I am trying to recruit for Army, Navy, and Air Force, questions about MEPS (Marines, officers)

[jhtrico1850]

I've talked to the Army. It doesn't really appeal to me, but it beats Wal-Mart and the Marines I guess.

The Navy has the nuclear program which I am in the process of trying to qualify for. I've read stories, it seems pretty miserable...

I call the Air Force every few weeks but I never hear from them... I want to be Air Force, even if Navy nuclear probably will get me a lot more money.
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So the deal is, I started to talk to Army/Navy these past few weeks because I'm graduating in May. I tell them now I want to commit, if at all, around April or so.

The Army guy was cool and let me off the hook, but these Navy folks are on me like a piece of meat.

I told them I don't want to commit until April, but they scared me today, talking about how I might lose my bonus, etc., and now I realize the bonus of what, $20K, isn't even that much. They also said they'll give me an option to cancel in April if I changed my mind but I don't know if that's a lie or not.

So I told them I'd be set to go test the ASVAB/physical next week. They still don't have my official college transcript, I think they might need that for ASVAB/physical, and I'm going to have to cancel it anyway because I just realized I had a class I need to graduate for on that day.
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The Army guy said it's cool to talk to multiple agencies, but once I go to MEPS (ASVAB/physical ?), I've pretty much committed, but I don't really know what the deal is with that. So, what if I go test ASVAB/physical in a few weeks, cancel on them, would it be cool to talk to the Air Force/Army? Or should I just tell the Navy to slow down?

Thanks.

[roadfamily6now]

what kind of job are you looking at doing?
what kind of travel are you looking at doing?
Do you want to stay in one base for years or move around a lot?
Don't be in such a hurry. Slow down. And you might want to nail down those Air Force guys and talk to them

[jhtrico1850]

I am interested in computers, intelligence, or in the commercials, those guys at the dashboard. The Navy guys have just been pushing nuke at me since I took the practice ASVAB, and I was attracted at the money, but after doing some calculations, I realize, it's not that much... I didn't like chemistry or physics, so definitely don't think I'll enjoy nuke, since it doesn't pay that great.

[Spree]

You won't go to MEPS unless you sign a contract with someone.

The Air Force has tons of kids like yourself wanting jobs with them, even if you get a contract with them, you will have a long wait to go to basic. If you want to go Air Force, you will need to go to them, physically at the recruiter's office, rather than wanting them to come to you and score very high on the ASVAB, especially the GT section.

[dmarie123]

Going to MEPS is the point that you make a commitment. After you are in the DEP, other branches are forbidden from talking to you anymore, so you need to decide first.

Also, you are using the verb "recruit" wrong. I am a recruiter, I recruit for the Air Force. You want to be recruited. I was a little confused when I saw your subject line cuz there are no recruiters who recruit for all the branches. :-)

[jhtrico1850]

Well they tried to get me to go take the ASVAB/physical next week, and I don't recall signing a contract stipulating that I'll have a certain job.

Thanks for the info about DEP, that's what I figured about the commitment. They said though if I go to MEPS next week, I could still "cancel" around April, I don't know if I could then go to MEPS for another branch...

In the end, I just told the Navy I think it would be best if I came back when I would be ready to sign any paperwork within a few days rather than a few weeks.

[lisdol]

If you really want to join the Air Force, you need to go talk to them. Like someone else said, and dmarie can probably confirm, the recruiters are really busy right now and if you want it, you're up against a lot of other people as well.

Its kind of hard to cross over to the Air Force - you are better off just starting there than taking what you can get and being one of those pain in the ass unhappy people.

"or in the commercials, those guys at the dashboard. " I have no idea what job that is lol. Maybe intel? I guess I have not seen that commercial.

Good luck to you. Are you about to graduate from college? You want to enlist or see about officer? I am pretty sure those are two separate paths and before writing off officer, you should look into it. Intel can be done as an officer.

[jhtrico1850]

See I feel like I've been a leech with the Army/Navy, so before I go and be wishy washy with the Air Force, I think it would be better to just wait until after I graduate before I even start talking to them?

The guys at the dashboard as in like the satellite control room lol. I've read a bit on the military.com boards, and it looks like the officers right now have already either been in the military, or have Masters/Phds, and good community service. I just have high grades/GPA. Graduating May 2011.

[Spree]

>>Well they tried to get me to go take the ASVAB/physical next week, and I don't recall signing a contract stipulating that I'll have a certain job. <<

This is the process: Take the ASVAB. The recruiter will look at your scores and determine what jobs are available to you. A contract will be written up, that pending your physical at MEPS and background checks, of what you agree - job and length of contract, to enter the military. At MEPS, if you pass the physical and background checks ,there will be another recruiter there that will solidify and finalize the contract you signed earlier. You will raise your hand and take an oath after you sign the final contract at MEPS. At that time you will wait until you ship to basic.

[lisdol]

Do you mean the guys who are already officers and are captains and majors? Because the AF pushes really hard for their officers to get masters degrees, just like it pushes SNCOs to finish their bachelors degrees. Your pay would be so much higher as an officer that it would be kind of foolish not to at least look into OTS, esp if your grades are high.

Once you enlist, there are age limits for entering OTS and you might find that time goes by in the blink of an eye when you are working long hours and deploying. Age waivers are not always granted.