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I have a nephew (in law. Wife's family is complicated) looking into the army. He is a smart quiet 17 year old kid.
Answering your question beforehand. He gets along marginally with his father and stepmom and mom is out of his life. His younger half-brother is favored. As I said. complicated. I'm not a vet but he seems to trust me. Probably because I always treated him well and talked to him so I am here asking.
He's nervous about 2 things that seem unlikely but I have zero expertise.
1) He is nervous about the 'Needs of the army' part and getting stuck in an MOS he did not sign up for. He is looking at a civilian equivalent or at least similar MOS like mechanic or electrician etc. Assuming he does his bit, passes his tests, and does not screw around, how likely is he to end up pushed into a MOS he has no desire for? In researching, I read somewhere that some guy ended up as a cook and hated it, but he failed his tests and they just reassigned him where they were short. Assuming my nephew passes, how often does it actually happen?
2) As I understand it there is an 8 year commitment. He is clear that he wants to do his time, then get out and live a civilian life. Yes, I know some people change their minds but let's assume he does his plan. If he signs a 4 or 6 year contract, and does his (for example 6 years) then his 2 years IRR, can they force him to extend IRR past the 8 years? (Short of a declared war, obviously)
#1:
The Army process is such that, 100%, you will get a shot at the branch you enlist for.
You have to meet the qualifications BEFORE you finish contracting. And you will be pressured at MEPs if they don't have the branch you're looking for to select another one. But if you qualify and there's a school slot, you'll start with Basic then that school.
If you fail that school for whatever reason (physical issues, or security clearance, or academics), you are subject to needs of the Army. The needs of the army might be a different MOS-cook, or another coveted MOS, or separated, or even another shot in the same MOS-but you get at least one turn at the one you enlist for and most people do make it through the school and get the MOS they originally enlisted for.
No guarantees that what you'll do at the first permanent duty station. Needs of the Army are paramount there. Everyone is a soldier first. But in all likelihood it will be in the vicinity of what you just trained and qualified for.
#2:
No. If his contract is for 8 years, that's what he owes short of a national security emergency. It is highly unlikely IRR time would be extended, but never say never.
All three of my sons joined the Army out of high school. Two of them only wanted to be Army Rangers, and all I know is you must get what you want, in writing, on your contract, or there are no guarantees.
My oldest one (who was by then a Delta operator) counseled my youngest one to walk out if he did not get it in his contact and he was prepared to do that.
I agree with m1a1mg and would recommend Air Force. Navy would be a close second but their deployments are longer and are usually considered hardship tours. Army deployments are generally a year long and they are never in nice places like the Philippines or Greece. The drawback on Air Force is that promotions are harder to gain once you’re past your initial commitment. That being said army life is what you make of it generally. It can be rewarding and fun but all in all service in the army isn’t bad.
I agree with m1a1mg and would recommend Air Force. Navy would be a close second but their deployments are longer and are usually considered hardship tours. Army deployments are generally a year long and they are never in nice places like the Philippines or Greece. The drawback on Air Force is that promotions are harder to gain once you’re past your initial commitment. That being said army life is what you make of it generally. It can be rewarding and fun but all in all service in the army isn’t bad.
The Air Force definitely has the best food and accommodations. There is an old joke about this…..
A Sailor, a Marine, a Ranger and an Air Force officer were asked what they would do if they found a scorpion in their tent.
The sailor said, “I’d kick it overboard.”
The marine said, “I’d pull off the stinger, and eat the rest.”
The ranger said, “ I’d blast the **** out of it with my gun.”
The Air Force guy said, “I’d call room service and ask them why there was a tent in my room.”
The Air Force definitely has the best food and accommodations. There is an old joke about this…..
A Sailor, a Marine, a Ranger and an Air Force officer were asked what they would do if they found a scorpion in their tent.
The sailor said, “I’d kick it overboard.”
The marine said, “I’d pull off the stinger, and eat the rest.”
The ranger said, “ I’d blast the **** out of it with my gun.”
The Air Force guy said, “I’d call room service and ask them why there was a tent in my room.”
The best DFAC I ever ate at, bar none, was at an Army installation, Camp As Sayliyah.
The worst DFAC I ever ate at was Camp Hanson, USMC facility.
Most USAF DFACs are pretty good though.
The worst lodging I ever endured:
1) a building at Andersen Air Force Base in great need of renovation. We were there a month and it was like a prison. Air conditioning didn’t work, water in the showers barely worked, certainly no hot water.
2) a Marine barracks at Camp Hanson. I think anyone who has ever been at Hanson knows how bad it is.
3) a dorm at Dyess Air Force Base, and it was horrific. It was taken down for renovation the year after I deployed to Panama.
So when people say that the USAF has the best food and accommodations, they should preface that statement with “not all of the time”.
But after wearing the USAF uniform for 24 years and a USAF contractor for 8 more, would I choose the Air Force again? I would, but mainly because the USAF is a better fit for my personality. Some people would prefer the other services. My older brother did 20+ in the Navy on submarines, and he loved it.
Anyway, to get back on topic, I think anyone who is considering joining the military ought to do their due diligence and look very carefully at all the services before making a decision. Also, let’s be honest here. A 17 year old kid isn’t likely to ask all the right questions, so it would make sense if the parents accompanied them to the recruiting office. I understand some kids won’t want their parents to go with them, but I’m looking at this from experience. I don’t believe I asked all the right questions, and because I didn’t, I ended up in a career field I didn’t necessarily even know anything about and at a base that I never even knew existed, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.
Lucky for me, it all worked out. I liked being an aircraft maintainer for the most part, and I ended up liking North Dakota, except for the -80 wind chills.
All I know is from what my Army kids said. Once, my son and a few other Green Berets were going to Niger, or Nigeria, and were waiting across the border for authorization. They had expected to live among the people in a village, and live off the land. Their medic had cross trained as a meat inspector.
While they waited at the border, they stayed at an Air Force encampment, and had air conditioned cabins and catered meals. Far from how they were expecting to live.
The Air Force is the best branch and you can go in with a written guarantee for the job you want to be trained for. Providing you don’t fail school or physically as someone already mentioned he will get what he wants. I was married to 3 men that were all in different branches of service and all had the same experience.
The Air Force is the best branch and you can go in with a written guarantee for the job you want to be trained for. Providing you don’t fail school or physically as someone already mentioned he will get what he wants. I was married to 3 men that were all in different branches of service and all had the same experience.
I believe the Navy offer the same for a 4 year enlistment.
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