Considering joining the Armed Forces.
- Thread starter nyk438
- Start date
:lol: You sound like my uncle Norman...lol He's an E-9 (Sgt. Major) in the Army and if someone just called him "Sarge" he'd hit the proverbial freakin' roof. :-D Can't say I blame you guys. Hey, its hard work to get all those stripes!
nyk, its a great experience. I was accepted to 3 of the 4 colleges I applied to but I enlisted anyway. Besides, I had to keep the family 'heritage' on track by serving at least one enlistment. It was 4 great years (up's and down's, but way more good things then bad). I went to school part-time my last year in-service but seperated to finish college (I graduate fall '04).
The only advice I can give is GET A JOB YOU LIKE (like Intercooled said)!!! I loved my AF experience but I wanted a more field oriented job and I took Contracting based on what others had to say about the usefulness of the field outside of the military. They were right (once I finish my degree I'll start at around $50-60K), but I didn't like the job b/c it had little to no action. I tried to re-enlist before the war got underway to go into EOD/Bomb Squad but I'm screwed b/c if I go back the AF is going to place me behind a Contracting desk again b/c I have my certifications and its a critically undermanned field. Still, I loved my Air Force years.
Just make sure you get a job that suits you, and not a job that suits the recruiter, people at MEPS, your parents, or your friends. Good luck and best wishes! :beer:
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nyk438, I don't know what is right for you. But I wrote this essay a couple of years ago when I was trying to figure out if it was time for me to get out of the Navy. I did get out, because I decided the fun stuff was over and I'd be chained to a desk for 7 more years. It's a little long, but I hope it's worth your time. If it seems like I'm bragging, it's because I am.:coolman:
A TRUE NAVY ADVENTURE
It is a job and an adventure. I’ll leave out the “job” part and just describe the adventure.
First of all, in 13 years of service I got my first choice for every change of duty assignment. Other sacrifices have to be made for this to happen, but it can be done. I traveled around the world, visiting Yokosuka, Pusan, Hong Kong and Kowloon, Singapore, Olongapo City, Manama, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Esperence, Adelaide and Sydney. Stateside, I was stationed in seven different cities in Florida, Connecticut, California and Missouri. I visited 43 of the 50 states. At one time, I enjoyed the administrative adventure of living in Massachusetts, working in Connecticut, carrying a Missouri drivers’ license, driving a vehicle with Florida tags and making payments on it to a bank in Texas.
While serving as an enlisted sailor and later as an officer, I experienced a great variety of military activities, good and bad. I operated a nuclear power plant, piloted a jet aircraft and raced a Navy sailboat in a regatta. I have ridden in or driven all manner of small boats and amphibious vehicles, a hovercraft, two submarines, three aircraft carriers, and four different ships. With eight others, I survived a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on a crippled 24-foot Navy sailing yacht. Only the LT and I were functional though, because the other seven were bathing in their own puke below decks.
I was only seasick once in all of that time, and that was on the hovercraft! I was also contaminated with radioactive bilge water and sprayed with shrapnel from exploding ordnance. I nearly froze to death in the mountains of South Korea and the hills of Louisiana in January. I nearly cooked to death in the high deserts of California and Arizona. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the summer of ’91, I was on one of the ships that sprinted to the Philippines to evacuate our people from Clark Air Base and the Subic Bay Naval Station.
One of my favorite duties was being the Physical Security Officer on a “special weapons” capable warship, training and leading armed reaction forces to protect against terrorist attack while in port. With that came the additional duty of leading the armed boarding team used to enforce UN sanctions in the Persian Gulf. One of these actions was an unprecedented night boarding only yards from Iraqi waters. On another, I had the pleasure of conducting an intelligence gathering “interview” of an Iraqi ship captain while my men searched his holds for contraband.
