I'm just curious who here has served in the military. What was your MOS?

I intend to join the National Guard during college (along with ROTC) and I'll be a Cannon Crewmember. In other words, I pull a trigger and blow **** up with self-propelled howitzer artillery. And I don't mean the traditional artillery looking Howitzer. This one looks like a tank. I'm not sure of it's correct designation though. And when I go active after college, I intend on being an MP(Military Police). After two years of MP I also want to move to a different MOS.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

[This message has been edited by Kieran Horn (edited May 17, 2004).]

Well, I'm currently serving in the LA National Guard. I'm a 15Q (Air Traffic Controller). Basically, my unit is a tactical ATC unit. Meaning, our towers, radars, etc. are mounted on trucks. We roll into a field, throw up our stuff, and start talking to aircraft. This past drill I got to talk to some real aircraft for the first time. Landing two Hueys was pretty damn cool.

Kieran, I'd suggest you look into ATC when you decide to reclass. It's a damned cool and fun job. A bit stressful, but it comes with a HUGE perk: this is one of the few MOSs you can use in the civilian world. Meaning, you can leave the military and apply for an ATC job as a civilian. Now, the FAA is kinda reluctant about hiring ex-military controllers, but the DoD is usally happy to hire them. Then, after getting some experience under the DoD, you'll have a good chance of being hired by the FAA.

One word of warning: if you do decide to become an ATC, you'll get sent to Ft. Rucker for training. Ft. Rucker is 8 up like a mother ****er! They love to do stupid, aggrivating **** there, and they're stupid enough to belive they're high speed.

Oh, and I think you mean this, the M108:


[This message has been edited by Mister_Sinister (edited May 17, 2004).]

You've been watching too many episodes of JAG, Kieran

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

[This message has been edited by Spork (edited May 17, 2004).]

Who you talkin to?

Sinsiter, I don't think I want to do ATC. It has nothing to do with my career(law enforcement) if I decide not to make the military a career. Of course, Artillery doesn't either but that was the best I could find in my state.

And No Sinister, that isn't the pic I saw of the howitzer.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

[This message has been edited by Kieran Horn (edited May 17, 2004).]

This is or is close to what I will be in:


The M109. I need to find out exactly what artillery I'll be using.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

[This message has been edited by Kieran Horn (edited May 17, 2004).]

I don't watch JAG. You are confusing me.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

errr.. I own a tactical vest.. does that count?

I don't have any plans of joining the military, but if I did, it would be as a medic.

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When bread becomes toast, it can never go back to being bread again.

Hoard and JorBo are in the military.

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Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.

We just had a party for one of my friend's who just came back from basic training. He has a few more months of training until his marine unit is shipped out. Sad times.

I couldnt see myself joining the military, but if I did it would definitely be the Navy.

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free mp3 ~Jump - Young America

new album Between the Dim and the Dark available now

Kieran, are you manning one of the 'Paladin' self-propelled artillery pieces that the Utah Nat'l Guard uses?

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Check out updates for my editing work at the Shadow Jedi Academy.

I was in the air force active for 4 years inactive for 4 years for a total of 8. I was a 3COX1 which is basically a computer operator. I would be very careful, were I you. When I was at the recruiters office before I joined, I was told time and again that I could easily switch to a different AFSC (air force specialty code, similtar to the MOS you are talking about). Unfortunately, whether you were allowed to switch depended on a multitude of factors: Whether your current AFSC was under-staffed. Whether your current AFSC required a lot of expensive training. Whether your intended AFSC required a lot of expensive training. Whether your immediate supervisor would release you (leaving his shop under-manned for a period of time until someone came to replace you). Whether your squadron commander would release you (leaving his squadron under-manned until he got a replacement). Whether the base commander would release you. Whether you could get personnel center to approve it, which they wouldn't unless you did all the previous steps AND signed up for another 6-8 years (that's right!).

So while it's theoretically possible to switch AFSCs once you're in, it's very difficult. And it's not the kind of difficulty you can get around by "trying harder" - it's the kind that's not under your own control.

Be very wary of what the recruiters tell you because their mission is to get you to sign the papers. They are not ever held responsible for what they say or tell you about anything, because you sign a paper stating that you understand that everything the recruiter said was BS, and that if something the recruiter said turns out to be untrue, you still have no right to get out of the military or hold them responsible or anything.

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EvilMagic.net: Brian's Web Log

Unless something unexpected happens I'll be serving my compulsory service term in the Finnish Defence Forces starting next January.

I'll be serving in the the Uudenmaan Brigade, Coastal Jaeger (Ranger) Battalion. Haven't decided which department yet. Coastal Ranger, Mortar, Anti-Armour/MP, or Pioneer (Combat Engineer/Sapper). In general, mucking about the archipelago and forests, practicing landings under fire or skirmishing for either 6 months or a year, depending on if they want me as an NCO or not.

Joy.
www.mil.fi to look at purdy pictures and read unintelligible gibberish unless you click on the limited English section.

[This message has been edited by Daeron the Nerfherder (edited May 18, 2004).]

It is definetly NOT a tank. Its armor is just thick enough to stop small arms fire. You wouldnt want to face any kind of heavy firepower in an m109 or any other mobile artillery.

I don't know. But the the name Paladin does ring a bell. I'll aks the recruiter about it.

