Anyone in the military or going to join the military?

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245

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  • kvandeman
    kvandeman Posts: 527 Member
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    looks like I'm heading off to RTC Great Lakes (Chicago, IL).

    Ah yes, good 'ole Great Mistakes. Count your blessings you aren't there in winter, like I was. Never shoveled so much snow in my life. You on the other hand, should be there for just the right season....not too hot, not too cold. What job field did the recruiter lie to you about.....er, promise you :wink:


    I was at Great Mistakes 12/17/96-03/05/97 and it got to -30 with the wind chill and snow out the wazoo. Just remember that Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself. Make the most of your enlistment. Enjoy your time overseers. Good luck to you.
  • samanthajade124
    samanthajade124 Posts: 217 Member
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    I took the ASVAB last year just to keep my mind sharp (yeah, I'm a nerd) and still got a 89 ..... had a 93 in highschool. Working at dropping weight and when I get there I plan on getting into the Air Force
  • dirtyd89
    dirtyd89 Posts: 170
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    @Raine:
    Very good sir.
    My friend (Eddie) is in the process of joining the U.S Air Force with the intention of being an officer.
    I gave him all of my study books for the ASVAB he'll do well.
    He's in graduate school right now so once he finishes that schooling he wants to join and has the potential to be a Commissioned Officer which is always a good thing.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
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    @Raine:
    Very good sir.
    My friend (Eddie) is in the process of joining the U.S Air Force with the intention of being an officer.
    I gave him all of my study books for the ASVAB he'll do well.
    He's in graduate school right now so once he finishes that schooling he wants to join and has the potential to be a Commissioned Officer which is always a good thing.

    psss better change that Sir to Ma'am for Raine ;)
  • Mama_Burkhart
    Mama_Burkhart Posts: 20 Member
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    Ive been in the Navy 5 years and am about to get out... im counting down my days!!!! My recruiters did nothing but feed me lies, and i was dumb enough to fall for them! If you dont have a family already, dont get one while your in, unless you decide to put the military first at any expense!!! My husband and i were dual military and it was a mistake! He is so much happier now that hes out of the the Marine Corps and our marriage is better, but now hes a full time student and my Chain of Command expects him to be super man... I have 170 days left and im hating every one of them! Just my personal opinion!
  • lizibame
    lizibame Posts: 59 Member
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    I've been on active duty for 8 years this July as an Army Nurse after a couple of years in the National Guard as a Medic. Good Luck to all of you wanting to come in to this lifestyle.
  • allday2
    allday2 Posts: 413 Member
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    13 yrs in the books for me in the Air force!
  • tj1376
    tj1376 Posts: 1,402 Member
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    I was Army for 4 years and National Guard for 4 years. Man I miss those PT sessions, someone else to push me into exercising.
  • camrunner
    camrunner Posts: 363
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    I've been in the Air Force for three years or so. I work in intel and it's generally pretty awesome, but I've come to the conclusion that I would probably not like having a normal military job.
  • Mama_Burkhart
    Mama_Burkhart Posts: 20 Member
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    Dont expect to come in as anything but an E1, i was promised E3 straight out of boot camp and i even had signed paperwork saying it and i never got it. My RDC's looked at me and laughed!! Dont become a corpsman unless you are really good at obtaining lots of information about a very wide variety of things, even things that have absolutely nothing to do with you job. You will only advance from taking an exam...
    @mrphil86:
    I'm still looking over all of my options.
    I had a several ideas of what I'd like to do.
    Rate: I was told because I scored pretty good on the ASVAB and have some college background I could graduate basic as an E-3 (Seaman).
    MOS:
    1.) V.B.S.S (Vessel. Board. Search. Seizure.)
    2.) Aviation
    3.) Fire, Emergency & Rescue
    4.) Gunner's Mate
    (ASVAB Score: 55) = I was told I didn't qualify for only (3) things Nuclear Submarines, Engineering and Intelligence.
  • dirtyd89
    dirtyd89 Posts: 170
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    @Samantha:
    That's really impressive.
    Keep in mind every test is different.
    I've taken 8 full practice ASVAB tests before I took the official test at MEPS and got a 55.
    (Wish I had my highest recorded score of 66.)
    Keep studying as much as possible.
    Practice taking the test with a timer it helps to stay calm under pressure because it's a timed test.
    I remember spending 4 hours at MEPS with 1/2 that time taking the test.
    With scores like you got you've got nothing to worry about but still practice anyway.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
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    Active Duty Navy Submariner here... been in for 6 years (already?).
  • samanthajade124
    samanthajade124 Posts: 217 Member
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    @Samantha:
    That's really impressive.
    Keep in mind every test is different.
    I've taken 8 full practice ASVAB tests before I took the official test at MEPS and got a 55.
    (Wish I had my highest recorded score of 66.)
    Keep studying as much as possible.
    Practice taking the test with a timer it helps to stay calm under pressure because it's a timed test.
    I remember spending 4 hours at MEPS with 1/2 that time taking the test.
    With scores like you got you've got nothing to worry about but still practice anyway.


