Military Recruitment Question

[SicEmBaylor]

I have a quesiton about Army recruitment. If you're fresh out of college with a B.A. and you enlist then do you get an automatic commission? Or do they send you to officer's training school first? How does that sort of thing work?

Also, can you request and reasonably expect to be assigned to whatever branch of the army suits you? For example, if one wanted to be assigned to armor and attend the tank school at Ft. Knox then would such a request be honored?

[Okla-homey]

I have a quesiton about Army recruitment. Question 1: If you're fresh out of college with a B.A. and you enlist then do you get an automatic commission? Question 2: Or do they send you to officer's training school first? Question 3: How does that sort of thing work?

Question 4: Also, can you request and reasonably expect to be assigned to whatever branch of the army suits you? Question 5: For example, if one wanted to be assigned to armor and attend the tank school at Ft. Knox then would such a request be honored?

1. No
2. You must apply for OCS, before enlistment. Otherwise, if you enlist, you will serve your enlistment as an enlisted soldier.
3. See #2 above
4. You can ask, but needs of the Army come first.
5. Only the top grads in each OCS class get to choose their branch, everyone else gets what the Army decides, and its a matter of what the Army needs at the moment, not what they think a candidate would be good at.

[jk the sooner fan]

you can get a direct commission if you have a special skill set like......doctor, or nurse....or lawyer

outside of that, what homey said....

i think however, if you enlisted with a degree, they'd promote you to E-4 upon graduation from basic......at least it used to be that way

[Okla-homey]

you can get a direct commission if you have a special skill set like......doctor, or nurse....or lawyer

outside of that, what homey said....

i think however, if you enlisted with a degree, they'd promote you to E-4 upon graduation from basic......at least it used to be that way

...which means you might get to be the guy who decides when your shiite-shoveling detail breaks for lunch...which is a plus.;)

Seriously, I encountered lots of folks with degrees serving as enlisted persons during my career. There is no real distinction made. That said, if a guy or gal is sharp and is good at their job, they can often get recommended for a commissioning program, but there are no guarentees. If a person wants to get commissioned, its usually best to pursue that route first, before enlisting. After you sign on the dotted line, all bets are off.

Note: recruiters are likely to tell you anything. If you only want to serve as an armor officer, the only way I know that can be assured is to pursue commisioning with a National Guard or Army Reserve armor outfit. There are a few out there, but don't think there are any in Oklahoma.

[jk the sooner fan]

if you have good eyesight, you can apply for the "high school to flight school", and you'd go to basic training, graduate, and then head straight to WOCS (i spent 8 lovely weeks at this course).....you'd graduate a Warrant Officer and then head to flight school

[OUinFLA]

Apply for OCS. You can do this without enlisting.
Do not enlist. Regardless of what the recruiter "tells" you. Make sure you have fully understood what he has said.
If you are accepted for OCS, then all is cool, unless you flunk out.
It's no Baylor, you know.
:D

[SicEmBaylor]

Well, after this semester I'll be working on my masters in public policy. I don't know if that counts as a specialization. If it does then I imagine the Army would stick me in some sort of civil affairs unit. I've given some thought to joining the Army after school, but I'm really only interested in becoming an armor officer. If they're going to stick me in civil affairs then I can get a civilian Pentagon job doing the same thing for a bit more money.

The idea of flying is intriguing, but I have no interest at all in becoming a pilot.

[chriscappel]

you rank in the different fields which you would rather be....mp, artilery, etc... 1-7. your app then goes to the first on your list if they want you they will take you...if not it will go to number 2...the process continues until you get picked up. BUT BE SURE YOU ARE ACCEPTED INTO OCS BEFORE YOU SIGN UP!!!

[Okla-homey]

BUT BE SURE YOU ARE ACCEPTED INTO OCS BEFORE YOU SIGN UP!!!

The above admonition is impossible to overstate.

[Okla-homey]

Well, after this semester I'll be working on my masters in public policy. I don't know if that counts as a specialization. If it does then I imagine the Army would stick me in some sort of civil affairs unit.

It doesn't count. the only thing that counts are the professions as someone mentioned. Besides, Civil Affairs is mostly a reservist gig. I never met a regular Army Civil Affairs officer.

