Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best Army MOS?

Go Air Force if he wants to go technical. And this comes from an Army guy. Better living conditions, better looking women, better food, somewhat more relaxed environment. There's a reson the Army guys say "about as close as you can get to being in the military without actually being in the military" about the air force. And this comes from actual experience, as I worked in a couple different multi-service and multi-national units. Air Force lives better, period.

Army was not bad though.

As for MOS, I really enjoyed 95B and 95D. Military Police and Criminal Investigator. Can't go straight in as a criminal investigator but can get there with some college and a few years of service under your belt.

I'm sure he'll look closely at your advice Dave, Thanks.

I've heard from recruiters themselves that the hardest thing to do during a recruiting hitch is to never give up your integrity. Those guys are faced with obscene pressure for numbers. Whatever they promise/you decide...get it in writing, get it in writing, get it in writing.

If you want technical skills that will translate well into jumpstarting a civilian career, this Army guy would recommend the Air Force or Navy. If you want fun, adrenaline, and experiences you'll never duplicate in civilian life, go Army, USMC, or possibly USCG. Those are some broad generalizations, your mileage could certainly vary.

My advice would be (sorry Dad) you're young...live a little. Choose a short hitch but pick a cool job. Think superhero stuff, Cav, Ranger, 11B, shoot for the Q course if you want a real challenge. Kick in some doors and jump out of some aircraft while you can. Those experiences in the civilian sector are generally quite hard to find. You need some stories to tell the grandkids. And once you gain a little rank, the feeling of leading troops, even a squad, when everything is clicking is not an experience matched by anything else. Think winning a State championship...only better because you've made a real difference.

An aside, if you go infantry or artillery, your fellow grunts may not be exactly the crowd you hung with in high school. Not that it's bad, just prepare yourself for some colorful characters. Sometimes those branches can be sort of a holding area for soldiers with...well...limited options. Not knocking them, I love 'em all, everyone has a job that makes the entire machine work. I'm just trying to be honest. You guys in the peanut gallery know I'm right, think of the oldest E-4 or E-5 you ever saw...now what branch was he?

But make a pact with yourself to seriously examine how long you want to stay in on a regular basis, like every 6 months at least. I have friends that, before they know it, are 9-10 years into a career that they don't really like, but figure they may as well stick it out for 20 for the retirement. All the while in a career they still don't really like. A mil career can be good, but 20 years is a big chunk of regret if you limit yourself to staying in just to get a guaranteed paycheck.

I was in the Reserves for 12 years in the Engineer branch. The active guys don't like to hear it, but the differences between active/reserve get less and less every year. I would not recommend the reserves in this day and age. I'd say get all the way in or all the way out. Living a dual life, especially while we're in this "long war," doesn't provide you with a chance of giving 100% to either. I don't know if the engineer stuff is anything you're looking at. I could go on for pages about the Army engineer branch if it is in the cards, but I'll save it for now. Some parts correlate well to civilian life, some not. But combat engineering can be some big fun.

Looking back, I'd say a good track would be to do a 2 to 4 year hitch, get completely out, go to college or tech school and decide what you want out of life then. If ROTC or OCS is in the cards, so be it. The GI Bill perks right now are getting better all the time, but getting completely discharged after a hitch will give you perspective. You'll start school wiser than the average guy just out of high school. Plus, you'll likely keep some rank if you do elect to go back in and/or it will give you a huge leg up if you choose the officer route.

Whatever branch you choose, you'll learn things about yourself, working with people (both friendly and unfriendly), make friends and have experiences that will pay you dividends your entire life. Technical skills are just part of this whole being-a-grownup thing.

And you can always hop around services too.

Good luck.

SD

91C50 286 girls 56 guys. Coed barracks, 3 years of on the job training. If a at post with a general, lobster once a week steak twice a week. Cross train with special forces, security clearance, sky's the limit.

Finish college and go in as an officer. Get out as an O-3 and there are lots of businesses that want to hire you--even if you've spent your time in the infantry. When I was 18, I already knew everything, and I was in a big hurry to prove it. I ditched college and joined USMC infantry. If I had it to do differently, I would do it differently. If you really can't see yourself in college for 4 years, join the Navy. Aviation is fine but civilian aviation is cyclical and people are always getting laid off. The Navy will learn ya to be a plumber. There's real money in that trade, and people are always gonna have to crap.

67S Scout Helicopter Repairer. E1 to E6 in 3yrs, 11months, and 3 days.

Always get to be involved in the fun stuff cause Scouts are First in Last out

Go to Airborne School and get stationed at Ft. Bragg....Plenty of work to do!


Mike


Edited: Was only three yrs!!

Aviation ! I'm not talking hydraulics, or sheet metal, I'M talking general mechanic (so you can get on flight status) or turbine engine mechanic (big $$$$$ when you get out) Recruiters will give you a BS story so they can fill a slot. kwg

High School to Flight School!

stay in school and get a college degree. a former recruiter posted a few pages back. be smart and listen to what he says.

Way too much hard and fast advice here about the value of staying in school. For some that is a bad choice.

Nothing works for everybody and there is no magic about being in school for resolving youthful indecision or poor choices. Lots of 'eternal scholars' change majors more than their socks -- all the while building huge debts that they carry with them. And lots also go into blind alley degrees ending up w/o the wherewithal to pay the debts.

The military at 18 can give you a life-shaping chance to mature and make much smarter choices about the things that really matter. And yes it's always a crap shoot and -- heavens above, recruiters lie --but you can also emerege with good career forming experience and lots of positive character building in team working and self discipline.

I hated Sam's Army when I was in it. But I went in w/o any life ambitions or drive and very perplexed by the life that was already rushing at and past me. Emerged three years later with a determination to make my way and a career direction that, 43 years later, looks damn good. Must have been -- only one job interview!

You can aslo come out of it a bum -- but then that's pretty much predetermined by your raising by the time you are at military age. You aree never going to get steel out of pot metal.

1B

Seems like a rough way to make a living the way things are now.

Agree that school aint for everybody. But here's the diff...you can drop out of college at any time with no penalty. The military aint for everybody either...try dropping out of that and see where it gets you. School, if for nothing else, gives some a chance to figure out what they want without any life long penalties for finding out it wasn't for you. You better be damned sure of 2 things when you enlist A) that you really want to do it, or B) that you're willing to ride it out like a good soldier if you find out you made a mistake.

Most things worth doing are hard.

Must be,...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2007-08-16-army-suicide_N.htm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2873622.ece

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I just thought I'd let you guys know my son enlisted yesterday...in the Marines.

Thanks again.

God Bless and keep him safe Sir.

Thanks Terry. Knowing him, I don't think he'd be any safer as a civilian.

Best of luck, to him.

I can't help but think of "Alice's Restaurant ".