Army folk

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PonyTailedLoser
PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
in Chit-Chat
So I am considering going into the army. I am 28. At 5 feet tall I have about 30 pounds to lose before I am at the allowed maximum weight for my height to join. No kids, no significant other. I'm not joining tomorrow as I have weight to shed and want to work on my running stamina but I was wondering what people who are actually in the army think of it. At the very least it's a fitness goal to work towards even if I end up not going for it.

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  • jaxdiablo
    jaxdiablo Posts: 580
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    ....
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
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    You are so very eloquent Bryan :)
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
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    Like I said, not joining tomorrow, not even 100% on joining and I have got a ways to go. just wanted the thoughts of those who have been/are in it.
  • jaxdiablo
    jaxdiablo Posts: 580
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    Ok, here's my "experience". They bs'd my paperwork to get me in due to a surgery, I joined a unit that I never should have because my recuiter talked me into something (if you decide to go in get me a list of available MOS's and I'll tell you what the best one to do is, they will try to get you to go into the one they need the most to meet quota, do NOT allow them to put you into something like that), when I got hurt at the end of my tour instead of giving me the medical I should have gotten (bounced down a hill with a tripod to a machine gun strapped to my back), they kicked me out on fat boy because I couldn't work out.

    If it's done the right way it can be a GREAT thing, if done the wrong way it will screw you up for life. I already checked out the Navy site, they said they are allowing people to get in up to the age of 34 with no prior service. I'd definitely recommend looking into that... I promise that's not an attempt to try to get you to NAS Jax or Mayport. lol
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
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    Damn. Thank you for your bluntness. I know most recruiters will lie and try to get me where they need quota. As for the navy I will research that as equally as the army :)
  • Titanburner
    Titanburner Posts: 8 Member
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    Like I said, not joining tomorrow, not even 100% on joining and I have got a ways to go. just wanted the thoughts of those who have been/are in it.

    I was in the Army for 6 years before I got out with my Honorable. Do yourself a favor (if this is a thought) and forget about being gung-ho. You're better off joining the Coast Guard at this point. Same pay and benefits with half of the stress, and you don't haft to be lucky to still be alive at the end of a 20 year career....
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
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    Titanburner- I think I may be too old at this point to join coast guard.
    I know females don't go into combat situations. I'd be joining because it'd a be a place to live and the pay would be better than I make now (falling apart car, no jobs in my area, make like 900 bucks a month, live in a friends attic and feeling like a failure for doing so at my age). It may not be the way I can get out the rut I am in but I am seeing what the options are.
  • Titanburner
    Titanburner Posts: 8 Member
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    Titanburner- I think I may be too old at this point to join coast guard.
    I know females don't go into combat situations. I'd be joining because it'd a be a place to live and the pay would be better than I make now (falling apart car, no jobs in my area, make like 900 bucks a month, live in a friends attic and feeling like a failure for doing so at my age). It may not be the way I can get out the rut I am in but I am seeing what the options are.

    Sorry guess I should have looked to see that you were female first. If this is the case then focus on making yourself marketable. Believe me when I say that unless you are a helicopter mechanic or xray tech in the Army (two of the hardest MOS's to get) you'll be worth didly squat when you get out.

    Don't settle for anything less than the most profitable MOS's on the civilian side because chances are you will eventually get out. A little less than 10% of those who go in stay in. It's easy to say you'll stay when you're not in yet, but once you're in (This goes for any service) chances are you'll be making a plan to get out. With a profitable MOS for the civilian life that will make this planning ALOT easier.

    Another thing. Women are looked down on in the military. That's a simple fact that many will deny, but it's the truth. Noone cares about you being equal when your PT standards are so much lower. Keeping physically fit (especially in the US) is extremely hard, and while most men strive continually to meet the standards alot of females find themselves surpassing them easily because they are set so low. There's alot of jealousy because of this. Just being straight with you.

