iradical18
Professional
Just thought I'd reach out and see if there are any prior Military folks on the boards but anyone is welcome to post.
Prior Military, get over here!
- Thread starter iradical18
- Start date
tennismonkey
Semi-Pro
8 years active duty enlisted USN. in the worst uniform any military force in the world has ever produced. go navy!
iradical18
Professional
Awesome! I'm going through my first time working with the Navy right now at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda actually. Great guys! I'll get some pics up here tomorrow.
iradical18
Professional
A young Private with a few of my buddies in some AIT field training, I'm the brown one in the middle
stringertom
Bionic Poster
I spent the first 15 years of my life chasing my dad around the globe from Army base to Army base...U.S. to Asia then back to the States before seven years in four countries in Europe. I didn't like the moving every couple of years but when he retired to Florida it got real boring very fast. It was a great education and the moving makes you outgoing or it breaks you. I still suffer "wanderlust"!
hollywood9826
Hall of Fame
7 Years Air Force myself. Went from Andrews AFB to Korea to hawaii to South Dakota. Got out in 2007 and settled home where I grew up. Kinda feels like its time for me to PCS and move and stuff. Havent gotten used to being in one place for so long.
iradical18
Professional
Awesome, I'd like to get over to Korea myself. How did you like your time there?
tennismonkey
Semi-Pro
army, navy, air force and marines. not that they count but i wonder if we have any coasties in TW.
iradical18
Professional
army, navy, air force and marines. not that they count but i wonder if we have any coasties in TW.
Good question, I feel bad for the guys, their uniforms make them look like janitors!
volleygirl
Rookie
4 years in the US Navy. Bootcamp in Orlando, then school in Pensacola, FL. 2 years stationed in Scotland then last year on Diego Garcia.
iradical18
Professional
Ahhh stationed in Scotland!? I wish I could get sweet assignments like that. So jealous.
volleygirl
Rookie
It was rough there, especially the free vacations to London, England for the Northern European all star games for volleyball, basketball, softball, and flag football. Those trips made the tour really brutal.
iradical18
Professional
Ha! I can see how, I must say that I really can't complain though, I spent almost 3 years in Germany and loved every second of it. Hoping to make it to Korea next.
13 months, USArmy.
Then some captain decided I had flat feet and a couple 3 pins in my ankle, eliminated my first 3 station choices, gave me a chance to back out of my enlistment, with a 1Y (I can volunteer in times of NationalEmergency with current E-3 status), and I went back to surfing.
Then some captain decided I had flat feet and a couple 3 pins in my ankle, eliminated my first 3 station choices, gave me a chance to back out of my enlistment, with a 1Y (I can volunteer in times of NationalEmergency with current E-3 status), and I went back to surfing.
iradical18
Professional
Finally another soldier!
I wouldn't call it that...
I went from committed surfer to USArmy for a little over a year, and immediately back to surfing full time.
And lucky me, I broke my tib/fib in 6 places my first motocross race while still adjusting to normal life, to accumulate another 5 pins, one screw, and some wire in my good leg.
I went from committed surfer to USArmy for a little over a year, and immediately back to surfing full time.
And lucky me, I broke my tib/fib in 6 places my first motocross race while still adjusting to normal life, to accumulate another 5 pins, one screw, and some wire in my good leg.
iradical18
Professional
No worries man, you went through basic and your AIT to earn the right to wear the uniform, sounds like a soldier to me. Are you a pro surfer?
A book by our favorite tennis writer from tennisserver.com, maybe you're in it:
http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101013-035.pdf
Thanks! I went in a little after the time period he covers but served with a lot of Vietnam vets (boy, did they show me the ropes!) so I bet there'll be people in there I knew.
iradical18
Professional
Very cool! I love working with foreign Military, it's awesome to see how other countries run the show.
hollywood9826
Hall of Fame
Korea was fun. I went there right after 9-11 though. So they were pretty strict on where I could go and stuff. Plus I was at Kunsan Air Base which id pretty much in the middle of rice paty central. Had to take a cab or bus into the big city. Wouldnt let us stay out and goto bars down town. Just one little area called America Town (A-Town) where we could go.