While assigned to a Marine Corps ANGLICO unit in California, I earned my gold jump wings by voluntarily and dramatically exiting perfectly good aircraft in flight, mostly at night, out of six different kinds of helicopters and airplanes. And I don’t care how many sport freefall jumps you have. Until you have gone “knees to the breeze” at only 800 feet and 120 mph, in total darkness, carrying 100 pounds of gear and an automatic weapon, you are still a “dirty, nasty leg”. While operating with those Marines, I personally directed combined arms support from seven different Naval Gunfire platforms, Army and Marine Corps artillery, Navy Tomcats and Hornets, Marine Corps Harriers, Hornets, Hueys and Cobras, Air Force Falcons, Warthogs and Spectre gunships, and Army Apaches.
I am a qualified expert in pistol and rifle marksmanship to Navy standards, but more importantly to Marine Corps standards. I have personally operated the Beretta 9mm and Colt .45 pistols, M-14 and M-16 rifles, Remington and Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns, M-60 and M-249G machine guns, Browning .50 cal machine gun, the 25mm Bushmaster chain gun, M-79 40mm grenade launcher and the main gun of an M-60 main battle tank. I also trained with and operated four different models of laser designators for precision-guided munitions.
Without ever being credited with assignment to a “joint tour”, I still managed to serve directly with American Marines, soldiers, SEALs, airmen and coast guardsmen, and South Korean soldiers, sailors and marines. It was my distinct honor to have served with them all. I will gladly swap stories for the rest of my life.
Any young person that I meet that is thinking about joining the military will get a brisk shove in the direction of the nearest Navy or Marine Corps Recruiting Station. No other service, or civilian life, could have provided me a more unique and interesting adventure.
A TRUE NAVY ADVENTURE
It is a job and an adventure. I’ll leave out the “job” part and just describe the adventure.
First of all, in 13 years of service I got my first choice for every change of duty assignment. Other sacrifices have to be made for this to happen, but it can be done. I traveled around the world, visiting Yokosuka, Pusan, Hong Kong and Kowloon, Singapore, Olongapo City, Manama, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Esperence, Adelaide and Sydney. Stateside, I was stationed in seven different cities in Florida, Connecticut, California and Missouri. I visited 43 of the 50 states. At one time, I enjoyed the administrative adventure of living in Massachusetts, working in Connecticut, carrying a Missouri drivers’ license, driving a vehicle with Florida tags and making payments on it to a bank in Texas.
While serving as an enlisted sailor and later as an officer, I experienced a great variety of military activities, good and bad. I operated a nuclear power plant, piloted a jet aircraft and raced a Navy sailboat in a regatta. I have ridden in or driven all manner of small boats and amphibious vehicles, a hovercraft, two submarines, three aircraft carriers, and four different ships. With eight others, I survived a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on a crippled 24-foot Navy sailing yacht. Only the LT and I were functional though, because the other seven were bathing in their own puke below decks.
I was only seasick once in all of that time, and that was on the hovercraft! I was also contaminated with radioactive bilge water and sprayed with shrapnel from exploding ordnance. I nearly froze to death in the mountains of South Korea and the hills of Louisiana in January. I nearly cooked to death in the high deserts of California and Arizona. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the summer of ’91, I was on one of the ships that sprinted to the Philippines to evacuate our people from Clark Air Base and the Subic Bay Naval Station.
One of my favorite duties was being the Physical Security Officer on a “special weapons” capable warship, training and leading armed reaction forces to protect against terrorist attack while in port. With that came the additional duty of leading the armed boarding team used to enforce UN sanctions in the Persian Gulf. One of these actions was an unprecedented night boarding only yards from Iraqi waters. On another, I had the pleasure of conducting an intelligence gathering “interview” of an Iraqi ship captain while my men searched his holds for contraband.
