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We are thinking of speaking to a military (army?) recruiter.........


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My daddy left the Navy a Master CPO (after 20 years, most of that in NIS) and not only was that man nobody's fool, he was the hardest working man I've ever known.

 

I once asked if he'd ever been offered OCS. He was, but he said he flunked out of the pre-screening class, a$$-kissing 101, so he couldn't go. :D

:lol:

 

My husband is a 3rd generation CPO and aims to keep it that way.

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Joanne, I have to admit that, until you clarified, I didn't get the impression that your son was interested in joining the military, either. I was thinking that you and your ds's father were trying to think of some good options for him, and you were trying to get some information and opinions about it before you suggested it to him.

 

I didn't get the idea that you were trying to make any career decisions for your ds or anything like that. I just thought that you were trying to help him out by researching some possibilities for him.

 

 

:iagree:

 

You never mentioned your ds was interested in your first post. Whatever, I think you are a bit overstressed (and based on what you've been through overstressed is an understatement.

 

I don't know how bad your ds's grades are, but he might look at New Mexico Military Institute. My ds is there now. They have a 2 year commissioning program. You get your commission as an officer after you finish your first 2 years at NMMI, then you have 3 years to finish your degree. Your first 3 years are working for the ROTC program of the college you transfer to to finish your degree. If your ds thinks he might like to be an officer, it can't hurt to apply to the program. They might say no. He might not get the money, but he won't know unless he applies.

 

My ds is not in the commissioning program, because it's army. He's hoping to transfer to a 4 year college for the last 2 years and qualify for a NROTC scholarship. His best chance of the field he wants and a longterm career are in the Navy. He's examined all the branches carefully. He's still figuring it all out, but I'm not really involved except to ask questions like "what about the Air Force, why not?" When he explains stuff to me I know he's really thinking it through.

 

Take the ASVAB. Your ds is in public school. My ds's high school offered the ASVAB every fall. It can help your ds in research to know where his score will put him in terms of possible training. Does your ds's high school have a JROTC program. Perhaps he can talk to the instructors in the JROTC program--not just the recruiters who come to the school at lunch time. I hate to say this, but from what I heard from my ds I think the JROTC instructors were more honest about what happens when you sign that committment than the recruiters.

 

Know that a recruiter might suggest your ds will have his choice of X, Y, or Z programs, but in the end the military branch he chooses may just tell he's going to A. I've known a few people who were surprised when this happened.

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Joanne, I know this thread is about what would be in store for your ds if he joined the military, but has he considered learning a trade? He wouldn't have to go to college to apprentice with a plumber or an electrician to see if he might like one of those career options (and if they didn't work for him, he wouldn't be committed to a multi-year obligation, like he would in the military.) If he is mechanically inclined, he could learn to be an auto or aircraft mechanic, or how to repair any number of other things, from appliances to HVAC systems.

 

I don't know your ds, so I have no idea whether or not the military would be his best option, but if he were my son, I would hope that he would rule out many other options before making a firm commitment to spending several years in the military. I guess it's because I'm thinking that a lot of kids are still somewhat immature when they are 18, and they may not have a realistic view of what it means to make a 4-year commitment to anything, but after a year or two of trying other things first, the maturity may be there to make that kind of decision.

 

I'm not suggesting that your ds is immature or incapable of making a long term commitment; I only mentioned it because I remember what it's like to be 18, and it's so easy to get carried away with enthusiasm for something, and then a few months later, to get carried away with enthusiasm for something else... and once a kid joins the military, the usual options to quit and try something new are off the table.

 

Again, I'm not bashing the military. I just think it takes a certain kind of person to succeed and be happy there, and only you and your ds know if he is that kind of person.

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I am going to guess that Latin isn't exactly in high demand, though, right?

 

Not so much. ;)

 

The PT test is before Basic Training. At least it was in 2005. They sent DH to base and they gave him all the shots, physical, check in...then they sent him to do the PT test. If he passed hed go to Basic, otherwise to FTC until he passed and then hed go on to Basic.

 

is that what you meant or do you mean they send you to Basic first?

yes i agree, get started running now :)

 

They give you a PT test on both ends. Not passing does mean that they try to train you up so that you can pass. They are assuming that you want to pass and go on to a successful military career. That's what they are trying to give you at that point.

 

You have PT tests periodically after basic. Plus, there are runs that the whole company/battalion/brigade is timed on. We know a company commander who just got fired for falling out of 2 brigade runs in a row. Running is very important to the Army and Marines. I just cannot emphasize it enough. If you can't pass a PT test, then they don't want you.

 

My dh has been in joint jobs and so I *know* it's not as heavily emphasized in the other branches of the military unless you are SOF.

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Just to clarify (and get a chip off my enlisted shoulder), you do NOT have to be an officer in the military to make something of your life. Enlisted guys work darn hard too. Many earn real, respectable college degrees while in the military. Enlisted people can be hard-working, intelligent, respectable people too. My enlisted chief (E-7) dh got the exact same job right out of the Navy as many officers.