You must understand, the Army (like all the services) takes guys regardless of academic background and makes them into what it needs. Particularly so with young guys like yourself. Afterall, and don't take this wrong because its not a slam in any way, but how much could a kid under 25 know about the square root of dogcrap anyway? Sorry to break it to you, but that's just the way it is.

[jk the sooner fan]

It doesn't count. the only thing that counts are the professions as someone mentioned. Besides, Civil Affairs is mostly a reservist gig. I never met a regular Army Civil Affairs officer.

You must understand, the Army (like all the services) takes guys regardless of academic background and makes them into what it needs. Particularly so with young guys like yourself. Afterall, and don't take this wrong because its not a slam in any way, but how much could a kid under 25 know about the square root of dogcrap anyway? Sorry to break it to you, but that's just the way it is.

yep.

[afs]

being an Intel geek, Army Cival Affairs would be a sweet gig.

[SicEmBaylor]

It doesn't count. the only thing that counts are the professions as someone mentioned. Besides, Civil Affairs is mostly a reservist gig. I never met a regular Army Civil Affairs officer.

You must understand, the Army (like all the services) takes guys regardless of academic background and makes them into what it needs. Particularly so with young guys like yourself. Afterall, and don't take this wrong because its not a slam in any way, but how much could a kid under 25 know about the square root of dogcrap anyway? Sorry to break it to you, but that's just the way it is.

Oh I didn't mean to come across as expecting the army to grant my every whim or anything. I was just wondering how to go about getting a commission and if it would be possible to request a specific branch of the army.

At any rate, joining is just a thought I've had for a couple of years now. Probably won't do it but if the circumstances are right and that's what I decided to do then it'd be a great opportunity.

[afs]

if it's something you've thought about for awhile and you feel almost called to follow through, i'd do it. i get ****ed off at work on a weekly basis, but the experience of the USAF is second to none.

[Okla-homey]

if it's something you've thought about for awhile and you feel almost called to follow through, i'd do it. i get ****ed off at work on a weekly basis, but the experience of the USAF is second to none.

yep, and I can virtually guarentee in the AF you will always be learning stuff you can apply to a civilian gig.

[OUinFLA]

Navy guy here.
I say go AF.
Great duty stations.
No shipboard life.
No sand in your boots.
Nice safe distance from the bad action.
Unless you are flying that is.

[Shamrock]

1. No
2. You must apply for OCS, before enlistment. Otherwise, if you enlist, you will serve your enlistment as an enlisted soldier.
3. See #2 above
4. You can ask, but needs of the Army come first.
5. Only the top grads in each OCS class get to choose their branch, everyone else gets what the Army decides, and its a matter of what the Army needs at the moment, not what they think a candidate would be good at.
The Army always needs Officers in the Combat Arms branches. If he wanted to be a tanker, he most likely would have that wish honored. Infantry and Armor are the two highest needs for young 2LT's.

I hope he has fun at the Benning School for Boys ...... I was IOBC Class 10-87.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Navy guy here.
I say go AF.
Great duty stations.
No shipboard life.
No sand in your boots.
Nice safe distance from the bad action.
Unless you are flying that is.
Yup

And you get to dress up like a bus driver.;)

[Okla-homey]

Oh I didn't mean to come across as expecting the army to grant my every whim or anything. I was just wondering how to go about getting a commission and if it would be possible to request a specific branch of the army.

At any rate, joining is just a thought I've had for a couple of years now. Probably won't do it but if the circumstances are right and that's what I decided to do then it'd be a great opportunity.

That's cool, you just need to understand something about the military, ideally before you enter; its not about the individual, its about the needs of the service. Needs of the service, regardless of the branch or arm you're in, will always trump individual desires -- unless your father-in-law is a lieutenant general, but that's another story, not mine, but a guy I knew.

Some people spend an entire tour and never figure that out. They are usually the ones who separate later all p1ssed-off about the heartless <insert any branch name here> personnel weenies never letting them do anything cool.

That's not to say you can't have a rewarding, challenging, purposeful time in the military. You absolutely can and I did. I mostly had a ball during my career, but I always knew that was largely due to the fact my personal 'druthers usually concided w/the needs of Big Blue. Which was nice.

