve getting sent to the sandbox at least once. I'll make sure that the Sergeant gets in all the paper work for my bonuses. He told me that I'd most likely get promoted to E-2 or E-3 for my time in ROTC, so I'll make sure I get that in my contract before I sign.

EDIT: Something I forgot to ask the recruiter, how much control over what unit you get assigned to do you have? I'm interested in Airborne, both school and the actual infantry regiments. If at all possible, I'd like to end up an Airborne Infantryman.

If you cant get it in your contract, then you have no control. You will go wherever the army decides to send you and you will have to suck it up for however many years you signed for. You might get there, you might not, but do you REALLY want to risk losing several years of your life as an army cook because thats where your random assignment ending up being?

[Solaris]

Unless they've changed it, if you go the full four years you should be a SPC. Not that I particularly like Basic Training specialips (yes, I misspelled that correctly), as they're almost to a man too cocky for their own good, but if you qualify for something then don't let your recruiter sell you short.

[THAC0]

I'm not all up on the army side of things, but this is what a friend of mine did after freshman year:

First, he enlisted in... guard or reserves, not sure which. He then spent a year deployed. When he came back, he was able to finish his schooling because being guard or reserves or whatever, he just had drill on weekends. Then, I think he was offered the chance to go to OCS and active duty upon graduation, but he turned that down.

For what that's worth, anyway. Good luck.

[Ashtagon]

I would be careful about anything the recruiter tells you. Theoretically what he says is true. Joining up is a big deal, so make sure you go in with a plan and stick to it as well as you can.

This.

Bear in mind that they have a quota to meet, and that anything not actually written is not part of your contract with the army. He can tell you anything, and as long as it isn't in the contract, it will be as if those words were never spoken.

Bottom line: by all means show interest, but as with any legal agreement, read the contract carefully, then get a friend to read it.

[UndeadSoulja]

The best advice I can give anyone joining the Army is get it in writing . When I joined the Army I had only one thing guaranteed in writing; my M.O.S (job). This M.O.S is almost always a 6 year contract; however, in the 7 years I served (I was stop-lossed) I met quite a few people who had the same job but only a 3 year contract. So if you do join get as much as you can guaranteed in writing (work the recruiter, do not let him work you). Also I would recommend finishing school first, as once you join there is no guarantee that you will be able to finish school in a timely manner.

Edit: Also of the (just short of) 7 years that I served, 3 of them were overseas, so if you do join be prepared for deployments.

[Solaris]

The best advice I can give anyone joining the Army is get it in writing . When I joined the Army I had only one thing guaranteed in writing; my M.O.S (job). This M.O.S is almost always a 6 year contract; however, in the 7 years I served (I was stop-lossed) I met quite a few people who had the same job but only a 3 year contract. So if you do join get as much as you can guaranteed in writing (work the recruiter, do not let him work you). Also I would recommend finishing school first, as once you join there is no guarantee that you will be able to finish school in a timely manner.

Edit: Also of the (just short of) 7 years that I served, 3 of them were overseas, so if you do join be prepared for deployments.

Of the four I've served, three were overseas (Alaska and Iraq) and I'm getting ready to go out to Iraq again after a year and a half Stateside (a six-month schoolhouse got me off the rotation for a goodly minute, otherwise I'd be in Afghanistan now). I know guys who spent four out of five years deployed. My first two Christmases in the Army were spent guarding someone else's conex, the second on patrol. I'm real lucky in that I was home for the last two, or at least able to come home. I turned twenty-one in a guard tower. Most of my buddies did, actually. A lot of 'em got to miss the births of their firstborn children, too. If you're going to join up, kirbsys, you'd better be prepared to give up being there for anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, births, weddings, anything that's special to you because the military does not care. There is, after all, a reason I don't have a life outside the service.

[kirbsys]

Thanks again for the advice guys. I talked to my MSG in the ROTC, and his recommendation was to wait until I get an airborne contract to sign. When he joined he was told he'd get to go to Ranger School after BCT, and spent four years before he got in. I understand that I'll be missing out on things, I'll likely be spending Christmas and my 20th at boot camp unless I can afford a plane ticket for the exodus (and get permission for leave). I'm prepared for it; I'm not one of those people joining the military expecting to never get deployed and to get a normal life. Once again, thanks. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

[Pentachoron]

Regardless, good luck, man. I'm preparing to go into the Air Force at the end of the year, so in a similar situation.:smallcool:

[Crow]

I turned 18 *and* spent Christmas in basic training. That was kindof a bummer. :)

[Solaris]

... at boot camp ...

