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My son (18) is interested in becoming a firefighter. He would also like to serve in the military. Which branch would give him this training? Or maybe a better question--can he get this training in the military? If he joins will he be able to specify his job/training area? I am so leery about him going into the military and being able to choose. I'm afraid they are telling him this but then when he gets there, they will be free to assign him where THEY want or need him.
Of course as any mom, I'm not too excited about the military idea, but if it is truly what he wants and if he will be able to get career training he wants, I will support his decisions.
Thanks for any help!
The Army guarantees assignment to those duties if all the requirements are met. But I am thinking there may be more possibilities in the Air Force or Navy.
I think he should probably talk to all the recruiters, and maybe as many veterans as he can.
Rich
(Yes, I am retired Army)
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 08-04-2013 at 04:04 PM..
Reason: Update MOS Info
Don't know if it still exist, but the rating for navy's firefighters was DCmen or Damage Control. Everyone one who serves on the ship must get qualified in basic and advance DC or firefighting. You learn about the four types of fires (yes, four) A,B,C,&D fires and how to fight each one as well as the dangers of each. Each division has it's own DCPO, or damage control petty officer whose job it is to inspect, maintain, and repair emergency equipment in his or her division's spaces. It's a job that's suppose to go to the best person in the division, a self starter who can work on their own with little to no supervision and be trusted to do the job right. In actuality, it usually goes to the person the division wants out of the way. In my case, I was both. They wanted me out of the way and I turned out to be the best person for the job. I got so good at it that I was also the one who trained my division and other DCPOs on the firefighting equipment. We inspected, maintained, and repaired emergency lighting, fire hoses, fire nozzles, EEBD (emergency escape breathing devices), fire extinguishers, and water tight doors, hatches, and scuttles. Reason why I took the job so seriously is because I had to work in the engineroom on watch 8 hours a day. If there's a fire there, I want everything working so I can get out alive. We had several fires but because all my equipment worked properly, they never progressed to a major fire. We were even sent to a civilian fire fighting training building. We dressed out, entered with hoses, and fought the fires inside. There's also a flight deck fire fighting team which fights aviation fires. That's a scary job since most of the aircraft on deck are carrying munitions.
The Air Force has a great firefighting program as well. Air Force firefighters deal with crash rescue, aircraft fires, structural fires, and more. Being a fire fighter is one of the most sought after enlisted jobs.
I was an Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter (7051) for the Marines. All here are correct with the Air force, Army, and Marines having great programs. But the thing is that all of these services get their training at the same place, Goodfellow, AFB, TX. We all trained together and it is some of the best training in the US. Civilians are even sent here for training. Also to address your concerns about the choosing of your sons military career. The Marines are probably the worst in that they give you the excuse of "The needs of the Corps come first". So your best bet would be the Air force in most cases they know their career and where they will be stationed even before they go to basic. I didn't know where I was going till after we finished the training at the school. Also the Air force has better and more updated equipment. The Marines use the older hand me downs.
This is a very rewarding career, your son will love it.
My son is USMC MOS 7051 (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighter). He said there were guys/girls from all branches at his MOS school at Goodfellow AB.
My daughter has been talking to an Army Recruiter, and he indicated that, in the Army, that MOS is for Reservists. All of the Army posts I have been on (hubby is Army) have civilian firefighters (DoD).
BTW, as far as the Marines and what the previous poster said, my son has been in this MOS over over two years now. He has not been pulled for any other job "due to the needs of the Corps" and he knew his duty station prior to the start of MOS school (granted, he was a prior service Marine).
Everyone in the Navy (at least when I was in) was trained in firefighting and damage control. My first exposure was in basic training, retrained several times is some intensive 2 week courses.
My job in the Navy had nothing to do with firefighting or damage control, but everyone is trained, as in a worst case scenario, it may take everyone on the ship to keep our home afloat.
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