 

As a former USAF officer, I will say that I agree with you wholeheartedly. However, I would still council someone interested in the military to pursue becoming an officer just for the difference in money alone. I don't know how many of our enlisted folks survive financially, especially if they have families.

 

Way back in the day when I was a 2nd Lieutenant, I thought I was getting paid peanuts, but I was living large compared to the young enlisted personnel. I'm sure the ratios are still similar to this day.

Edited by Dad 4 Boys
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I think it's great that you are talking about this with people and being part of the process with him. 18 year olds can still use a little parental input and guidance.

 

My son went through the process of talking to recruiters - Army and Marine Corp. It was so much to think about, and they (it seemed to me) put a lot of pressure on him to make a decision quickly and get the ball rolling.

 

In the end, he got accepted into our Police Academy and chose that route.

 

I am sure others will have more concrete advice. My advice is just to educate yourself and him so that you make decisions with full information and on your own terms. At each stage in the process, there is a lot to read and think about. There job is to recruit good candidates, which I am sure he is, but not to really worry about whether it's a good decision for HIM, so as a parent, you are going to be giving input on that.

 

Good luck.

Edited by Danestress
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A side note ....

 

my dh says that the former military people they've hired where he works make fantastic employees. My dh votes to hire them every chance he gets.

 

At one point in his career, my dh thought about getting out of the military and did civilian job interviews. One company even sent him to this place in Boston that has fake offices with actors as co-workers and such. He had an inbox where he had to prioritize items, answer emails, etc. The last thing of the day was that he had to run a meeting to get a decision made on a specific issue. Afterward, one of the actors stayed behind and asked him, "are you military?" DH said, "yes, why?" And the guy said, "that was the best meeting I've ever been to!" :lol: DH was offered the job, but ultimately decided his heart was in the military.

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I don't see anything wrong in helping him find the answers to his questions. I am amazed at how many people assume that once a person turns 18, they no longer need any assistance or guidance and automatically know exactly how to go about figuring out what they want to do ... or how to do it if they already know what they want to do.

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How is he with languages? If he enjoys them, he can take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery and go to DLI if he scores well enough. :D Every service is there and your language is based on your DLAB score and the needs of your particular service.

 

I'm just mentioning it because the Defense Language Institute is a SUPER cushy, super awesome assignment. Monterey rocks!!!

 

My husband was a linguist. First, they're not even going to talk to you about the DLAB unless ASVAB score is really high, at least 80s I would think, more likely 90s. Second, Monterey is great. You can be there from a few months (Spanish or something like that) to a year (Arabic, Farsi, Vietnamese, etc), but after that, you can get sent anywhere just like anyone else. Many linguist are sent to become interrogators, which means overseas and/or combat zones, not to mention the stress.

 

In the grand scheme of the military, intelligence is more cushy than other fields, but the same branch rules apply. And sometimes you can get officers who come originally from other unit types and think they need to punish you for having that "cushy" job.

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The PT test is before Basic Training. At least it was in 2005. They sent DH to base and they gave him all the shots, physical, check in...then they sent him to do the PT test. If he passed hed go to Basic, otherwise to FTC until he passed and then hed go on to Basic.

 

is that what you meant or do you mean they send you to Basic first?

yes i agree, get started running now :)

 

The PT test you take before basic is much easier than the end-of-basic PT test. For males, this consists of 13 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under eight and one-half minutes. For females, the test consists of 3 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under ten and one-half minutes. The push-ups and sit-ups aren't timed, you just have to be able to do them. The one-mile run is timed, but that is pretty high. I don't know, not trying to insult your DH, but even if he couldn't pass that, he would just have been in a fitness camp for a couple of weeks where they focus on working out in order to move on to basic. It sounds like you guys just decided he didn't want to do it after the fact.

 

Oh, and when I was in the Army, we were highly jealous of the Air Force guys who got to take their PT test on a stationary bicycle!

Edited by Galatea
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I don't see anything wrong in helping him find the answers to his questions. I am amazed at how many people assume that once a person turns 18, they no longer need any assistance or guidance and automatically know exactly how to go about figuring out what they want to do ... or how to do it if they already know what they want to do.

 

And it's a really strange view given the number of "would you eat this" and "dear Dr Hive" posts on this forum. ;)

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The PT test you take before basic is much easier than the end-of-basic PT test. For males, this consists of 13 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under eight and one-half minutes. For females, the test consists of 3 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under ten and one-half minutes. The push-ups and sit-ups aren't timed, you just have to be able to do them. The one-mile run is timed, but that is pretty high. I don't know, not trying to insult your DH, but even if he couldn't pass that, he would just have been in a fitness camp for a couple of weeks where they focus on working out in order to move on to basic. It sounds like you guys just decided he didn't want to do it after the fact.

 

Right. I especially agree with the bolded. It's not a decision to be made lightly, I totally agree with you there, Jpoy85.