But Id go back in a heartbeat. I would go back Active duty in heartbeat aswell. But they cutr down on IT jobs so much they gave me two options on jobs to stay active. One was militray Dog Handler. The other was Ordance Disposal. So I guessed I missed out on being the gyu Hurt Locker was about.
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
There are other ways than Military to spend some time in Korea and Asia. I am in Korea (and China and Japan and Taiwan...) every month -- Just about zipping up my bags now and leaving Taipei...
Especially if you are in the IT industry or other hi-tech...
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
A young Private with a few of my buddies in some AIT field training, I'm the brown one in the middle
Awwww!
I would say you are adorable but that big gun scares me.
OTMPut
Hall of Fame
+ the smiley and the way he is holding it!
When i was in the academy i got butt kicked for doing something like that with my drill rifle.
iradical18
Professional
You know it! We made plenty sure our Drill Sergeants weren't around. West Point or Naval Acadamy?
bad_call
Legend
yeah not "proper" cradling technique. looks to be a bit "looser" in the Army than the Core...
My older brother did his 10 in the AirForce, as a crew chief for multi engine planes.
Spent 3 in Phillippines, and even though he wasn't supposed to, flew some missions over Cam, Laos, and 'nam.
Possibly one of the reason's I got asked out of the Army, since he got his flight hazard pay, and I was the last son.
I would have entered the war around '73, not a great time for a grunt from the US who's Asian and first generation American.
Spent 3 in Phillippines, and even though he wasn't supposed to, flew some missions over Cam, Laos, and 'nam.
Possibly one of the reason's I got asked out of the Army, since he got his flight hazard pay, and I was the last son.
I would have entered the war around '73, not a great time for a grunt from the US who's Asian and first generation American.
iradical18
Professional
Very cool, where are you stationed?
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
I'm doing OCS this summer for the Army. My uncle says I should join the Air Force because that's where all the smart ones go. Mind you, he and three other uncles in my family were each grunts. But I think I'm going to stay in line with tradition.
OTMPut
Hall of Fame
May be that is because AF is considered the "civviest" of all.
Lol. My Dad (who was in the AF - I kept the tradition) used to say the Air Force was the "gentleman's branch" of the military.
iradical18
Professional
Hooah future Sir! From an enlisted NCO my only advice for you is to listen to your Enlisted leaders!! You'll benefit from their experience leading Soldiers, earn the trust of your 1SG and SGM and everything'll go smoothly. What AOC are you looking to get into?
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
Honestly, I'm still pretty clueless about the whole process. Your guess is as good as mine which AOC I'm going to. I like the military. But I'm more concerned with paying off my student loans. Not exactly going into the forces with a career in mind.
hollywood9826
Hall of Fame
You might want to look into the Guard or Reserves.
I dont much about reserves. But in PA new members of the guard can get 20K student loan payment.
You would have to go away for the intial schooling. But after that if you like where you live you wouldnt have to move. You would work one weekend a month and two weeks out of the year.
Just another option to think about, if college loan payment is your only concern.
Air Force only pays I believe 10K to new recruits studfent loans. Army and Navy will go up to 65K.
But just know everybranch is different so talk to them all.
iradical18
Professional
Right on, the most competitive AOC's areas are the combat oriented ones, you wouldn't think so but the Infantry gets the best and brightest Officer candidates. Great advice from Hollywood though, definitely talk to a recruiter from each service. Take some time to peruse a few message boards and talk to current Active Duty Officers as well, there are a lot who have taken the same route that you plan to.
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
My other uncle who lives in DE has arranged for me to speak with his Sergeant. The advice you've given me is spot-on with what every other military member in my family has said. Paying off college is the primary concern, but certainly not the only motivation. Ideally, I'd also like to find a well-paying future career.
tennismonkey
Semi-Pro
thanks for serving grumps. if i finished my 20 - i'd be retired today and looking for a nice second career.
i didn't complete 20 but having a military background has directly or indirectly led to each of my three subsequent jobs post-military. having the military pay for your education is nice too.
go navy. beat army!
Are you at Scott AFB? Well, I'm about to finish my first year in Army Reserve Officer Training Corps. I'm in the process of enlisting into the guard, and go to basic and ait. It looks like I will be able to go into 11B without missing fall 2013 semester of college and continue ROTC
