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Attention to Orders: Penny Arcade's [Military Thread] is Open!!!

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Posts

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Chatted with an army recruiter today, he said the two big issues for me are my age (31 as of this month) and the fact that I got surgery and metal installed. He said it would probably take around a year to process my medical papers, and by then I'd be 32. Also I guess he's out in February so he said he wasn't really interested in a year long wait. Told me I'd have more control over my destiny and get in faster if I enlisted. I had a feeling he might have been speaking more for his own benefit than mine... Anyway, he said I can't really get the ball rolling until I am at least done with my PT and get a clean bill of health, which I should be getting both at the end of August, hopefully.

    Plan with meeting up with an Airforce and Navy recruiter about officer positions later this week, just to see what they have to say as well.

  • manwiththemachinegunmanwiththemachinegun METAL GEAR?! Registered User regular
    So I'm getting close to the downhill side of 30, and attending a medical program for Physical Therapy Assisting. I wanted to ask if anyone had experience with using medical skills for the military. Either in the service or as a civilian contractor. What would be the pros, cons, etc.

  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    San Antonio is like a hybrid of Orlando FL and Arlington VA. And more American than Murican. I'll definitely be happy here but its all highway. It looks like an RC car track.

    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • RadiationRadiation Registered User regular
    So I'm getting close to the downhill side of 30, and attending a medical program for Physical Therapy Assisting. I wanted to ask if anyone had experience with using medical skills for the military. Either in the service or as a civilian contractor. What would be the pros, cons, etc.

    Not direct experience. They do hire civilian docs/Physical Therapy people or contract it out. If you were looking for something now-ish or wanted to see what was out there with regards to government employment, then I recommend checking out USAjobs.gov to see what is out there. I imagine you might see a lot of VA work as well, but I do know bases have that.

    Pros I imagine are stability. It's not some clinic that might go under, or hire someone else for cheaper, or whatever. Also I imagine you'd be working a different crowd with more interesting injuries/requirements.
    Pay may not be all that great, but that varies by position. Are you near a base, or just looking to move?
    Inquisitor wrote: »
    Chatted with an army recruiter today, he said the two big issues for me are my age (31 as of this month) and the fact that I got surgery and metal installed. He said it would probably take around a year to process my medical papers, and by then I'd be 32. Also I guess he's out in February so he said he wasn't really interested in a year long wait. Told me I'd have more control over my destiny and get in faster if I enlisted. I had a feeling he might have been speaking more for his own benefit than mine... Anyway, he said I can't really get the ball rolling until I am at least done with my PT and get a clean bill of health, which I should be getting both at the end of August, hopefully.

    Plan with meeting up with an Airforce and Navy recruiter about officer positions later this week, just to see what they have to say as well.

    Yeah, that sounds like not great advice. The whole line of Enlist then you can commission later is just to get you in. You can commission while you are enlisted but (at least for the Air Force in my experience), it looked more challenging doing it that way than coming off the street and commissioning.

    If you don't get much traction with Navy/AF people as well I'd again suggest you check out the National Guard or Reserves, as they may be willing to work with you more.

    PSN: jfrofl
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    I would definitely not consider enlisting until you've run out of options for officer.

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    edited July 2018
    Swung by the Navy recruiter today after realizing how stupid close they are. They were much more interested in me, had me do a pre ASVAB thing and I got a 93/99 on it. Said it was a pity I am too old or they’d have be doing nuclear stuff. Said they would forward my info to the officer folks but noted choices will be limited due to my non technical degree. Said to consider enlisting depending on what the officer folks say.
    Quid wrote: »
    I would definitely not consider enlisting until you've run out of options for officer.

    I will exhaust all possibilities :)

    Inquisitor on
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    If no one has said it: Recruiters are not your friends.

    It's a shit duty people pull and it's literally just a sales job. You should essentially believe zero things a recruiter tells you unless in writing, and if it's in writing you should verify it with a third party anyway.

    What is this I don't even.
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    If no one has said it: Recruiters are not your friends.

    It's a shit duty people pull and it's literally just a sales job. You should essentially believe zero things a recruiter tells you unless in writing, and if it's in writing you should verify it with a third party anyway.

    My Army NCO last year told me stories of the suicide rates...

    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    I want to be a recruiter >>

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Inquisitor wrote: »
    Swung by the Navy recruiter today after realizing how stupid close they are. They were much more interested in me, had me do a pre ASVAB thing and I got a 93/99 on it. Said it was a pity I am too old or they’d have be doing nuclear stuff. Said they would forward my info to the officer folks but noted choices will be limited due to my non technical degree. Said to consider enlisting depending on what the officer folks say.
    Quid wrote: »
    I would definitely not consider enlisting until you've run out of options for officer.

    I will exhaust all possibilities :)

    So with your scores you easily qualify for anything on the enlisted side. If officer doesn't work out, I know you looked at OS, but for quality of life and advancement nothing beats being a CTR/I/N.

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    I want to be a recruiter >>

    The head of the recruitment office was a lady, she was out when I first showed up, so she didn't know I was around. When I finished my practice test I stepped outside per the instructions and was waiting, she was out of LOS, but not out of earshot. So I got several minutes of listening to her on the phone comparing people's junk to various forms of sausages and hotdogs.

