Military Life

Thinking About Joining?

Before even going to basic training you should have 3 MOS’s/jobs that you want to do in your selected branch. In my experience and what I heard from others is that the job you wanted might not be available once you get to signing the contract at MEPS. Do the best you can on the ASVAB, GT (General Technical) scores around 110 or higher mean you’ll probably be able to choose any job you want. Also take the DLAB to see if you will qualify for other MOS’s that require learning a language. Get a MOS that has the highest security clearance you can get. Do your best to get in the best physical shape you can before arriving to basic, it’ll make life easier.

Use this checklist to help sort out what route you want to go

  1. Should you go Active Duty or Reserve/National Guard? National Guard offered me more educational benefits and the flexibility to go to college and work full time. National Guard gets activated more often for state events such as floods, fires, civil unrest. Do you want to get away as far as possible from your current living situation or stay close to home and finish college?

  2. What military branch interests you the most? Army offered the most available jobs I was interested in and could get me in quicker than the Airforce was able to at the time. However, the Airforce has a better quality of life.

  3. What are your top 3 MOS’s that you would like to do? I initially had selected Military Police, Combat Engineer, and UAV operator. I choose something that could give me a good civilian job when I got back home while still having the possibility of going into combat. I’m glad I went MP because of the deployment experience and many different activations that non MP units couldn’t go. You can change your MOS later in your military career, most Soldiers have 2 or more MOS’s if they stay in for the long haul.

    With these big 3 questions answered or at least a better understanding of them, you can go contact a recruiter and everyone involved will have an easier time getting you into something you’re interested in.

Basic Training Tips and Info

I went to basic training in September 2011. Things are very different today, but I’ll provide some tips on what will help someone even 20 years from now.

Only bring a backpack with the essentials in it such as a phone charger, change of clothes, and basic hygiene items to keep you good for one day. They will search everything you have and don’t bring anything you can’t afford to get broken/lost.

Tip: bring about $50 in cash and mostly small bills.

Basic training will probably be one of the most challenging things you will encounter up to this point of your life. It’s challenging but you will succeed if you do the following.

  • Be a team player. Help out with barracks chores without being asked like sweeping or cleaning the latrine.

  • Get to know everyone around you. Network with others.

  • Find out what you’re really good at and help those that are struggling.

  • Memorize the Soldiers Creed as soon as possible.

  • Determine if your injury or sickness is something you can push through or not. I got sick and lost my voice for over a week, I ate better foods and some people gave me cough drops to help me out until I got better. Sick call is an option, but you’ll miss hours of training that could be very crucial to your success.

  • Write letters or keep a journal of your day to day activities. It helps relieve stress and you’ll have something personal to remember basic training by instead of the DVD everyone buys at the end.

If you are going forward , good luck to you!