While assigned to a Marine Corps ANGLICO unit in California, I earned my gold jump wings by voluntarily and dramatically exiting perfectly good aircraft in flight, mostly at night, out of six different kinds of helicopters and airplanes. And I don’t care how many sport freefall jumps you have. Until you have gone “knees to the breeze” at only 800 feet and 120 mph, in total darkness, carrying 100 pounds of gear and an automatic weapon, you are still a “dirty, nasty leg”. While operating with those Marines, I personally directed combined arms support from seven different Naval Gunfire platforms, Army and Marine Corps artillery, Navy Tomcats and Hornets, Marine Corps Harriers, Hornets, Hueys and Cobras, Air Force Falcons, Warthogs and Spectre gunships, and Army Apaches.
I am a qualified expert in pistol and rifle marksmanship to Navy standards, but more importantly to Marine Corps standards. I have personally operated the Beretta 9mm and Colt .45 pistols, M-14 and M-16 rifles, Remington and Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns, M-60 and M-249G machine guns, Browning .50 cal machine gun, the 25mm Bushmaster chain gun, M-79 40mm grenade launcher and the main gun of an M-60 main battle tank. I also trained with and operated four different models of laser designators for precision-guided munitions.
Without ever being credited with assignment to a “joint tour”, I still managed to serve directly with American Marines, soldiers, SEALs, airmen and coast guardsmen, and South Korean soldiers, sailors and marines. It was my distinct honor to have served with them all. I will gladly swap stories for the rest of my life.
Any young person that I meet that is thinking about joining the military will get a brisk shove in the direction of the nearest Navy or Marine Corps Recruiting Station. No other service, or civilian life, could have provided me a more unique and interesting adventure.
Congrats Eric. Semper Fi!! :thumbsup:
Recruiters are from the same gene pool as car salesmen.
Otherwise I wouldn't be an 11B after scoring an 89 on my ASVAB!!!!
Otherwise I wouldn't be an 11B after scoring an 89 on my ASVAB!!!!
Sinister Angel
Buh Bye !
Ha ha
I get a 93 on the ASVAB and the recruiter is on me like white on rice. I'm gonna wait for the word from the Academy though.
I get a 93 on the ASVAB and the recruiter is on me like white on rice. I'm gonna wait for the word from the Academy though.
Ha..got u both beat....99
Sinister...which one?????? Check location
Sinister...which one?????? Check location
Sinister Angel
Buh Bye !
Ha ha. Looks like if I get accepted, I'll be seeing you around
My uncle was an NCO nuke. Got a 99 on the ASVAB. Don't know why the hell he didn't become an officer.
My uncle was an NCO nuke. Got a 99 on the ASVAB. Don't know why the hell he didn't become an officer.
Sinister,
I used to be enlisted in the Corps before I came to the Academy. Sometimes I still wish I were there, especially now. Two different ways of life and some just prefer enlisted over officer no matter how smart they are. In fact there are many enlisted folks out there with degrees. If you ever want to talk about Academy or just have a question, go ahead and PM or email me. Good Luck
I used to be enlisted in the Corps before I came to the Academy. Sometimes I still wish I were there, especially now. Two different ways of life and some just prefer enlisted over officer no matter how smart they are. In fact there are many enlisted folks out there with degrees. If you ever want to talk about Academy or just have a question, go ahead and PM or email me. Good Luck
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That's a good point. For example, both of my uncles and my dad have degrees but are all enlisted. My dad's reason for going that route was he knew he wanted to go into Special Forces and as an officer (A) he could only be commissioned under a certain MOS b/c of his degree and (B) he wanted to be in the field and not behind a desk.
Still, if you're doing 20, depending on how fast you're progressing through the enlisted ranks it may suit someone to get the commission if they have a shot at OTS. Money isn't the reason you serve but an O-3 has a better retirement deal than many NCO's. It was a prior-enlisted O-3 who brought that to my attention.
I think those who get the most out of the military are those who go into the career field that suits them and those who take the career path that they like (enlisted vs. commissioned). Believe me, if Air Force EOD was a reality for me I'd be back in uniform tomorrow (but I'd bust my arse to get into OTS at some point down the line).
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