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Have him talk to all the recruiters, not just Army. If the Army can't offer him what he wants, one of the other branches may be able to. Don't forget the Coast Guard, either!

 

With the Navy, make sure he gets an A school right away, or he'll be working in a kitchen somewhere. However, nothing is certain. A young family friend was promised a great school (air traffic control) but she failed her physical for that rate. They sent her to barber school. :( I don't know if there's a get-out-free clause for those instances, so be sure to ask.

 

Also ask what the minimum enlistment is. It used to be 2 years, but that was a well-kept secret.

 

Ask about the GI Bill....what it covers, how long ds can use it, etc.

 

If you are stationed onboard a ship, each department has to provide a certain number of people each quarter as food service attendants. These are the folks working in the scullery, cleaning the mess decks, assisting with moving boxes and cans of food, and helping to serve the food. They aren't typically involved in food prep, since that is the job of the rated Culinary Specialists (used to be Mess Specialists).

 

This is something that most junior sailors will experience, whether or not they have a designated rating. Shipboard life doesn't come with maid service either, so a good part of the day of a junior sailor will be sweeping in workcenters or cleaning in berthing spaces.

 

In general, though, I agree with the idea of trying to qualify for and get a school date for a specific rating. As another post mentioned, there are many things that are possible, but not all that likely.

 

For college money, ask about the eligibility requirements. These programs have a way of changing frequently. Make sure you know how many years have to be served in order to qualify for various grants.

 

Ask how long the total obligated service is. Sometimes there is a short active duty period, but several years of required reserve duty. (And back in the day, there was a program that only allowed 2-3 years of active duty, even if the sailor wanted to convert his status and stay on active duty longer.)

 

For specialties/designators/MOS, ask where in the US those jobs tend to be stationed. If you wanted to have a chance to stay near family in Ohio or Colorado or even Texas, the Navy wouldn't be a great choice. If you really disliked the midwest, then certain Army specialites wouldn't be a good match.

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I am hoping that what I post next does not offend any of my military sisters...

 

I would also consider other branches. Military life is not easy...especially since 9-11, but IMO the Army and Marines have it the hardest. Army and Marine deployments are long, often, and normally in less than ideal conditions. They truly are to be commended, because they are doing the brunt of everything...but it again, it is HARD. The AF and Navy normally have shorter deployments, longer periods between deployments, and the conditions are normally MUCH easier. My husband was Security Forces (cops) in the AF. SF are probably deployed more than any other job in the AF (outside of CE)...but as much as he deployed, it did not even come close to the deployment rate of the husband of a really good friend of ours.

 

Again, I am in no way knocking the other two branches (I really do not know enough about the Coast Guard to comment on their branch) what they do for us every single day can't be measured...but know what your options are, and don't rule any of the branches out.

 

It's worth keeping in mind that this changes over the years. Back when I was active duty, Navy and Marines were doing frequent 6-9 month deployments and even 3 month deployments for AF were uncommon. The last decade has brought a lot of change in deployment expectations. The next decade could bring another set of major changes.

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If he isn't really excited by the idea of entering the military after he meets with recruiters there are good paying jobs for strong young men to make money for school with if you think outside the box. For instance I know several young men who are good with their hands who worked for a tire company that pays really well and they saved money for school. I also know young men who made money for school drilling oil wells and commercial fishing.

 

I think the military is a wonderful thing for those who really want to go, but it is not the only way to pay for college. Most people I graduated from high school with had NO money from their parents for school and lots of them got degrees paying for it themselves a little bit at a time.

 

Good point. I know that the local community college has a plumbing apprentice program. I believe you can actually get paid while you train, and it is SUCH a great job...lots of money, job security (no one is outsourcing that job to China!), etc.

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For the past 8 years or so, the AF does a combined PT test that includes a one mile run, sit-ups in a minute, push-ups in a minute and waist measurement. The standards by age are available on the web.

 

My dh is a few months from being 26 years in the AF, all as an officer except the few months at OCS. However, he has worked with enlisted at many jobs- just not the last two ones. He also has worked with many officers who used to be enlisted and then went to college or the Academy and more training and became officers.

 

The recommendation I have is to take the ASVAB and then see what the choices are in each service. If he scores high, he will be a lot better off. People with very high scores in the Air Force get great jobs like optical assistants, technicians of all types include ones who run spectroscopy machines, and other jobs that will lead to very good pay when he gets out.

 

The one problem with Air Force and enlisted is that the AIr Force has the highest percentage of Officers. That means that while some Air Force enlisted are posted in groups with other enlisted, an enlisted in the Air Force is more likely, than in the other services, to be the lone or one of only a few, in a given office. Like my dh's office right now has no enlisted but I am sure that there probably are a few in the building but not a whole bunch of them.

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For the past 8 years or so, the AF does a combined PT test that includes a one mile run, sit-ups in a minute, push-ups in a minute and waist measurement. The standards by age are available on the web.

