Posted on 01/06/2007 10:42:15 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
Just about everyone at BCT complained about their recruiter, but not me. Some of it was pretty immature. I did three months of research - we're talking hundreds of hours - before I went to the recruiter. I went in with the assumption that I was going to be treated like trash. But I wasn't, really. My honest opinion is that BCT was too easy (at least at Fort Jackson). And some of the things you might hear about Fort Jackson are not true! Like I heard you'd be getting passes all the time to go to the movie theatre, waterpark, etc. Not true! But I've heard that BCT locations that are primarily attended by those going into combat arms are much tougher.
I remember one private going Airborne Artillery (you have to think about that one for a minute before it makes sense) who said Basic sucked, because it isn't like the real Army. Of course it isn't! We have one private here at AIT who told a relative that if you going the Army, go officer, because they treat the enlisted members like crap. C'mon, this is not bad at all! It cold be a whole lot worse. We could be in the old Army.
Oh well.
I was just getting ready to post that information. Beat me to it.
I wasn't to happy with the gal who sold us our house.
She made a slight mispresentation as to the proximity of the nearest earthquake fault.
I think he was trying to get him to act like a Marine and not do anything stupid. I heard of someone who on their last day as a civilian before reporting to MEPS went to a pot party since it was their last day and they wouldn't be able to smoke pot for the next 4 to 6 years. Of course, the drug test picked it up and they were not allowed in. "Sorry Charlie." I don't know what happened to them after that.
"I'm not where I said I would be. I didn't know I would be in Korea for a year."'
Well Nutz if John Kerry was in charge these poor souls would be stuck in Iraq.
Well they do make promises they either don't intend to keep or shouldn't make. Potential recruits should be informed about it.
Biggest lie of the New Year:
CNN wants to protect you from liars.
Okay Freepers, my 17 year old son wants to enlist in the Navy when he turns 18. What should he/we know first?
On March 8th, 1965 My Marine Recruiter told me I'd be going to "girl scout camp", in San Diego, Ca.
While we were all dressed in green clothes, and refeffed to as various parts of the female anatomy for the next few months, I don't think that particular camp was in any way affiliated with the "Girl Scouts of America"..... So while he may "not" have lied to me, he did lead me to believe I'd meet lottsa gals. Semper Fi....
Tell him the "grown up" part of the Navy is the United States Marine Corps. Semper Fi.
CNN wants to protect you from liars.
CNN has won the biggest lie of the year award for 20+ consecutive years.
Judy Benjamin: I think they sent me to the wrong place.
Capt. Lewis: Uh-huh.
Judy Benjamin: See, I did join the army, but I joined a *different* army. I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms.
Judy Benjamin: To be truthful with you, I can't sleep in a room with 20 strangers.
Capt. Lewis: Oh dear.
Judy Benjamin: And I mean look at this place. The army couldn't afford drapes? I'll be up at the crack of dawn here!
Judy Benjamin: Have you seen the bathroom?
Capt. Lewis: Do you think that the latrine... do you think that it's unsanitary?
Judy Benjamin: It's disgusting! There are *urinals* in there!
I don't know if I'd be too willing to pummle CNN over this.
I'm not in the military, but I come from a family that has a lot of military people in it's past (father, both grandfathers, 2 cousins, etc.) ALL OF THEM say that military recruiters lie their ass off.
I don't think that makes the military evil or anything, I just think it makes the recruiters like used car salesmen. You can get a good used car, you just have to know how to interpret what the salesmen tell you.
Bring in the military is alot like sex. You can read all the books, see all the movies, talk to people about it, but until you experience it you are pretty much clueless..that and you will get screwed somewhere along the line. :-)
OTHO for most people it's a positive experience, I know I learned a number of life leassons that have stood me in good stead..ie how to get along with and work with people that you have very little in common with.
Rule #1 The DI is ALWAYS right.
