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Army Question

Discussion in 'Questions and Answers' started by Clipse, Nov 14, 2009.

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  1. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    So, I'm about to enlist into the Army. My recruiter gave me my list of MOS's this morning and I plan to make a decision next week.

    I've pretty much cut it down to 2 "series" of MOS's I'm interested in. The 14 series and the 35 series. The 14 series consists of a lot of Missile launcher jobs like the AVENGER, MANPADS, and PATRIOT missile launchers. This looks like an interesting job, but from everything I've read, you rarely even work on these missile launchers, as most of the time they aren't needed and you get sent on other ****ty missions like guard duty instead. On top of that, this MOS doesn't offer much civilan job experience.

    The 35 series is based on intelligence. gathering intelligence, analyzing it, finding out what it means, etc. This seems like a rather interesting, and fairly safe MOS. It's some good job experience as well if I were to pursue a career in many different types of law enforcement and government agencies. This is also what my recruiter recommended.

    There's also a 25L MOS that intrigues me. It's a Cable Systems Installer. I actually considered working for a cable company earlier this year, and this MOS would certainly be good experience in that field. My cousin installs cables for a company here in FLA, and they make some pretty good cash.

    I'm just looking for any advice, preferably from people in the Army. So any advice is greatly appreciated :up:
     
  2. finattic79

    finattic79 Season Ticket Holder

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    I am not in the Army, but in the Air Force. I have worked with Army intel guys when I was deployed a few years ago. Most of those guys really enjoyed the work they did. Also alot of them were in the Army National Guard and had intel jobs on the outside that paid in the six figures. It is really amazing how many doors a TS/SCI clearance can open for you once you have one. As a weather guy in the AF, I'm assigned to the squadron that intel flights are assigned to as well, so I have a few friends that are intel guys as well. I really haven't meet one that didn't enjoy there job, they really are on the Tip of the spear in a sense of being involved in mission planning and intel gathering as well.

    The other thing I would suggest is that if you are near an Army installation, see if your recruiter can get you with people in the MOS for a day and see what they have to say. I wouldn't really trust everything that comes out of a recruiters mouth(though some are good guys and don't lie), and you would be better off trying to talk to people in the actual MOS to really see what the job entails. If you can do that, you'll really get a sense of what each job that you are interested in, better than from the recruiter(Unless he was in that MOS your interested in). Remember the recruiter is trying to get you in. Also make sure you do not go to basic without a contract stating what job you are going in for (in the AF they call it open general), the reason being that then you kinda at the mercy of the Army for what job they will put you in.
     
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  3. Lt Dan

    Lt Dan Season Ticket Holder

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    the 35 series would line you up better for a post Army career
     
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  4. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    Thanks for the advice. I've been on a few different forums looking for answers as well. Some military forums and Yahoo Answers. I've gotten some good responses, and so far seems like the 35 series jobs are pretty good.

    As for the recruiter part, totally agree there. Gotta take a lot of what they say with a grain of salt. Same goes for the contract as well. Luckily I'm from a military family, so I've been briefed by family members about the recruiters and contracts.

    I go to MEPS on Thursday, and I think I'm going to go with the 35N MOS. Either that or 25B, which my recruiter informed me just became available today, which is Information Systems Operator. That MOS should be great in the civilian world with the computer experience, especially considering I have a degree in Informations Technology.
     
  5. Pauly

    Pauly Season Ticket Holder

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    Intel has a wide range of post army career options. Forget the money for a while but gathering intel can be deadly dull. I've conducted surveillance and its not a job I would ever do again. There are heaps of ex-plods doing intel gathering out there. Analyzing intel is much more fun and has more options post army. Not just traditional gov't intel but things like insurance investigations, safety investigations are open to you.

    The missile streasm has two main post army careers as I see it. Avionics and mining. Avionincs is self explanatory, but mining likes guys who are disciplined and know how to operate large complex machinery, they don't care too much about your prior experience as they train people up on their own machinery, but character and discipline are real important especially on remote sites.
     
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  6. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    Thanks for the advice. Definitely think I'm going to choose 35N, which is Signals Intelligence Analyst when I go to MEPS this week.
     
  7. 1armychick

    1armychick New Member

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    First of all, don't think that whatever MOS you choose won't have you going on s***** missions. It happens in every one.

