Enlistment

Torvald Von Mansee · 11-14-10, 09:14 PM

Just as a general bias, I recommend the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard.

Amusing story: a few weeks ago, I was in an elevator at Bethesda's Naval Hospital, and as the door was closing I asked a Marine general if I should hold it for him. He said nothing. I guess he wanted to go the other way, and/or was a snob. He certainly heard me.

(It was this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_F._Amos)

Rockstar · 11-15-10, 08:33 AM

He heard you alright. It is a well known courtesy that a gentleman should open or hold a door for women. I'd bet he took offense to your gesture, most any General would, especially Marine Corp Generals.

CaptainHaplo · 11-15-10, 08:47 AM

OK - a couple of pieces of advice.

First, I'll give you the advice my dad gave to me.... do you want to walk or ride? Army walks, navy rides.

Like an idiot, I chose walking ROFLMAO!

Seriously though, if I had to recommend a service, from the standpoint of an ole grunt, I'd say go Air Force. Sure, we make fun of zoomies, but I kid you not, I have seen those guys deployed to the desert right next to me.

Know what the difference was? Their tents had air conditioners! I kid you not. The food in their mess halls were better too. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go AF.

Can't speak much to the CG, never dealt much with em.

As for officer vs enlisted, if you go Army and you are in aviation, you can go enlisted and then hit the warrant officer track. Its totally different than being commissioned. The "Walk" track puts you in a unique and useful position. You can also put in for OCS (Officer Candidate School) if you get the education once your in. I know the navy used to have a "mustang" program where enlisted folks who performed could be made junior officers, but that was enlisted to commissioned, and I don't know if that is done anymore.

On a side note, dunno about the navy, but if you want to be a pilot in the Army, you must be an officer - either commissioned or warrant. As enlisted you can be a flight engineer or crew chief, but you can't have "command" of the aircraft. I believe the navy has the same policy though. Air Force and CG I have no clue, but I would suspect its across the board.

AVGWarhawk · 11-15-10, 09:47 AM

Just my experience with family/friends. My bro-in-law joined the Army. Boot was marching, marching and more marching. When not marching he was on his belly working his way through the dirt to some place he could start marching again. The Army was good for him though. It helped him grow up a bit. He was two years and out. Not his cup of tea.

A friend of mine was a nuke boat sailor. USS Hampton. This was the boat that was kind of faking reading the nuke meters....he was part of the crew then! DOH!

He was told at the Navy recruiting station that he would see the world. He did....through a periscope for about a second!

Six months at sea and did not see much of anything. He did that tour for 2 years and is now an instructor in SC. Does ok. Married, two kids and large home. It's a living.

Personally I would be on a surface skimmer. But that is just me and my personality.

Torvald Von Mansee · 11-15-10, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockstar

He heard you alright. It is a well known courtesy that a gentleman should open or hold a door for women. I'd bet he took offense to your gesture, most any General would, especially Marine Corp Generals.

Heh. He was Commandant or Assistant Commandant at the time.

If someone is coming towards an elevator I'm in, I always hold the door for them or ask if they want in.

antikristuseke · 11-15-10, 11:04 AM

Just go where the packs are heavyest, the walks the longest the wfood the ****tyest and the tents the leas waterproof. That will give you the full armed forces experience.

Herr-Berbunch · 11-15-10, 11:23 AM

OK, I'm a Brit, I've worked alongside various other forces and I'd say that the way to go, in terms of comfort and prospects would be the air force. Especially if you can get pilot - multi engine, not fast jet.

Just days after Sept. 11 Thumrait in Oman was transformed into a huge (by our standards...!) deployed base with airconned tents all round, reasonable food, but the downside was a strict two-can rule in the bar! At least there was a bar.

A (Brit) sub came in to Salalah port (very hot) a week or so later and the guys last saw their surrounding environment around Baffin Bay (very cold). Not the best life - see the world, sure, but only in snippets here and there...! I can't imagine the USN being much more keen on sunbathing on the surface either.

