# Anyone here in the Army?



## OkieGal (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi, everyone. 
I'm seriously considering enlisting in the Army after I graduate high school.
I know that it won't be easy and it will probably require both great physical and mental strength to make it through not only basic but AIT training. I'm interested in either 68Q(pharmacy specialist), 68T(animal care specialist), or 68W(combat medic) as my MOS. Does anyone have experience with these fields?

I'm just curious if anyone here is or has been in the Army?
I would absolutely LOVE to hear any and all things good or bad about it!

Gruesome details won't bother me in the slightest.

I've had many people try to deter me from joining. I just can't shake the feeling that the Army would be a great thing for me. Granted I'm overweight and I would need to lose a significant amount of weight to be ready and strong enough for basic.
But all in all, I'm well disciplined, mentally strong, smart, practical, driven, and most of all, I love my country and I'm willing to sacrifice great things inorder to protect my country and the rights of my fellow americans.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

i was living in my car working for minumum wage, I joined the Army, first in infantry, then reinlisted for marine engineering. I retired after 20 years. The Army gave me a great life. I retired at 39. I set my life up so I could get by on my retirement. It gives me great freedom to pick and choose jobs I like. I have an engineering degree and am a Chief marine engineer for a state dept of transportation. I wouldnt have the skills, degree , creditials or job if it wasnt for the Army. The experiences I gained I wouldnt trade for anything. You have picked a couple really small fields which simply may not be open, broaden your search to other medical fields, be alot easier on the guidance counselor to find you something,. Be straight with your recruiter and expecthim to be straigth with you. Tell him you will join if offered XYZ jobs. Then dont be talked into anythign else. Bonuses get blown and duty stations are all good and bad. But the job field is something you will be doing a long long time. Take the hard classes in math and science to prepare for good scores on the ASVAB and the techincal schools. Be advised generally medical schools are long and the commitment is 4-6 years. well worth it though.


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## OkieGal (Dec 14, 2011)

Thank you, Joe.
That's kind of the main reason I want to enlist. 
To give me and my future family a better life. I just haven't worked up the courage to talk to a recruiter yet.

But thanks for the input on my choices. Gives me a little more to think about and what I'm looking for.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

i enlisted in 09 went to basic in 10 and ive been in now for about 2 years...i dont know squat about the mos's u picked. im a 35N which is intelligence...the army is amazing and i love it but it can also be pretty hard....it just depends on where your stationed, who your with, what kinds of places you like...i was at Goodfellow AFB in texas for 8 months for my AIT and it was great...now im stationed in HI, been here almost a year, and i hate it. dont get me wrong its a beautiful island but i like my big open desert and i cant afford to have my horses here so its hard.
the army is a voluntold kinda thing. you most likely wont get what station you ask for for your first duty station unless you volunteer for rangers, or airborne. combat medics are in high demand so if you go that route youll probably be deployed within your first year....all 4 of the medics i went to basic with got deployed right out of AIT. theyre units where there and off they went...

But the army in general is great...sometimes you get amazing leadership sometimes not so much...but its a steady job, you get a free education, and steady money...theres not very much room right now for promotion...at leas in my mos but probably others too since their cutting down our numbers

PT SUUUUUUCKSSSS but its a must and it really does make me feel good haha
plust you get to meet all kinds of people and see some pretty amazing places....i say go for it! i dont regret enlisting even though it prevents me from seeing my babies. its a great career choice and youll have plenty of time to do the civilian thing after! i plan on reenlisting in 2015 for guard and probably do that till retirement. if i go guard i can always switch to active whenever i want.


ps sorry for the rant!


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

Go for it. I wish I would have enlisted right after high school. Now I'm in my 5th year of college, no degree yet and still living at home with my parents. The ARMY will set you up for life and you'll be proud that you served.


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## OkieGal (Dec 14, 2011)

Roperchick: 

I enjoyed your rant. Like I said, good or bad, I'm all ears! I have thought about intelligence but I'm more of a hands on, medical person. 
Gives me more to think about.

CP: I know. It will be a very, very, very good thing for me.
Its never too late to enlist though.

I think I'm going to get ahold of a recruiter tomorrow and I will let you guys know how it goes!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

haha go for it...just be prepared. you might not get the mos u choose...i enlisted to be an 88M (truck driver) and when i got to basic they were like....well we saw your asvab score and we need people in intelligence so were sending you there....so even i f you go in with a set contract like i did they may chang it up.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

NO they wont change it up, your contract is your contract. The army can request a change, you have the right to say no, Intell is way better, but I guarantee you signed a new contract.
If you fail out of school you still either go home or get a new contract. To the OP you really are gonna have to work on your weight and ASVAB, scores. Those are whats gonna open the door. you can PM me your height age and weight and I'll see where you fall on the weight chart.


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## OkieGal (Dec 14, 2011)

Pm'ed you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

really joe? because i definitely signed a set contract, not an open one, went to basic with an mos and they told me im going intel.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

at which point you said ok, and got a new contract.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

I'm not going Army but I'm working on joining the Marines. I'd definitely recommend joining the military. If everything goes as planned I'll be heading to Officer Candidate School in 2014. 

Roperchick: I have to agree pt does suck but it's totally worth and it kind of sucks in a good way.  I kind of enjoy it, provided I'm properly hydrated, and ate dinner the night before, and I don't have to hear "We're waiting on you!" One of the worst phrases to hear ever.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

okay joe4d im not going to argue on this thread with you about my contract. i signed a set contract. they told me intel at basic. i didnt say yes or no they just handed me orders for goodfellow. but whatever.

if you ever wanna talk about stuff in the army just hit me up okiegal. im not gonna argue about things on here though.


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

tempest said:


> I'm not going Army but I'm working on joining the Marines. I'd definitely recommend joining the military. If everything goes as planned I'll be heading to Officer Candidate School in 2014.
> 
> Roperchick: I have to agree pt does suck but it's totally worth and it kind of sucks in a good way.  I kind of enjoy it, provided I'm properly hydrated, and ate dinner the night before, and I don't have to hear "We're waiting on you!" One of the worst phrases to hear ever.


Cool, Marines are some tuff SOBs. My bro was in the Marines as a heavy equipment op. for a number of years. And he seemed to like it, go for it!


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

haha right tempest? im always like dragging my feet at the beginning of a run, then by the end the endorphins kick in and im all HOOAH army and HOOAH pt and think i should run more on my off time....but then i recover....and have no motivation left haha


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

maybe i coulda fought it joe but i was a brand new pfc in the army for 10 weeks, right outta h/s, pretty much still outta my element. and i wasnt gonna argue with a bunch of E-8's and E-9's and my co. commander about it. turned out fine so whatevs.


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