    Second, the 25L falls under commo, so you'd basically be setting up communications for missions, TOC establishment, etc. That has nothing to do with watching TV.

    Third, what do you like? Don't look at this as just a great opportunity when you leave, but what you would like to do during your time there. You will deploy. Period. No matter what your MOS. Your recruiter is just that, a recruiter. He is interested in getting numbers, not where your future is headed. If you are interested in law enforcement and would like to go into the FBI or CIA, this may be the choice for you. Going MP and then going CID (criminal investigation division) may also be another avenue.

    If you need advice, feel free to ask. I'm reclassing this week from a 68W to 46Q. Now that I'm in, it isn't what I want to do when I leave (I'm retiring, hopefully) but what I want to do now that I'm here.
     
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  8. 1armychick

    1armychick New Member

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    If you have a degree, why aren't you going officer?
     
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  9. 1armychick

    1armychick New Member

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    Just to let you know, your follow-on training (AIT) will be stated in your contract. And "they" (they being Department of the Army) will adhere to the contract. "They" don't want to breech contract any more than you do...
     
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  10. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    Every MOS has ****ty missions is correct. Just from what I read the 14 series MOS's has more of them, since there isn't much use for Air Defense Artillery at the moment.

    I understand what 25L is. What I meant was 25L should provide good opportunities outside the Army. However, I've pretty much ruled this MOS out by now.

    I'm a computers guy. I have a degree in Informations Technology. 25B (Information Systems Operation) just opened up, and I think I might settle with that one. I'm aware that every mos has a chance of deploying, and I don't really have a problem with deploying.

    Much thanks for the advice.
     
  11. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    Need a bachelor's, I only have an associates. From what I've been told, if I get a Bachelor's while in the Army, I could still become an officer. I'll have to read up on it more.
     
  12. Uncle Rico

    Uncle Rico New Member

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    I believe you can be a warrant officer with only an associates. Probably limits your career choices though.
     
  13. Firesole

    Firesole Season Ticket Holder

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    Since you ruled out the 25L I won't bore you with the details about it. But if you do want to know more I can tell you all about it.
    Posted via Mobile Device
     
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  14. texasPHINSfan

    texasPHINSfan New Member

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    bear in mind you have a likelihood of pulling that duty no matter what your MOS is. I saw intel guys pulling guard duty at times - point being, no one is above guard duty. it all depends on available labor.

    intel is probably your best bet. downsides are you will work night shifts, stare at boring raw intel a lot of the time, and might have to wait a year or more for your clearance to come through - during which time you'll be pulling details, and.... lol, guard duty. upside: you use your brain and the job has a weight of intellect. post-military: jobs are there but not nearly as good as you might think. there are only so many billets for post-military intelligence jobs, and they usually go to the best & brightest. the attrition rates in this field are decent enough, but more people are separating than there are jobs. I dealt in intel and had problems finding employment post-military. so if you want to join the military just because, this might be a fun job that most would not have the opportunity to experience, but i wouldn't pick this job hoping it would give you the best springboard post-military though. didn't work as well for me.

    i wouldn't do this, unless you're satisfied with the money your cousin makes in the civilian sector. it's a thankless blue-collar job that really doesn't have much opportunities for advancement - you're only going to go so far in the civilian sector with this. as far as capacity in the military, you'll be doing the thankless work of getting underground to run cabling - not particularly fun or glamorous in the military.... but then again, neither are most of the jobs out there.

    the fact that you have any college aspirations leads me to suspect you might be better off going intel just because it challenges you to use your brain, and usually requires a higher intellect. If you are considering using one of the programs to go commission, then you should research the commissioning programs FIRST before you pick a MOS. why? Because officer selection for enlisted usually competes with others in your field. If you're an intel enlisted wanting to go commission, you'll be competing against other intel enlisted troops - who tend to be smarter & have their **** more together. this means it might be tougher for you. If you go as a cable installer and want to go commission, you might go up against some people that are not too super, so it might make your odds greater of earning that butter bar.

    there is a lot of factors, so you'd ultimately have to talk to a recruiter.... but if you have any aspirations of becoming an officer, i'd explore that first.... then look at MOS's. :up:
     
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  15. Clipse

    Clipse mediocrity sucks

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    Thanks for the advice :hi5:
     

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