Army servicemen/women...

message xsargex he's in the Army and can give you some great advice.

I am in the (civil) engineering career field in the Air Force, and while I love the military as it has enabled me to get my degreeand travel the world :-) He should check into some other options first, though. The Army is hurting for people so bad right now the recruiter is going to tell your son whatever he wants to hear. First, I would tell him to find out what the deployment ratio is for that career field - 12 month deployments and weeks possibly months in the field training to deploy will not allow him to go to school while in the army. Every branch has a separate engineering career field, and I would suggest that he take a look at what each one of them has to offer, because they all offer educational benefits. The Army likes to offer high dollar figures for school, but there are rules about how much money you are given at a time. I used Active Duty tuition assistance and opted for the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which got me my bachelors, and is more than enough to get my Masters.

Does he plan on going active duty or guard/reserve? I would recommend going ROTC and get the college out of the way then go in to be an officer.

I am biased, but I would also recommend the Air Force. They for the most part give the same educational benefits and also treat their people better.

Whatever he chooses, please keep in mind that if it is to good to be true and it meets your every dream, it IS too good to be true. When he does sign the papers, MAKE SURE he has a GUARANTEED job!! Don't let them snow him and say "Well, if you opt for a mechanically inclined field, you will probably get your choice later in basic training..." That is crap. They will shove him into a career field where he doesn't want to be wherever they are hurting the most for people. The only reason the recruiter told him to talk with you about it is because he couldn't legally sign the paperwork until he is 18. I can't tell you how many horror stories from people who enlisted "open general" or "open mechanical" and are now just fueling up air planes, cleaning out the refuse tanks in them, etc.

I would recommend him finding someone in the Army who has that job and talking to them first, and also waiting until he graduates to sign the papers. I also opted to go to basic training the fall after I graduated high school so that my last summer responsibility "free" as a kid. Don't let them "push" him in as soon as he graduates. Make them follow your requirements, not theirs, because there is ALWAYS a compromise.

Hi,

When I was in high school, I had straight A's--I was Salutatorian of my graduating class (#2, missed #1 by a tad, but not much! ). Anyway, I checked with an Army recruiter at the time so I could get money for college (folks couldn't afford anything and neither could I). I was basically offered tank driver (keep in mind that this was about 20 years ago). So I checked out the Navy recruiter. In both cases, I was thinking about the Reserves, not Active Duty. When I was talking with the Navy recruiter, something inside clicked and I decided that Active Duty Enlisted Navy was for me. The recruiter showed me many job classes and I wanted something in Aviation Electronics. I tested very high in the ASVAB and if I'd been born a male, I could have done anything. However, as a female, I couldn't be in the "Nuke" rating. That was okay with me because I definitely qualified for Aviation Electronics.

I ran cross country in high school, so I was somewhat athletic.

I can understand your son's way of thinking here. I could have gone straight to college and probably been okay with scholarships and whatnot. However, I needed a break from all that thinking! I'm sure that I would have had a complete nervous breakdown had I continued on in school. And I got such a break in the Navy. It really widened my horizons and matured me in a manner that college never could have done. Plus I developed a great bond with some people that I will always consider almost closer than family.

I served for 6 years and then went on to pursue an undergraduate degree in physics followed by a master's degree in medical physics. I currently work in Radiation Oncology, where we treat patients with cancer and I definitely feel like I make a positive contribution to society.

I would NEVER change the experience that the Navy has given me. In fact, I think that most (if not all) young folks can benefit from some form of service to their country (be it military or a civilian conservation corps-type system) between high school and college.

As far as higher education benefits goes, there are A LOT! I think that there are some bills being discussed in Congress right now that increase GI Bill benefits--check those out online. There are also benefits other than the ones offered by the military. Check out financial aid applications for colleges. When I was fresh out of the Navy and going to college, military veterans are considered independent (in other words, parental income is not considered in financial aid planning).

My only advice to your son would be to check out the other branches of service as well as the Army. He may find some job classifications that are more to his liking than what the Army offers. As heidihunter has stated, there is an engineering field in the Air Force. The Navy also has engineering options (think SeaBees--although they are combat battalions).