Army! Always too much bull. Why walk when you can sail, why sail when you can fly

Weiss Pinguin · 11-15-10, 12:17 PM

I guess I'm kinda in the same boat here - going through my senior year of HS and looking to join the military. At the moment I'm thinking Marines (yeah I know

), even though everyone I know says Navy (most vets I know are Navy

) officer is the way to go, it'll be better and easier for you in the long run, or information/computers cuz it'll be safer etc etc etc.

But honestly, I have no desire at all to be an officer, and I'm not going to join the armed forces to be comfortable and safe. I really have no problem with seeing myself as a grunt mixing it up in the mud.

/discuss

Ducimus · 11-15-10, 04:19 PM

IMO, put any thoughts of jumping out of planes, kicking butt, and taking names out of your head. Unless that's REALLY your thing, and your damn near superman in physique.

Take a job that will get you paid on the outside. Looking back, i wish i had gotten HVAC as a specialty instead of Structures. Those guys make bank on the outside, and everyone loves their Air conditioning, so i doubt their short on work.

In any event, if you go AF, you'd better hit the ground sh88ting Tiffiny cuff links, cross your T's and Dot your I's from the word GO, and play "the game" right away. The new Air Force has little to no tolerance of a young airman's "Growing pains". Nowadays, a dumb mistake early in your career can come back to haunt you later. Getting in and staying in the AF has become competitive.

Gorduz · 11-15-10, 05:38 PM

I cant say much as I only served one year as a conscript in the Norwegian Navy, but generally I think the advises here are worth listening to.

Make sure you get a job that can give you skills useful for a civilian occupation as well. And I don't mean things like leadership and teamwork which is more about personality development than direct skills, I mean theoretical and practical knowledge in fields like computer science, nuclear engineering or logistics and administration. In Norway I have several friends who served as navigational officers on patrol boats and could use their experience to get international navigational certificates for commerce shipping.

If you plan on going into the coast guard my experience in the navy generally suggests that the smaller the ship the better.

11-14-10, 09:14 PM	#1
Torvald Von Mansee Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: CA4528 Posts: 1,693 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Just as a general bias, I recommend the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Amusing story: a few weeks ago, I was in an elevator at Bethesda's Naval Hospital, and as the door was closing I asked a Marine general if I should hold it for him. He said nothing. I guess he wanted to go the other way, and/or was a snob. He certainly heard me. (It was this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_F._Amos) __________________ "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you" - Leon Trotsky

11-15-10, 08:47 AM	#3
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	OK - a couple of pieces of advice. First, I'll give you the advice my dad gave to me.... do you want to walk or ride? Army walks, navy rides. Like an idiot, I chose walking ROFLMAO! Seriously though, if I had to recommend a service, from the standpoint of an ole grunt, I'd say go Air Force. Sure, we make fun of zoomies, but I kid you not, I have seen those guys deployed to the desert right next to me. Know what the difference was? Their tents had air conditioners! I kid you not. The food in their mess halls were better too. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go AF. Can't speak much to the CG, never dealt much with em. As for officer vs enlisted, if you go Army and you are in aviation, you can go enlisted and then hit the warrant officer track. Its totally different than being commissioned. The "Walk" track puts you in a unique and useful position. You can also put in for OCS (Officer Candidate School) if you get the education once your in. I know the navy used to have a "mustang" program where enlisted folks who performed could be made junior officers, but that was enlisted to commissioned, and I don't know if that is done anymore. On a side note, dunno about the navy, but if you want to be a pilot in the Army, you must be an officer - either commissioned or warrant. As enlisted you can be a flight engineer or crew chief, but you can't have "command" of the aircraft. I believe the navy has the same policy though. Air Force and CG I have no clue, but I would suspect its across the board. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

