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Yes, you must have a written test. It's called the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. It does test you on your english skills.
You must be available for worldwide assignment, period. If you expect to sit at a specific unit for twenty years and not leave, it's a pipe dream. No matter what anybody tells you. Prepare to move away from home, regardless of the stories you are told. It's better to get what you don't expect than to not get what you expect.
On a side note, a few of the responses here are troubling. Someone even went as far to say you must follow orders, even if they are wrong (Unconstitutional?). The very first sentence of the oath states you swear to uphold the Constitution. The Constitution is the supreme law, if orders contradict what it says, the order is Unconstitutional. I, for one, would not do anything in violation of the Constitution. The attitude that all orders are the supreme law is troubling, to me at least. I would never kick down doors of my fellow citizens if the man told me too, regardless of what spin they put on it. If it's wrong, it's wrong...
Like I said, the Marine Corps has an Enlistment Option Incentive Program, and a Geographic Option Incentive Program that can be combined to give you the occupational field and location you desire (east coast, west coast, overseas (japan,guam, & hawaii) provided you have the test scores for the job. and AFQT of at least 50, I believe.
I'm 22 and thought about joining but could never convince myself it's the right move. I have a problem with authority and it seems every member summits to a higher authority at the end of the day rather its a newbie or General Petraeus. Is there a military field that isn't so much like that? For isntance like a plane technician doesn't sound like much politics involved, but is it?
Anyone ever feel like they're not really working for America's interests and constitution set by our founding fathers?
I will tell you what I have told many of my Soldier having a problem with authority "Get out. I do not want you in the Army. I want you to to go back to civilian life and be happy living life as you want it".
If you have a problem with authority I do not even know why you entertain the thought of joining. I wish you do not join. Stay where you are. You will probably save yourself a lot of problems.
Any military career you join will have have a structured military chain of command. You will have a boss and bosses come in a wide variety, some very delegative and some very authoritative. You do not get to choose what type of boss you will get.
Also, I read in one of your messages that we have to follow orders blindly, wrong! I have been in the military 31 years and I have never followed orders blindly. Some may want me to do that but I do not. When I was a private I often asked the intent behind any order to understand it better. However, there are times an order cannot be explained anymore due to the sensitivity of the mission. In those cases you have your have to go on the trust of your leaders to do the mission. Granted leaders have acted wrongly but that happens anywhere, not just the military.
A higher authority? All I can tell you that there are times that leaders may have to give orders that you may not agree with. You have to rely on your military training on ethics and follow your conscience but you will have to be very sure you are right if you must go against an order.
There are policies that may originate from the President or a decision to go to war. You do not have the luxury and are not in the position to dictate national policies either. You may not agree with a war, in those case you may have to go to war and all I can say that you can still act ethically at your level of responsiblity whether that war is just or not.
This precept is important because an Army cannot be functional if every Soldier has the option what war to accept or not.
The bottom line on you? I would recommend you not enlist. Stay where you are and be happy living your life. I do not think you have the personality to be a Soldier if you have problem with following orders because you have a problem with authority.
I say this not as a put down but with sincere intent.
One question, do you think outside the military there are no politics involved, not have someone giving you orders? I think those things exist. If you have such a problem with that, be your own boss and have your own business so no one tell you what to do. Even then, your customers will have a type of authority if you want to survive.
I'm being serious here. I would like to serve my country, but I want to make sure I'm not being counter-productive. And I rather not be told where to PCS or live. Is there a way around this?
Having served in two branchs of the military for over 11 years, I would advise you to find a different way to serve your country. I would say that just from the tone of your posts, you do not understand what it takes nor have the attitude it takes to be in the military.
Serving in the military means sacrifice... sacrificing your will to serve the nation. It means sacrificing your pride and serving those appointed over you, even if you don't agree with them, even if you don't like them, and you do it respectfully. From the officer who is fresh out of college and younger than you all the way up to the Commander-in-Chief...
Having served in two branchs of the military for over 11 years, I would advise you to find a different way to serve your country. I would say that just from the tone of your posts, you do not understand what it takes nor have the attitude it takes to be in the military.
Serving in the military means sacrifice... sacrificing your will to serve the nation. It means sacrificing your pride and serving those appointed over you, even if you don't agree with them, even if you don't like them, and you do it respectfully. From the officer who is fresh out of college and younger than you all the way up to the Commander-in-Chief...
I second that wholeheartedly!!! I had Soldiers with that attitude and mostly were the troublemakers and often are the ones that ended up getting discharded due to getting in trouble very often. The are the "barracks lawyers" and the ones that like to be spreading rummors and bad attitudes in the unit.
i agree with elamigo and ihop. you don't sound like the kind of person that would enjoy the military or do well there. obviously we can't really make that judgment since we don't know you, but there are a dozen senior enlisted just in this thread alone that would dread having someone under their command with the motivations and experience that you are showing here.
there are many ways in which you can serve your country and your loved ones, and it doesn't have to be in the military–especially if you are going to be one of those that decides that you hate it after you've arrived at the training depot.
think long and hard about this before doing anything life-changing. talk to some of the disgruntled types (those that also chaff at authority); watch a few youtube videos; etc. don't sign up and expect to find some pipe-smoking, kumbaya-singing frat-house.
Yep my nephew is in that boat. He's 21lbs over. Not sure he'll make it through boot camp but he surprised me by graduating from High School. Army or Marines will be a good thing for him, IF he makes it through boot camp. IF he loses the weight.
My poor brother, joined the Marines way back when. When it was time for him to head to San Diego, they weighed him in the RO in Des Moines, IA. He was a tad bit over. They starved him for 3 days - made him sit in a hotel room - until he made weight. Then they took him to McD's and let him pig out. Poor kid, worst thing they could have done cuz he was sicker than a dog once he made it to CA. *L*
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