 

My dh is a few months from being 26 years in the AF, all as an officer except the few months at OCS. However, he has worked with enlisted at many jobs- just not the last two ones. He also has worked with many officers who used to be enlisted and then went to college or the Academy and more training and became officers.

 

The recommendation I have is to take the ASVAB and then see what the choices are in each service. If he scores high, he will be a lot better off. People with very high scores in the Air Force get great jobs like optical assistants, technicians of all types include ones who run spectroscopy machines, and other jobs that will lead to very good pay when he gets out.

 

The one problem with Air Force and enlisted is that the AIr Force has the highest percentage of Officers. That means that while some Air Force enlisted are posted in groups with other enlisted, an enlisted in the Air Force is more likely, than in the other services, to be the lone or one of only a few, in a given office. Like my dh's office right now has no enlisted but I am sure that there probably are a few in the building but not a whole bunch of them.

 

 

I just wanted to say real quick that the above is true in some career fields in the AF, but not all. In my dh's job, he is one of only a few officers to several hundred enlisted members. So, it is definitely dependent upon the job.

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Yes, that is what I was referring to. In general,more so in the Air Force, there are less of the situations like your husband is in compared to the other services. It does depend a lot on which specialty. SOme like medical have a pretty even mixture of Officers and Enlisted. Some like Security Police have a lot more Enlisted than OFficers. Some like the Scientific and Engineering areas tend to have a lot more Officers than Enlisted. It just depends. My dh is a physicist and so he has worked in labs, program offices and the Pentagon. The highest amount of enlisted was in the labs. The program offices didn't have many or as now, any. There were very few that he interacted with in the Pentagon too.

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Just thought I'd chime in here.

 

Someone mentioned Navy deployments being considerably shorter than Army, yes they are, but not like they used to be. When dh and I first got married deployments were 6 months tops, now they are typically scheduled for 8 and usually extended to 9 maybe 10, and there are lots of work ups for months before they leave. This means 1-2 weeks out then in for a week, out for a month then in for a week or two. It's a real pain, I hate workups much more than the actual deployment.

 

Wendi mentioned Nukes were the mostest awesomest people ever, That is 100% true (says the Nukes wife LOL) My dh went in as a Nuke Officer as he already had a BS in physics when he joined, the life of a Nuke can be exciting but also stink. When dh just returned from deployment, the ship arrived around 1500, but I finally got the call to come pick up up at 2000, because as he always says, "you don't just turn the key and shut off the reactors" it can take a long time for the engineering department to get everything squared away.

 

There is also quite a bit of running in the Navy, you would think swimming would be a top priority, but not so much, they sure like to make them run.

 

The biggest thing I always say to those that ask these questions is, make sure they really want to join the military, that it's not just for the college money. There is a real chance they'll deploy, and don't let anyone tell you different. I know that seems like common sense to many, but I've had to many come to me and say "but I just wanted the college money, I didn't think they'd really send me to Afghanistan, Iraq, insert other not so fun overseas place here" Yes they really will send you on deployment, they aren't in the business of making sure everyone gets a college degree, they are in the business of making soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen/women, coasties and making sure our country is safe.

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How is he with languages? If he enjoys them, he can take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery and go to DLI if he scores well enough. :D Every service is there and your language is based on your DLAB score and the needs of your particular service.

 

I'm just mentioning it because the Defense Language Institute is a SUPER cushy, super awesome assignment. Monterey rocks!!!

 

Monterey is definitely awesome! The language school is very hard work, but if you have to go on a 7 mile run, it might as well be down Cannery Row or along the beach! Although I would recommend joining the Navy or the Air Force...they had better barracks and MAIDS to clean them. I kid you not. Same story with the Air Force at Goodfellow AFB.

 

My husband was a linguist. First, they're not even going to talk to you about the DLAB unless ASVAB score is really high, at least 80s I would think, more likely 90s. Second, Monterey is great. You can be there from a few months (Spanish or something like that) to a year (Arabic, Farsi, Vietnamese, etc), but after that, you can get sent anywhere just like anyone else. Many linguist are sent to become interrogators, which means overseas and/or combat zones, not to mention the stress.

 

In the grand scheme of the military, intelligence is more cushy than other fields, but the same branch rules apply. And sometimes you can get officers who come originally from other unit types and think they need to punish you for having that "cushy" job.

Options like going into MI aren't even going to be discussed until after the ASVAB is taken. But if the score is high enough, it is a good option. You are right, there is a VERY common misconception about MI soldiers, that they have a "cushy" job and aren't true soldiers. It isn't just officers, though. Many other MOS's feel the same way. I used to laugh whenever my husband (he was a mechanic in the Army) would accuse me of having the "cushy" job, because whenever we were in the field doing training, he would stay at the base camp with the hot food and port-a-potties, and I would be the one way out on the forward line for days at a time eating MRE's and sleeping on the hood of my vehicle.

