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Old 02-21-2009, 01:43 AM
 
Location: ***Spokane***
1,093 posts, read 3,413,199 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolhand68 View Post
Make the army wait, they will always be there and he won't be turned away. The only reason the recruiter is pushing so fast is because he doesn't want to lose him. Regardless of what the recruiter tells him...he will be going to either Iraq or Afghanistan, no two ways about it.
You base this on what ? If and when a soldier is deployed to a war zone is based on their MOS, unit and division of assignment and if this unit's function is required in a conflict. I would state rangers have a higher than average deployment rate in Afghanistan due their unique qualifications ..something to consider
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Old 02-23-2009, 08:20 AM
 
Location: Back in the gym...Yo Adrian!
10,165 posts, read 20,706,562 times
Reputation: 19855
Quote:
Originally Posted by vette-dude View Post
You base this on what ? If and when a soldier is deployed to a war zone is based on their MOS, unit and division of assignment and if this unit's function is required in a conflict. I would state rangers have a higher than average deployment rate in Afghanistan due their unique qualifications ..something to consider
Based on conversation with Army personnel, not recruiters. Also based on the fact that the Army has had trouble maintaining troop levels, to the degree they had to lower their standards since 2003, allowing over 9,000 troops to enter with criminal backgrounds. They are also pulling help from the Air Force to help meet support needs, so if they're dipping into the Air Force well you can bet new recruits will serve over there at some point. In the Army you are an infantryman first, and your MOS comes second.
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Old 02-23-2009, 09:09 AM
 
Location: Hampton Roads, Virginia
1,123 posts, read 5,315,811 times
Reputation: 709
Just an update. We did meet the recruiter yesterday (actually recruiter and his boss). Even though I was skeptical about promises/lies I actually felt they were up front and answered my questions. The recruiter was a little more pushy, however his boss became aware that my son is serious, and wants a career with the Army. The SGT could tell he didn't need to push us -joining is a given for my son.

One concern of mine is that my son will have enough credits to graduate next Feb but I want my son to go to prom and walk with the other graduates - not head off to basic in Feb. I see no rush to make him wait another 4 months. The SGT actually said we can work on that and based on the job my son choses, they can try to negotiate his start date and make it next June AFTER graduation. This my main issue - the school can classify him as a senior now so he can sign, but I want him to wait to join. Otherwise we wait to sign him up until this June.

Anyway - everyone has been a big help! I feel that this recruiter will help him get the job my son wants, and the starting date I want.
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Old 02-23-2009, 01:03 PM
 
3,422 posts, read 10,871,163 times
Reputation: 2006
Thanks for the update!

I know exactly what you mean about finishing out the year and doing all of that stuff. I went to a really tiny school so we never had any of that end-of-year senior stuff, but I know people who did and it seems to be an important memory for them.

I would say the good thing about starting early would be that its not that hot yet for BMT. That would be a big plus.
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Old 02-23-2009, 01:39 PM
 
Location: Hampton Roads, Virginia
1,123 posts, read 5,315,811 times
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I was just thinking about the difference in weather - Feb or July... hmmmm. That is almost a nobrainer. Not sure if this will sway me or not. Of course many many people complete their training in hot weather.
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Old 02-23-2009, 01:44 PM
 
3,422 posts, read 10,871,163 times
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Just remind him to drink all the water he can. Remind him to never skip a water break. I don't think you are allowed anyway. I know when my husband went through an intensive physical training course after basic staying hydrated was important to all involved. Lots of people do it - you are correct. He will be fine either way.
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Old 02-23-2009, 02:26 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,231,199 times
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would recommend that your son try to get in the best physical shape he can by running at least 2 miles (better to work his way up to 3-5 miles), work on push ups - try to work up to 60-70/2 mins, and situps - try to work up to 80/2 mins.

It doesn't happen overnight, so if he gets in good shape now, basic training will be a breeze.
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Old 02-23-2009, 02:42 PM
 
960 posts, read 1,155,698 times
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My buddy who got recalled at middle age had to go through basic training again. That was the one major benefit of it; he's fit again.
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Old 02-24-2009, 06:08 PM
 
Location: South Florida
1,464 posts, read 1,024,091 times
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Glad to know what's up with your son, Stacy.
I think he will be glad he stayed through his senior year,
(us moms know that those are memories that he will someday look back on and be glad he experienced.)
Also glad that your son realizes he is in the driver's seat as to getting exactly what MOS (job) he prefers,
(after taking his ASVAB) and a ship date that makes mom and family most comfortable
(or at least as much as can be expected, as any date will seem too soon, for sure.)
He sounds like he is a mature young man, and is secure with his choice.

(My son is sure of his choice, too, and I know those are the fellows that really make our military the best and the brightest.
The warrior spirit and determination to chose a life that is a calling for them.)

I wanted to share this awesome speech with you from Lt. Col White. It is inspring and powerful.
If the link is deleted for any reason, you can get to it by going to the Army Infantry Webpage,
and scrolling down to ITB Graduation Speech by Lt. Col Randolph C. White, Jr. (on videos link).

"He says "there are two kinds of men that walk the earth, men of action, and all others..."

To view that Video, proceed past the first security page, which you may intially see, and you can safely proceed to the website, by clicking on the continue button. (It is safe).

https://www.benning.army.mil/videos/video22/index.htm

Good Luck to your son!

Last edited by Besitomio; 02-24-2009 at 06:21 PM..
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Old 02-25-2009, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Fly-over country.
1,765 posts, read 7,305,802 times
Reputation: 922
- to those who posted about it, there's no such thing as an open contract in the Army. You pick your job based on what you qualify for, and what is open, and it's yours unless you wash out, disqualify yourself or the Army has made a mistake (rare on contracts). If that is the case, you just pick another. IT's called the training of choice enlistment option, and since the army has such a high #s requirement, it gives them a slight advantage over other services on initial entry. (very slight, since other services can often lock in a specific MOS, AFSC or Rate) I saw one open contract in three years in the business of recruiting. The girl made the minimum ASVAB score, but all her line scores were so low, she couldn't pick a job. They agreed to put her in the Army, send her to an ESL program, then let her pick her job. That's rare.

- to the mother, I was a recruiter for three years. They won't lie to you, but honestly, what your son does at the MEPS is what counts. That's all. Nothing else. I would spend hours with parents showing them all the programs, and the kids would all agree with mom and pop that they'd "pick a good job" and "take the most money for school" and "enlist for just a few years."

Then they'd go down to the MEPS and enlist for infantry, six years, airborne option, and drop the programs parents love (like station of choice and the college fund multiplier to the GI Bill) in favor of a bigger cash bonus.
Mom calls up in tears that her son is on the hook to be a grunt, telling me I lied and told her he could pick some technical job. I just learned to quit chasing high-school students.

So. He's got to make the right choices, and yes, we need trigger pullers. If he picks that, good for him.

And if I had a message for his recruiter, it would be "Get out of the high schools and go put in some graduates or college students." I never understood chasing hard contracts / parental consent when there's plenty of 19-25 year olds out there.
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