Rule #2 in the unlikely event that the DI is wrong...see rule #1
CNN and the rest of Time Warner is run by Dick Parsons.
Regarding used-car salesman and CNN, please see last line of the original thread.
First, even if they will take him w/o the diploma, get it. It will increase his specialty options. Likewise for any college credit he can earn (AP courses, CLEP tests). The Navy used to promote based on examinations and qualifications, and sailors would compete Navy-wide against others in the same "rating" or specialty. So everything he can do to get smart helps.
Why the Navy? The reason I ask is that people have different reasons for joining (and then life takes over and altered your plans... I was gonna be quick in and out for the college money and wound up volunteering for Special Forces and stayin 9 years active and almost twenty (so far) reserves. Everybody was surprised, even me).
For example, your son needs to know that some Navy jobs will land him in bulletsville in Iraq with the Marines. And the Navy has both ship and shore jobs, and the shore jobs (and the ship bases) are some in the USA and some overseas.
Some jobs teach you useful civilian skills, some don't. Even ones that sound like they would. But some are a better deal than equivalent jobs in, say, the Air Force. For example, Navy airplane mechanics learn how to fix the whole airplane where Air Force ones learn one special skill, mostly. (This is an oversimplification). The point is, a guy who has worked on an aircraft carrier has an easier time getting a license to repair airliners than a guy who was in a C-5 maintenance shop.
Some jobs teach you academic skills that earn college credit... for instance, nuclear techs have a lot of science pounded into 'em, linguists (for Naval Intelligence) now earn an associates' degree, I think. and medical specialties can lead to civilian educational credit. There is a catalog that describes how much credit each Navy (Army, Air Force) course is worth.
Finally, while all military jobs are important to somebody, it's not always obvious how important a job is. If a guy has a job where what he does makes a difference and is part of US power, it's a very good feeling.
As far as how people are treated, I served in the Army. My own observation is that officer-enlisted relations are the most backward, stiff, even feudal, in the Navy. They are the most relaxed in the Air Force -- Air Force officers seem to respect their enlisted folks more than those in the other services. The land services are in between. Of course, in the special ops world it's all different so all I can tell you is the impressions I have from "outside."
If your son takes it on, perhaps my little mantra, which got me through Basic, then Airborne, Ranger, SF and "other stuff," will help. DO NOT QUIT. I always said I wouldn't quit. I knew that thousands or tens of thousands or whatever had done every course before me, that they were not superman, that they were all at this exact spot (whatever bleak spot I was in that I called up this thought); and that they had pressed on through to success. And all around me I watched men I thought were better men than me quit. I wasn't the best, the fastest, strongest or smartest, but I might have been the most stubborn.
No service will ask a man to do more than it is possible for him to do. If it seems that way, it's because the service is stretching him. They have trained dozens of millions of soldiers, sailors and marines and they know what they're doing.
One more thing: when the challenges come hot and heavy, take your mind off your plight by helping someone who's worse off than you. If you're strong, help the four-eyed fragile kid... if you're smart, help the slower guy. You're an individual and alone for the first two days of basic, and from then on you're on a team. (and sometimes the DI's are the opposing team).
Finally one more thing to help... before going to Basic, read some World War II memoirs. Marine and paratrooper ones especially. Watch the "Band of Brothers" miniseries and worry about getting Captain Sobel in Basic. Watch "The Boys in Company C" and the first (good) half of "Full Metal Jacket" and have some R Lee Ermey nightmares. The actual course will seem like a cakewalk!
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Not sure I'm real happy about having read this. We spent part of the afternoon today in the Army recruiting office with my older son. I think he's gotten things in order to enlist Reserve and I think that happens this week.
My TI (AF) had a slightly more extended list of rules:
1. The TI is always right
2. The airman is always wrong
3. See rule 1
4. See rule 2
5. See rules 1-4.
But I think I like yours better...
I was one of those who first enlisted at 17...we got hassled in basic because "your parents signed your life away". Heh.
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