Introduction

[Justin_SoCal]

Thanks for being concerned with me finishing school. Besides my girlfriend, you’re the only people that are concerned with me finishing right now. Everyone else just doesn’t want me to join the Army (as with my GF also).Let me explain a little more of my situation so you know where I’m coming from.

I explained earlier in this post about my Father being in the Army, and he passed when I was 16. My father was a great parent, and made sure his kids were well disciplined. At the time he passed I was in my teens and rebellious as most kids are at that time. I unfortunately didn’t get to learn a lot about my dad, and I’m trying to find out more on him and his military service. My recruiter referred me to a site where I can possibly get his old records (I don’t have it on hand, but PM me if you’re interested in looking up an old relative). My parents have been divorced since I was 4, and living with my mom has always been a joke.

In the middle of my junior year in HS, I moved to my mom’s house, and continued to be a rebellious kid. Instead of being there and trying to discipline me, my mom spent 10 hours a day at her boyfriends house (when she didn’t go out of state to his other house). I passed HS, but barely.

One thing my dad was able to do for me (indirectly) was help me go to college. Long story short, I receive(d) Chapter 35 benefits ($830 a month) when going to school full time. Well this would’ve been great if you could actually survive in southern California for $830 a month, but I had to work since I was living on my own and trying to go to school. This is one of the reasons I’ve spent 5 years in school part-time and sometimes full-time and haven’t finished. The other being my major is the 2nd hardest at my school, and takes 4 years to complete taking 18 units (fulltime is 12). I’m technically a senior due to credits and school, but I still have a year and a half (and summer school) if I go full-time.

Where I’m going with all this is:

1 - I’m burned out on school right now, I’ve spent a lot of time there and I need a change. It’s been engrained in me to serve my country, not by choice, but it’s just in my blood. I saw a recruiter out of HS and didn’t join. I went back two years later, and my old GF talked me out of it. This time I’m going to do it, fuck what everyone else thinks.

2 - I no longer receive Chapter 35 benefits, and without taking loans to pay for everything for about 2 years, I can’t financially afford to go right now. (I HATE being in debt as I am now, and I really don’t want to add $30K to it)

3 – I probably should be done with school in a year, but I’ve fucked around and failed a few classes. I think this is in-part to not being well disciplined. I know the military can help change this.

4 – Work has sucked recently. I’m a web developer and it seems that the companies I work for are shit lately. They either downsize, or go out of business. I’m in the worst financial situation I’ve been in right now and that really is bothering me. I want something stable.

5 – I want to take a vacation in Iraq, I heard it’s nice by the pool this time of year. :D


I don’t want you all to think that I think of being a Ranger as not as good as a WO. At this point I would be very happy being a pilot, or a medic Ranger or not (but you better be damn sure if I head that direction I’ll get my tab, or leave on a slab!). I think I would be a better pilot than a medic, just due to my interests of helos over medicine. I also like the fact that a WO pays a little more, and if I don’t make it as a WO, I don’t get fucked and go worldwide.

I apologize for the long post, but I hope this gives you all more incite on where I’m coming from. I look forward to serving with you all one way or another.

-Justin_SoCal

[T Man]

1 - I’m burned out on school right now, I’ve spent a lot of time there and I need a change. It’s been engrained in me to serve my country, not by choice, but it’s just in my blood. I saw a recruiter out of HS and didn’t join. I went back two years later, and my old GF talked me out of it. This time I’m going to do it, fuck what everyone else thinks.

First the bolded portion: That's a great philosophy for life in general. Take it to heart and live it.

The rest:
I can understand that sentiment. I know I felt the same way when I quit on my Physics degree to graduate with my Management and Finance degrees (nope, I was triple degree seeking, not just triple-majoring) early so I could go to OCS. My wife was working 12 hour shifts to support my school and provide food for our three kids while all I was doing was getting my grants and taking out student loans each semester and turning in homework. Quitting on my Physics degree was a smart decision. Oh, but I had those other two to fall back on...oops, I guess it is hard with only one business degree.

2 - I no longer receive Chapter 35 benefits, and without taking loans to pay for everything for about 2 years, I can’t financially afford to go right now. (I HATE being in debt as I am now, and I really don’t want to add $30K to it)

Why not take the loans out? It's an investment in your future. The interest is minimal. The payments are deferred until after graduation. Then you get your diploma, get into the Army, and get a steady paycheck AND student loan repayment if you go enlisted, or a really good paycheck and flight pay if you go Warrant. Either way, you're going to have to finish your degree at some point if you really want a career in the Army.

