If he wants an assurance that he will never have to fire a weapon in anger he will have to elist as a concious objector (or choose the airforce).
The armed services always reserve the right to move people into fields where there is a need from other fields, and enlistment "promises" are best efforts only. When foot soliders are in high demand and mechanics are a dime a dozen all bets are off.
Not much else to it. With the Guard and Reserves you're pretty limited in your options as far as schools after Basic and duty assignments. The recruiter should already have ensured that there is a slot for him at the unit your son wants to go to. If there isn't then that could mean some headaches for your son later on.
With the reserves, you can find out if the unit he wants to go into will be deployed any time soon.
If he his going into a mechanic MOS, he will get deployed overseas, and rather quickly i might add. My nephew is in an engineer MOS and deployed to Iraq in March 2003. He was wounded twice and did not come home until Feb 2005. He is due to return to Iraq in the next 60 days for at least a one year deployment.
I hope my experience will be of assistance. I served for 26 years, 20 of it on active duty and the rest in the Army Reserve and National Guard.
He needs to realize that he will be a soldier first, and a mechanic second, even in the Army Reserve. He should also be prepared for a basic training cycle that is combat-oriented. For a number of years the army required only M16 qualification in basic, but I understand that basic training now involves familiarization with a number of weapons as well as anti-ambush training. It's about time, by the way.
When I joined the reserves (Michigan National Guard) in 1982, I just assumed I could be called anywhere, anytime, for as long as needed. Tell them to expect nothing in particular except great training and a chance to serve their country. Anything else is icing on the cake.
At this time, it's almost better to join the regular Army since many units are being activated and spend almost as much time on AD as the regular Army guys do.
What's the PFC test? I've been out of the active-duty Army for 7 years. When I was in you could only start at PFC if you had 2 years of college. Is this a reserve thing?
Your son may pack away childhood items like toys, baseball cards, comicbooks, etc., and stash them in the back of the closet.
Do not consider these items as childhood things to be thrown away in the trash because he is now a man.
These items may be valuable to collectors when he returns from the service, and the cash he realizes from selling these items could be used to pay for college or make a down payment on a home.
remember at any time they can convert him into an 11B.
Don't worry though. The Army is a great way to learn job skills and money for college while serving.
In another life I ran a recruiting office and trained recruiters.
Right up front I've never heard about an test for PFC. I have never heard of the Army requiring a test for any enlisted promotion. Testing is routine in the USAF.
All enlisment into an Army MOS school
are guaranteed in writing. All. There is no 'open' contract or 'utility' soldier. However, if a 'cruit fails his training or washes out for other reasons he can be reassigned per the needs of the Army.
With the USAR he'll normally be restricted to an open MOS for that unit, and those arrangements should be made beforehand. That takes a lot of the mystery out of it.
It is an eight year hitch, some active reserve, some in active reserve, and he could go active duty or be activated and deployed.
Right now guard and reserve units are pulling a huge load in Irag and, until the last few days with the USMC reserve unit, they have done very well.
Got questions, freep mail me.
Also, flatly disregard advice about what MOS your son should or should not take. They aren't the ones that have to live with it; your son must make that decision himself.
He may find, like me, that the infantry is the place to be. I started out in another MOS because everyone told me that I wouldn't like being a grunt. That was them. I loved it!
But the infantry isn't for everybody, so I don't recommend it.
Not everyone wants or need hi tech, some want a trade skill. Some don't care what job it is if it pays for college or gives a bonus.
Whatever your son chooses, the best thing is to ensure that he is goal oriented and stays focused and that you support his decision.
There. I'm done!