 

The only advice I have for the OP is for your son to give serious consideration to the Navy or the Air Force. They both have easier physical fitness tests, easier basic training, better standards of living (and a substandard living allowance when the minimum standard of living is not met, meaning when they are living in equivalents of Army or Marine quarters), and the Air Force at least has shorter deployments. My BIL just got out of the Air Force, and in the time that many of my acquaintances had three year-long deployments to Iraq, he and his unit had two six-month deployments to Quatar.

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I cannot tell you how wonderful I am finding this thread. My 14 year old daughter, is right now, a civil air patrol cadet. She is already VERY seriously considering AF or Navy. She wants to fly. However, she is also a very talented swimmer and is considering that as well.

I have to be honest and say that I know next to nothing about the military and I'm scared to death for her. Good thing I have 4 years to get used it.

 

Thanks for everyone's experience, its neat to read about how they all differ.

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Consider checking with different services to find the best fit and deal for him.

 

For my oldest. His grades are not good. ;) He would not qualify for scholarships. I can't pay for college (neither can his Dad).

 

He's "handy" and "hands on" and would do well with something mechanical.

 

We'd welcome college help, at some point.

 

Before we look into it, what do we need to know?

 

(Please, be respectful. We are a family who believes in the military, in "defense", and there are several service members and veterans on all sides of the family, even the step-sides.

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For my oldest. His grades are not good. ;) He would not qualify for scholarships. I can't pay for college (neither can his Dad).

 

He's "handy" and "hands on" and would do well with something mechanical.

 

We'd welcome college help, at some point.

 

Before we look into it, what do we need to know?

 

(Please, be respectful. We are a family who believes in the military, in "defense", and there are several service members and veterans on all sides of the family, even the step-sides.

 

 

He should really look into the AF and specifically aircraft maintenance. Those jobs are wonderful for training young people and setting them on a path to a great career in and outside of the military.

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At one point in his career, my dh thought about getting out of the military and did civilian job interviews. One company even sent him to this place in Boston that has fake offices with actors as co-workers and such. He had an inbox where he had to prioritize items, answer emails, etc. The last thing of the day was that he had to run a meeting to get a decision made on a specific issue. Afterward, one of the actors stayed behind and asked him, "are you military?" DH said, "yes, why?" And the guy said, "that was the best meeting I've ever been to!" :lol: DH was offered the job, but ultimately decided his heart was in the military.

 

Love that story!

 

My dh just hired an Annapolis grad and (obviously) former Naval officer. Predictably, he is doing such a great job that after only a few months my dh feels like he is a star on his team. When I asked what made the guy so great, my dh said, "He knows how to work." From my own high-work-ethic dh, this is strong praise, indeed! :D

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**Since you have military in your family, you're probably aware of a lot of what I'm saying, but here is my post from the other military thread**

 

My ds20 enlisted in the early entry program (Army) when he was 17. We signed the papers for him, and he was fully aware that he would be deployed. We discussed it in detail, and his heart was set on it. Two weeks after he graduated from high school, he headed to Basic and AI (advanced infantry) training. He has already been to Afghan. once...for a one-year deployment. He is infantry, and I am so proud of him, but that's a hard thing for a "mama" heart to handle. Just make sure that your son knows what he's signing up to do.:grouphug: Also, my ds is stationed overseas, so we only see him about once a year, even when he's not deployed. That's something else to think about, too.

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I don't see anything wrong in helping him find the answers to his questions. I am amazed at how many people assume that once a person turns 18, they no longer need any assistance or guidance and automatically know exactly how to go about figuring out what they want to do ... or how to do it if they already know what they want to do.

 

Nor do I! I think it is great to assist kids with our time and research skills, so long as they are involved and interested as well.

 

Besides...I had to figure out everything for myself, even how to go to college, the application process, what a FAFSA was, and all that. No parental involvement at all, at 17. So I guess I do expect 18 year olds to be able to do this. But if they want our help and indicate interest in something, we are happy to help.

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I am going to guess that Latin isn't exactly in high demand, though, right?

 

I'm pretty sure that, while some languages are more in demand than others, demonstrated ability to learn languages matters more than what language is currently spoken. They'll train you in what they need.

 

(Our vague plan in this direction, as DS has expressed an interest in it, is to start with slow-but-steady Latin, add on German or something else European after a few years, and then something from a completely different language system when he's able to self-study. That should provide him with a good basis for whatever they need, regardless of whether any of the languages he already knows is in any demand.)

 

Just a different idea... not that I don't think the military is great... but some are saying it might depend on certain factors. So, if it doesn't work out he may want to look into AmeriCorp. My sister's nephew did this because he wasn't really the college type either (no money, bad grades, no interest in it at all). He did it for a year, found his passion (plumbing IIRC), and now has a career in that field. It was a positive experience for him.

 

My brother did AmeriCorps NCCC, loved it, and did go on to graduate from college, which I don't think he would have done going straight out of high school. This was 10-ish years ago, and I'm not sure what it looks like today.

