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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
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Try to get something to do with electronics. I have been doing Radar repair for the Navy for 9 years now, and if I decide to get out I can get paid nicely.
Tell us what you want to do after the military, what are your interests, we can help you find the field that will give you the best experience to give you a head start and get you that good job in the civilian market.
I was in the Army for 6yrs and have been out 2.. I was a 74B (Information Systems Analyist/Operator) which is basically a computer technician. Now I work for a Gov't contractor as a Sr. Information / Network Technician... Listen to what everyone has said, choose something that will transfer to the civilian world.. Most combat related MOS's(jobs) don't relate to the civilian world unless you want to kill or blow things up.. (I know it sounds like fun).... When your at the MEPS they will try to put you in fields that the classes will start in the next 3 months.. if you don't see any jobs you like have them run out another 6 months, they will tell you they can't, but they can, I did it to get mine... When you find a job that is interesting, ask them for the complete job description, and read it word for word.. if you don't understand something make them spell it out until you do, because most of it will be in military jargon... Also be careful of MOS titles, some don't jive with what you will actually do.. a good example is 74C (Telecommunications Operator / Maintainer) - has nothing to do with Telecom and you won't be maintaining anything but the barracks and the place you work... You will sit at a computer and shuffle encripted email....
There's alot of good advise from people past and present here, Hopefully you will be able to go in with enough info, that whatever your choice is, you will enjoy being in the military, whatever branch you choose..
Campo is right on target here LISTEN. I was a 31V Tactical communications Repairman/Operator. Been 12 yrs since I was in so the title may be a little off. I thought I did my homework and was told it would transfer to a civilian job. NOPE! All repair done by civilian contractors all I did was perform and set up basic maintenance schedules. Repair, NEVER! Oh yes I could do the apprenticeship program while I was in took 4 yrs and was so complicated that I never completed it. Why? It required timelines to be followed and courses to be taken that I simply couldn't take. We would go on manuevers and for 2-3 weeks and screw everything up.
I've heard of some recruiters telling recruits that they can even attend college courses while they are in the military. Yes it is true and they will pay for it. But the catch is your company commander has to ok it because you may have to go out on manuevers for a week or longer and either can't go on manuevers or miss class.
I knew a guy that waited a whole year for the MOS (job) that would benefit him the most. It was something like a language specialist that did nothing but listen to Chinese transmissions and translate. He had two seperate schools to go to after basic. I imagine that he had several avenues after he got out working as a civilian contractor.
Also just so you know after you sign up there will be several times that you take the "Oath". But the only one that really counts and makes it final is the one you take at the reception station when you are issued all your gear and clothing. We had a guy that couldn't handle all the yelling we had to endure at the reception station on the first day. So when we had to do our final Oath he decided it wasn't for him and he said NO! They shipped him back home.
So if you went to MEPS on Wednesday what did they offer you??
I'm heading there this wednesday or possibly friday now. I have to talk to the recruiter again. I'm interested in electronics and mechanics. I love working on my truck and working with my hands in general. I guess the one thing I'm wondering is are there any MOSes that I should just flat out avoid? The recruiter kinda mentioned things like gaurunteed stationing or a sign on bonus but didn't go into detail.. I'm gonna try and get all the info i can outa him before i go. Is the only place i can check out the jobs in detail the meps center or should my recruiter have detailed info on every job that i can look at before i go? I'd like to have a couple MOSes in mind before i goto the meps center so i know what i'm getting and hopefully won't have to cometo a quick desicion.
Check out www.goarmy.com they have general job descriptions by MOS... Like I said before be careful of the job description, if you like mechanics, they might tell you you qualify for 63M which is a BFV Maintainer, well a BFV is a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, it's a wheeled armored personel carrier, or a 63B Light wheeled vehicle mechanic, basically you will work on HMVEE's all day long.... there's not much work in the civilian world for either... Now a 62B Construction Equipment Repairer... you'll be able to find plenty of job's
As far as garenteed station, they try to do that as long as everything goes right.. like start basic and AIT on time, if you don't you get station of the Army's choice..
Like KSPride, I also have friends that were and are recruiters.. also when you go to the MEPS, your recruiter won't be there when you pick your MOS, it will be a MEPS recruiter...
Definitely get a job that you can transfer your skills to the civilian side of the world. I had yearlong tech school training on LASER guided weapons systems (smart bombs) but I ended up working on the photo, radar, and infrared camera systems on the U-2. Even though the job was fun and I learned a lot I got screwed when I got out because I cannot really transfer my skills to the civilian sector. I was offered and accepted 3 different job’s from Boeing to work as a government contractor with the military but each time about two weeks before I was to leave the country they would call me up and say the mission has changed and we are no longer flying that system over there. The last time they called me it was to work on the infrared systems on some army helicopter in Alabama, I turned that down, it just was not for me.
