This is the beginning of, well... the beginning

[Melo]

I meet with my recruiter today at 130, where I will be taken in a cab downtown to take my ASVAB. I will then go to a hotel and sleep, where at 4 the next morning, I will wake up to do my MEPS and job counseling.

On one hand, I am extremely excited and can not wait. I know the road ahead of me will be tough, but I eagerly anticipate the hard work, discipline, structure and chance at self fulfillment.

On the other hand, Im very nervous. This is all so new to me, it IS a lot of hard work, and Im very afraid of not being tough enough.

Knowing this a big commitment that will change my life forever, be that good or bad, makes me very nervous. Ive always been the cocky, self-assured girl, full of self worth, no matter what anyone said to me. I know when I go off and do this, everything will change, including my self perception. I dont know if it will be good or not.

I find myself thinking, lately, that its finally time to be an adult, that everything Ive known is now different. I cant be a 20 year old carefree, self righteous girl anymore. And knowing that all is ending is one of the most sad things Ive had to face in a long time.

Im scared, Im crying, but Im also excited.

I really wanted to throw a thank you out there to the people who have PMed me with endless support and information. I made the decision on my own, but you guys really cemented the idea in my head that this is what I need to do.

So thank you.

[soonerbrat]

they will break you down and then build you back up

did you decide on Air Force?

[olevetonahill]

Good Luck Kid
Im Proud of ya.

[OUDoc]

Good luck, melo. Sounds like you're doing the right thing.

[12]

I've seen the military life turn several of my friends' lives around. Good for you, Melo. Make us proud.

[sitzpinkler]

Don't let them stick you in a job you don't want to do. Pick something you like and don't let them try to sway you out of it just to ship you off earlier.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Will you be going in as a musician?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Good luck...good decision for you

[frankensooner]

Will you be going in as a musician?

I understand that is a great place to be in the armed services.

[Howzit]

Um...hello...you're meeting your recruiter at 1330...

good luck, Melo. Hope this works out for you.

[Melo]

Yes on AF
No on musician.
I love music, but I want to continue to love it. I cant do it for a job. Found that out after two years of studying it.
Im wanting to go into intelligence.
Have my eye on counter intel, but really, all of it is appealing to me.

[shaun4411]

better chance of intel as an officer. id have signed up and went in as an officer if i wasnt fat. military hates fatties =(

[SoonerInKCMO]

I find myself thinking, lately, that its finally time to be an adult, that everything Ive known is now different. I cant be a 20 year old carefree, self righteous girl anymore.

Man, I'm waaay behind schedule. :D


Good luck.

[Viking Kitten]

Good luck Melo, for realz. I've got a 19-year-old niece whom I wish would have the guts to turn her life around by doing something like this. :(

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

Good luck, young one.

[soonerbrat]

you could be in the band just in boot camp..you get out of a lot drills and stuff for that.

[Widescreen]

Best of luck. I know it's scary but lots of people far less prepared than you have gone in an excelled. You'll be great.

[Hamhock]

good luck...

don't forget the group shower pics.

[frankensooner]

I thought Hamhock hated all gubmint employees? :)

best wishes to you, Melo.

[Mixer!]

Good Luck, Melo.

[Melo]

better chance of intel as an officer. id have signed up and went in as an officer if i wasnt fat. military hates fatties =(

Better chance, but they do have intel jobs for enlistment. Ive also been trying to research the AFOSI a bit. Havent found much on it. Which intrigues me...



you could be in the band just in boot camp..you get out of a lot drills and stuff for that.

Thats the point, though. Im not LOOKING to get out of ANYTHING. I want to pay my dues, do what I have to do, and get out of it everything there is to get out. Ive been cutting corners my whole life and getting what I want. This is different, this is bigger, and I dont think it deserves a halfa**ed effort from me.

[Melo]

Oh.
And thank you, everyone, again, for the support.
Yall arent too bad sometimes.
:D

[OKC-SLC]

good for you, Melo

[fadada1]

good for you and good luck. i would've said go to the NAVY, but at least all the air force bases have decent golf courses.:D

don't worry about anything. the sun will come up tomorrow... it'll be hard work, but you'll just be a better person for doing this.

[Okla-homey]

You'll do great!

1) Always do your best

3) Always tell the truth, and if you say you'll do something, do it.

Those two things will insure your success in Big Blue. The rest are just variations on those two themes.

[colleyvillesooner]

This is different, this is bigger, and I dont think it deserves a halfa**ed effort from me.

Man, you really don't fit in here....:D

Good luck, kid.

[fadada1]

You'll do great!

1) Always do your best

3) Always tell the truth, and if you say you'll do something, do it.