3 – I probably should be done with school in a year, but I’ve fucked around and failed a few classes. I think this is in-part to not being well disciplined. I know the military can help change this.

Yes. The military can help change this by giving you a reason to be more disciplined, but only you can actually change it. The military can't make you internalize it. We have shitheads make it through Basic Training and AIT and go to their units and not be responsible and disciplined enough to save fucking $20 for a cab ride home from the bar. The military is a motivator but not the deciding factor. Discipline comes from within.

4 – Work has sucked recently. I’m a web developer and it seems that the companies I work for are shit lately. They either downsize, or go out of business. I’m in the worst financial situation I’ve been in right now and that really is bothering me. I want something stable.

I think we have some 2nd Batters here that need some help with their gay porn sites. Contact them.

Seriously though, you're not locked into that field. Get a data entry job. Look for jobs with other types of companies. Almost everyone has a website that needs to be maintained anymore. Hell, if nothing else wait fucking tables.

5 – I want to take a vacation in Iraq, I heard it’s nice by the pool this time of year. :D

Are you fucking stupid?!

We have several veterans on this board dating back to the jungles of Vietnam. I've seen nicknames for places (the Mog, the Box, etc.), but I've never seen any of them joke about going to a war zone. It ain't sitting by the pool and catching a tan you little fuck. I'd like to see you make jokes the first time Haji sends live ammo your way. Or as a medic at your buddies and you're basically helpless to do anything except try to tourniquet off their leg that's been blown off by the latest IED.

I haven't been yet, no. I'm trying my best to get out of Mother Benning to go. But I'm not looking forward to going to a combat zone.

Staying in school is hard. Especially at the end when you get Senioritis. Paying for it is harder. Sacrifices have to be made. You have to incur some financial pain. You have to work hard to get rid of it after graduation. You're burned out on learning more.

What the fuck do you think you're going to be doing through flight school?! Through medical training? As I understand it, hands on training in flight school is only a small percentage of what you do there.

You've quit on the Army twice by your own admission. You're thinking about quitting school now. You have a clear pattern here that is going to repeat itself the first time it gets hard in the Army.

Break the pattern now, finish school, prove me wrong, then apply to flight school or for an Option 40.

I don't mean to disrespect your father, but he's already dead. Joining the Army will not let you know him any better. Only a new and different version of a time in his life. It is not the same Army as when he was in, so that's really a futile sentiment as well.

Stay in school. Finish it. Get your BA and apply if you really want to. Go get a $60,000 a year job after graduation if you want to. But don't cut yourself off of any opportunity. It's harder to make yourself go back to school than to make yourself stay in school.

For your own benefit, really think about what I and the other Rangers on this board are advising.

[RTO]

WoW! That was an amazing post! Kid, listen up, you just got schooled by a Ranger.

[Justin_SoCal]

Thank you for your advise Ranger T Man.

I meant no disrespect about taking a vacation in Iraq. I'm almost certain that I'll be headed there going active duty, and I just try and make light of a bad place. I have never been there, or care to go, but I thank God for everyone that does to protect our freedom.

I know I will be learning a lot in either field I choose, but I want to change. I will take heed of your opinion, and I'm open to any others.

Thanks,

Justin_SoCal

[Bugsy]

... I don’t want you all to think that I think of being a Ranger as not as good as a WO. At this point I would be very happy being a pilot, or a medic Ranger or not (but you better be damn sure if I head that direction I’ll get my tab, or leave on a slab!). I think I would be a better pilot than a medic, just due to my interests of helos over medicine. I also like the fact that a WO pays a little more, and if I don’t make it as a WO, I don’t get fucked and go worldwide.

I apologize for the long post, but I hope this gives you all more incite on where I’m coming from. I look forward to serving with you all one way or another.

-Justin_SoCal

Kid or at 25 I should say young man. My first thought when reading your intro was............hmmm I wonder if you went to a military Apache website board, made an introduction and then wrote this same type of post of how you love it in Southern Cal but you've decided to quit school in your senior year and become a pilot with a Ranger secondary objective "just in case". I wonder whether they slammed you or not?