Finally, no matter what job or assignment a guy ends up with, if he does hope to cross-train into something else, he must first impress his command chain by doing a great job in his current gig. No supervisor or commander is likely to endorse a cross-training or branch-transfer request if the requester is a dud.

IMHO, there are few things more pathetic (in or out of the military) than some Mopey McMoper "woe is me-ing" around the duty section lamenting the fact he can't be an astronaut or something --when he won't (or can't) even do a good job where he is at that instant.

That's all I got for you on this. Good luck, and good for you for being interested in serving your country. It is a noble endeavor and worthy of your best efforts, especially now while we're at war.

[Desert Sapper]

Join the AF if you want to get job skills for the future.

Join the Navy if you want to stay as safe as possible and still be in the military (unless you are a SEAL).

Join the Army if you want to develop your character (and go kill bad guys in dark corners of the world). 11 and 18 series are the way to go for the best training for these things.

Join the Marines if you want to kill bad guys in dark corners of the world.

[Okla-homey]

Join the AF if you want to get job skills for the future.

Join the Navy if you want to stay as safe as possible and still be in the military (unless you are a SEAL).

Join the Army if you want to develop your character (and go kill bad guys in dark corners of the world). 11 and 18 series are the way to go for the best training for these things.

Join the Marines if you want to kill bad guys in dark corners of the world.

Hey! Big Blue kills people too. Sometimes with bullets. Sometimes with missiles launched from RPV's.

Now, don't you have a levee to repair somewhere or something? (I keed, I keed!)

Essayon!

Men of honor, stop your dreaming,
Can't you see their bayonets gleaming,
See their warrior pennants streaming,
To this battle field.

Men of honor, stand ye steady,
It can not be ever said ye,
For this battle were not ready.
Sappers will not yield.

Hear the cannon pounding, pounding.
From the hills resounding, sounding.
Sound the horn, and forward toward,
The mighty force surrounding.

Men of honor, stand ye steady,
Ye shall ever be at ready,
To the frightful foe afore Ye.
Sappers will not yield.

Men of honor, start replying,
On courage and strength relying,
To the fray ahead be flying.
Sappers will not yield.

[Desert Sapper]

The first time I see a non-PJ AF guy kill somebody, I'll agree. And just remember, Engineers (21B) are just infantrymen with shovels and heavier, demo-laden rucks. I said it before, everybody can follow the infantry after the engineer clears the obstacle. Engineers lead the way. Essayons!

[Okla-homey]

The first time I see a non-PJ AF guy kill somebody, I'll agree. And just remember, Engineers (21B) are just infantrymen with shovels and heavier, demo-laden rucks. I said it before, everybody can follow the infantry after the engineer clears the obstacle. Engineers lead the way. Essayons!

I like bangalore torpedo mines myself. Peem me if you have any extra's laying around no one would miss...oh and that explosive rope stuff you guys use to clear paths thru minefields. That stuff RMFO.

"say hello to my little friend"

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4944/cbu97b16lw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9248/cbu97358ts.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1136/cbu01sfw0bb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[NYSooner1355]

Yup

And you get to dress up like a bus driver.;)

um, that's an airline pilot we dress up as :D

[Desert Sapper]

OK, the AF definitely has combat power. My issue is with them causing more problems than they solve. Big bombs are sexy, but they kill more non-combatants than bad guys most of the time. I can't even tell you how many mothers we had to console because their kid stepped on a bomblet or something. A-10s rock, and its always nice when you call in an airstrike and it comes on time. When I said killing bad guys, I meant killing bad guys and being able to see them.

[chriscappel]

I say GO NAVY! of course I am in so that might be a little biased....unless you want to be a civilian in uniform then join the "Chair Force" :D

[Okla-homey]

When I said killing bad guys, I meant killing bad guys and being able to see them.

I disagree.

In a CAS situation, you're not allowed to strafe, drop a bomb or launch a missile unless you have your eye on the target, and there is either an AF guy illuminating it for the strike jet or his eye is talked onto the target by an AF Tactical Air Control Party or Combat Controller.

Also, have you not seen AC-130 targeting imagery?. Those guys too definately can see the bad guys they're hosing.