    So recruiters seem like a fun bunch. :P

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    That's uh

    That's just standard military talk

  • DiplominatorDiplominator Hardcore Porg Registered User regular
    Can attest to CTI being a good gig. DLI is really hard, though, and you are not guaranteed an entertaining career if you fail.

  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    Inquisitor wrote: »
    Told me I'd have more control over my destiny and get in faster if I enlisted. I had a feeling he might have been speaking more for his own benefit than mine...

    While that's not the biggest pile of bullshit I've seen today, it's pretty close. He was absolutely speaking in his own best interest there. You have far far less control over your destiny as an enlisted soldier/airman/sailor/marine than an officer does.

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    Gonna reiterate some things, mainly because they’re important.

    Recruiters are the way they are because they have quotas to fill. They also get bonuses/perks for bringing someone into a nuclear rate or spec ops. So yeah, self preservation/interest. Get anything in writing.

    This is my absolute personal opinion, but I don’t think you should enlist even if your officer options are closed off. Maybe reserves/guard, but not active. I don’t say this because I think you wouldn’t do well. You’d be fantastic, actually. It’s your age group. Most of your peers are already E7, E8, or just about to put on E7. While you’d find success, you might find yourself always feeling behind by about 10 years. I bring this up because I absolutely know it would fuck me up.

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    mosssnack wrote: »
    Gonna reiterate some things, mainly because they’re important.

    Recruiters are the way they are because they have quotas to fill. They also get bonuses/perks for bringing someone into a nuclear rate or spec ops. So yeah, self preservation/interest. Get anything in writing.

    This is my absolute personal opinion, but I don’t think you should enlist even if your officer options are closed off. Maybe reserves/guard, but not active. I don’t say this because I think you wouldn’t do well. You’d be fantastic, actually. It’s your age group. Most of your peers are already E7, E8, or just about to put on E7. While you’d find success, you might find yourself always feeling behind by about 10 years. I bring this up because I absolutely know it would fuck me up.

    Officer is definitely my priority but depending on what ratings I qualify for enlisting is an option I plan to keep on the table. I know I am going to be behind by about 10 years, but having spent my 20s following my whismy and fancy and finally buckling down for a career at 30 I am pretty much going to be 10 years behind no matter where I go in life. It’s something I’ve come to terms with.

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    Fair enough, bud. Well, let us know what rates you get offered should you go down that road. They are certainly not created equal

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • EnigmedicEnigmedic Registered User regular
    Inquisitor wrote: »
    mosssnack wrote: »
    Gonna reiterate some things, mainly because they’re important.

    Recruiters are the way they are because they have quotas to fill. They also get bonuses/perks for bringing someone into a nuclear rate or spec ops. So yeah, self preservation/interest. Get anything in writing.

    This is my absolute personal opinion, but I don’t think you should enlist even if your officer options are closed off. Maybe reserves/guard, but not active. I don’t say this because I think you wouldn’t do well. You’d be fantastic, actually. It’s your age group. Most of your peers are already E7, E8, or just about to put on E7. While you’d find success, you might find yourself always feeling behind by about 10 years. I bring this up because I absolutely know it would fuck me up.

    Officer is definitely my priority but depending on what ratings I qualify for enlisting is an option I plan to keep on the table. I know I am going to be behind by about 10 years, but having spent my 20s following my whismy and fancy and finally buckling down for a career at 30 I am pretty much going to be 10 years behind no matter where I go in life. It’s something I’ve come to terms with.

    Counterpoint to being behind. the older dudes were so much better to work with than the cracked out 18 year olds. People will appreciate any levelheadedness even if you would still be treated as though you were younger.

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    mosssnack wrote: »
    Fair enough, bud. Well, let us know what rates you get offered should you go down that road. They are certainly not created equal

    Will do! Also want to say thanks to all the support this thread has given me. It's definitely a new weird world for me to be navigating and all the advice here has really helped me advocate for myself with recruiters. I understand that they have their quotas to hit and everything, and don't fault them for what they are doing, but knowing what choices I have has been very useful.

    Talked on the phone with an airforce recruiter and he said as far as joining up as an officer, not having a technical degree my odds are very slim and they are basically full up on officers through the first few months of 2019 or so. So, so far I've gotten the best traction with the Navy and should be hearing back from their officer recruiters in the next day or two.

    Is it worth trying to find a different army officer to talk to about the warrant aviation officer thing? The one I talked to had like no interest in going through it with me, but he specifically cited it's because he was done soon and that some other recruiters might try and push me through it. Is that a thing I can try and do, just go to different offices and hope? Or is there a more intelligent way to go about this?

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    Yes, if you’re interested in that army warrant program, please find another officer recruiter willing to navigate the ins and outs of that program with you.

    If the army is anything like the navy, there is an instruction out there that can probably be googled and folks here would probably be able to help with.

    I think this page is the program? http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/prerequ/woft.shtml

    That first section has a list of references that you should probably try and read through. Then take all that info with you to a different army recruiter and hopefully you find someone who isn’t just counting their remaining days

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    also don't forget about the coast guard. Lot of good programs there and you're basically guaranteed to stay in CONUS short of some excursions to the arctic circle for certain functions.