 

I have to be honest and say that I know next to nothing about the military and I'm scared to death for her. Good thing I have 4 years to get used it.

Same here. DH's family has a strong military history, and I don't think he really sees an option for DS, at least, other than military. Which isn't to say DS isn't free to choose his own way, but the seed has definitely been planted and DS likes the idea. I can definitely see it being a good thing, and going back to high school might have considered it myself, but thinking of my babies going to war is, of course, terrifying.

Edited by ocelotmom
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I have to agree with this too. Since we were Intelligence, after Basic, we were ALWAYS with the different services. We ALWAYS picked on the Navy and Air Force, they had it sooooo much easier.

 

At Goodfellow AFB (in Texas) we had to do PT at 3:30 in the stinking morning b/c it would be too hot to do it in the afternoon. Well, 3:30 is freaking early! And in Texas, where there were like, NO TREES, it's cold and windy at 3:30 a.m., even in JUNE!! SO we would do PT from 3:30 to about 4:30, doing flutter kicks and push-ups and 200 knee benders, or run the flight line, then have to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, morning formation and all that to be in class by 8:00 a.m. THEN, we get the AIR FORCE peeps coming in and complaining because THE MAID woke them up at 6:00 a.m. to change out the towels!!!! O.M.G!

 

I think they did PT in the gym or something. :glare:

 

But even though they had it easier, we still root for Army, and are always mentioning West Point to DS, and would tease him MERCILESSLY if he ever joined the Air Force, as opposed to Army. :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol:

 

On one deployment to Iraq, the AF cops were sent into a prison ran by the Army. When they first arrived, the only place to eat was the chow hall and an Iraqi restaurant that had never passed a health inspection. The "gym" was a tent with some old treadmills. The Army guys would tell DH how glad they were that the AF was there, because the AF brings services. By time my DH left Iraq (7 months later) they had a Starbucks, Subway, and a brand new building with new gym equipment.

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We did run a lot, in bootcamp. After that, not so much. Dude, we only got to shoot laser guns!!! This hippie liberal wanted to blow up something! Laser guns?!?!?! But, we did get to sail on cool ships/submarines. I guess that makes up for the lack of real guns. And I can tie a mean knot.

 

We got to throw live grenades. Booyah!

 

The PT test is before Basic Training. At least it was in 2005. They sent DH to base and they gave him all the shots, physical, check in...then they sent him to do the PT test. If he passed hed go to Basic, otherwise to FTC until he passed and then hed go on to Basic.

 

is that what you meant or do you mean they send you to Basic first?

yes i agree, get started running now :)

 

I'm old. There were no pretestsin my day. All you did before basic was sign the paper.

 

The PT test you take before basic is much easier than the end-of-basic PT test. For males, this consists of 13 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under eight and one-half minutes. For females, the test consists of 3 push-ups, 17 sit-ups and a one-mile run in under ten and one-half minutes. The push-ups and sit-ups aren't timed, you just have to be able to do them. The one-mile run is timed, but that is pretty high. I don't know, not trying to insult your DH, but even if he couldn't pass that, he would just have been in a fitness camp for a couple of weeks where they focus on working out in order to move on to basic. It sounds like you guys just decided he didn't want to do it after the fact.

 

Oh, and when I was in the Army, we were highly jealous of the Air Force guys who got to take their PT test on a stationary bicycle!

 

There is a "Get out of PT free" card. A hundred years ago (early 90s) if you scored really well on your PT tests, you were given a patch and the privilege of doing PT independently. I rarely had to do group PT. I made sure my push-up/sit-up/2 mile run was always good enough to get me OUT of the 5-6 mile runs in group PT.

 

I have to agree with this too. Since we were Intelligence, after Basic, we were ALWAYS with the different services. We ALWAYS picked on the Navy and Air Force, they had it sooooo much easier.

 

At Goodfellow AFB (in Texas) we had to do PT at 3:30 in the stinking morning b/c it would be too hot to do it in the afternoon. Well, 3:30 is freaking early! And in Texas, where there were like, NO TREES, it's cold and windy at 3:30 a.m., even in JUNE!! SO we would do PT from 3:30 to about 4:30, doing flutter kicks and push-ups and 200 knee benders, or run the flight line, then have to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, morning formation and all that to be in class by 8:00 a.m. THEN, we get the AIR FORCE peeps coming in and complaining because THE MAID woke them up at 6:00 a.m. to change out the towels!!!! O.M.G!

 

I think they did PT in the gym or something.

