Joining the Army to get my shit straight

[loop101]

One more piece of advice, which I am sure you don't need to hear, but remember that they own you. Do NOT fight the system, the military has a million ways to break a person.

If they say do not smoke pot, then DO NOT SMOKE POT. My dad was a military officer for decades, and I've heard horror stories about people who just would not play ball. That "Army of One" stuff is BS, you will be expected to be part of a giant machine. Do everything they say, more if you can, and take advantage of every program.

There will be some guys there that are just world-class screw-ups, stay too busy to hang around them. Politely decline invitations to special parties, etc. I've heard about people who robbed the ship before payday because they had massive losses in a Chinese gambling den, soldiers killed because they fought with local police or gate guards and swiped their gun, sailors who were tripping balls and killed their girlfriend with no memory of it, soldiers who informed on others running a drug ring getting almost beat to death, all kinds of stuff. Just stay a million miles away from the screw ups.

It will help if you always have something to do with your free time. You don't have to do it, but at least you'll have an answer when someone pressures you to do something stupid. I would even invite them to go with me, "Hey man, instead of going to that cat house, why don't you come surfing with me?". You don't want to be a goody-two-shoes, but you also don't want the screw-ups planning how you will spend your free time.

Sorry to preach about this, I just saw a ton of people turn something that should have great for them, in to a personalized hell.

 

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[Spicymemer45]

Quick bittersweet success story.

Never really got over this ex of mine, cute Redhead, real sweet.

She came over last night and made me cupcakes for a goodbye and it was a real nice evening *Wink*

Woke up and I was like well shit this sucks now lmao but I'm still hyped and I'm choked up, I appreciate you all so much and I cant really convey with words my gratitude.

Thank you all

Much love- G

 

[Lex DeVille]

Quick bittersweet success story.

Never really got over this ex of mine, cute Redhead, real sweet.

She came over last night and made me cupcakes for a goodbye and it was a real nice evening *Wink*

Woke up and I was like well sh*t this sucks now lmao but I'm still hyped and I'm choked up, I appreciate you all so much and I cant really convey with words my gratitude.

Thank you all

Much love- G

The Army was one of the best adventures I've been on. I didn't appreciate it at the time. But looking back, it's awesome having those stories to tell. Traveling the world, insurance, school, skills, jumping out of planes. It will change you for sure, and I still think it's a great choice leading into the Fastlane.

Let us know where you end up. Might be in one of our old units at some point. I worked for a guy in a small town in Missouri before I joined the Army whose picture was on the wall in my battalion in Germany. Sometimes it's wild how you can be so far from home and still be so close.

 

[B_Mac]

in my battalion in Germany.

I was in Germany. Started in Dexheim, then got moved down to Baumholder. Where were you?

 

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[Spicymemer45]

Be in Georgia around 0200 (2 A.M)

Hyped.

 

[Spicymemer45]

Graduated Basic today, Infantry OSUT in a month.

How's everyone?

 

[InspireHD]

Graduated Basic today, Infantry OSUT in a month.

How's everyone?

Do you feel like what you're doing has been beneficial? How is Sand Hill? I was there in 2001.

Did you go through the concrete bunker that is called 30th AG? If so, what did you think?

How are the pancakes with peanut butter and jelly?

 

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[GuestUser4aMPs1]

@Spicymemer45 you're forgetting something

When you complete all of that, you must change your AV to:

How was it?
Did you get everything out of it you'd hope for?

 

[B_Mac]

Graduated Basic today, Infantry OSUT in a month.

How's everyone?

Congratulations!

 

[Spicymemer45]

Haha thanks for the reminder @UnrealCreative

I'm still in it for awhile longer, I've been selected for Ranger Selection after Airborne school, I F*cking hate morning PT other than that, the Army has rocked so far.

 

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[Spicymemer45]

@InspireHD 30th AG was pretty boring, no pancakes with peanut butter though. A whole lot of sitting and reading, the army has done what I wanted, given me the ability to plan and execute viciously.

 

[Scot]

Glad to see you rocked it man! And Ranger selection, hell yes.

Proud of you!!

 

[Manchild_Unbound]

Paging @jon.a

 

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[jon.a]

Paging @jon.a

Why?

 

[Scot]

Paging @jon.a

Jon was a squid. There are plenty of soldiers here too.

 

[Spicymemer45]

OSUT Graduation is almost here, got my phone back and I also turned down the Ranger contract for an opportunity to go to Special Forces selection.

I woke up thinking of the Fast lane this morning and I'm excited to start the hustle again for that extra cash to start my Fast lane.

 

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[Scot]

OSUT Graduation is almost here, got my phone back and I also turned down the Ranger contract for an opportunity to go to Special Forces selection.

I woke up thinking of the Fast lane this morning and I'm excited to start the hustle again for that extra cash to start my Fast lane.

Rethink that decision.

If you don’t pass SF selection, you get recycled and are given a random MOS.

If you take the ranger contract, you can still apply for SF selection, but if you’re already a Ranger, you go back to Ranger bat if you fail.

Yes, there’s a huge percent chance you’ll fail. There is no shame in admitting that. SF indoc and school is one of the hardest for a reason.