It's basic training. You're not a marine or a squid.

[Whammydill]

It's true when they say that boot is 80% mental. Once you adapt to the physical culture shock in the first week or so it's not so bad. Just remember don't stand out. :smallcool:


Also....if you are able to be talked out of anything on here. Special Forces especially, then you don't want it bad enough to make it through anyway. SF selection in the army is designed to weed you out if you don't have the mental fortitude to gruel past the physical stress and adapt the the situations they give you.

Also, as far as getting infantry/airborne talk it over with your recruiter and see what your options are. Remember the ball is in your court when talking with the recruiter as you can always walk away. Look for enlistment bonuses and enlistment option/guarantees. If you are looking to enlist for infantry I'm sure there are nice bonuses out there, especially if you enlist for 6 years. I've met guys who had a guaranteed straight shot all the way through Boot/OSUT, Airborne, RASP, then boom 75th ranger. They say it was tough but worth it.

[Jack Squat]

What about just sticking with ROTC and getting commissioned? If you can't get into Infantry, anything in combat arms should be good for you to transfer later (theoretically), and at the very least, from what I hear artillery is basically taking the role of infantry in A-stan, so you could likely be doing a similar job.

Not to talk you out of taking the enlisted route, but getting your education paid for up front and then having a guaranteed job with decent pay after commissioning seems to be a better deal than enlisting and then going to school off the GI bill, IMO.

[Kislath]

FINISH SCHOOL FIRST. That's the best advice I could ever offer anybody. You'll never get to finish in the middle of a war, and it'll give you time enough to figure out some things before it's too late.

[Brother Oni]

What about just sticking with ROTC and getting commissioned?

Just bear in mind that becoming an officer has different requirements and in some cases, higher requirements than that of an enlisted soldier. For example, being a great team player is good for a soldier, but officers are expected to be leaders.

Also, expect lots of paperwork.

[Solaris]

It's not that he's easily dissuaded, it's that we have a better idea of what he needs to get there than he does. The OP, like many civilians, really has no idea what goes where when it comes to the military. If you can't rock a 300 without trying too hard, you won't make it in the SF.


What about just sticking with ROTC and getting commissioned? If you can't get into Infantry, anything in combat arms should be good for you to transfer later (theoretically), and at the very least, from what I hear artillery is basically taking the role of infantry in A-stan, so you could likely be doing a similar job.

Not to talk you out of taking the enlisted route, but getting your education paid for up front and then having a guaranteed job with decent pay after commissioning seems to be a better deal than enlisting and then going to school off the GI bill, IMO.

Every-stan, actually. The classical image of artillery as the imprecise, city-destroying force runs counter to the requirements of a COIN operation. (We're ignoring, of course, that modern artillery is easily as accurate as an air strike and has the bonus of being significantly cheaper to boot - God knows the officers are.) My battery actually spent more time outside the wire than the infantry companies in our brigade, from what I've heard.


Just bear in mind that becoming an officer has different requirements and in some cases, higher requirements than that of an enlisted soldier. For example, being a great team player is good for a soldier, but officers are expected to be leaders.

Also, expect lots of paperwork.

Of course, if you aren't a good leader, you won't make it very far as an enlisted man either. Let's face it: If you don't have leadership ability, you can't do well as a servicecritter in COIN warfare.

[Brother Oni]

Of course, if you aren't a good leader, you won't make it very far as an enlisted man either. Let's face it: If you don't have leadership ability, you can't do well as a servicecritter in COIN warfare.

The point I was trying to make was that your leadership potential is assessed as part of the recruitment process for an officer.

If you don't have any leadership ability, you can get in as an enlisted man (but won't get very far as you've said), but you won't be able to get in as an officer at all.


Which reminds me of something - when I was talking to British Army officers back when I applied, they mentioned that they were often in civilian courts to represent their men on misdemeanour-level offences. Is it the same for the US army, or do they have a different system?

[SDF]

The US has a military court system, but you have to be in JAG or a have an appropriate legal degree for that. Unless they are being called as character witnesses all the time.

[Solaris]

The point I was trying to make was that your leadership potential is assessed as part of the recruitment process for an officer.

If you don't have any leadership ability, you can get in as an enlisted man (but won't get very far as you've said), but you won't be able to get in as an officer at all.


