Well, I'm in the Army Now

[Del Arroyo]

Well, I finally signed my papers today and swore in, I'll ship the 18th. Got exactly the job I wanted, plus much better extras than I ever could have hoped for-- a rare option to sign up for 2 years with no strings, or 4 years with a $20,000 enlistment bonus.

37F, Psychological Operations-- marketing and PR for our forces on the ground. Learn a third language, travel the world, hang out with Special Forces guys, as well as getting to jump out of a few airplanes, shoot some guns and blow some stuff up along the way-- pretty much everything I'm looking for out of the Army.

I was actually set on 18X, Special Forces Candidate when I thought 37F wouldn't be available, but I like to think that PsyOps has all of the things I want out of Special Forces, and none of the things I don't need. Not that I've any objection to hard-core ruckmarching and extreme wilderness survival, but they're not exactly central to my life plan, you know?

..

What's really funny is the amount of time and BS it took me to get here, like five or six days at MEPS over the course of two weeks. When I first got into it all I was a GED applicant, which the head recruiting sergeant ensured me wouldn't make a difference-- wrong! When I finally got through the medical and all the other bullock, nothing good was coming up on the job screen and I wasn't ready to jump in-- which was of course a four-alarm emergency. I got to sit in the hotseat while every damn recruiter in the battallion tried their best on me, all the way up to the First Sergeant and the Master Sergeant-- they tried to do some stuff for me, but when none of it worked out (because-- duh-- I didn't have a Diploma) I had to sit and smile through some pretty intense hard sells.

What I finally did (which I'd been telling them all along) was straighten out my College Transcript and get the semester's worth of credits I needed to qualify. I had a bunch of credits from subjects I recently tested out of, and it turned out all I needed was to make a bunch of phone calls, take a couple more tests and get everything in line. Everyone seemed genuinely suprised and impressed, which I guess means they didn't believe me before, but that's fine.

..

So, armed with two good legs and more knowledge of Recruiting than I ever thought I'd learn, I head to Fort Benning in a couple of weeks. Evildoers, here I come

DA

[Papewaio]

Well you are at least the second org member to join the Psyops after being here... wonder if there is a trend... damn mods screwing with peoples minds

Khan7 I believe is the other one...

[Kanamori]

I head to Fort Benning in a couple of weeks. Evildoers, here I come

I've been there. Well, only in a video game

[Seamus Fermanagh]

DA:

God bless and keep you, and thank you for your service.

Seamus

[dgfred]

Good luck to you and be safe , and come back to visit us when
you can.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Cograts, and God speed!

Also, thank you and God bless!

Crazed Rabbit

[Proletariat]

Welcome aboard!

Edit: I think I might want to invest in a Scrabble board.

[Kraxis]

The interesting thing is whenever somebody says or writes PsyOps I think of people using mental powers to disrupt the enemy, give him headaches, ect ect...
I know it isn't but that mental picture simply won't leave me. It is actually quite funny.

So what kind of special ability did you have?

[GonZ]

Evildoers, here I come

DA

Make sure you know who they are...

and there's a phrase from half life that springs to mind;

"good luck buddy - you're gonna need it"

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

The interesting thing is whenever somebody says or writes PsyOps I think of people using mental powers to disrupt the enemy, give him headaches, ect ect...
I know it isn't but that mental picture simply won't leave me. It is actually quite funny.

So what kind of special ability did you have?

For whatever reason, I think the same thing.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

The interesting thing is whenever somebody says or writes PsyOps I think of people using mental powers to disrupt the enemy, give him headaches, ect ect...
I know it isn't but that mental picture simply won't leave me. It is actually quite funny.

So what kind of special ability did you have?

Heh, me too. I think I played Red Alert 2 too much.

Man, that game ruled.

[Ianofsmeg16]

Good luck mate!!!

[BDC]

You need to graduate to join the army in the US? Or just as an officer?

[yesdachi]

Good Luck! Let us know how it goes when you have the chance.

[Kekvit Irae]

You do NOT want to be stationed at Fort Benning, trust me. In time, you will learn what my title means and why I have it there. 30th AG is Limbo and Hell all rolled into one Processing Station.

And BDC, to be an Commissioned Officer, you need to have at least four years of college. Everyone else may choose to be Enlisted, and then work their way on to Warrant Officer if they choose to, all without a college education. Now, there is a program that allows High School Seniors to join the Army, go through nine weeks of basic training, and then go home to complete High School before returning back to the Army for advanced training. Before, you couldnt get into the Army without a HS diploma or GED.
That's not to say that a college education is a bad thing for Enlisted. With only a HS diploma or GED, you start out as an E1 Private. The lowest of the low. With JROTC (High School ROTC program), or Eagle Scout from Boy Scouts, you will recieve an automatic promotion to E2 Private (and earn your first stripe). An Associate Degree in College will net you an E3 Private First Class rank. Four years of college (provided you didnt opt for Officer Canidate School) will get you E4 Specialist.
And trust me, the pay difference between an E1 and an E2 is big enough to make you think about what you want to do with your education.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

DA: just thought I'd say good job.

[Proletariat]

You do NOT want to be stationed at Fort Benning, trust me. In time, you will learn what my title means and why I have it there. 30th AG is Limbo and Hell all rolled into one Processing Station.

Benning is probably the best place for a person like DA. What is your MOS, kekvitirae?

[Kekvit Irae]

11B was my MOS. Keyword: was. I've been there twice in the past five years, both times I couldnt complete training due to exercise-induced asthma. Ah well, I can dream, cant I?

[Husar]

The interesting thing is whenever somebody says or writes PsyOps I think of people using mental powers to disrupt the enemy, give him headaches, ect ect...
I know it isn't but that mental picture simply won't leave me. It is actually quite funny.