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Age is part of why I recommend CT to older peeps. We generally get way more independence and autonomy compared to other fields and also skew a bit older.

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    *sigh*

    No chief phone call for Quid

    Time to start working on next year’s package

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    Dang bud, that stinks. I was thinking about ya this morning

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • DiplominatorDiplominator Hardcore Porg Registered User regular
    I was too. Sorry about that. Thus far I only recognized one of the names on the list but I'm hoping for more when the full one is released tomorrow.

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Inquisitor wrote: »
    mosssnack wrote: »
    Gonna reiterate some things, mainly because they’re important.

    Recruiters are the way they are because they have quotas to fill. They also get bonuses/perks for bringing someone into a nuclear rate or spec ops. So yeah, self preservation/interest. Get anything in writing.

    This is my absolute personal opinion, but I don’t think you should enlist even if your officer options are closed off. Maybe reserves/guard, but not active. I don’t say this because I think you wouldn’t do well. You’d be fantastic, actually. It’s your age group. Most of your peers are already E7, E8, or just about to put on E7. While you’d find success, you might find yourself always feeling behind by about 10 years. I bring this up because I absolutely know it would fuck me up.

    Officer is definitely my priority but depending on what ratings I qualify for enlisting is an option I plan to keep on the table. I know I am going to be behind by about 10 years, but having spent my 20s following my whismy and fancy and finally buckling down for a career at 30 I am pretty much going to be 10 years behind no matter where I go in life. It’s something I’ve come to terms with.

    I didn't join until I was 27 for roughly the same reasons.

    The truth is we'll always have catching up to do, but with the military a lot of age stuff gets left in the dust with how the community rolls. You might get Grandpa once or twice but the proof is in the pudding, as they say.

    I was really lost when I joined and now I'm doing well enough to survive on my own, having been out for 5 years (medical discharge). It will change you, for good and for ill, so just be prepared for that. You won't be the same person you were when you went in.

    But if you want to make up a hell of a lot of lost time, there's few better ways. I'd recommend it.

    jungleroomx on
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Good news is my next command is mandatory civvies with convenient metro access.

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    So my brand new lpo who showed up the day before chief results is a chief select. So that’s pretty sweet. Guy is literally checking into the command while getting initiated. So he’ll get pinned next month and be onto a new boat.

    Maybe one day I’ll have an lpo!

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Moss I'm right here

    I've gone from a command where everyone was at least E-5 to a command where everyone was at least E-6 to a command where there was no one with rank at all

    I'm totally ready to lead

  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    steam_sig.png
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    I have to wear a dress uniform and a suit my first day of checking in.

    This is terrorism.

  • DiplominatorDiplominator Hardcore Porg Registered User regular
    I have been in Frocking Limbo for so long that I have dress uniforms that fit and have the wrong rank and dress uniforms that don't fit and have the old rank. And we have to be in whites for a ceremony soon. I hope admin sorts this shit out this week or I'm gonna have a decision to make.

    Don't have to wear a suit, though. So there's that.

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    I have to wear a dress uniform and a suit my first day of checking in.

    This is terrorism.

    I don't know if the Navy's dress uniforms were as stiff and uncomfortable as the Army ones, but if they are...

    Woof.

  • mosssnackmosssnack Yeah right, man, Bishop should go! Good idea!Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    I have to wear a dress uniform and a suit my first day of checking in.

    This is terrorism.

    Gross. Check ins are already a colossal pain in the ass.

    Hey guy, you have 3 days to find all of the people that have these collateral duties. The names are out dated and half of them are probably on leave without an alternate, but uh, yeah, good luck!

    XBL: mosssnack12
    bnet: moss*1454
  • RadiationRadiation Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    I have to wear a dress uniform and a suit my first day of checking in.

    This is terrorism.

    Both at the same time? That seems excessive.

    Also hardly ideal, but this job could be awesome and this whole thing worked out super well for you. So mild discomfort for a bit seems like an easy pill to swallow comparatively :P

    PSN: jfrofl
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    At my current unit I showed up and was immediately handed a pile of garbage to unscrew. But at least I didn't have to report in service dress.

    Honestly I'm not sure which I'd prefer.

    At least the suit can be made of materials from this century.

    Iceman.USAF on
  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Got a text from the Navy officer recruiter after like a week of radio silence, asked for my email which I gave so they can send me new information.

    Took the ASVAB this morning and scored in the 98th percentile. Recruiter says I would have qualified for Alpha in nuclear if younger. Is suggesting I look into interpreter.

    Brain is currently mush.

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    You'd still have to take the DLAB but interpreter is definitely your best bet as far as enlisted if officer doesn't work out. Unless you have a big interest in coding or something.

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    You'd still have to take the DLAB but interpreter is definitely your best bet as far as enlisted if officer doesn't work out. Unless you have a big interest in coding or something.

    I enjoyed the coding classes I took in highschool and coded up a tiny videogame for fun a couple years back, so my interest in coding is definitely non-zero.

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