pjmayher

iTrader: (5)

I had a Camaro for years and really trust the guys that drive Fbodys. So what do you guys think about the National Guard. I have enough credit hours to go in as a 3rd lieutenant and would leave for basic in August. And got a pretty good score on my ASVAB for the first try. So there alot of the critical jobs that I'm eligable for. Just wanting opinions while I try to figure some things out.

Thanks,
P.J.

7th Darkness

iTrader: (15)

I have been in the National Guard for 6+ years. I have enjoyed my time in, payed for school, the extra money a month is nice, and if you get deployed VA benifits are good, especially GI BILL. I however am not a officer so could not tell you to much about being one, and FYI its a 2nd LT.. no such thing as a 3rd.

pjmayher

iTrader: (5)

The recruiter said that untill I got back from basic I would be called 3rd Lieutenant. Which is a Brevet 2nd Lieutenant. I would do some training under the 2nd Lieutenant from the area.

I will be going back to school when I get back which limits me to a 6 year contract. And I will also be going for my MBA, and Doctorate. Which is another year for every 2 that I am in school. Making me 30 by the time that my contract is up but saving me some serious money with school.

I am looking at doing the SMP program and getting 100% of my school taken care of. And putting me on top of the list for every promotion.

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

P.J.

7th Darkness

iTrader: (15)

Hmm must be a new recruiting thing.. 3rd LT, guess it sounds better than Cadet.

Well either way, good luck on whatever you decide to do.

ImpalaSSpeed96

iTrader: (10)

There's no 3rd LT.... Where are these recruiters pulling this crap. Till you graduate basic, you ain't ****... Then you can be a butter bar lol.

And be prepared to deploy if you join...

pjmayher

iTrader: (5)

I will be a 2nd LT when I get back from basic. And I will be doing the SMP program when I get back from BCT. I think that i have to resign a new contract when I get back, but that is okay with me. So I will only be deployable for a couple weeks. Then I'm safe for 36 months and then i'm deployable again for a couple months till I start my graduate program then back to 18 months non-deployable. Then it happens again while I get my PHD courses planned. But I think I have to do a 6-8 year contract to get the benefits of school.

And when I get back from BCT, and AIT I should have enough money to pay off my truck and get another Fbody.

I'm pretty excited about doing this. I should be signing next week at some point.

P.J.

7th Darkness

iTrader: (15)

Kind of confused... officers do not go through basic and AIT, they go to OCS (Officer Candidate School) and OBC (Officer Basic Course).

And last I checked SMP is for ROTC or else you would have nothing to SMP??? But I guess in order to SMP you would have to join the guard first and then transfer over to ROTC.

If you are joining ROTC in your Junior year, then you do not have to go to basic training, you go to Leaders Training Course for a month, if all you are joining the Guard for is so you can SMP.... don't.

Ponch95

iTrader: (5)

Son,

Nobody is safe from deployment period! Now listen to me I was a Drill Sergeant for 2 years and I know what the hell I'm talking about I promise, IF your going to Basic and AIT your not going in as an Officer.

There are three ways to become an officer;

1) Go to West Point (Active Army only)
2) ROTC program at your school
3) Go to basic and AIT as enlisted and then put in a packet to go to OTC (Officer Training Course)

THEY are the only 3 ways and there is no OJT in the Army.

1994-B4c

Well whoever is tell you this is blowing smoke up your a**. As Ponch95 said there are only three ways to become a Officer in the Army, i am going with option #2 myself. Here is some info on the SMP program. You have to be a ROTC cadet to participate in SMP.
http://www.ncat.edu/~rotc/SMP.htm

ImpalaSSpeed96

iTrader: (10)

Gotta love recruiters....

pjmayher

iTrader: (5)

Okay. Just finished with the recruiter and got some things figured out. I will go to BCT as a E3 with the hours I have. Then do the SMP when I get back from BCT and AIT. And when I graduate with me BA I will be 2nd LT. So that is how it will work. And my Drill will be under a 2nd/1st LT every month. Should be going to AIT for 88M-Airborne. In Wylie, TX. Then trying to get to the 35 series after ROTC and my BA. And I'm looking at a Quick Ship to basic, but with the SMP I will be sacrificing the bonuses.

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

I think your recruiter is just pushing you into enlisting just to get himself enlisted credit.

Apply for OCS in the Guard and take the federal OCS school instead of the state OCS school, that way you will just go to straight to OCS for 12 weeks as an E5 and leave as a 1LT. Then finish the rest of your officer schools after that.

96WS6guy

iTrader: (1)

Also, just enlisting with a bachelors already under your belt. No ROTC, no basic. Just straight to all those oh so cool officer schools.

pjmayher

iTrader: (5)

I can't do OCS because I only have 58 hours of college credit and you need your full BA degree. So I'm going to do BCT and AIT and then go into the SMP and study for 2 years and get my BA that way. Then come out of ROTC as a 2nd LT, with the AIT in the area that I want to MOS.

ZMONSTER!

iTrader: (9)

Thank you SSG!

Dude, sounds like you need to finish school, get your BA and then see what happens. Ive seen ALOT of people come and go that were either Airborne/ranger/SF/old guard/officer contracts, and guess what NONE of them panned out. Ive only known one dude that did the OTC packet (but he was a SSG. when he put it in) I know one dude who went green to gold, don't know what happened to him.

Also as far as deploying goes, well we deployed guys with broken limbs and chronic illnesses (when the war first kicked off) but now they are letting guys puss out by claiming sleep apnea and bullshit other reasons. Regardless never assume that you are non-deployable! Im guessing 88M would be pretty desirable over there right now. I was 11 series so I was always waiting on the next deployment.

Anyway have fun and don't ever trust a recruiter. I had 2 platoon sergeants that were former recruiters and they told me a bunch of stories about a bunch of low down dirty handed **** they had to do just to make mission.

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

You dont need the full degree, its 90 credits for guard/reserve plus in the guard/reserve you chose your branch anyway.

ss1129

iTrader: (16)

Bro I would go Army reserves.....not guard. Gurad does all the bullshit work for floods and stupid **** like that. Its funny because even the Army makes fun of the National Guard. They basiclly say they are not military. Plus honestly the only thing I can think of is Rambo taking down all those national guardsmen in First Blood.

Anyways what do you want out of the Military? You really should look into other branches and active duty too. Reserves are kind of bullshit and dont really do much for people. At least see what your options are. Plus find another NG office and see if the recruiter tells you the same thing.

blue by you

iTrader: (5)

I've got 16 years in the NG (SSG) and pretty much everything I have can be accredited to the army in some way, shape or form. I'm in Iraq for my third tour now and I'm not saying I love it, but you gotta take the good with the bad. Good VA benefits, little extra money every month, satisfaction from leading troops, etc.