Anyone here in the .mil?

[jemcam]

One other thing I forgot to add. Once you've completed OCS, you still have to go to basic branch school for your specialty school. Those classes are a little easier, you get to stay in dorm style rooms by yourself, and it's kind of like college but wearing uniforms and you spend a lot of time in the field. It's more of a gentlemen's course than anything else.

Depending on your branch, you'll go to basic branch school for anywhere from 8 weeks to several years depending on what you do. I went to Ft. Sill, OK for Field Artillery training, which was my first choice and it lasted about 6 months.

I had some guys in my class that went to Finance school, and it was only like a month long. Others went into aviation and they were gone for over a year. It all depends on what you select or the DoD selects for you.

BTW, "nuke" schools or NBC schools are very long (one year or so IIRC) and very difficult, even on the enlisted side. Ask any Chemical Officer how hard that school was.

 

[Darien]

intel...



not a way to combine both my degrees into something? I'd rather do something technical. Or something technical while being @ okinawa. LOL. At least then I can put both my degrees at work.

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: Darien
intel...



not a way to combine both my degrees into something? I'd rather do something technical. Or something technical while being @ okinawa. LOL. At least then I can put both my degrees at work.

If you want to go to Okinawa, the Marine Corp is the way to go.

 

[Darien]

bumpage

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: jemcam
In my Army experience, and this was 15 years ago, Officers go where they're needed. You can request a certain branch, (i.e. aviation, infantry, artillery, finance, admin, transportation, etc.) but if you're needed elsewhere, that's where they'll send you.

And OCS gets the last picks. West Point > ROTC > OCS

At least, this is how the army does it

 

[Darien]

bumpage

 

[jteef]

I have learned that if you want to do R&D don't be an officer (or enlisted for that matter) A lot of the civil service engineers are ex military who quit after captain or so because they were tired of the political nonsense and just wanted to be engineers. Officers move around so much (every 2-3 years) that leadership is reluctant to get them seriously involved in a project because by the time they're spun up and comfortable with it, they are moving to the next assignment, taking with them all the knowledge that could have been gathered by a civilian who was going to stay for 20 years.

As an officer in the air force in 99.9% of billets, you are a leader first (even if you don't have anybody to lead) and your career field second. I joined to get just this kind of experience because you can't get it anywhere else. As stated earlier, I think the medical field is the only place where an air force officer can get a bonus now(except for the typical flight pay, airborne, hazardous duty, etc). A couple years ago engineers could re-enlist for an extra 40k over 4 years, but that is no more.

I pursued the air force because the army could provide no guarantees that I would have anything remotely associated with engineering. The air force was at least willing to call me an engineer and assign me to places where actual engineering is going on. I had an average time at OTS. It is not nearly as physically demanding as Army or Marine OCS. It is not really academically challenging either. Its mostly psychologically challenging, however, most everybody there is mature enough to realize what they are trying to accomplish, so you band together and deal with it for 12 weeks.

I didn't look much into the navy because as an electrical engineer, I knew it would have involved submarines. Not that I wouldn't want to serve on a sub, but there are better opportunities elsewhere, imo. If you do serve on a sub, I think you can make pretty good bonus money. pm me with any questions! I'm having a great time so far

 

[Darien]

what's intel like in the AF?

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: jemcam
BTW, "nuke" schools or NBC schools are very long (one year or so IIRC) and very difficult, even on the enlisted side. Ask any Chemical Officer how hard that school was.

I was a Nuke ET (enlisted, of course). My schooling lasted 2 years and it was (and still is to this day) my most difficult academic challenge. :Q

 

[Darien]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: jemcam
BTW, "nuke" schools or NBC schools are very long (one year or so IIRC) and very difficult, even on the enlisted side. Ask any Chemical Officer how hard that school was.

I was a Nuke ET (enlisted, of course). My schooling lasted 2 years and it was (and still is to this day) my most difficult academic challenge. :Q

what kind of stuff did you guys have to learn? what made it so challenging?

 

[OMG1Penguin]

Enlisted in the air force, doing IT junk. School was about 4 months, but people who were in the military already got $60k for reenlisting in this job. We have a lot of ex-cops and other people who don't care nor want to learn about the job.

I am very glad to be getting out in 11 months so I can go to college to make something of myself.

Officers, however, are a completely different area. The sky is the limit~

 

[Darien]

wow, 60k...

what did you guys do?

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: Darien
intel...



not a way to combine both my degrees into something? I'd rather do something technical. Or something technical while being @ okinawa. LOL. At least then I can put both my degrees at work.

