re: Any Military Officers here?

Oh I thought I remember you saying you were some Wildlife and Fisheries guy on Outdoor Board but I may have you confused with some other baw.

Either way, a cuck no doubt.

Start working out in your lbe and kevlar. Wear a ruck and the two pair of boots you'll go to school in while working out also.

Run. 25-30 miles a week. When the TAC's start laying in, be in front. They usually target the physically weak for DOR.

There is an acceptable DOR rate and they will achieve it. The classwork is BS.

I was prior service. I just got in line and became a #. Life was easy. OBC is a blast.

I did nothing but drink beer, PT, and enjoyed my weekends at OBC.

brother and good luck. You can do it.

Where you stationed at Tejas?

Dang

quote:

---

Just remember that there are only two branches in the Army: Infantry and those who hire the Infantry after they retire.

---

FIFY

Army MSC COL

Oh shite...

You can't forge training?!

quote:

---

I've heard terrible things about Leavenworth.

Can't be worse than Lejeune or 29 Palms.

---

It's not bad. We don't let the pedophiles sit down on the chairs in front of the TVs they have to watch it from their tier. Food is good, I work in the prison barber shop so I'll have a skill when I get out, and it's not as crazy as civilian prisons because at least here everyone at one point was qualified enough to join the military.

Only downside is we can't play softball anymore because a few years ago a guy got beat to death with a bat on the rec yard. And we can't get money to repaint the handball walls but Chelsea Manning is getting a sex change.

quote:

---

Well. Just the nightmare that is current sexually harassment policy alone is enough reason to avoid the military like the plague

---

I'm curious as to why you think this? I've been mostly joking in this thread but on a serious note the Army is a great career.

While the sexual harassment training / emphasis may seem excessive, it's also important in an integrated force that we stamp out that behavior at it's root. Nothing wrong with treating each other with dignity and respect.

I definitely don't see it as a reason to not join the military.

There are a lot of people who will give you advice, just remember the Army is always changing so what they tell you may be the truth but it was through their lens during their time of service.

2004 - 2010 the Army was short people, especially officers, and adopted a lot of practices that weren't sustainable. Promotion rates up to LTC were almost 100% and a ton of good officers bounced as soon as their first contract was up.

The last few years we've been downsizing and kicking people out left and right. Now we seem to have stabilized but it could go either way again. It is a much better place to work now that the bottom feeders are weeded out.

If you're coming in as a prior service officer the pay and benefits are outstanding. O1E your base pay is around $3800 a month but you'll have full health insurance and also receive tax free subsistance (BAS) allowance of $250 and housing allowance of around $1100 depending on location. Do the math it's good living. In four years you'll be a Captain and base pay is around $5600 with BAH of 1500 or so.

Promotion timeline right now is two years to 1LT and the promotion rate is about 95%. Two more years to Captain and that promotion rate is between 80 - 90% depending on the branch. Basically as long as you work hard, learn your craft, stay out of trouble you'll make Captain.

After six years as a Captain you'll pin Major. Promotion rate has been low last few years (50 - 60%) but will probably stabilize at the historical trend of around 70%. You have to work to earn it but not hard and if you can't cut it you'll know early from your evals. If you get passed over twice you are separated from the service and if you have under 18 years you get no pension.

With the Army downsizing the eliminated a lot of units especially overseas. To fill this gap they are deploying brigades from stateside to Europe and Korea for nine months at a time. Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are also nine months long.

Right now you can plan on when you finish your basic course being sent to a brigade going through train up. You'll arrive, spend about 7 - 8 months training including a month-long rotation to NTC / JRTC and then deploy for nine months. If you stay in the same brigade after the deployment it will be about 18 months till you deploy again. As an officer expect to move every 2 - 3 years.

Like some said earlier - OCS is the last fill for officers so be prepared for a branch you don't want (chemical, signal, logistics). I wouldn't sweat it too much though if you're in it for career you will have plenty of chances to switch to another branch or functional area (civil affairs / public affairs / special forces / cyber etc). Also other than when you are in a direct leadership role (platoon leader / company commander) you're on staff anyway.

Best of luck to you and anyone else joining. The best advice I can give is figure out what needs taken seriously and give every last drop of effort. Figure out what stuff is just space filler and treat it accordingly. The Army can grind you down but if you handle it right it's extremely rewarding.

Don't work for evals or boards - if you perform you'll be taken care of and if for some reason you get hosed you leave the Army with experience and memories and get another job. Nothing is worth compromising your ethics or stabbing someone in the back.