Thinking of Joining the Army!

GodBoy809 · Sep 28, 2005

So here i go on my, almost, own and I'm halfway with having my associates in Criminal Justice, and well money is tight. My mom helps my out a lot when i need it, but mostly i'm living off my financal aid. Recently my college had a career fair and The local police and the county police departments are there and so are the marines and the army. And well both of the police stands were busy and i was standing waiting my turn when the army guy walks up and starts talking to me about maybe joining the army, and well i've never thought about or looked into anything dealing with the army. So he's tlaking to me and i tell him that i'm looking to go into Law enforcement and more specifically investigations and such. So he picks up one of the brochures sitting ont he table and starts explaing that i can do that in the army too, that they have their own police and investigations unit (army guys plz dont get mad i didnt know this..non of my family , except for my grandfather and thats cus he was drafted, is in the millitary).

So i was wandering if it is a good idea to join the army or just stay with what i was planning on. I figure that inthe army i will get better training and experience that with a local or state level job. Plus the army will pay for everything, in terms of school and what not. The only thing i'm not sure of is that i'm kinda out of shape and i'm worried that i will die (not literally) at basic. Also my mom isnt really comfortable with the idea of me being in the army cause i could die...but she was fine with my joining the police.. i dont really get that. ANyway, comments welcome!

ForgivenToo · Sep 28, 2005

i think it's a great idea. I'm currently dating a guy that is in the army reserves and is an MP. If you join the reserves your looking at one weekend a month 2 weeks a year, and being the last on the list to be called (from what i understand) to go to war and such. I've seen his video from basic and you couldn't pay me to do it, but lots of people do, so if this is the direction you want to go, i say go for it, make a commitment to it and you'll be able to do it. As far as being out of shape, heck, the army will get you there. Good luck with what you decide to do.

pinqy · Sep 28, 2005

Reserve MPs are first on the list to be activated, for any activation. Joining any of the services' police forces (don't neglect the navy, marines, or airforce) will give you training and experience and money for college. A lot depends on your ultimate goal, though. If you're considering Federal Law Enforcement (FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service), then it doesn't matter what you do in the military as long as you have active military service and a degree. For those cases, you might be better off going into military intelligence, especially as a linguist.

buffedstuff · Sep 28, 2005

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FookJesus · Sep 28, 2005

You're a dumbass....but they will pay for your college....DEVRY COLLGE that is.

*****

HumbleSiPilot77 · Sep 29, 2005

I am in the Army currently, I am enlisted but would definitely go Warrant, and I am planning on it... Let me know if I can be of any help...

GodBoy809 · Sep 29, 2005

ok ok i got it figured out. I'm going to transfer from my current college to one of the Military Academies near where i live and enroll int he ROTC program. THat way i get Basic and my degree out of the way at the same time. Plus when i graduate i come out a comissioned officer in what ever division it was i trained in.. i see that as a win-win, cus i get to do what i want in the army and i get my degree finsihed at the same time...plus i start out as a 1stLietenant..sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.

HumbleSiPilot77 · Sep 29, 2005

You start as a 2nd Lt. but anyway, what branch do you want to be in the Army?

GodBoy809 · Sep 29, 2005

pff i knew that...

something with the MP or MI was what i am shooting for.

pinqy · Sep 29, 2005

Plus when i graduate i come out a comissioned officer in what ever division it was i trained in.. i see that as a win-win, cus i get to do what i want in the army and i get my degree finsihed at the same time

I have never heard of automatically getting your pick of branch as an officer; you get a "wish list" which is just that. Unless there's some change I've missed you get assigned your branch by "them," and only get to state preference. Enlisted get choice of MOS, but I've never heard of an officer getting to choose more than stating a preference.

HumbleSiPilot77 · Sep 29, 2005

I have never heard of automatically getting your pick of branch as an officer; you get a "wish list" which is just that. Unless there's some change I've missed you get assigned your branch by "them," and only get to state preference. Enlisted get choice of MOS, but I've never heard of an officer getting to choose more than stating a preference.

That is exactly right, if you are high speed enough and needs of the Army permitting, you will get your first or second choice, that is why I wish to go Warrant.

GodBoy809 · Sep 30, 2005

pinqy said:
I have never heard of automatically getting your pick of branch as an officer; you get a "wish list" which is just that. Unless there's some change I've missed you get assigned your branch by "them," and only get to state preference. Enlisted get choice of MOS, but I've never heard of an officer getting to choose more than stating a preference.

hmm, well the way the website makes it sound like you did get to pick, i never read anything that said it was a "wish list" i'll have to take this in mind, but i still really wanna go through with it.

pinqy · Sep 30, 2005

The devil is in the details. No, they'll never tell you you're not guaranteed branch, or assignment, or schools etc until it becomes more difficult for you to get out.

Ok, advantages and disadvanges: Enlist and you are guaranteed MP if you choose it. For MI, getting it depends on passing the schools (my class in language school started with 100, finished with 70) and getting the security clearance. If you have immediate family who are not US citizens, or close contacts back in Kyrgyzstan (assuming your icon is correct) then you will have a lot of difficulty getting a Top Secret Clearance. Some MI jobs only require a Secret, so it's not out entirely.