Which reminds me of something - when I was talking to British Army officers back when I applied, they mentioned that they were often in civilian courts to represent their men on misdemeanour-level offences. Is it the same for the US army, or do they have a different system?

I'm sure they claim to assess leadership potential, but I assure you that as an institution the Army isn't all that hot at doing things like that. If you can't easily quantify it, you can't assess it as an institution.

US military has its own UCMJ, like the man said, and civilian offenses are kept strictly separate. I've known servicecritters who got caught drinking and driving by civilian cops, but didn't suffer the consequences under UCMJ for it (which are more severe than civilian consequences).

[pendell]

Related question, for our military members.

If you join the armed forces, how will it change your outlook on life, your personality?

I ask, because there's a common myth that the army takes in screwball kids and spits them out as intelligent, capable adults. However, from what I've read here it sounds to me as if -- in the modern armed forces -- if you aren't already on the ball when you get in you'll be bounced out in a hurry. Likewise, I've known two servicepeople who came back from A-stan who complained that they had a very hard time adjusting to civilian life or dealing with civilians.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Whammydill]

One outlook on life that changed for me after the military (boot especially) is how much civilians take for granted. In boot camp they take everything from you, even most of your decision making ability. As you progress you get more of this back of course. People just don't appreciate what they've got until its gone. I know I didn't.

In boot, they have to break you down to build you back up. This doesn't always work for everyone of course. I've seen some screwballs go in boot and come out a changed person; people who on first glance I thought "They ain't gonna make it." I've also seen screwballs who somehow wind up even worse. I'd look at these people and wonder "why the hell are you here?"

As I said before, boot and military life in general is about 80% mental. The only people who quit are the ones who convince themselves to. I was amazed daily about how far my body could go as long as I didn't just give in and give up.

It just goes to show that one's military experience is only going to be as good or as bad as they make it/let it be. There are tremendous opportunities to be had in all aspects to the military. There are those who take advantage of them and better themselves and there are those who are content to stagnate.

As for adjusting to civilian life, I've been out for 8 years and I'd still say I haven't adjusted fully. I'm always refering back to my training. Or I find myself not carrying anything in my right hand out of habit, even though I'm carrying a crap-ton of stuff in my left. I even find myself walking behind and slightly to the left of people I perceive to be a superior. I have to conciously not walk in step with people next to me...all kinds of things.

I wouldn't say it was "difficult" for me to adjust back to civilian life, but it wasn't like flipping a switch. In the military you have different rules and different standards. I learned to live with a "military bearing." When I got out and are surrounded by people who are going by much more lax standards and discipline than I hold myself to, its hard to relate. It got easier over time. The reasons for having difficulty adjusting are many, but it boils down learning to live in a different ruleset, ESPECIALLY one where your survival is on the line, like in a war zone. Coming out of that isn't always easy.




Related question, for our military members.

If you join the armed forces, how will it change your outlook on life, your personality?

I ask, because there's a common myth that the army takes in screwball kids and spits them out as intelligent, capable adults. However, from what I've read here it sounds to me as if -- in the modern armed forces -- if you aren't already on the ball when you get in you'll be bounced out in a hurry. Likewise, I've known two servicepeople who came back from A-stan who complained that they had a very hard time adjusting to civilian life or dealing with civilians.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[snoopy13a]

The US has a military court system, but you have to be in JAG or a have an appropriate legal degree for that. Unless they are being called as character witnesses all the time.

You have to be an attorney to be a JAG officer. Well, technically you can sign up as a law student--if you're accepted as JAG is fairly selective--but practicing JAG officers are lawyers. A handful of active-duty military officers do go to law school with the intent of becoming JAGs (and with the permission of their service) but that is a very small group.

Interestingly, the Army, Navy, and Air Force have relaxed requirements for the induction of JAG officers as well as physicians, dentists, nurses, chaplins, etc. However, the Marines require their JAG officers to go through the same training as their combat officers.

[Frozen_Predator]

since i'm in the Dutch army and not the US army i can only wish you luck, and give you the advice to keep yourself grounded and don't start to think you're god.

also i hope you get in a decent unit, 82nd airborne who i've worked together with were pretty swell guys (though their predecessors had pretty much ruined the reputation of American troops at TK, just by being complete tools)

[Crow]

Things that have changed for me since I've been out;

1. I get frustrated with lack of work ethic from my peers. I am also more blunt and undiplomatic with these people.

2. I have difficulty with going through proper channels for certain things now, preferring expediency over formality.

3. When it comes to work-related activity, I am more of a perfectionist than I was before I was in. This mixes with #1 to devastating effect.

