I am considering joining the Army, and have a few questions...

sandman1914 · Sep 28, 2005

DO NOT DO THE ENLISTMENT !!!
...and by the way recruiters DO ALL LIE... they do not disclose the whole truth or they change the truth and sell you on their version of it... like a used car salesman. You did the best thing and that was to solicit opinions from those other than recruiters.

You cannot go with the generalization that ALL recruiters lie. I am not going to deny that a fair share may not disclose information appropriately, but it still falls back on the individual to get all promises in writing. This is the standard for any type of business agreement, which this so happens to be. YOUR BUSINESS, your career. Unlike a used car salesman the military has documentation and protocol for what you are entitled to. If anything sounds out of the norm, GET IT IN WRITING, plain and simple.

RC1 · Sep 29, 2005

You cannot go with the generalization that ALL recruiters lie.

It really is the safest assumption though. I wouldn't believe a recruiter if he told me today was Wednesday.

Jimmedda · Sep 29, 2005

You all are so Narrow minded. I will pray for you because you need help.

I am a recruiter and I do not lie if I can not give it to you in Writing then it is not going to happen.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2005

You all are so Narrow minded. I will pray for you because you need help.
I am a recruiter and I do not lie if I can not give it to you in Writing then it is not going to happen.

You must be the only truthfull and honest and sincerest recruiter in the country, You must feel lonely, but I applaud you.

RC1 · Sep 29, 2005

I will pray for you because you need help.

I don't believe you. :chuckle Can I have that in writing?

mwbeah · Sep 29, 2005

DO NOT DO THE ENLISTMENT !!!
Go to school and get your degree and commission. Period.
The military is a food chain... choosing to enter higher up will pay off in enormous and countless ways.
...and by the way recruiters DO ALL LIE... they do not disclose the whole truth or they change the truth and sell you on their version of it... like a used car salesman. You did the best thing and that was to solicit opinions from those other than recruiters.
"You will find that many of the truths we cling to depend upon your point of view..." - Obi Wan Kenobi

You appear jaded......................

I started out enlisted in 1988 and the military has funded almost every bit of my education. Now an active duty CPT with an A.A, A.S, BSN, MSN, and currently back in school (on the army's bill) and all but 2 years of it were funded by The United States Army. Your experience in the Army depends on how much of a self starter and how dedicated you are. The Army will use you, but you can use the Army just as easily to get what you want.

The decisions and choices you make are yours, not the Army's.

Mike

RC1 · Sep 29, 2005

You couldn't force me to go back in if you put a gun to my head. For anyone with a college degree in a high demand field (such as nursing), the civiliian sector is way better. That's what the recruiter avoids telling you above all else.

mwbeah · Sep 29, 2005

You couldn't force me to go back in if you put a gun to my head. For anyone with a college degree in a high demand field (such as nursing), the civiliian sector is way better. That's what the recruiter avoids telling you above all else.

Actually, for a floor nurse the salary is slightly higher than the civilian counterpart. As for the CRNA, the bonuses are up and the autonomy is second to none (if you search some of my previous postings I have spoke about what it is like as an Army CRNA thoroughly).

Again, a person's experience in the Army is what they make of it. If you are motivated, the sky is the limit, do your 20 - retire in your late 30s or early 40s and start a second career with the pension every month. :)

Mike

RC1 · Sep 29, 2005

Actually, for a floor nurse the salary is slightly higher than the civilian counterpart.

That's debatable; what's more, there are more important things than money in this world; for instance: not being deployed to Iraq/Afghansistan/Kosovo/Bosnia/the Sinai; retaining your civil rights; serving yourself instead of selflessly serving; etc.

As for the CRNA, the bonuses are up and the autonomy is second to none

That's kind of like saying "next to nothing". That sounds about right for an enlisted soldier. :chuckle

mwbeah · Sep 29, 2005

That's debatable; what's more, there are more important things than money in this world; for instance: not being deployed to Iraq/Afghansistan/Kosovo/Bosnia/the Sinai; retaining your civil rights; serving yourself instead of selflessly serving; etc.
That's kind of like saying "next to nothing". That sounds about right for an enlisted soldier. :chuckle

Sounds like you had a bad experience, but I can't say the same. Let's see, last year on top of my army salary I made 73,000 just moonlighting. Army is not that bad at all, plus I will retire in 10 more years at 46 with 5 degrees, pension, medical benefits, and a job where the Army trained me and pay b/w 100-120 per hour.

As for the selfless service, I am proud of the fact that my direct actions helped many soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines see the next day's sunrise. After God and my family, that is probably more important than anything.

Sorry you didn't make the most of your time while you were in.

Mike

RC1 · Sep 30, 2005

Sounds like you had a bad experience, but I can't say the same

No, not really. It just involved excessive restraints on my personal liberty.

Let's see, last year on top of my army salary I made 73,000 just moonlighting. Army is not that bad at all, plus I will retire in 10 more years at 46 with 5 degrees, pension, medical benefits, and a job where the Army trained me and pay b/w 100-120 per hour.

Like I said originally Mike, the officer side of the house is much better than the enlisted side. I would never argue against that. Regarding your 100-120 bucks an hour though, when I was in the Army, I was on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 335 (and they called us off of leave early once too) days out of the year. That's 8,040 hrs a year which means to make 100-120 dollars an hour, I would have had to have earned $804,000 to $964,000 a year. I'm pretty sure nobody makes that kind of money in the Army. I was in the infantry; It sounds like your hours must be a little different than mine. There is no possible way anyone in my unit would have had the time to work a second job. When we weren't deployed, we spent around 200 days out of the year in the field sleeping in the rain, being eaten alive by bugs, and not showering for weeks at a time. I saw two people get to take college courses and they had to reenlist to do it. They each managed to squeeze in a single semester before having to return to duty. It wasn't until I joined the reserves that I ever saw an enlisted soldier get a degree and I saw far more of them having to withdraw from college so they could go selflessly serve their President in Iraq and elsewhere. No offense but, you can have it.

mwbeah · Sep 30, 2005

No, not really. It just involved excessive restraints on my personal liberty.
Like I said originally Mike, the officer side of the house is much better than the enlisted side. I would never argue against that. Regarding your 100-120 bucks an hour though, when I was in the Army, I was on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 335 (and they called us off of leave early once too) days out of the year. That's 8,040 hrs a year which means to make 100-120 dollars an hour, I would have had to have earned $804,000 to $964,000 a year. I'm pretty sure nobody makes that kind of money in the Army. I was in the infantry; It sounds like your hours must be a little different than mine. There is no possible way anyone in my unit would have had the time to work a second job. When we weren't deployed, we spent around 200 days out of the year in the field sleeping in the rain, being eaten alive by bugs, and not showering for weeks at a time. I saw two people get to take college courses and they had to reenlist to do it. They each managed to squeeze in a single semester before having to return to duty. It wasn't until I joined the reserves that I ever saw an enlisted soldier get a degree and I saw far more of them having to withdraw from college so they could go selflessly serve their President in Iraq and elsewhere. No offense but, you can have it.

I don't think you quite understand, I moonlighted at a civilian hospital in my downtime.........any hoot I am not quite convinced you were in the service. Where were you stationed? What was your MOS code?......

(Again, I am a former enlisted now an officer........)

Mike