For some reason I'm guessing you didn't and decided to come over here to question us at your Orange County pace because I'm certain you BELIEVE you know everything you need to know about being a pilot.

AS IF BEING OR BECOMING A RANGER WAS A GUARANTEED DONE DEAL TO YOU!!!

Studying to learn about the Rangers like you were preparing for an exam won't work in our world.

So let me make one more suggestion, so that you can ensure your stay with us is as comfortable for you as possible.

1. STFU!!!

2. Provide us your Girlfriends phone number when you leave

3. USE THE SEARCH BUTTON

4. REFER BACK TO NUMBER 1.

and then knock out 50 just for good measure.

[T Man]

I meant no disrespect about taking a vacation in Iraq. I'm almost certain that I'll be headed there going active duty, and I just try and make light of a bad place. I have never been there, or care to go, but I thank God for everyone that does to protect our freedom.

No harm, no foul. Just think about what you're "making light of" and save it for somewhere else. There are those of us here who would laugh at it, yes. But neither I nor you have earned the right to joke about it yet. Those that have, don't because of the brothers in arms that I referenced in my chastisement.

I know I will be learning a lot in either field I choose, but I want to change. I will take heed of your opinion, and I'm open to any others.

You won't just be "learning a lot" in those fields. You will be studying nightly, doing homework assignments, writing assignments, and hopefully much more if your instructors are worth their salt. Neither of your chosen fields are knuckle-dragger fields. You have to not only learn the stuff both fields teach, but how to analyze it, your situation, your options, and make a decision that could cost another human being their life in seconds. WOCS is the same.

I really hope you don't half-ass it, but that's what I fear you will do if you go in this mindset. Yes, you'll be even more tired of studying if you stay in school, but you'll know, beyond the shadow of a doubt that you'll be able to force yourself to meet the standard (and hopefully exceed it, especially if you choose the Option 40 route).

Your performance on this board is already proving that, as Ranger Jim gave you an assignment to administer a PT test to yourself and post your results. Granted, you still have 42 minutes by Eastern time (less by the time I actually hit submit when done typing), but can you honestly say that you've done the PT test?

This is a website, yes. Most of us will probably never see you in person, no. However, you came here to learn. You came to us. Not the other way around. If you don't have the concern to let us know where you truly stand, why should we be concerned enough to help you?

If I, as an Infantry PL in Baghdad, called for air support from your Apache Squadron, and say that I need you at X location by Y time, I already have reason to doubt that you'll make the time standard. And the Army is a small place. I ran into one of my RIP instructors from '96 a few weeks ago
and we recognized each other. If you do what you say you want to, you will likely see one or more of the members of this board in your time in the Army.

If you decide to disregard our advice and push on with this course of action, we'll still help you unless you continue to be a turd that blows off what a Ranger tells you to do, but I promise you, this is not the smartest or best course of action.

Regardless of your decision, good luck.

[KW Driver]

and you aren't ready to be a good pilot. fuck a bunch of your "it pays better."

you want the Army to change you. you think flight school will change you? Nope. not enough to make you reliable, useful, trustworthy pilot.

I don't want to be calling you in a few years after you are done with school. I don't want to give a target to you that I've been working. I don't trust or like you right now. Maybe once you got out to a unit, some senior Warrant could mentor you into shape, and make you a professional. but they ain't got time do be doing that shit. they have other training priorities. turning you into a professional officer shouldn't, but would be one of their problems. I know, I've gotten several of your type in the last few years that I've had to fix.

you burned out on school now? Flight school, if you want to do well, is going to be harder than what you are doing now.

like carrying 21-23 hours. like 12 hours in class, or flying and then going home and studying 3-5 hours a night, just to play catch up on the weekend.


my advice, finish school, enlist for a few years, then drop a flight packet.

[Jim]

I apologize for the long post, but I hope this gives you all more incite on where I’m coming from. I look forward to serving with you all one way or another.

No need to apologize. But, having read your missive, I'd recommend that you get yourself a dictionary so that you know that "incite" and "insight" do not mean the same thing. At the same time, I gave you a task with a designated completion time. You ignored my task but found time to exchange messages with others on this site. Therefore, I doubt that you were away working or other activity -- particularly since you were reminded of your need to self-administer a PT test. Now knock off the BS and do what you were told -- or just go away and whine to someone who might give a rat's ass.