Military-Prior service advice

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

license2kill

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
262
Reaction score
0
I am thinking about going into the military for before I finish my prereqs. Will there be opportunities for me to continue my prereqs while on active duty? I am thinking about joining to become a surgical tech or dental specialist, and earn a paycheck while I finish up my prereqs in the army b/c I have a family to feed... Also I believe that it will give me more time to spread things out without having to put my family in financial hardship. What are your opinions about this route? Thanks

Members don't see this ad.
 
Dude, I'm prior Army and I am telling you that if you enlist YOU WILL GO TO IRAQ. We are going to be over in the stinkhole for another 10 years.

Military is an excellent option but you need to prepare yourself for deployment. Personally I enlisted in Army as a medic and had the time of my life. It was a fantastic experience and I had excellent benefits/ GI Bill. However, unlike yourself I was a single young lad and 19 when I signed up.

Getting an education can happen in active duty but remember that you'll be a soldier first. I didn't see too many textbooks, term papers and college professors in Iraq. The recruiters will fill your head with BS so be aware.

Again, I'm on the fence on how to answer your question. I'd talk with a close friend in the service.

PS- It kind of sucks when you see the dude in front of you take an RPG round to the chest. Then again you get to watch the full wrath and rage of an Ranger infantry unit react within 2 seconds. :laugh:
 
wow... speechless....
Then I guess the airforce?
Did you do any prereqs in service? Obviously not in Iraq.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
The Air Force is no better. You will deploy, most likely to Iraq especially if you are in the medical fields (as I was). Chances for education are not that good. Honestly given you are better off finding ANY job that doesn't require entering the military regardless of what it is. This is also not to mention that the Air Force likes to treat its enlisted personnel, especially those with function above the level of the brain stem, in manner best resembling the way a drunk redneck would reprimand a dog- basically kick it until it cowers because you've crushed its spirit. Sounds fun eh?
 
Yeah DropKick is right...although I have a fond memory it was a long time ago. There are a lot of rules and regulations in the military and 9 times out of 10 you lose.

AirForce and Navy does not mean you won't get deployed. Even worse. I remember my buddies in the Reserve getting called up to sit around an ariport in friggin' Wyoming! They were over there for 9 months!
 
I guess thats a no-go for me... thanks guys for your advice.
 
I am thinking about going into the military for before I finish my prereqs. Will there be opportunities for me to continue my prereqs while on active duty? I am thinking about joining to become a surgical tech or dental specialist, and earn a paycheck while I finish up my prereqs in the army b/c I have a family to feed... Also I believe that it will give me more time to spread things out without having to put my family in financial hardship. What are your opinions about this route? Thanks

I don't know why anyone joins anything other than the Coast Guard. Take a look at all those that died in the war. Notice a pattern? They're all army and marines.

As far as school goes, I don't think any branch would be too interested in helping you through college. You might be able to do two courses in you four/five year service. Don't do it.
 
To the OP:

I know your friends up there are trying to give you sound advice, but you have a few things to consider before you say 'no' completely. I was active duty Air Force for 6 years and am now a Reservist, and I can tell you that your chances of deploying depend on your job. Huge factor. PLUS- you get the GI Bill, and I will tell you from first-hand experience, it really helps.

If you're not familiar with the process of how you pick your job, shoot me a message. I'll be glad to help.

At any rate, you will have some time to get coursework done, but keep in mind that when you enlist in the military, your first obligation goes to your duty as a military member, which means that all of your other priorities fall in line behind that. I found it easy to take night classes for some courses, but it does get a bit rougher when your classes are only offered at specific times on specific days during specific semesters.

It's not impossible, but before you can do any of that, you would have to clear it through your supervisor of course. My good friend was interested in dental school and my commander allowed him to take a few classes during the day, on the stipulation that he completed his PT and didn't miss any important meetings or squadron functions.

Good luck!
 
whatever Kim..you sound like a recruiter.

No matter what you say or what your experience was in the Air Force you know for a fact that although you can possibly take courses the following apply. There is no dispute.

#1 You are a soldier, Marine, sailor or airman first. The military could give a rats @ss about if your taking a college course. Perhaps there is an exception here or there with a commander allowing you to take a course.

#2 You must adhere and conduct yourself under the UCMJ not the civilan law. Again, this reiterates the fact that you are at the mercy of the military and what they "allow" you to do.

Anyone who tells you otherwise...ANYONE is a liar. Do some research and find out for yourself. Again, I think the Army was a great experience/great benefits. I am proud of my TWO deployments
in the infantry but there is a consequence.

As for Kim...everything she suggested had could, maybe, possibly attached. I deal with facts and reality.
 