11-15-10, 09:47 AM	#4
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,271 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Just my experience with family/friends. My bro-in-law joined the Army. Boot was marching, marching and more marching. When not marching he was on his belly working his way through the dirt to some place he could start marching again. The Army was good for him though. It helped him grow up a bit. He was two years and out. Not his cup of tea. A friend of mine was a nuke boat sailor. USS Hampton. This was the boat that was kind of faking reading the nuke meters....he was part of the crew then! DOH! He was told at the Navy recruiting station that he would see the world. He did....through a periscope for about a second! Six months at sea and did not see much of anything. He did that tour for 2 years and is now an instructor in SC. Does ok. Married, two kids and large home. It's a living. Personally I would be on a surface skimmer. But that is just me and my personality. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-15-10, 11:23 AM	#7
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	OK, I'm a Brit, I've worked alongside various other forces and I'd say that the way to go, in terms of comfort and prospects would be the air force. Especially if you can get pilot - multi engine, not fast jet. Just days after Sept. 11 Thumrait in Oman was transformed into a huge (by our standards...!) deployed base with airconned tents all round, reasonable food, but the downside was a strict two-can rule in the bar! At least there was a bar. A (Brit) sub came in to Salalah port (very hot) a week or so later and the guys last saw their surrounding environment around Baffin Bay (very cold). Not the best life - see the world, sure, but only in snippets here and there...! I can't imagine the USN being much more keen on sunbathing on the surface either. Army! Always too much bull. Why walk when you can sail, why sail when you can fly __________________

11-15-10, 12:17 PM	#8
Weiss Pinguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 3,333 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 0	I guess I'm kinda in the same boat here - going through my senior year of HS and looking to join the military. At the moment I'm thinking Marines (yeah I know ), even though everyone I know says Navy (most vets I know are Navy ) officer is the way to go, it'll be better and easier for you in the long run, or information/computers cuz it'll be safer etc etc etc. But honestly, I have no desire at all to be an officer, and I'm not going to join the armed forces to be comfortable and safe. I really have no problem with seeing myself as a grunt mixing it up in the mud. /discuss __________________

11-15-10, 08:33 AM	#2
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,614 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	He heard you alright. It is a well known courtesy that a gentleman should open or hold a door for women. I'd bet he took offense to your gesture, most any General would, especially Marine Corp Generals.

11-15-10, 11:04 AM	#6
antikristuseke Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Estland Posts: 4,330 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Just go where the packs are heavyest, the walks the longest the wfood the ****tyest and the tents the leas waterproof. That will give you the full armed forces experience.

11-15-10, 04:19 PM	#9
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	IMO, put any thoughts of jumping out of planes, kicking butt, and taking names out of your head. Unless that's REALLY your thing, and your damn near superman in physique. Take a job that will get you paid on the outside. Looking back, i wish i had gotten HVAC as a specialty instead of Structures. Those guys make bank on the outside, and everyone loves their Air conditioning, so i doubt their short on work. In any event, if you go AF, you'd better hit the ground sh88ting Tiffiny cuff links, cross your T's and Dot your I's from the word GO, and play "the game" right away. The new Air Force has little to no tolerance of a young airman's "Growing pains". Nowadays, a dumb mistake early in your career can come back to haunt you later. Getting in and staying in the AF has become competitive.

11-15-10, 05:38 PM	#10
Gorduz Engineer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Norway Posts: 210 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I cant say much as I only served one year as a conscript in the Norwegian Navy, but generally I think the advises here are worth listening to. Make sure you get a job that can give you skills useful for a civilian occupation as well. And I don't mean things like leadership and teamwork which is more about personality development than direct skills, I mean theoretical and practical knowledge in fields like computer science, nuclear engineering or logistics and administration. In Norway I have several friends who served as navigational officers on patrol boats and could use their experience to get international navigational certificates for commerce shipping. If you plan on going into the coast guard my experience in the navy generally suggests that the smaller the ship the better. __________________ 21. MTB skv. Attacks without warning. Last edited by Gorduz; 11-15-10 at 05:58 PM.