    I know it's timed. And I've finished well before the given time was up. I've worked with recruiters. Never really studied for it. I just go off the stuff I already know. I might review a few things beforehand just in case. But I'm not really worried.
  • dirtyd89
    dirtyd89 Posts: 170
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    @Mama_:
    Thank you for the advice.
    I'll take it to heart,
    Much appreciated.
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
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    @mrphil86:
    I'm still looking over all of my options.
    I had a several ideas of what I'd like to do.
    Rate: I was told because I scored pretty good on the ASVAB and have some college background I could graduate basic as an E-3 (Seaman).
    MOS:
    1.) V.B.S.S (Vessel. Board. Search. Seizure.)
    2.) Aviation
    3.) Fire, Emergency & Rescue
    4.) Gunner's Mate
    (ASVAB Score: 55) = I was told I didn't qualify for only (3) things Nuclear Submarines, Engineering and Intelligence.
    After I took the test for entrance to the Marine Corps, the Navy wanted me for Nuclear Sub school, but it was a 6 year commitment, At 17, 6 years seemed an eternity. The absolute best job; Air Traffic Control. Short school, great duty assingments, high re-enlistment bonuses, and big bucks when you get out. Trust me; it's the best job.
  • chixyb
    chixyb Posts: 107 Member
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    I'm hoping to be at goal by the end of the year so I can join the U.S. Army. I have a lot of friends here at West Point that are already helping me prepare (mentally AND physically). I guess I'm doing this out of order, as I started working straight out of high school instead of enlisting, but I'm finally ready to do this.

    I don't think I'm in the spot to give advice, but one thing I've found is it helps to talk to people doing the jobs you're interested in. Find out what it's really like, not what the P.R. team wants you to think it's like.

    Good luck!
  • mkcolombia
    mkcolombia Posts: 71 Member
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    7 years Army Nurse. Can't believe its been that long! Don't trust recruiters even when they say they arebeing straight. My recruiter swore up and down he would never lie to me...he lied big time. Do your own research before signing anything
  • chrispmeeks
    chrispmeeks Posts: 14
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    I was active AF for 6 years and have now been a GS employee for 4 years. I am considering going into the Air Guard in order to get a pension when i turn 60. don't know though, we shall see
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
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    Prior service for me as a reservist in the Navy.

    Boot camp in Orlando Florida
    C school across the sidewalk
    A school in Great Flakes Ill. (Corpsman, and I froze my *kitten* off!!!!)
    Back home.
    Activated for the first Gulf War and spent my time at PI in Beaufort SC

    I got out before I got married and had kids.
  • Tatonka_usn
    Tatonka_usn Posts: 433 Member
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    I was at Great Mistakes 12/17/96-03/05/97 and it got to -30 with the wind chill and snow out the wazoo. Just remember that Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself. Make the most of your enlistment. Enjoy your time overseers. Good luck to you.

    Talk about a small world. I reported there 11/6/96, and I believe graduation was sometime around 1/15/97 (ish). Talk about a hellish winter.....D'oh!!!

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