Me too.

Wish you luck and hope you´ll have the fun you expect from it DA.

[Proletariat]

11B was my MOS. Keyword: was. I've been there twice in the past five years, both times I couldnt complete training due to exercise-induced asthma. Ah well, I can dream, cant I?

11B was the MOS they put in your contract? I don't understand, with that job's particular restrictions.

Good luck.

[Del Arroyo]

Just to clarify, my basic will be at Benning, I'm not sure where my AIT will be. There are only one or two Active Duty PsyOps battallions (the rest all being Reserve), which is/are stationed at Fort Bragg, so odds are that will be my first duty station.

As far as what to expect from Benning, I'm hopeful. I've heard it's not as tough as Bragg, but not as wussy as Jackson either, so I'm expecting a sufficient challenge.

I thought all the 11B went through basic and AIT at Bragg, Kekvitirae?

As far as PsyOps, yeah, it kind of makes me think of that, too (*closes eyes and begins humming, levitates five feet off the floor*)

Thanks guys for the well wishes,

DA

[Kekvit Irae]

I thought all the 11B went through basic and AIT at Bragg, Kekvitirae?

Nope. Infantry School (where you will be going) is located in Fort Benning. And dont pay attention to the name; anyone who takes basic at Fort Benning will be doing their processing at Infantry Hall at 30th AG, and will be doing basic downrange at Sand Hill alongside Infantry companies, though yours will be different as you only have BCT+AIT (Infantry has OSUT).
I do, however, wish to warn you ahead of time. Normal processing for places like Hood or Knox or Jackson is 3-4 days before you go downrange to your training unit. In Benning, you will be there an average of 9 long, boring days.

[Proletariat]

Normal processing for places like Hood or Knox or Jackson is 3-4 days before you go downrange to your training unit. In Benning, you will be there an average of 9 long, boring days.

Processing, the worst part of all of basic, was 9 days for me at Jackson.

[Kekvit Irae]

Processing, the worst part of all of basic, was 9 days for me at Jackson.

I feel your pain. First time I went in, I was stuck for 9 days in Processing. The second time I went in (back in May/June), I was stuck for 21 days pending discharge.

[Kraxis]

There are only one or two Active Duty PsyOps battallions (the rest all being Reserve)

Given our quite lightheaded talk about the general feeling I couldn't help but laught a bit at that. The image of entire battalions of men putting their hands to their temples while they rush across a battlefield is simply too good to be true...

Sorry... All good again.
Good luck, and may you stay out of my mind.

[Kekvit Irae]

Given our quite lightheaded talk about the general feeling I couldn't help but laught a bit at that. The image of entire battalions of men putting their hands to their temples while they rush across a battlefield is simply too good to be true...

http://www.kekvitirae.com/crush.jpg

I found that on the random boards of 4chan, and it was too cute not to save.

[KafirChobee]

Good luck, Del. But, believe me when i tell you that some of what you have signed up for will not be what you thougt it might be.

Creating the ghosts of an opponents ancestors to convince them to ceases hostilities .... well, is dumb. Yet, it remains the primary aspect of convincing an enemy it is wrong (since 'nam ... got a better idea?).

The people you will be dealing with ... have no clue. And, don't want to be given a key to open any doors that cannot be blown by high explosives.

Still, good luck ... good fortune ... and keep any ideals you may have to yourself. If you have any. Stay safe ... be fair in your actions, and remember what ever you commit ... so does your family [they raised you].

Good luck, good hunting, and stay a humanbeing.

[Arcanum]

Good luck and stay safe...!

[mercian billman]

$20,000 enlistment bonus.

While I was at my MEPS station waiting to ship out, my friends and I made fun of all the enlistment bonuses soldiers got and we gave them alot of crap for it. I left bootcamp with $800 dollars, which means after all my pay deductions and plane ticket, I was paid approximately $.85 cents an hour.

I'm not laughing anymore

[Divinus Arma]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!


It isn't too late DA! You are not "in" until you ship!

You ARE A SUCKER if you think you only signed for 2 years!!!!!!


They will get you with stop loss because everyone is required to sign for
EIGHT
YEARS

All branches have a policy called "stop loss". The army says: "No. You can't leave until we let you. And we need you right now, so we are not going to let you."

The Marine Corps has Stop Loss, but only institutes it across the board to the whole branch. The Army has "selective" stop loss. They get to pick and choose their suckers. And even after you get out, you still have that six year obligation. For you, it won't be up until 2013!!!!!!!!!!!! They can call you back at any time!!!!! My neighbor did four and got out. Then he went to border patrol and worked there for two years. THEN HE GOT REACTIVATED AND HAS BEEN RUNNING CONVOYS IN IRAQ FOR THE LAST YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

Dude. I know what I am talking about. Serving your country is awesome. But not the army. Do you want to hear the WORST part? Do you think you are GUARANTEED to stay in your job? NOPE! They will certainly train you, then they can move you anywhere they need you. Feel free to talk to your recruiter who will lie to your face.

Go in any branch other than the Army. ANY branch. Did I say MY branch? NO. I said ANY branch. The army is also the deadliest branch because they do all the nasty occupation work with the least discipline and the least training. At least in the Corps you get a fighting chance becasue all your buddies can kick ass! Or go in the navy and sit on a boat. Or go in the air force and relax for a few years!

TRUST ME PLEASE. I have done six + years in the Corps and I have been to the 'Stan. I have friends at the 'Roq. I have been to air force bases and army bases. I have worked with all branches in many capacities!

Dude. PM if you have any questions. Crap, I will talk to you on the PHONE if need be!!!!!!!!! Your a good guy. Don't screw yourself over with the crap death branch.