If you want to go to Okinawa, the Marine Corp is the way to go.

Stick to the Army -- you're way off the mark. While the Marines do have a significant presence here (home base for the III MEF), Kadena AB is one of the largest, most active, and most diverse air force bases in the world. There are many, many things going on every day here, and the presence of every single branch on Kadena makes it that much interesting. This is one of the most joint non-joint assignments available.

As for the technical fields, Armitage's post about summed it up with the exception that the Air Force (all I can speak to) is desperate for technical folks, though that's probably always the case. If you want military experience while working in a technical field, enter the Air Force, do four years or maybe six (two CONUS assignments) then move into the contractor world with your security clearance and military background for a nice jump in pay.

what's intel like in the AF?

Interesting.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Darien

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: jemcam
BTW, "nuke" schools or NBC schools are very long (one year or so IIRC) and very difficult, even on the enlisted side. Ask any Chemical Officer how hard that school was.

I was a Nuke ET (enlisted, of course). My schooling lasted 2 years and it was (and still is to this day) my most difficult academic challenge. :Q

what kind of stuff did you guys have to learn? what made it so challenging?

Electrical engineering, electronics, nuclear physics, chemisty, calculus, physics, mechanical engineering, materials. Those were the big ticket items. It's basically a 4 year engineering program condensed down into a 2 year program minus all the BS stuff with watchstanding techniques, casualty response, and operations added in instead. w00t!

 

[Darien]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: Darien

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: jemcam
BTW, "nuke" schools or NBC schools are very long (one year or so IIRC) and very difficult, even on the enlisted side. Ask any Chemical Officer how hard that school was.

I was a Nuke ET (enlisted, of course). My schooling lasted 2 years and it was (and still is to this day) my most difficult academic challenge. :Q

what kind of stuff did you guys have to learn? what made it so challenging?

Electrical engineering, electronics, nuclear physics, chemisty, calculus, physics, mechanical engineering, materials. Those were the big ticket items. It's basically a 4 year engineering program condensed down into a 2 year program minus all the BS stuff with watchstanding techniques, casualty response, and operations added in instead. w00t!

Sounds like my kind of thing

 

[Megatomic]

Yeah, it's pretty intense. I don't know if it's true anymore but when I went through the pipeline (88-90) there was a massive attrition rate. Like 50% at least (boot to prototype). It's not easy to finish.

 

[Darien]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Yeah, it's pretty intense. I don't know if it's true anymore but when I went through the pipeline (88-90) there was a massive attrition rate. Like 50% at least (boot to prototype). It's not easy to finish.

What level of calculus and physics did you have to go through? If this is what I wound up doing, I wouldn't mind some review.

 

[Megatomic]

The physics is pretty deep, it starts with basic kinetics and thermodynamics and goes all the way up to reactor physics and theory. If I had to say, I'd say just shy of graduate level stuff. There are no papers and such though, which to me was a big plus. Calculus is basic but for anyone with little to no calculus it can be a burden.

In retrospect, it was all pretty simple. It's easy for me to say that as I work on a particle accelerator now. But back then, being straight out of HS, it was a tough program.

 

[Darien]

basic calculus and go through nuclear theory...what the...

thanks for your input One reason why I'm considering joining .mil is for the challenge, and this sounds pretty tough.

 

[Megatomic]

Yep, ask anyone else who's been through the program. Basic calculus and college algebra is it for math. So much the better for me though. I like math as long as it is applied.

Let me add a word of caution: nukes spend a lot of time at sea. Once I finally got on a ship I was out 95% of the time. Operation Desert Storm didn't help any, either. But the experience and education is phenomenal. It has carried me through my professional life so far. The work is fun and exciting, too.

 

[Darien]

crap, i forgot i can't swim. looks like that option is out.

 

[Megatomic]

You don't have to be able to swim, you just have to be able to stay afloat survival style.

And why, if I may ask, don't you know how to swim? Is it a fear of water or a lack of it?

 

[Darien]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
You don't have to be able to swim, you just have to be able to stay afloat survival style.

And why, if I may ask, don't you know how to swim? Is it a fear of water or a lack of it?

No fear. The last 2 times I tried to learn I nearly drowned.

I never really had an interest in it.

...and I can't even float. I just sink, despite being relaxed (as people have told me to be).

 

[Megatomic]

Well, if you can't even float, you will not make it in any branch of the US armed forces. They all require you to be able to float at the very least.

 

[Darien]

crap.


...graduate school it is!

EDIT: can someone confirm this for all branches of .mil? would they teach me how to float at least in ocs/ots?