Re-enlisting in the Army

[totalownership]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

lol... Yeah, I've heard about what the pay used to be like. Let's just say that W may have done some ******** things involving the military, but he took care of us.

The thing that a lot of military guys don't realize is that the pay can suck depending on where you are, but food, housing, and medical are free. You aren't going to find that anywhere else (and yet, I'm still getting out after this enlistment).

Man if you knew what I know you'd make a career out and get that retirement. Your 30s and 40s seem so far away but they get here so quick. Way before you know it. I think it's 25 years now for you guys right? Man just knock it out. You'd get a pension and not even be 50. You can't beat that.

[Cusefan]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Yeah that new GI Bill sounds great, what was your rank in the Army when you got out? And if you re-enlist would you come back as the same rank?

I was a specialist(E-4) and yea, ill keep that rank.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

I was a specialist(E-4) and yea, ill keep that rank.

Thats great, I know a guy who was an E-5 he was my Leading Petty Officer or NCO and he got out, re-enlisted as a reservist now he is an E-3. He is definently not to happy about that.

[loccdogg26]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

I was in the Air Force and got out 2 weeks before the world trade incident. Looking back I should have kept my @$$ in there. Kinda miss all the comradie with everyone plus I got to go to Italy and Japan.

[jct32]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

I'm also thinking of re-enlisting in the Navy. I'm currently active duty and my Contract is up next April. When I got in I said I'm going to do my 4 years and get out, but I'm working on my associates degree right now and there is no way I'll have my Bachelor's in a year. I dont know if I really want to re-enlist though, if I do I'll almost surely get sent back green-side (with the Marine Corps, I'm a corpsman) which means another deployment to Afganistan, but that might be my only choice. I have food, clothing, a steady paycheck and a roof over my head. I wont be promised that If I get out.

How was your experience? I'm currently scheduled to ship for boot camp October 1st. I'm thinking about trying to become and an officer and make a career about it. Just wanted to know if you had anything to say about it.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

How was your experience? I'm currently scheduled to ship for boot camp October 1st. I'm thinking about trying to become and an officer and make a career about it. Just wanted to know if you had anything to say about it.

My experience which is still occuring everyday is overall a good one. I've met a lot of good people from all around the world. I've matured a lot, got a good head on my shoulders, seen a lot in combat and learned a lot about myself.

Good luck in Boot camp, it's going to suck obvisouly but dont think thats how the Navy is. Once you get out into the fleet and go on a deployement the Navy is totally differant from boot camp, your "A" school and other stuff. Just stay motivated in
boot camp, do what your told, dont talk, and you will be fine.

The Navy offers a lot of differant officer programs. Most notably the STA-21 program (Seaman to Admiral) where you do some time in your enlisted rate, put a package into the program, once your accepted the Navy pays for you to get your degree in 36 months. Upon completion of your degree and any Officer training you are a Ensign.

Whats your rate going to be? If you have any questions feel free to PM me or message me in my arena, would be glad to help you out.

[totalownership]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Most of all don't take anything personal in basic training, boot camp whatever they call it nowadays. Remember these guys don't even know you so how can they hate you? It's all to see if you'll crack.
I guarantee no matter how much of a jerk they seem it's all just to test you. If you want to meet real jerks look no further than these forums. lol

[chilli311]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Man if you knew what I know you'd make a career out and get that retirement. Your 30s and 40s seem so far away but they get here so quick. Way before you know it. I think it's 25 years now for you guys right? Man just knock it out. You'd get a pension and not even be 50. You can't beat that.

I'm coming up on 30 on 2 years (1 month after I separate), and at that time, I will have 10 years in. It's 20 to retirement, and I know that I'm halfway there, but I can't play the game anymore. The politicking that goes on within the job is completely ridiculous. I've seen so many instances in which people get screwed over for all the wrong reasons. Not to mention, I can't stand the shortsightedness that I witness everyday. Add that to the fact that my career field is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S., and I see no reason to stay in.

[totalownership]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

I'm coming up on 30 on 2 years (1 month after I separate), and at that time, I will have 10 years in. It's 20 to retirement, and I know that I'm halfway there, but I can't play the game anymore. The politicking that goes on within the job is completely ridiculous. I've seen so many instances in which people get screwed over for all the wrong reasons. Not to mention, I can't stand the shortsightedness that I witness everyday. Add that to the fact that my career field is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S., and I see no reason to stay in.

Trust me. Wait to you hit the civilian world. You thinks its bad there it's 10 times worse out here. Add to that the adjustment period. Wait till you see some
whine for an hour that somebody ate her snickers bar.

It took a while for me to adjust because the things people get all bent out of shape over were so menial that I couldn't believe it. Here's the other thing, when people hear you were military they automatically think you're stupid. They're giving respect now cause of the war and everything but still.

Also man 40 ain't nothing. You still can do whatever you want and have a check on the side that can't be touched. I wish somebody told me what the real deal was cause I think I would have been a lifer but I was eager to get out when my time was out. If I was really smart I would have taken the warrant officer or did the OCS like they were begging me to do.

[jct32]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

My experience which is still occuring everyday is overall a good one. I've met a lot of good people from all around the world. I've matured a lot, got a good head on my shoulders, seen a lot in combat and learned a lot about myself.

Good luck in Boot camp, it's going to suck obvisouly but dont think thats how the Navy is. Once you get out into the fleet and go on a deployement the Navy is totally differant from boot camp, your "A" school and other stuff. Just stay motivated in
boot camp, do what your told, dont talk, and you will be fine.