Those two things will insure your success in Big Blue. The rest are just variations on those two themes.

is number 2 - learn how to count in a military fashion?;)

[texas bandman]

Yes on AF
No on musician.
I love music, but I want to continue to love it. I cant do it for a job. Found that out after two years of studying it.
Im wanting to go into intelligence.
Have my eye on counter intel, but really, all of it is appealing to me.

Too bad about no to the musician. Playing your horn in the military is a whole lot different than studying it in college (I've done both.). Sometimes college can just suck the life out of what you love. I've been teaching band for 25 years and I've never used 70% of the crap they made me study. Playing in the military is a job and there is BS in whatever job you take, but playing my horn made the BS alot more tolerable. Good luck on whatever you do!! Remember that basic will end in 8 weeks. It might feel like forever, but it will be over soon enough.:)

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Good luck Melo!

[shaun4411]

Better chance, but they do have intel jobs for enlistment. Ive also been trying to research the AFOSI a bit. Havent found much on it. Which intrigues me...




Thats the point, though. Im not LOOKING to get out of ANYTHING. I want to pay my dues, do what I have to do, and get out of it everything there is to get out. Ive been cutting corners my whole life and getting what I want. This is different, this is bigger, and I dont think it deserves a halfa**ed effort from me.

afosi would be cool! i believe you need a degree though.

[afs]

If you do make it into Intel, I'll keep my out for you. Always good to have some Sooner fans in the office.

If you've got some last minute questions let me know, I've got 3 hours to kill in the Cincy airport.

[stoopified]

God Bless

[reevie]

Good luck!

Tell them you don't want to go Lackland in August though.

[SoonerBOI]

Good Luck!

[olevetonahill]

Yes on AF
No on musician.
I love music, but I want to continue to love it. I cant do it for a job. Found that out after two years of studying it.
Im wanting to go into intelligence.
Have my eye on counter intel, but really, all of it is appealing to me.

Military Inteligence, Is an Oxymoron !
Just sayin :P

[olevetonahill]

better chance of intel as an officer. id have signed up and went in as an officer if i wasnt fat and Stupid. military hates fat & stupid =(

We understand

[afs]

Yes on AF
No on musician.
I love music, but I want to continue to love it. I cant do it for a job. Found that out after two years of studying it.
Im wanting to go into intelligence.
Have my eye on counter intel, but really, all of it is appealing to me.

Intel and Counter-Intel are two different areas. AFOSI handles counter-intel responsibilities, along with the other fun criminal investigations. No, you don't have to have a degree to be an Enlisted AFOSI agent.

[shaun4411]

We understand

i actually have a 160 iq. im just fat. not stupid.

[Curly Bill]

Good luck! ...and God Bless.

[usmc-sooner]

good luck Melo

don't worry to much if you can make it through the Girl Scouts, or Brownies then the AF's boot camp won't give you any problem. :D

[olevetonahill]

good luck Melo

don't worry to much if you can make it through the Girl Scouts, or Brownies then the AF's boot camp won't give you any problem. :D

:D :D :D :D :D
Trudat:)

[olevetonahill]

i actually have a 160 iq. im just fat. not stupid.

So Like SB68 said That IQ puts food On yer table?
In your Case I guess thats true :cool:

[OUstudent4life]

good luck Melo!

[shaun4411]

So Like SB68 said That IQ puts food On yer table?
In your Case I guess thats true :cool:

the iq helped get the level of education i have, which got me a piece of paper which got me the job interview which worked out well because they hired me and pay me which puts food on the plate ensuing in to my belly. and it is all very DELICIOUS.

[olevetonahill]

the iq helped get the level of education i have, which got me a piece of paper which got me the job interview which worked out well because they hired me and pay me which puts food on the plate ensuing in to my belly. and it is all very DELICIOUS.

Aint that what I said Fatass ?
only with less words ?
:P

[olevetonahill]

Back to Melo
Im as proud Of you as if you were My Own .;)

[Frozen Sooner]

i actually have a 160 iq. im just fat. not stupid.

I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, but it's interesting how many people on message boards claim to be several standard deviations above median IQ and how statistically unlikely it would be to find several such outliers in a fairly limited population-even a non-random sample like posters on a college sports message board.

Again, not directing that at anyone in particular nor am I necessarily doubting anyone's assertions.

For example, a 160 IQ is four standard deviations above mean. 99.99366575163% of the population fits between four standard deviations, so (1-.9999366575163)/2=.003167124185% of a random population will have an IQ above 160. Or one in every approximately 31,500 people.

[olevetonahill]

I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, but it's interesting how many people on message boards claim to be several standard deviations above median IQ and how statistically unlikely it would be to find several such outliers in a fairly limited population-even a non-random sample like posters on a college sports message board.

Again, not directing that at anyone in particular nor am I necessarily doubting anyone's assertions.

