Military service

[Centurion Crastinus]

I was just wondering who has any prior military service. If so, what nationality and what is your military occupational skill. As for me, I should commission in December as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the moment, I have an air contract.

[Zaknafien]

U.S. Army, CPT (O-3), 35F Tactical Intelligence Officer; 10th Mountain Division.

[cmacq]

U.S. Army, SSg (E-6), 19D; 2nd Inf, 1st Cav, and 82nd AB, out since 90.

[Long lost Caesar]

paintball fanatic but on a more serious note, me and a friend have been thinking about joining the army sometime after we finish school. he wants to go right into it, i wanna get my uni work done, as im pretty sure it will be a sure shot to getting a higher-paid job. am i right?

[Maksimus]

I am not in US army, but yes, I am a reserve officer (captain) in Army of Serbia - special forces (I am 24 years old)

[Zaknafien]

i would definately say finish school before the army if you're determined to join. youll have a lot better head on your shoulders and be able to better deal with the plethora of retards and high school dropouts who join the military these days (America's best and brightest).

[Maksimus]

i would definately say finish school before the army if you're determined to join. youll have a lot better head on your shoulders and be able to better deal with the plethora of retards and high school dropouts who join the military these days (America's best and brightest).

Yes, that goes for all armies in the world, I personaly went to army when I was 18 - after high school (because we have all have to go - that is the law)and then - I mean now I am finishing my Master degree on strategic studies and ecomony - that made me a reserve officer actually.

be well my soldier-friends

[Leão magno]

Hope your country laws are the same as mine, here, as soon as you get your degree you will get the oportunity of engangin in oficers rank! This means a lot more of trainning , lot more of work but a lot more of influence to contribute with our army

[Sakkura]

I was a conscript sergeant in the Danish army.

(and @ the poster above: civilian educations should only have minimal bearing on the career options in the army)

[Tellos Athenaios]

Yeah but some armies require their officers to have had a lil' more education. So you can start as officer if you've done Uni or some such thing.

[Sakkura]

Yeah but some armies require their officers to have had a lil' more education. So you can start as officer if you've done Uni or some such thing.

Sounds silly to be honest. Here, officer training is an education in itself, and sort of counts like a short business education if you leave the military.

[Zaknafien]

silly? you'd want your officers to be just as uneducated as the average teenager that enlists?

[Sakkura]

silly? you'd want your officers to be just as uneducated as the average teenager that enlists?

No, they should just get the education that is relevant in the military. Being a trained archaeologist or whatever doesn't give any additional skills for being an officer.

[Zaknafien]

uh.. you dont want them to have some common sense and life experience? should an 18 year old punk kid lead a bunch of other 18 year old punk kids? WTF dude.. thats a recipe for disaster.. (not that the idea of a 22 year old punk kid with a degree leading them is much better).

[Sakkura]

uh.. you dont want them to have some common sense and life experience? should an 18 year old punk kid lead a bunch of other 18 year old punk kids? WTF dude.. thats a recipe for disaster.. (not that the idea of a 22 year old punk kid with a degree leading them is much better).

The 18-year old will still have to go through the military education which takes a few years, and I'm pretty sure a 22-year old with a military education is preferable over a 22-year old with some random bachelor's degree that has nothing to do with tactics or leadership.

[Centurion Crastinus]

In addition to school, I had to go to 12 weeks of Officer Candidates School in Quantico, VA. After I commission I have to go to The Basic School for six months. The Basic School is where you qualify with all Marine Corps weapons, learn how to call in artillary, and lead infantry units, regardless if you end up in a non combat type of unit. For the guys that get selected for infantry, they then go off to infantry school for a number of months before finally being assigned to an infantry platoon. I would say that qualifies these young officers to lead a rifle platoon.

[Zaknafien]

Nah.. most 2nd lieutenants don't know much obviously.. (I was one at some point too), and those who dont know they dont know anything are the worst.. they need to rely on their platoon sergeants for the first year or so.

[Centurion Crastinus]

Also, if someone gets commissioned through the reserve officer training corps, then they have four years of military classes that they must take in order to even be commissioned. Also, the officers that have gone to a military academy (West Point, Anapolis, or the Air Force Academy) will live in a military environement while going to school. The same goes for officers that have gone to one of the five military colleges in the U.S. like The Citadel, Texas A&M, VMI, Norwich, and Virginia Tech.

[Centurion Crastinus]

Zak, I do agree on your point. Any Lieutenant who doesn't take pointers from his platoon sergeant is doomed to failure. However the points that I am trying to get across is that a newly commissioned Lieutenant isn't completely oblivious to what is going on around him. I am just trying to say that the new lieutenant isn't randomly plucked from a graduated class of seniors at a random school, given some butter bars, and told to go lead a platoon on an attack at a fortified position.

[Sakkura]

Zak, I do agree on your point. Any Lieutenant who doesn't take pointers from his platoon sergeant is doomed to failure. However the points that I am trying to get across is that a newly commissioned Lieutenant isn't completely oblivious to what is going on around him. I am just trying to say that the new lieutenant isn't randomly plucked from a graduated class of seniors at a random school, given some butter bars, and told to go lead a platoon on an attack at a fortified position.

O rly? Ah nuts, I guess we shouldn't go to war with the US anyway then. I guess we'll just invade Sweden instead.

Anyway, it takes over a year just to become a sergeant here. Danish NCO's and officers all get a temporary promotion whenever they're serving internationally, probably to balance the difference in qualifications.

[Zaknafien]

hm, it takes about 3 years to become a sergeant in the US. 4 years minimum for staff sergeant.

[Sakkura]

hm, it takes about 3 years to become a sergeant in the US. 4 years minimum for staff sergeant.

It takes longer to become a sergeant than an officer?

[Zaknafien]

no, because officers require a college degree. there are several routes of comissioning in the US military-- 4 year degreee/ROTC at college, Military Academy such as West Point or Annapolis, Officer Candidate School, which takes enlisted folks with degrees and turns them into officers.

[Sakkura]

no, because officers require a college degree. there are several routes of comissioning in the US military-- 4 year degreee/ROTC at college, Military Academy such as West Point or Annapolis, Officer Candidate School, which takes enlisted folks with degrees and turns them into officers.

Ahh. Well then some of those people get their higher education at a military academy instead of a regular university. That's pretty similar to the system we use.
At least, I know West Point doesn't require a college degree (but has extremely high standards otherwise).

[Zaknafien]

excuse me, I went to West Point, and it IS a college. It is one of the most respected universities in the US.

[Sakkura]

excuse me, I went to West Point, and it IS a college. It is one of the most respected universities in the US.

Yeah but you don't need to already have a college degree to be admitted.

[Centurion Crastinus]

I believe you have to have a congressional nomination and bad ass grades to get into an academy as well as being in good physical condition.

[Dayve]

Wouldn't join the army for all the money in the world with all of the pointless wars the west is fighting these days... i'm not about to throw my life away for oil.

If my country was actually under threat though i'd be the first to sign on the dotted line.

[russia almighty]

I might do ROTC during college .


Zak any idea of what MOS would they throw you in if you where tackling chem or something for your degree ?

[NeoSpartan]

Yeah but you don't need to already have a college degree to be admitted.

ur not getting it...

West Point IS a university. You get in AFTER you finish High School (12th Grade 18y.o), you work on your Bachelor Degree AND your butter bar. The military academies are universities, they are not a special school you go into after u finish the university.

You can also transfer to West Point from another college BUT you will still have to do the 4 years.