Play it safe so you don’t end up as an AC repair technician for 4 years because you accidentally broke your leg 4 weeks into SF school.

 

[Spicymemer45]

Rethink that decision.

If you don’t pass SF selection, you get recycled and are given a random MOS.

If you take the ranger contract, you can still apply for SF selection, but if you’re already a Ranger, you go back to Ranger bat if you fail.

Yes, there’s a huge percent chance you’ll fail. There is no shame in admitting that. SF indoc and school is one of the hardest for a reason.

Play it safe so you don’t end up as an AC repair technician for 4 years because you accidentally broke your leg 4 weeks into SF school.

I drew up the needs of the Army paperwork with my SF liason and he put me down for 11B in Fort Bragg and handed it off to my Retention NCO and my BCO, I think I'm safe, they said they don't reclass you if you're not a shit bag.

 

[Scot]

I drew up the needs of the Army paperwork with my SF liason and he put me down for 11B in Fort Bragg and handed it off to my Retention NCO and my BCO, I think I'm safe, they said they don't reclass you if you're not a sh*t bag.

Ok, that’s good. As long as you’ve got it in writing you can go 11B if you don’t pass selection.

Alright man, keep being a badass!

 

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[B_Mac]

As long as you’ve got it in writing

That is the most important advice you can ever get about the military. I got everything in writing. I made 10 copies of it, and I kept it in a file box.

After active duty, I went to the reserves. Since I was leaving active, I was offered three years in the reserves instead of the normal six. Three years later, I start the process to leave the reserves. Retention NCO calls me in and says "You got three more years, why are you out processing?" I suspected this would happen, and had brought my file box with me. Brought him the paperwork showing my three year commitment. Left the reserves a few months later.

 

[Scot]

That is the most important advice you can ever get about the military. I got everything in writing. I made 10 copies of it, and I kept it in a file box.

After active duty, I went to the reserves. Since I was leaving active, I was offered three years in the reserves instead of the normal six. Three years later, I start the process to leave the reserves. Retention NCO calls me in and says "You got three more years, why are you out processing?" I suspected this would happen, and had brought my file box with me. Brought him the paperwork showing my three year commitment. Left the reserves a few months later.

A good friend of mine was an army wife, but had a great system. She had template letters she brought everywhere with her. It would go something like:

I spoke with rank:______ name:_______ on date:________

He told me:
__________

Signed:
___________

Basically even after she had the appropste forms, she wanted accountability of every conversation she had that might get overturned in the future.

So if this guy promises you 11B, but they try and reclassify you to truck driver, you say “Sgt Ahole informed me I would be reclassified 11B. Here’s the paperwork and a signed statement from Sgt Ahole. Now send me to a grunt unit”

 

[Spicymemer45]

Posted up with my favorite drill Sgt.

Turned blue today and became an Infantryman, alot of people here inspired me along the way to get to here, you know who you are.

Airborne next, then fastlane and kill.

 

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[B_Mac]

View attachment 19816
Posted up with my favorite drill Sgt.

Turned blue today and became an Infantryman, alot of people here inspired me along the way to get to here, you know who you are.

Airborne next, then fastlane and kill.

Is that an Expert Marksman badge? Nice.

 

[Spicymemer45]

Is that an Expert Marksman badge? Nice.

Thank you, never shot a weapon prior, had good Drills

 

[Bishop]

View attachment 19816
Posted up with my favorite drill Sgt.

Turned blue today and became an Infantryman, alot of people here inspired me along the way to get to here, you know who you are.

Airborne next, then fastlane and kill.

Good job Private Jones. Soon it'll be Sergeant Jones. Keep pushing.

 

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[ZF Lee]

View attachment 19816
Posted up with my favorite drill Sgt.

Turned blue today and became an Infantryman, alot of people here inspired me along the way to get to here, you know who you are.

Airborne next, then fastlane and kill.

Damn! Congrats!
Your uniform is very neat and tidy.

Your favourite drill sergeant? From all the army tales I have heard, I somehow rarely hear that anyone has a 'favourite drill sergeant' though. He must have taught you some very interesting things!

 

[Cat Lady]

Congrats! Both my parents did the Air Force to pay for college, changed the course of their life and my dad's time as an officer directly led to working under Steve Jobs in the early days (up til acquisition by Apple) at NeXT. He said the military was the best planning + execution he could've had in starting businesses that sell to enterprise customers. Mom used the Air Force to be the first in her family to graduate college and stop working in factories.

Keep it up!

 

[Spicymemer45]

Hey everybody! Coming at you from the not-so-fair-weather Ft. Benning

Failed out of Airborne school for reasons beyond my control

Headed to Fort Bliss this coming Wednesday.

I've decided to restart an Upwork account and learn how to make some BADASS copy and after that, Website creation.

- PV2 Jones

 

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[Scot]

Hey everybody! Coming at you from the not-so-fair-weather Ft. Benning

Failed out of Airborne school for reasons beyond my control

Headed to Fort Bliss this coming Wednesday.

I've decided to restart an Upwork account and learn how to make some BADASS copy and after that, Website creation.

- PV2 Jones

You’ll still get 11B right?

 

[Spicymemer45]

You’ll still get 11B right?

Yessir, 11B attached to some Artillery or Armored Unit.