 

But even though they had it easier, we still root for Army, and are always mentioning West Point to DS, and would tease him MERCILESSLY if he ever joined the Air Force, as opposed to Army. :tongue_smilie:

 

Ah, Goodfellow . . .good times! Loved the midnight breakfast and table clearing service. I still think its HILARIOUS that the Air Force has a formal complaint box and mandatory daily safety briefings. Everyone should get to see a roomful of joint service personnel hear about the AF "Critique System" for he first time. Everyone BUT the zoomies about fell over laughing.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

BEST time of my life!! Met my DH there! Married my DH there!! Just went back for our 10 year anniversary in the Spring :)

 

ME TOO! Well, we met there. We got married three years later. We just celebrated our 19th Anniversary. It used to be that DLI had the highest marriage rate in the Army and Goodfellow had the highest divorce rate.

 

That isn't necessarily true. There are specific places that linguists, based on language, are sent.

 

For instance, we were Chinese... there are only a few places you can go for a first duty station as a Chinese linguist. A VAST majority go to Hawaii. Some go to Ft. Meade. A few go to Ft. Huachuca (sp?). Most linguists get sent to an RSOC. Those are in Hawaii, Georgia and Texas. Specific languages get sent to specific RSOC's. Of course, after 9/11, languages like Arabic and Farsi can get sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

They don't spend hundred of thousands of dollars on training a linguist, and getting them cleared, to just send him/her any old place to do any old job. You will know when you are in DLI, if not before then, if you will be an Interrogator or not, by the letter next to the 98 in your MOS. For Chinese anyways, they were very few... maybe 2 or 3 in our class.

 

:iagree:

 

Yes, on the bolded. The DLAB is actually a test in a made up (not real) language. You can't study for it. You show up, they put you in a room, press "play" on the tape and leave the room.... you have to figure it out on your own. If you have an aptitude for foreign languages, you figure it out and do well, if you don't, you don't.

 

The score you get decides which category of language you can study. Cat 1, Cat 2, Cat 3, Cat 4 or Cat 5. I believe English is the only Cat 5 language, but I could be wrong. I was placed in Cat 4, which is Chinese, Arabic, and some others. I didn't even find out what Cat I was in, or what language I would be learning until last week of basic training, after we finished FTX, when we were getting our orders to DLI and I learned I would be studying Mandarin Chinese.

 

If you go to DLI, and you fail any of your classes, you have to restart... you can only fail so many times before they drop you down into another category/language. If you fail in the lower category language, you get a different MOS. They used to call Korean, Intro. to French, LOL!!

 

My brother informs me that they changed the system and 98 Cs and Gs are now some OTHER number. Oh the humanity!!!!! My brother (said he) tested well enough for Cat iV, but was given French ANYWAY. DH and I (both Cat IV) have had a field day with this one. My brother is either too old for a lengthy DLI stay, or not bright enough to read his scores properly. :lol:

 

What are the Cat I languages anyway. And does anyone get sent to DLI East anymore? That's a raw deal.

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At Goodfellow AFB (in Texas) we had to do PT at 3:30 in the stinking morning b/c it would be too hot to do it in the afternoon. Well, 3:30 is freaking early! And in Texas, where there were like, NO TREES, it's cold and windy at 3:30 a.m., even in JUNE!! SO we would do PT from 3:30 to about 4:30, doing flutter kicks and push-ups and 200 knee benders, or run the flight line, then have to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, morning formation and all that to be in class by 8:00 a.m. THEN, we get the AIR FORCE peeps coming in and complaining because THE MAID woke them up at 6:00 a.m. to change out the towels!!!! O.M.G!

I am glad someone else remembers doing this!!! My husband always thought I was making it up - in all his years in the Army he NEVER did PT at 3:30 AM.

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That isn't necessarily true. There are specific places that linguists, based on language, are sent.

 

For instance, we were Chinese... there are only a few places you can go for a first duty station as a Chinese linguist. A VAST majority go to Hawaii. Some go to Ft. Meade. A few go to Ft. Huachuca (sp?). Most linguists get sent to an RSOC. Those are in Hawaii, Georgia and Texas. Specific languages get sent to specific RSOC's. Of course, after 9/11, languages like Arabic and Farsi can get sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

They don't spend hundred of thousands of dollars on training a linguist, and getting them cleared, to just send him/her any old place to do any old job. You will know when you are in DLI, if not before then, if you will be an Interrogator or not, by the letter next to the 98 in your MOS. For Chinese anyways, they were very few... maybe 2 or 3 in our class.

 

But they do spend hundreds of dollars training a linguist and then make them into an analyst, who can go pretty much anywhere. If you fail DLI (which happens a lot), you will be made an analyst. And even if you pass, you might get unlucky and made an analyst or interrogator. They reserve the right to change that on you.

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The marriage and divorce rate is still true!

 

Is DLI East the one where people go to learn English? I haven't heard of anyone going to DLI East...

 

ETA: Here is an article about Categories of the languages... http://www.ausa.org/publications/ausanews/specialreports/2010/8/Pages/DLI%E2%80%99slanguageguidelines.aspx

 

I met a few Hungarian linguists who went there. They felt robbed when regaled about our super awesome DLI stories.

 

I am glad someone else remembers doing this!!! My husband always thought I was making it up - in all his years in the Army he NEVER did PT at 3:30 AM.