Disadvantages are the lower pay and once you're in, you're committed for 8 years immediately. It will delay getting your degree, though you do get a lot of money from the GI Bill and Army College Fund.

ROTC: You're not committed until your Junior year. I think you're not committed until you go to the camp between Junior and Senior year if you're not on scholarship. Officers get better pay. You get your degree earlier.

Disadvantages: You have to take your chances with branch assignement.

I'm sure you'll come up with more advantages and disadvantes after talking to a recruiter. Take your time and figure out what works best for you overall.

GodBoy809 · Sep 30, 2005

first off, i'm flag is wrong..kinda an inside joke in the teen room. anyway

yes i was aware for the advantages/disadvantages you mentioned before..just minus the fact that they dont tell you what branch you go into..i was under the impression that you get to pick. So..i'm debating heavily on whether i wanna do this or not...luckly i still have another 3 months before this semester is over.. so i'm gonna sit on it..but plz keep comments/objections comming.

HumbleSiPilot77 · Sep 30, 2005

If you have immediate family who are not US citizens, or close contacts back in Kyrgyzstan (assuming your icon is correct) then you will have a lot of difficulty getting a Top Secret Clearance.

My parents are Turkish, not US citizens. For Rotary aviator I am required to get Secret, any difficulty on that one you think? And is top secret totally OUT for naturalized citizens?

Harlan Norris · Sep 30, 2005

GodBoy809 said:
So here i go on my, almost, own and I'm halfway with having my associates in Criminal Justice, and well money is tight. My mom helps my out a lot when i need it, but mostly i'm living off my financal aid. Recently my college had a career fair and The local police and the county police departments are there and so are the marines and the army. And well both of the police stands were busy and i was standing waiting my turn when the army guy walks up and starts talking to me about maybe joining the army, and well i've never thought about or looked into anything dealing with the army. So he's tlaking to me and i tell him that i'm looking to go into Law enforcement and more specifically investigations and such. So he picks up one of the brochures sitting ont he table and starts explaing that i can do that in the army too, that they have their own police and investigations unit (army guys plz dont get mad i didnt know this..non of my family , except for my grandfather and thats cus he was drafted, is in the millitary).

So i was wandering if it is a good idea to join the army or just stay with what i was planning on. I figure that inthe army i will get better training and experience that with a local or state level job. Plus the army will pay for everything, in terms of school and what not. The only thing i'm not sure of is that i'm kinda out of shape and i'm worried that i will die (not literally) at basic. Also my mom isnt really comfortable with the idea of me being in the army cause i could die...but she was fine with my joining the police.. i dont really get that. ANyway, comments welcome!

Think it over CAREFULLY, your life is on the line.

pinqy · Oct 1, 2005

Bushmaster said:
My parents are Turkish, not US citizens. For Rotary aviator I am required to get Secret, any difficulty on that one you think? And is top secret totally OUT for naturalized citizens?

Secret won't be a problem. Top Secret is not out for naturalized citizens (I've known several), it's just harder. Some Top Secret Clearances require that the individual has no immediate family who are foreign nationals. But waivers are not difficult to get (I needed one). The key is that of threat. A foreign government having power over people you care about is something to be considered for security, regardless of country. Divided loyalty to your original country, loyalty of family members: all concerns. Most of the time they won't be real concerns after investigation.

monkman · Oct 1, 2005

pinqy said:
No, they'll never tell you you're not guaranteed branch, or assignment, or schools

This sounds kinda odd. I had a marine brochure, and it said something about getting to pick which branch of the marines you're in, with some exceptions.
Also, I was always under the impression you could choose whether you join the army, marines, air force, or coast guard.

Also, I have a friend who got to choose what school he went to (in this case, the Citadel). And I have a hard time imagining that I would sign up for the AFA and they say that I was accepted, and then send me to west point.

Just saying.

HumbleSiPilot77 · Oct 2, 2005

Secret won't be a problem.

Thanks... I always had the idea that if I could not get top secret than my naturalized citizenship was not enough to them to accept me as loyal to this country as I am very loyal and in love with this country. I was en route to AF and they required TS for flight programs, however I ended up in the Army and they just ask for secret. Turkey is not a country that its government would have power over my parents. Once they visited their house to ask where I was at since it was draft time for them but I was already here and didn't want to go back.

My secret investigation then only can have problems because I had a run-in with the INS law back in 2001, that didn't result in any serious consequence, just delayed my greencard but since an arrest is involved, I kept all the docs that is related to the incident so I can explain my situation if they see that an interview is necessary.

GodBoy809 · Oct 2, 2005

Harlan Norris said:
Think it over CAREFULLY, your life is on the line.

i will dont worry.

monkman said:
Also, I was always under the impression you could choose whether you join the army, marines, air force, or coast guard.

yeah you can, i just want to join the army.

Thinking of Joining the Army!

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