*points to the ROTC part of his first post* I'll be an officer in the Army so it will be a lot easier for me than an enlisted guy, especially if I decide to be an officer full-time (20 years). At the very least I would get the training of a different MOS.

That why I'm getting things like MOS, deployment, etc in writing. And when I enter the active Army, the National Guard contract is scrapped.

That is why is said it LOOKS like a tank.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

This August will be fifteen years in the Army. All active duty with a primary MOS of 11B, which is Infantry. I've been stationed in Panama, Fort Campbell, KYx3, Alaska, and California as a recruiter. I'm currently at Fort Campbell.

Since you just learned I was a recruiter I want to let you guys know that one of my goals was to be as straightforward and honest as possible. It's just not fair to mislead someone when they're making such a huge choice. Sure I would have emphasized positive things but I also informed people that there are "downsides" (downsides are different for everyone because everyone looks at things differently).

With that being said, the Army is difinitely the best branch of the service to join when it comes to certain things. I'm not bashing any services, I'm just referring to how recruiting business is conducted. Granted it's been over a year since I've been a recruiter so the way other services conduct there business might have changed. Anyway, what I am referring to are the guarantees you receive when you enlist. In the Army you will be guaranteed an exact specialty with the exception of infantry and maybe now some of the other combat arms MOSs. What this means is that if you sign up to be a dental hygienest or light wheel vehicle mechanic, that is what you will be. Brian might be able to confirm that generally in the Air Force you may get the overall field guaranteed but can be assigned to a different specialty in that field. There's also little things like the Army paying for all your uniforms and such whereas the last I knew, all of the other services charged you for your initial issue.

Don't get me wrong, I like all the services but from a strictly business standpoint there are more guarantees with the Army.

With that being said, I'm not a huge fan of the National Guard, generally speaking, but you, Kieran, definitely seem to have a plan. It is usually easier to get released from the Guard to go active duty than the reserves (although I would seriously look into that too, if I were you). Also, some states don't adequately fund their units. You might want to spend some time talking to people in the unit, first.

When it comes to civilian law enforcement, any military job will qualify you for veterans preferance so don't get wrapped up in the MOS.

I could go on quite abit. Kieran, if you want some more info from me I'd be happy to discuss this more with you. Just drop me an email at steven.l.miller@us.army.mil

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Have you forgotten ...

o.O

That would be even cooler if it was animated.

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provided you pass the training

when a police chief looks at resumes, he going to pick the guy that was a MP over the one that was a cook.

Navy and Airforce have better facilities, but the Army has better benefits. And the Marines are just plain screwed.
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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

[This message has been edited by Kieran Horn (edited May 18, 2004).]

Good point about passing the training, however in the event someone actually manages to fail the training they can elect to be discharged. I did mean to talk about the small clause in the contract that says "In the event the Secretary of the Army determines that military necessity of a national scope requires that service members be available for immediate reassignment [blah blah blah]" that's our catch all quote. I usually just explain it as common sense. If you enlist in the military, you're *** is theirs and it's pretty much to cover the Army's *** when they're forced to assign someone where they don't want to go. Basically, I've never seen anything like that come into play except where some people have been recalled back to service after they got out. Alot of people don't realize that whenever you sign up for the military, you're signing up for eight years. Brian talked about this awhile back.

I would generally agree that the Air Force has better quality of life facilities but I would rate the Army after them. Generally speaking though, benefits are mostly equal but there are perks associated with each service. I really do like them all. Just from a strictly contractural standpoint I feel the Army offers the recruit more in writing.

Oh, and about the MP thing. Some law enforcement agencies will actually not be persuaded by prior service MPs because you might actually require some "untraining". A small example might be where an MP has total freedom to search anyone on a military installation but if he tries something similar on the street where forth amendment protection requires probable cause, he just got the case thrown out.

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Have you forgotten ...

Oh, I forgot you were going to be an officer, Kieran. Then you definitely can't be ATC, since officers can't be ATC. Hell, E8's and up for that matter can't be ATC. You gotta reclass once you hit E8.

Oh, and officers don't have MOS's. They have career fields, or something like that. Examples would be aviation, infantry, artillery, etc.

Oh, and I'll back Wookie up by saying yes, you will be signing up for 8 years. I've got about 4 more years of going to drills, then 2 years of sitting in reserve (I don't go to drill, but they can call my *** up if they need me).

[This message has been edited by Mister_Sinister (edited May 18, 2004).]

You mean 8 years in National Guard? When I go active, they count that as National Guard time.

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Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a *****?

ARTILLERY FIIIIIIRE!


*whistle and boom*

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Saberopus: omfq musical genuis j00 >mozart
Thrawn42689: Mozart = n00b

You sign up for four years active and four inactive if you enlist. When I was going to become an officer, I was told I had to go for 6... odd?

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EvilMagic.net: Brian's Web Log

Different Officer fields require different terms of service. Regardless of whether you are full time or part-time (active or reserve/guard) you commit to 8 years enlisted. Of course that can change if you transfer to officer corps. It affects most people in the manner that you serve the term you agreed to, generally 2-6 years active or 4-6 years reserve/guard and then you remain on the inactive ready reserve rolls for the remainder of the eight years.

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Have you forgotten ...

As Daeron, unless something odd happens, I will do my compulsory service next year after graduation.

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"For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries."
-Robert Jastrow