The Navy offers a lot of differant officer programs. Most notably the STA-21 program (Seaman to Admiral) where you do some time in your enlisted rate, put a package into the program, once your accepted the Navy pays for you to get your degree in 36 months. Upon completion of your degree and any Officer training you are a Ensign.

Whats your rate going to be? If you have any questions feel free to PM me or message me in my arena, would be glad to help you out.

I'm currently waiting on a reply from my NROTC scholarship, but if I don't get that I will most likely try to get into the STA-21 program.

Since I'm going into the Nuclear Power Program my rate is going to be E-3 at Boot Camp.

[chilli311]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Trust me. Wait to you hit the civilian world. You thinks its bad there it's 10 times worse out here. Add to that the adjustment period. Wait till you see some
whine for an hour that somebody ate her snickers bar.

It took a while for me to adjust because the things people get all bent out of shape over were so menial that I couldn't believe it. Here's the other thing, when people hear you were military they automatically think you're stupid. They're giving respect now cause of the war and everything but still.

Also man 40 ain't nothing. You still can do whatever you want and have a check on the side that can't be touched. I wish somebody told me what the real deal was cause I think I would have been a lifer but I was eager to get out when my time was out. If I was really smart I would have taken the warrant officer or did the OCS like they were begging me to do.

That's not the politicking that I'm talking about. I'm talking about watching troops who have the hardest work ethic in their unit who consistently produce higher quantities of work than their peers with fewer mistakes, and spend 8 hours of their weekend, every weekend, doing volunteer work in the community getting passed over for promotion, and getting lower scores on their performance reports (which in turn affect their promotion scores for the next 5 years), all because the other individual follow his superiors around lack a lap dog, nodding his head no matter what they say.

I've seen that happen more times than I care to admit. No, I'm not talking about myself either.

Once again, there's a lot more to it than that, but I won't get into it. I know 40 isn't that old, and 20 years isn't that long, and blah, blah, blah, but I would still get out today if I had the chance. Like I said, my career field is THRIVING on the civilian side, and everyone I still talk to who has a job in that field is loving life, and waiting for me to get out and come work with them.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Keep in mind not all branches get paid the same either. Air force get paid the highest, then navy, then army is paid the lowest. Also single people get paid less then married people with kids.

So if you don't have kids and not married, expect your paycheck to be LOW.

Also officers make more money then enlisted.

[chilli311]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

Keep in mind not all branches get paid the same either. Air force get paid the highest, then navy, then army is paid the lowest.

That's not true at all. There's only one military pay chart, and it goes for all services. Other pays vary depending on your situation (where you live, if you live on base, married, kids, overseas, etc), but base pay is the same for every branch.

Besides, the Navy has the most special pays, so if there was one that gets paid more than any other, it would be them.

[HMMurdock311]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

That's not the politicking that I'm talking about. I'm talking about watching troops who have the hardest work ethic in their unit who consistently produce higher quantities of work than their peers with fewer mistakes, and spend 8 hours of their weekend, every weekend, doing volunteer work in the community getting passed over for promotion, and getting lower scores on their performance reports (which in turn affect their promotion scores for the next 5 years), all because the other individual follow his superiors around lack a lap dog, nodding his head no matter what they say.

I've seen that happen more times than I care to admit. No, I'm not talking about myself either.

Once again, there's a lot more to it than that, but I won't get into it. I know 40 isn't that old, and 20 years isn't that long, and blah, blah, blah, but I would still get out today if I had the chance. Like I said, my career field is THRIVING on the civilian side, and everyone I still talk to who has a job in that field is loving life, and waiting for me to get out and come work with them.

I feel you on the above. I got out years ago for almost the same reasons.

I myself was passed over for ALS (Airman Leadership School) by people with less time in and WAAAY higher line numbers because they hung around with the right people all day, while my part of the job kept me out in the field.

Then, to make things worse, they pulled the same thing on one of the guys I supervised with. It's really disheartening to see and have to try and explain when it happens.

[totalownership]

Re: Re-enlisting in the Army

That's not the politicking that I'm talking about. I'm talking about watching troops who have the hardest work ethic in their unit who consistently produce higher quantities of work than their peers with fewer mistakes, and spend 8 hours of their weekend, every weekend, doing volunteer work in the community getting passed over for promotion, and getting lower scores on their performance reports (which in turn affect their promotion scores for the next 5 years), all because the other individual follow his superiors around lack a lap dog, nodding his head no matter what they say.

I've seen that happen more times than I care to admit. No, I'm not talking about myself either.

Once again, there's a lot more to it than that, but I won't get into it. I know 40 isn't that old, and 20 years isn't that long, and blah, blah, blah, but I would still get out today if I had the chance. Like I said, my career field is THRIVING on the civilian side, and everyone I still talk to who has a job in that field is loving life, and waiting for me to get out and come work with them.

Sounds like your mind is made up. Go for what you know. Just remember that some "old guy" on a forum did tell you to stick it out . By the way what is this "thriving" mos of yours? Or is it classified? Well the description shouldn't be but what you actually do could very well be.

When I was in I did see the vast buttkissing you talk of but being that I just did my 3 and jetted I didn't really pay too much attention. All I know is I made E4 and then broke out early cause they were letting people out to save $$$. I told them I was starting college and if I could get out early I wouldn't have to wait a whole semester so they gave me the green light. It was like a month and a half or so but still.