I also agree with heidihunter when she talks about things that are too good to be true. Anything that is offered to your son should be IN WRITING. If it is not IN WRITING, it does not exist, as far as the military is concerned.

I hope this helps!!

Cheers, :drinker:
Deborah

I'm a retired Army enlisted spouse who worked as head secretary of a large high school with a JROTC program for 12 years. Here's my take.....

If he's interested in engineering, have him check out ROTC options. I checked Purdue's website; they have Army, Air Force and Navy. He needs to check out all three programs and see what they can offer him. He doesn't have to commit to a commission (become an officer after graduation) for at least a year after he starts college; may be at the end of sophomore year.

If he's just talking about enlisting for the college money- I would encourage him to go the ROTC route. Officers in the armed forces today have many more advantages than enlisted. The Army is hurting big time for recruits, and, unfortunately, there are too many recruiters who will tell you anything to get you to enlist and he could end up doing a job he HATES and spend most of his time in the field training or deployed.

Don't get me wrong - the military life has been very good to us, but there are definite disadvantages in today's world if you're not doing the job you really want to do. And, yes, he will definitely face the probability of deployment oversees to Iraq or Afghanistan, so he needs to make sure he can handle serving his country in that way. Too many recruits think they're just enlisting for the college money and can't handle it when they have to do their "real" job and carry a rifle, but remember, the PURPOSE of the military is to defend our awesome country!

My grandfather was in the Army ... he advised his children and grandchildren to join the Air Force :laugh: ... I don't know exactly what he told them, but they all joined the Air Force.

Thank you everyone for your input, I feel much better now. I will have him speak to the recruiters from other branches of the service and do some research. He says he doesn't want to go only for the education but when I ask him he can't give me another reason.

In the end, he will do what he wants no matter what I think (only I hope what I think matters) but I will see if I can get him to research (and I will do some myself) and talk to others before he commits. He will be home soon from the testing and I will talk to him more then.

I don't know what your background and beliefs are, but he may want to serve his country and he just hasn't been able to put that into words for you. If you're not around a lot of military, it may have never crossed your mind that he'd want to serve, but there's nothing more honorable as a profession. Our youngest daughter is still contemplating serving after she gets her bachelors in Nutrition and Kinesiology.

Listen to what he has to say........ I'm sure he'll make good choices.

What type of engineering is he interested in?

Have him research 3E5X1 for Air Force AFSC (or job type code). All branches have a slight deviation of this career field. I am in this career field and would be fine answering any questions he has, even if they p[ertain to the other branches, since we all do the initial training in Missourri at Ft. Leonard Wood.

:flowerforyou: I was in the Navy for 4 years, and have been a navy wife for 7+.
I got over 30,000 for college, and If I wanted to go to college while I was in they would help with that. There are some very good advantages to going into the military. It all depends on what you want out of it. I had a boyfriend that joined the Air force to "see the world" well he saw 7 straight years of McGuire afb in Jersey.
I joined because, I didn't have above average grades, the town I came from was population 2000
(if you stayed there you would have kids just by drinking the water)
But i traveled, I met neat people, I picked where I wanted to work (different story there, it took years to do it) and I have a very good life because of that decision.
Now I am almost 27 and would never regret it! I do with taht i finished school before I had kids, but that was not due to the military,and is a learning lesson that I have to face:)
Good luck!:bigsmile:

My fiance is currently deployed... but he and I both agree on this point (and I really impress it to my students).

Don't join the military just for college/money.
It's a perk, not a good reason.
If someone wants to join it really needs to be because they want to serve and protect their country.
It needs to be because they are willing to die for their country, cause like it or not.... currently, it is a reality.

My brother is a Army Captain, my cousin a former Marine, my future brother-in-laws.... Army, Marine(s)... plus a bunch of friends in the military. The worst thing to hear, is them complaining because they signed up for something for the wrong purpose.

I definately suggest deep research and contemplation on life goals. They will be impacted by this choice.

:flowerforyou:

a lot of people in the service complain because it is less then they expect.....well welcome to life...people complain about a lot of things..... everyone in the world complains about their job

I think joining the military is very patriotic, if your in it for the right reasons.
It is good to sit down and talk to the recruiters but the college money is a big inticing deal