    If you can't do the Coast Guard shoot for the Air Force. The Army isn't where you want to be as a woman, unless like I said you win the lottery and are able to get one of the MOS's mentioned previously. (And don't let that recruiter talk you into being a Medic! They love to do that.)
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    Titanburner- I think I may be too old at this point to join coast guard.
    I know females don't go into combat situations. I'd be joining because it'd a be a place to live and the pay would be better than I make now (falling apart car, no jobs in my area, make like 900 bucks a month, live in a friends attic and feeling like a failure for doing so at my age). It may not be the way I can get out the rut I am in but I am seeing what the options are.

    At this rate, you soon will be. Remember all those feminists *****ing about not going into submarines, yeah... Oh also the ones *****ing about not being allowed to being infantry MOS... yeah.
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    Titanburner- I think I may be too old at this point to join coast guard.
    I know females don't go into combat situations. I'd be joining because it'd a be a place to live and the pay would be better than I make now (falling apart car, no jobs in my area, make like 900 bucks a month, live in a friends attic and feeling like a failure for doing so at my age). It may not be the way I can get out the rut I am in but I am seeing what the options are.

    Sorry guess I should have looked to see that you were female first. If this is the case then focus on making yourself marketable. Believe me when I say that unless you are a helicopter mechanic or xray tech in the Army (two of the hardest MOS's to get) you'll be worth didly squat when you get out.

    Don't settle for anything less than the most profitable MOS's on the civilian side because chances are you will eventually get out. A little less than 10% of those who go in stay in. It's easy to say you'll stay when you're not in yet, but once you're in (This goes for any service) chances are you'll be making a plan to get out. With a profitable MOS for the civilian life that will make this planning ALOT easier.

    Another thing. Women are looked down on in the military. That's a simple fact that many will deny, but it's the truth. Noone cares about you being equal when your PT standards are so much lower. Keeping physically fit (especially in the US) is extremely hard, and while most men strive continually to meet the standards alot of females find themselves surpassing them easily because they are set so low. There's alot of jealousy because of this. Just being straight with you.

    If you can't do the Coast Guard shoot for the Air Force. The Army isn't where you want to be as a woman, unless like I said you win the lottery and are able to get one of the MOS's mentioned previously. (And don't let that recruiter talk you into being a Medic! They love to do that.)

    What he said is right. Females have it "easy" as my husband puts it and a lot of things are overlooked to accommodate females and I don't mean it in a positive light. And I agree what he said, try to get a good MOS, my husband is an x-ray tech 68pappa. He was ready to work in his field as soon as AIT was finished.
  • HOSED49
    HOSED49 Posts: 665 Member
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    make sure you get a guaranteed job....otherwsie they put ya where they want ya

    Score high on the asvab and look for an administrative or medical job that gives you OJT plus would allow you decent hours to get a degree while you are in. I went through physical therapy after a wreck when i was in, the kid in the office answered phones and scheduled appts and gave you a towel when he heooked you up to a machine. He made the same as me except he was home every night and weekend and I posted to the field....
    seriously consider what youd want to do when you get out, and then find the job in the MOS and do that, but make sure they guarantee it or dont sign.
  • 987Runner
    987Runner Posts: 209
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    I was in the Army for my contracted four years. I have to agree with the other poster, I'd check into another branches too. Really make an informed decision here. I am a female and my time was relatively easy, 1997-2001 (before 9/11). The Army PT standards probably have changed since I've been in, but when I was in, they booted people out left and right for being overweight and failing PT. Again, that may have changed, I dunno. I don't regret my time in the Army at all. I met my husband and had my son while in. We're still married 13 years later.

    I also agree about choosing your MOS carefully. I was a 75B, basically I was a pencil pusher. I still do that in my current job! My job in the Army surely helped my resume when it came to office/accountant type work.

    Another great thing, I've always enjoyed running since then!
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    Yes like the previous poster mentioned. If you score low on the asvab, except to get a *kitten* MOS or into something that will be completely worthless in the real world.

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