. I find this hard to believe.
the force is strong in this one. believe the recruiter, you should not.
.What is the process of deploying once you reach active duty?
the "process" is not standardized. which, considering we've been deploying, living, dying and otherwise fighting a war of varying scales for 15+ years now you would think they'd have figured out a better way. each person going through it will swear it's the first time their facility ever did such a thing.
the PROFIS (professional filler system) is how most of the warm bodies get deployed. organic docs (if you are assigned to the combat/line unit being deployed) go with their units. so they have a good idea of their deployment window, since most of the time these things have to be planned out, an NTC rotation made, etc etc. PROFIS docs, however, aren't so lucky. in an ideal world, you get assigned (on paper) to a unit. that unit, in garrison, doesn't need you. you live your naïve existence in your clinic, seeing patients, dodging the big green weenie when you can. then, when the unit gets tasked to train or deploy (and need a doctor), you get "tasked" to go join them for the fun. sounds simple, yes? well, not so much. because, let's say dr. jablowme or dr. fibromyalgia or dr. toogoodtogo are PROFIS to a unit-- or are approached with being "their turn" to be PROFIS. lets say they get a profile, get pregnant, PCS, etc etc. well, that tasking has not gone away, and depending on when they are removed, the time from them being removed to someone else being assigned gradually shrinks that "lead time" to the point where, no kidding, people may have as little as a week or two notification. if you are staff and aren't on a profile or in a non-deployable position, you're fair game.
when i deployed, i knew it was coming at some point. it's like your boss telling you "one day, when i pass you in the hall, I'm going to punch you in the face." at some point the waiting is worse than the outcome, and you just want to get it over with.
at the moment, by regulation, all army deployments are 9 months. splits are done by petitioning once you hit the ground in theater, and are up to your line command (not your bosses back home-- who still need to support you).
dwell times and "order of merit" lists are supposed to make things more "fair" and transparent, but you will find taskings will get picked over and traded around, and will sometimes leave you scratching your head. similar to Vietnam, sometimes it may benefit you to "volunteer" for a deployment if the writing is on the wall. better the devil you know.
--your friendly neighborhood 2x NTC 1x OIF t-shirt obtaining caveman