Doug I hope you can see by all this that sometimes what you are trained for may not be what you actually do. Treat this like buying a car or house. If you can't get what you want, then walk away. Don't be afraid to say hey let me go see what the Air Force has that will benefit me long term. Play hard ball, cause the MEPS recruiters are no different than used car salesmen. They want to get you signed then and there no matter what. So if your recruiter has told you something you can get like a specific dollar amount bonus then the MEPS recruiters will have to write it in.
I was so out of sorts when I went to the MEPS center that a few crucial items I wanted in my contract were forgotten about. I suggest writing key things down on a note pad and use them for reference and make sure that if something is mentioned write it down so that when it comes to signing on the dotted line you can refer back to all the key things they said to you and make sure they are written in the contract.
Tell the Army recruiter your going to talk to the Marines. they hate that. Remember, this is your life you will be signing away, make absolutely sure you get what YOU want. Talk to us about specific MOS's and how they transfer over. The stuff on the website and at the recruiting and MEPs offices are like commercials, they only tell you what they want you to hear, all the cool stuff, not usually what it actually is.
I kinda got the impression it's like buying a used car, I was planning on writing down the important points they mention (sign on bonus, MOS etc) I was also planning on writing down the MOSes offered to me and then checking them out more thoroughly when i'm not under pressure.
My Wife is USAF she loves it. My Grandfather is a retired 4Star. go to Collage and go in as a Officer. Every one is right Absolutely get EVERYTHING in writing..... That is the most important thing to remember and read the small print on the MGIB. just remember CYA (COVER YOUR A**)
If you like electronics and mechanics, you might think about medical equipment repair (BIG BUCKS IN CIVILIAN WORLD) probably a sign on bonus as well. Me, I've been in 6 years as a Preventive Medicine Technician MOS-91S. It's a really good field, transfers real nicely. It deals with Environmental Health Issues. In my field you can also get an ASI (additional skill identifier) called N4, which is radiation protection (YOMIE did this in the Army, he now has a great job with no college degree). If you need anymore help let us know.
Well i talked to the recruiter and it turns out i'm not going to the meps center tomorrow but now i'm going on friday. I'm glad i dont have to get up at like 4am tomorrow, i can put it off to friday. I'm guessing the best thing is to not accept a job the first day i'm there but to research the jobs im offered then make a decision?
Originally posted by Doug I'm guessing the best thing is to not accept a job the first day i'm there but to research the jobs im offered then make a decision?
Now you're seeing the light. They will try to tell you that the jobs may not be available when you come back but ignore them. Find the right job then wait for it to become available.
Originally posted by AlaskanJack Now you're seeing the light. They will try to tell you that the jobs may not be available when you come back but ignore them. Find the right job then wait for it to become available.
Thats basically the way the recruiter made it sound. he was telling me that you can watch the jobs disapear and once they're gone that's it but i really didnt buy that. I'm in no rush, i have to finish with school before i can even go off to basic training.
Ah so does the recruiter know this as well? Seriously I would go see what the Air Force has to offer and play them against one another and get the best for you!!
Originally posted by AlaskanJack Ah so does the recruiter know this as well? Seriously I would go see what the Air Force has to offer and play them against one another and get the best for you!!
Well, I did it, I enlisted. I think I'll be happy with the MOS i picked it's pretty cool. It's MOS 33w Military Intelligence System Maintainer and Integrator. I got a nice sign on bonus and I'm enlisted for 6 years. I'm going to Ft. Levinworth (i beleive) in missouri for basic training and then i goto to Ft. Something i can pronounce in Arizona for 48 weeks of advanced training. I don't know where I'll be stationed after that but it could either Arizona, Georgia, Korea or Europe. It requires top secret clearance and assuming i pass my backround check I ship out march 9th.
My brother in law just retired from this field as an E-8. Ft Huachuca I think is what it is called. He now works as a civilian analyst for the military and was paid very well to go to Saudi recently and Kuwait.
Be careful we had a guy that couldn't get his Security clearance and found out during his Advanced training and so he had to accept a different job or get out. They only offered him a job as a Cook or Canon Crewmember 13B I believe. He got totally screwed but everything was based on his getting his security clearance.
Maybe you can secure the security clearance before you ship out to basic. When do you actually go in for basic? I would suggest that you start now doing push up, sit ups and running. It will make basic a lot less harsh if you are prepared for the physical aspect of it that way you can deal with the mental aspect of it. Course I never knew that doing 800 jumping jacks could hurt so I guess you can never fully prepare for everything.
(I know it sounds like fun).... When your at the MEPS they will try to put you in fields that the classes will start in the next 3 months.. if you don't see any jobs you like have them run out another 6 months, they will tell you they can't, but they can, I did it to get mine... When you find a job that is interesting, ask them for the complete job description, and read it word for word.. if you don't understand something make them spell it out until you do, because most of it will be in military jargon... Also be careful of MOS titles, some don't jive with what you will actually do.. a good example is 74C (Telecommunications Operator / Maintainer) - has nothing to do with Telecom and you won't be maintaining anything but the barracks and the place you work... You will sit at a computer and shuffle encripted email....
I'm guessing the best thing is to not accept a job the first day i'm there but to research the jobs im offered then make a decision?