Dont Be dissin me :mad:
My IQs A tad More than the speed Limit In the skool zone :P

[Curly Bill]

I once scored a 152 on one of those Internet IQ tests...

...I think maybe the test was fail. :D

Na hell, I am at least smart enough to know the test was fail. :D

[royalfan5]

good luck

[olevetonahill]

I once scored a 152 on one of those Internet IQ tests...

...I think maybe the test was fail. :D

Na hell, I am at least smart enough to know the test was fail. :D

I flew a 152 Once . then went to a 160
Bot a 180 .:D

[shaun4411]

I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, but it's interesting how many people on message boards claim to be several standard deviations above median IQ and how statistically unlikely it would be to find several such outliers in a fairly limited population-even a non-random sample like posters on a college sports message board.

Again, not directing that at anyone in particular nor am I necessarily doubting anyone's assertions.

For example, a 160 IQ is four standard deviations above mean. 99.99366575163% of the population fits between four standard deviations, so (1-.9999366575163)/2=.003167124185% of a random population will have an IQ above 160. Or one in every approximately 31,500 people.

There is a lot of ego masturbation at the MENSA meetings.

[sooner_born_1960]

I got invited to join MENSA one time, but after reading the requirements, I realized I didn't want to hang out with such relative maroons. ;)

[Howzit]

I can make farting noises with my hand and armpit, stand on one leg, and whistle Moon River simlutaneously.

Top THAT britches.

[TMcGee86]

Congrats Melo. That is something to be very proud of.

And thanks in advance for your service. ;)

[Howzit]

uPdate?

I can do it with the hand/arm and standing on the other leg, too.

[Harry Beanbag]

Im wanting to go into intelligence.
Have my eye on counter intel, but really, all of it is appealing to me.


Good luck. I wanted to go into Intelligence when I joined the Navy, but let them talk me into something entirely different and way more difficult. Stick to your guns.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

After deciphering Olevet's and Dolemite's post, intelligence deciphering shouldn't be hard at all.

[StoopTroup]

:pop:

[Melo]

Im back.

ASVAB went smoothly. Walked in, sat down where he showed me, walked out not too long after. I was done before the entire group I walked in with, and even done before half the group that was already in there before me. I was done while doofus next to me was still on part 5, not that I peeked, or anything. ;)

I scored an 84 - 89 in General, 70 something in Admin, 66 in Electronics, and, surprisingly, an 87 in Mechanical.

MEPS was... well, it was definitely an unforgettable experience. Ill never forget being felt up by a 90+ man. :(

Anyways - job counseling. I qualified for every intel job they offer for enlistment. They also told me I would absolutely, fantastically, wonderfully suited for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. They told me not many women choose this job, how well it pays, how many opportunities for me, personally, to succeed and move up into positions of leadership, how well it sets you up for civilian life. Plus, I like sh*t that blows up. However, I have a really awesome friend in the army, who tells me the reason women do not take that job is because its a lot of dirty work, and being that there arent many females in that job, most of the guys dont hold a lot of respect for female leaders. Plus he pointed out that if I make the military into my career, then EOD would be a career of physical labor.

So, I have no idea, really. The intel jobs still appeal to me, very much.

AF liaison told me today I will find out April 15 through April 21 what my job is and when I ship out.

[StoopTroup]

Congrats Melo....

One step closer...

[colleyvillesooner]

congrats.

[Curly Bill]

MEPS...definitely a weird experience.

[soonerboomer93]

congrats melo

[olevetonahill]

Proud of you .

[Melo]

Thanks, everyone.
Im proud of myself, too!

[BigRedJed]

Man, sounds like you're on the right track. Congratulations. Personally, I would pass on the EOD job. Good pay is great, but I'd rather choose a job where one little screw-up didn't result in me being assploded. I screw up too much.

[C&CDean]

No shaun, only you.

[Melo]

I went in to my recruiter, filled out some paperwork, and got out of the EOD. Filled that spot with Electronic signal intel exploitation. Heh.

[Chuck Bao]

Melo, you know you have the support of the Thai poster contingent. You go, girl, fulfill your dreams and make us all proud.

[olevetonahill]

Melo, you know you have the support of the Thai poster contingent. You go, girl, fulfill your dreams and make us all proud.

Shes already made me proud :P

[Tailwind]

Wow....just wow. Turning from a girl into a woman right before our eyes. Gets me all teary-eyed. Lord, please keep our Melo safe and healthy and help her to achieve all her goals.

[olevetonahill]

Wow....just wow. Turning from a girl into a woman right before our eyes. Gets me all teary-eyed. Lord, please keep our Melo safe and healthy and help her to achieve all her goals.

