Opt. 40 update

[Jim]

PerryB - Yes sir, I am a high school graduate, Getting off work to go to MEPS is difficult. I work for the Defense Intelligence Agency on Redstone Arsenal and there are not very many of us that do what I do. I have called the guidance counselors at my local MEPS station 2 different times and so far no one has been willing to talk to me over the phone. They just say "come up," however, I can’t just drop everything and take a day off every week or two in the hopes that they might be able to pull something for me once I get there. I will try to call them again this afternoon, who knows maybe the third time will really be the charm. If not then I will PM you with their contact information. And just as a FYI I do not have a criminal record and there is nothing that should be preventing me from getting this. I have no waivers or anything like that In fact I have a Top Secret clearance.

Why not enlist for an Intel MOS with Option 40?

[PerryB]

Unless you are physically at the meps to enlist the guidance counselors cannot look up jobs for you. It is impossible. So you will have to take a day off from work. Even if you can't get a option 40 enlist for 11X with airborne or just 11X. You can always have your reservation updated without you going to the meps. Or earn it while in basic by getting in the top 10% of your company. The 75th recruiters brief everyone at the 30th replacement and they visit most companies sometime after week 9 of OSUT training.

Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Perry

[starbuck6264]

RANGER Jim, an Intel MOS is my first pick, 68W is second and 11X is third. At this point I would be willing to take any of those and some others as well. Its just getting my recruiter to get his crap together and get a job reserved. I guess I am going to ask them to reserve me something / anything and then try to find an option 40 at MEPS. I think that I have pretty much run out of options at this point. PerryB- I have been encouraged to just enlist with an 11x but that is not something that I am okay with. I know that "most" of the time the 75 RANGER Regiment briefs during basic, however, they do not always pick people up. The only way to be guaranteed a chance to "try out," as it were, is to get the Opt 40. That is why I have not enlisted yet. At this point I am comfortable, I have a very good job, a TS clearance, and I am almost done with school. Enlisting is going to cause my pay to drop about 45% so unless I get what I want in my contract I am not signing. Please forgive me if that sounds arrogant because it is not my intent. My goal is to be a RANGER, not some leg who did not get a spot because there were not enough slots or because the Regiment had already filled their quota.

[ZoneIV]

not some leg who did not get a spot

First of all stud, there are quite a few Rangers on this site who have served in "leg" units. Secondly, there are plenty of non-airborne personnel or as you put it "some leg" who have lost their lives serving their country and you haven't done shit thus far in the military. Audie Murphy was a "leg" and he was one of the most decorated soldiers from WWII. You aren't qualified to use the term "leg" so keep it out of your vocabulary until at least you have earned Airborne Wings but even after that, I would be careful who I use this term around.

[starbuck6264]

RANGER ZoneIV - My intent was not to insult. Nevertheless I will refrain from using the term. Out

[starbuck6264]

Well I finally have an 11X Option 40 reserved and I am scheduled to swear in next Wednesday. I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner to thank you. If you have time to answer one more question, on my way home from the recruiters I noticed something in my paperwork that has me wondering. In the Remarks section on the bottom of the page #6 it states. Formal Training (completion of MOS 11C course conducted as USA infantry school) mandatory. I was under the impression that it was not possible to reserve an 11B or 11C, and that as an 11X you went to basic and the Cadre divided everyone into direct and indirect fire during basic. My job line reads:

JOB: 11X1 O 00 YY

Can you shed any light on this? Have I already been selected for 11C?

Thanks again for taking the time to write and answer my questions.

Very Respectfully
Joshua N

[Jim]

I don't know the answer, but I wanted to let you know that I'm pleased you got your option 40. Earn this! Never, never quit!

[Baseplate]

Well I don't think you find out if you are an 11B or 11C untill a few weeks into basic training. Being a mortar is cool as long as you accept the fact that God hates you from day one

[Richard Cranium]

Well I don't think you find out if you are an 11B or 11C untill a few weeks into basic training. Being a mortar is cool as long as you accept the fact that God hates you from day one

Fact. That is why I switched to 11B after 5 years.

[IEDmagnet]

Being a mortar is cool as long as you accept the fact that God hates you from day one

But I still loved it.

[Jim]

Being a mortar is cool as long as you accept the fact that God hates you from day one

But I still loved it.

When I was a LT in the 82d, I led an AT Platoon! Great fun! Several years later I commanded a Combat Service Company, in a Mech Battalion in Germany, and while I had Scout, AT, GSR, and ADA Platoons; my 4.2 Mortars were my best troops.

[PerryB]

The 11C on your paper work is just a standard qualification statement on your reservation sheet. The reservation is not your contract. Your contract will clearly state you will be trained as a 11B or 11C. On a side note it also says you could be a 11M but I am pretty sure the Army no longer has 11M. Not sure why USAREC hasn't changed the paperwork.