Army or Army Reserves?

[ironputts]

DOGCOLLAR, I would just like to say God Bless you, your family and especially your son! This is a major decision in his life and it looks to me you are taking all the right steps! I went to college, did a couple years Army active duty and 11 more reserves and enjoyed every minute of it! Well not every minute but hindsight does change as time goes on. I can tell you the degree opened many doors for me. I have told my cadets these past 20 years when they go to enlist to have a plan and a back up plan what they want to do in the military and beyond. Once in the military his best advocate for his advancement is himself. I tell my cadets never be bashful to ask as the worst thing is they say NO. Then ask again at another time. Strength comes from within but a family's support is a permanent foundation to what you will go through in the future. Good luck and URAAAAA!

[Rotorhead]

we are at war!!!
   

Best reason to join, don't you think?

[Stonewall]

Perhaps neither  --  So your son, you, and other family members are comfortable that he is going to enter the ARMED forces of US?  Remember a fair amount of service members are getting killed or seriously injured right now --- we are at war!!!  Let me repeat this, regardless of occupation, he is going to be in the ARMED forces of the US, this may subject him to great risk & bodily harm, including death.  Do not take this lightly!!!!

Frankly no one should enter the military to get occupational training.  They should enter the military because they want to serve their country and will be willing to lay down their life if it becomes necessary first, the occupational training may or may not be a factor.   

BTW -- There's scholarship & federal grants available without going into the military.  He can look at going to a junior college/technical college to study emergency medical technician, get in a license practical nurse program,  etc...    You don't need the military for that!! Perhaps two years at a junior college as a civilian would give him a better prespective about the world around him.  At that point if he felt the military was for him, than by all means consider it.

BTW I'm retired military.
RM

I'm sure everyone is well aware that we're at war and have been for 9 years now.  I can say with confidence that very few people join the military assuming that they have little chance of being deployed.  The fact is the military does offer top notch training and experience and while some primarily join for those skills, they probably also have a desire to serve their country.  You're allowed to have more than one reason for joining.

The military is an awesome place to grow, learn, prepare for a future outside of the military and quite possibly, spend a lifetime career like you did.  A lot of people don't know what their plan is, they just know they want to try it out, get something out of it, and in the process serve their country.

BTW...I'm going on 15 years of service...

[Spike]

^ Thank you for your Service.  Five more, or are you in until they say "you are too old"??

Me, I started my service before September Eleventh, but knew I would eventually make my way to Kosovo, Korea (or some other UN Mess).  Service was not an option for me.  It was one of those "all the men in your family have served since...blah, blah, blah".

So I joined CAP, and found I actually liked the "teamwork", camaraderie and how it made me feel to do things for others.

Long sob, and tears later..........I think serving in any service, any status or any civil organization that benefits humanity and this Country in some way is very important, and that many children are not shown that these days!!!!

[AirAux]

I would like to note that although we all join with the idea we will be deployed and put in harms way for our country, less than 10% of all of the troops are ever in harms way.  It takes a whole lot of people in the support areas for that 10% to end up on the front lines in the heat of battle.  So, plan on being in the heat, but, remember that there is always a good chance that you won't be..  And believe it or not, that is very disappointing to the ones that don't go.. 

[PHall]

I would like to note that although we all join with the idea we will be deployed and put in harms way for our country, less than 10% of all of the troops are ever in harms way.  It takes a whole lot of people in the support areas for that 10% to end up on the front lines in the heat of battle.  So, plan on being in the heat, but, remember that there is always a good chance that you won't be..  And believe it or not, that is very disappointing to the ones that don't go..

That 10% rule works when there is a defined "front line". Insurgencies don't have a "front line".
And Iraq and Afghanistan are definitely insurgencies...

[Ford73Diesel]

About the Coast Guard......

The Coast Guard has their own enlisted medics known as Health Services Technicians.  They attend the HS school at Petaluma, CA.  At this time the waiting list is about 18 mos.  The Coast Guard gets their docs, dentists and pharmacists from the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.  I have never seen Navy medical personnel in a CG clinic.

The REBI program was for prior service personnel that joined the Coast Guard Reserve.  It has been replaced by a program called DEPOT which is longer than REBI.

The two programs replaced by DEPOT were PITSTOP for prior service personnel entering Active Duty or Reserves IIRC. REBI was for 21 years of age or older people enlisting in the reserve. You did not have to be prior service. There are plenty of people in my unit (PSU) that were not prior service and went through REBI. Most of them are cops.

Nowadays PITSTOP and REBI have been replaced by DEPOT, which is supposed to be a lot more like "real" boot camp.

Every enlistment in the CGR has a guaranteed "A" school. The 18 month wait is for AD non-rates waiting list.

As far as the topic goes- see what kind of bonus's they have going on. His next step is MEPS, wish him luck. I would also talk to the other branches before joining the first one you visit. I stopped by the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard before making a decision.

Mark Harding
USCGR

[DogCollar]

Well...after a long weekend of talking, praying and trying to look at all the pros and cons...my son will be signing papers this afternoon for the Army Reserve.  I think everyone is going into this with eyes as open as possible, knowing that there are questions we didn't think to ask!