Hey Kim!!

speaking of giving out advice I'd 86 your name and blogspot; Do you really want your full name and personal info i.e. Airforce experience floating around the web?
 
Have to agree with the above posts. I am prior Army and my husband is currently active duty Army so I speak from experience. The military is for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to prepare it's servicemen/women for combat duty. Right now things are on the up-tempo, and no matter what branch you decide to go into including the Guard they are deploying at the speed of light and staying there for YEARS. I am in no way trying to discourage you from pursuing your goal but go in with eyes WIDE open. You can pay a hefty price (to include your life) when you join the military. This is not to be taken lightly (not saying you have not thought this through) and going in right now is ASSUMING you are going to Iraq period, regardless of job. Sure, some folks somehow seem to miracously escape deployment but these are FAR in the minority. Do not LISTEN to recruiters! they are there to get quotas and could give a flying rat's ass what your goals in life are or if you have a family. Talk to current enlisted folks with families in the field that you are considering! do not even DREAM of being able to do pre-reqs btw unless you get this in writing up front and signed by blood. Again, tread lightly or you will find yourself in the middle of BFE in a foxhole hungry and cold.
 
To the OP: Best thing to do is to go to the med student threads and ask away- they're pretty friendly there and I'm sure will be able to provide insight. I am simply telling you my experiences active duty and now as a Reservist.

As to you, Smugtroll. I've got nothing to hide, nor to be ashamed of- I'm here to help as well as solicit advice from other students. And as for sounding like a recruiter- GOOD! I'm proud of my military service! So what was your point?

And yes, deployment does weigh heavily on jobs. Some are non-deployable (coded, in our terms) while others are in heavy demand. Any way you slice it, whether you're here in the States or in the Middle East, your first and foremost priority would be to the warfighting effort, no doubt.

Something else to consider, as well: from day one of my enlistment, we were encouraged- at times rather heavily- to complete our degrees. Why? In the Air Force (not sure of the other branches, to be honest) it counts towards promotion. If our squadron could help us work around school, they would. If they couldn't, we would have to wait- no doubt about that.

It's a huge decision that you won't be able to make overnight. But it's one that only YOU can make, no matter what any of us say- so good luck!
 
I am thinking about going into the military for before I finish my prereqs. Will there be opportunities for me to continue my prereqs while on active duty? I am thinking about joining to become a surgical tech or dental specialist, and earn a paycheck while I finish up my prereqs in the army b/c I have a family to feed... Also I believe that it will give me more time to spread things out without having to put my family in financial hardship. What are your opinions about this route? Thanks

Four years of service, four years of med school plus whatever it takes you to finish your degree. Thats not even counting residency. Hope you're young... or at least dedicated.
 
I'll reiterate what the previous posters have said: whether you enlist in the Army, Air Farce, Navy or Marines, once you enlist, you become "government property." Your desires, goals, ambitions, needs, wants, etc. take a back seat to the needs of the Army.

While it's true that finishing your degree is encouraged, you will have to do so on your own time, and there is no guarantee that the medical school prerequisites will be available within a close proximity to your base.

The feasibility of taking college courses part-time while in the service has a lot to do with your particular job and schedule, the course schedule at the local University, the current op-tempo, the willingness of your chain of command to help you out, not keep you around after work doing useless bullsh*t, etc, etc.

I am in no way putting down military service; I derived a lot of benefit from my brief stint in the Army, but anyone considering enlistment deserves to have an accurate description of what they are getting into. It has already been mentioned that you would most llikely go to Iraq. I would also add that when you enlist, you do so for eight years, even if you only sign a two year contract. This means that after you have completed your term of enlistment (say, two years) you will be in the Individual Ready Reserve for six more years-in short, you'll be a civilian, for all intents and purposes, but you will be subject to recall to active duty while in the IRR. I'm sure you've heard that many IRR soldiers have already been called back to active duty to go to Iraq.

In short, join the military only if you truly want to be in the military and all that that entails. It would be prudent going in, however, to assume that you won't be able to start your prerequisites until you've completed your active service.

Good Luck
 
I don't know why anyone joins anything other than the Coast Guard.
Because nobody wants to be a puddle pirate. :laugh:
 
Thanks again for everyone's input. I think I am going to stick with my current situation. I dont think IRAQ has any organic chemistry courses available in english....:oops:
 
I was active duty Air Force and had different experiences with education while in the service. My first supervisor wouldn't let me take classes at all and I spent two years working for him. My second assignment let me take off early on the night shift to attend college classes on base, and I usually didn't have to return to work if it was slow. I also was able to attend a college class while deployed in Turkey.
So, it's a real crapshoot and you are at the whims of others.
Good luck!
 
Top