4. I have to make a conscious decision to pick something up and carry it in my right hand.

5. When I meet people or watch people I always look at their hands first. I have to consciously make an effort to look someone in the eyes before a handshake and not at their hands.

6. I fold my clothes the same way as when I was in.

7. I appreciate everything. Even the ability to just sit down every once in a while.

8. I appreciate that I still have the ability to stand up, run, jump, and all that good stuff.

9. I feel a lot more sympathy for kids, and parents who have lost their kids.

10. I really enjoy imitation rib-meat sandwiches now. Also, Corn Pops cereal in chocolate milk.

11. I am no longer afraid of heights or drowning (unless it has to do with deep mud).

...and many others which I am sure I don't even notice.

edit: Just remembered this one (because I just did it):

12. When I walk into a room with somebody I always go the opposite way of them.

[wxdruid]

I'm sure the military has changed me, and there are certain things I expect at work. I expect the Airmen will do what I tell them when I tell them, but my kid certainly doesn't follow that rule. :smallamused:

I read the posts above mine and they mention carrying things only in their left hands, I completely understand that one. Gotta keep the right hand free while walking around. I probably walk differently from when I joined. It's hard to walk right next to someone if they are a higher rank than I am. My father has definitely noticed changes. He says it's funny to watch me put on a ball cap, since I put it on the same way I would a military cap. I always carry a black backpack, no other colors (even though I own one or two others). My purse is black, a lot of my dress shoes are black (granted they might have been anyway, but now they have to be if I want to use them in the military or out in public in civilian clothes). I'm not quite sure how things will turn out once I retire in 3-4 years.

I'm on the middle sort of track in the military. Although I made SSgt and TSgt relatively fast, I delayed getting MSgt until I felt it was time (since I knew work would torture me). But, each person has control over their own advancement in the Air Force since advancement in rank to SSgt, TSgt, MSgt, SMSgt, CMSgt is done by testing.

[Traab]

For me the hardest adjustment I had was not calling everyone sir or ma'am, and taking longer than a minute to consume a pound and a half of food. lol Also, I found myself marching everywhere I went, but it wasnt a habit that I cared enough about to break. Id just deal with the cadence ringing in my head and march to wherever I was going.

[Whammydill]

Oh man, I forgot about that. I eat SOOOO fast compared to before I was in. I still suck it down and taste it later.

[Traab]

Oh man, I forgot about that. I eat SOOOO fast compared to before I was in. I still suck it down and taste it later.

Heh yeah, my family came to visit on base and we went to burger king. We all sat down and by the time they had their burgers unwrapped and fries salted I was already done and they were gaping at me. lol I wasnt even paying attention. Eyes were down, food was shoveled, drink was guzzled, (dont guzzle a large coke if you can avoid it) and I was ready to leave. :smallcool:

[Crow]

For me the hardest adjustment I had was not calling everyone sir or ma'am, and taking longer than a minute to consume a pound and a half of food.

Same for me on the eating thing! Though that faded away after basic. Yes sir/no sir took much longer to get rid of.

[Skavensrule]

I am a recruiter for the US Army and can tell you that if your goal is to be an Infantry Officer you can increase your chances by enlisting then OCS. ROTC will get you a commision as soon as your done but "The Needs of the Army" will dictate which branch you go into. You might get your choice, but if you are #105 out of 106 and the last two slots are Quartermaster---Welcome to the QM! With you wanting to go into Infantry I would imagine that you could get it even if you are right in the middle of the class rankings. Enlisting though you get to choose the specific branch/field/ and job that you go into. If you then go "Green to Gold" you will stay in your chosen branch. Remember this though "Get it in writing". Always check on what you are told. I don't remember what the job placement is like if you get your Degree and then enlist for OCS but if you have not yet made your decision then ask to speak with an officer in the recruiting company. The recruiter will probably not give out their phone numbers to you but you can ask for them to call you when one of them gets a chance. Email works too, the recruiters card will have his work email and you could ask him to forward an email to the chain of command. Navy, Marines, AirForce, Coast Guard, and National Guard all have their own rules so I can't speak for them.

Good luck with your decision.

[Whammydill]

Skavensrule, as a former enlisted man my hat goes off to you. You have the hardest job in the military. I did HRAP and seen a little of what recruiters put up with.