Our Little Girl Is growing up right Befor our Eyes .:cool:

[Tailwind]

Absolutely. I'm proud as hell.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I haven't been this proud since Dolemite got that new Wu-Tang album :)

[Flagstaffsooner]

I went in to my recruiter, filled out some paperwork, and got out of the EOD. Filled that spot with Electronic signal intel exploitation. Heh.Hmm. When I was in EI we did some work around those places. You get to sit in a dark room with headphones on.
Just kidding Lady. Proud of ya.

[olevetonahill]

Hmm. When I was in EI we did some work around those places. You get to sit in a dark room with headphones on.
Just kidding Lady. Proud of ya.

So Just like Now huh ?
:D

[StoopTroup]

General Melo, are the satellite lasers in place?

[Okla-homey]

Melo,
I agree on your assessment of EOD. Plus, guess most of those guys are right now? Hint: sandy like a beach, but no ocean.

I love 'em though. On a shelf in my office I have a Chinese stick grenade I had slept atop for a while (didn't know it was there because it was under my cot, about an inch under the dirt) in Kandahar. When I noticed it one day, those guys guys retrieved it, disarmed it, then made it inert and gave it to me as a souvenir.:D

They have a cool tshirt that says: "EOD. If you see me running...you better run too!"

[reevie]

General Melo, are the satellite lasers in place?

No, but the sharks with freaking lasers on their heads will be here in 5 minutes

[afs]

I went in to my recruiter, filled out some paperwork, and got out of the EOD. Filled that spot with Electronic signal intel exploitation. Heh.


Is it too late to change the 1N5 (ELINT position)? I'd recommend the 1N1, Imagery Int Exploitation or 1N6.

[Okla-homey]

Is it too late to change the 1N5 (ELINT position)? I'd recommend the 1N1, Imagery Int Exploitation or 1N6.

or, do we have an AFSC for foreign technology exploitation? That way, she could blow stuff up and perform intel gathering and analysis.

[Melo]

I have 7 intel jobs written down. I dont even remember which ones I put down.

[Okla-homey]

I have 7 intel jobs written down. I dont even remember which ones I put down.

well...go get the paper and tell us which ones! That way the AF veteran/active-duty brain trust can get the skinny on them for you.
Some intel jobs, like the aforementioned signals intelligence (SIGINT) or electronic emissions intelligence (ELINT) might be a tad boring for a vivacious and free-spirited gal like yourself.;)

Personally, human intel (HUMINT) is prolly the most fun...besides, you might get to help waterboard some Al-Q scum. Which is a plus!

[Melo]

Im at a friends house watching his childrens, so I dont have the papers with me.
I know the signal intel was lower down on my list. Intel applications was the a choice, the exploitation one was down, the two signal intels, and one other, though I cant remember what it was. I can definitely have more info when I get home.

[Melo]

well...go get the paper and tell us which ones! That way the AF veteran/active-duty brain trust can get the skinny on them for you.
Some intel jobs, like the aforementioned signals intelligence (SIGINT) or electronic emissions intelligence (ELINT) might be a tad boring for a vivacious and free-spirited gal like yourself.;)

Personally, human intel (HUMINT) is prolly the most fun...besides, you might get to help waterboard some Al-Q scum. Which is a plus!

Okay, I got the papers.

1N0, 1N1, 1N2, 1N4, the exploitation one, and I think I actually got put down for the general aptitude.

[Okla-homey]

Okay, I got the papers.

1N0, 1N1, 1N2, 1N4, the exploitation one, and I think I actually got put down for the general aptitude.


1N0=operations intel (briefing and debriefing aircrew who fly combat missions)
1N1=imagery analyst (looking at satellite pictures and trying figure out what they depict and what that means)
1N2=communications intel (listening to enemy radio/telephone calls and reading their email)
1N3=a linguist who works side-by-side with 1N2's
1N4=network intel (hacking into enemy communications systems)
1N5= electronic signal exploitation (making sure we can listen to phone calls, radio traffic and e-mail and getting the data to the right analysts, like 1N2's above)

0,1,4 and 5 seem like they would be the most fun to me. Especially 1 if you like looking at pictures to infer what's going on. Those guys also work closely with targeteers and weapons specialist in order to figure out the best way to take stuff out. 0 would mean you would necessarily be on a base with a flying mission and get to deal with the crews. 4 could be very cool if you like that sort of thing. Once you learn how to do the stuff 4's do, after you left service, you could make a lot of money in the civilian sector helping businesses build secure networks.

2 & 3 involve wading thru tons of stuff in order to mine a few useful nuggets. Not so fun.

[jk the sooner fan]

there's a pretty nice job market out there for intel types, especially if you get into the electronic intelligence

contractors like SAIC pay pretty big bucks to young air force E4's getting out after 4 years