 

 

I didn't, but it could have been a summer thing? I left GFAFB and went to Ft Devens for the summer. I don't think it exists anymore. Too bad. It was nice. Did my EWAC there.

 

But they do spend hundreds of dollars training a linguist and then make them into an analyst, who can go pretty much anywhere. If you fail DLI (which happens a lot), you will be made an analyst. And even if you pass, you might get unlucky and made an analyst or interrogator. They reserve the right to change that on you.

 

Hundreds? :lol:

 

The analysts we know/knew, were classified as analysts before we even started class, or got to DLI for that matter... we never heard of anyone being changed from linguist to analyst/interrogator just because. They were already classed that way, and the fact that they got to go to language training was icing on the cake. It wasn't very common, at all, to just randomly take a linguist and make them an analyst and send them somewhere random. That was just our experience, and could be b/c of our service, language, or the time frame we were in.

 

I remember knowing this before going to DLI. I've heard of people reclassing if they couldn't get cleared, but not of them switching among C, G, and interrogator.

 

 

TO THE OP: If your son joins up, he too can annoy civilians with chatter like this for the rest of his life. I spent my formative years in the Army. I'll never be normal. :D

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The analysts we know/knew, were classified as analysts before we even started class, or got to DLI for that matter... we never heard of anyone being changed from linguist to analyst/interrogator just because. They were already classed that way, and the fact that they got to go to language training was icing on the cake. It wasn't very common, at all, to just randomly take a linguist and make them an analyst and send them somewhere random. That was just our experience, and could be b/c of our service, language, or the time frame we were in.

 

I was an analyst. That was what I signed up to be, never went to DLI myself. About 80% of our tech school attendees were people who washed out of DLI because they couldn't pass. I knew 4 people who passed but were made analysts anyway, including my husband, who scored 3's across the board but still was switched to an analyst.

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We got to throw live grenades. Booyah!

 

 

 

I'm old. There were no pretestsin my day. All you did before basic was sign the paper.

 

 

 

There is a "Get out of PT free" card. A hundred years ago (early 90s) if you scored really well on your PT tests, you were given a patch and the privilege of doing PT independently. I rarely had to do group PT. I made sure my push-up/sit-up/2 mile run was always good enough to get me OUT of the 5-6 mile runs in group PT.

 

 

 

Ah, Goodfellow . . .good times! Loved the midnight breakfast and table clearing service. I still think its HILARIOUS that the Air Force has a formal complaint box and mandatory daily safety briefings. Everyone should get to see a roomful of joint service personnel hear about the AF "Critique System" for he first time. Everyone BUT the zoomies about fell over laughing.

 

 

 

ME TOO! Well, we met there. We got married three years later. We just celebrated our 19th Anniversary. It used to be that DLI had the highest marriage rate in the Army and Goodfellow had the highest divorce rate.

 

 

 

:iagree:

 

 

 

My brother informs me that they changed the system and 98 Cs and Gs are now some OTHER number. Oh the humanity!!!!! My brother (said he) tested well enough for Cat iV, but was given French ANYWAY. DH and I (both Cat IV) have had a field day with this one. My brother is either too old for a lengthy DLI stay, or not bright enough to read his scores properly. :lol:

 

What are the Cat I languages anyway. And does anyone get sent to DLI East anymore? That's a raw deal.

 

Oh My WORD! Memories....I was engaged just before leaving DLI. I was "Miss Navy" on the Navy float in the Fiesta Del Concho parade in San Angelo. We swore up and down the AF purposely made sure the a/c in the Navy dorm would quit working on the weekends. Married one year after Goodfellow....divorced shortly after he had his second trip to Goodfellow (after his first tour elsewhere, I was reserves after the first trip to Goodfellow).

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At DLI, among other things, the Marines used to have to push an old Bronco, put in neutral, up an almost vertical half mile hill, for PT. Like, 4 at a time, LOL, they were bada$$.

 

And they looked good doing it in those teeny tiny green shorts :)

 

Just before I left there the SEALS took over the PT program for the rest of the sailors. It was almost worse than bootcamp. :tongue_smilie:

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Just before I left there the SEALS took over the PT program for the rest of the sailors. It was almost worse than bootcamp. :tongue_smilie:

 

Oh My WORD! Memories....I was engaged just before leaving DLI. I was "Miss Navy" on the Navy float in the Fiesta Del Concho parade in San Angelo. We swore up and down the AF purposely made sure the a/c in the Navy dorm would quit working on the weekends. Married one year after Goodfellow....divorced shortly after he had his second trip to Goodfellow (after his first tour elsewhere, I was reserves after the first trip to Goodfellow).

 

The good ole' days when I had boundless energy and was young and in love :-)

 

I remember the marines trying not to fall asleep in class after all-night G.I. parties. I even went to a Marine ball with a friend one year. THAT was craaaazy. I was way too young to be there.

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