First off, 8 years seems a long time for a young person, but is in reality a drop in the bucket. As I posted previously, I have known some who served three years or more active, got out, then got called back up under IRR. Already discussed that. It sucks, but it is a fact of life. To be honest, most of them were better off coming back in. One guy I went to Infantry training with and deployed with served a tour in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. He got out despite my offer to get him into The Old Guard and found how bad it could get. He had bought three vehicles, a house and a motorcycle while on active duty. Got out to work for the family, lost the house, had to hide the truck from repo men and last I heard he was six months behind on his Harley. Some people may look at this as an example of the Army not preparing him for the future. Thing is, he chose to be Infantry, knowing full well it offers training mainly applicable to LEO or management jobs, was not accepted into the NY State Police like he had hoped due to education, then got out to work masonry with his father, again knowing full well that he would be making substantially less. He did not hate the Army, just felt it was his time. His time came, he left, then got called back before he lost everything. I knew a Marine who worked on jets while in the service. He got out and started as an airline mechanic for $70k a year. This was ten years ago. I've known people who've used their military service to become Secret Service, security consultants, truck drivers, business managers, computer technicians, teachers, and so on.Originally Posted by fried chicken
As for screwups, I have seen very few Soldiers have the rest of their lives screwed up. One former soldier of mine had been a constant screwup for five years. He got an Under Honorable Conditions discharge. The only Bad Conduct discharges I have ever seen were given to two kids who deserted to go on a drug binge. I've yet to see a Dishonorable. In other words, unless you commit a felony or show a pattern of misconduct your future is yours. If anything, you might be better off. A General discharge sucks, but if you get that in lieu of civilian felony charges, you can count yourself lucky. Most Soldiers that screw up are given non-judicial punishment (NJP). Depending on the level, they may get reduced a paygrade or two, be given up to 45 days restriction and extra duty and have half their pay taken for two months. Sounds bad, huh? Let's see, a civilian job would fire you. You would then have to find another job without a good reference to help you. This might take months. In some cases you might even have charges pressed against you in the civilian sector. The point of NJP is that it is NOT judicial. Company and field grade Article 15s go on your record. You might have a hard time becoming CID, a Drill Sergeant or getting some other jobs. Generally, they do not affect long term promotions or career advancement in your chosen job.
The Army guarantees your job (not career field) and you can get a guaranteed station. If you select to be a 68D (Operating Room Assistant) at Fort Campbell, you will be one; unless you are untrainable (ie: can't stand needles). I've known very few who get to AIT and cannot complete it. The ones that do are usually given a second choice. I enlisted to be Infantry and go to Fort Campbell. I reenlisted to stay Infantry and go to Fort Myer. I reenlisted twice to stay in The Old Guard. Reenlisting in the Army gives you a few choices: stabilization for a year, CONUS or OCONUS station of choice, training option (switching jobs), or needs of the Army. If you join to be a 63B (Light Wheel Mechanic) and decide you want to weld, you can reenlist to become a 44B (Metal Worker), so long as the job is open. Sometimes the Army even pays a bonus to switch jobs. You cannot usually reenlist to get a new job and guaranteed duty station. You can reenlist to keep your same job and go somewhere else. This too is guaranteed. When I reenlist for Fort Myer I knew that was where I was going. The DD4/1 Enlistment/Reenlistment contract is foolproof. Again, I can't speak for the other services, but if you are guaranteed something in writing on the DD4/1 and it doesn't happen, you can have the contract considered broken and fall back to your old obligation. Hate to beat a dead horse but to reiterate, if I get out tomorrow but reenlist to go to Germany, then I am told my assignment got canceled, I can tear up the new contract and get out tomorrow. There's a little more to it, but those are the basics. I was Company Retention NCO at my last unit and know of at least one Soldier who did just that.
Will you go somewhere you don't want to? Possibly, even in the Army. Most initial term Soldiers stay at one unit, unless they reenlist to go elsewhere. Stay at one place for too long and you might get orders to go somewhere else. The Army is still big on sending people to Korea. I was on assignment to Korea. Never went, I had reenlist for The Old Guard and had not served the three year tour I was contracted for. The Army realized its mistake and fixed it. Honestly, I was prepared to go. Been back from Iraq for a year and emailed the Sergeant Major at JSA on the border with North Korea. Had I gone I would have been on the DMZ, leading tours and watching the North Koreans. Pretty cool job to me. The longer you stay in the more leeway the Army has. Gain some rank and you might get assigned to Recruiter or Drill Sergeant duty. Gain more rank and you will be placed where the Army needs you. There are hundreds of thousands of Staff Sergeants and below. Not quite so many senior NCOs. That said, if your intent is to join for three to six years and then get out, your chances of being reassigned are slim. If you are reassigned, make the most of it. Go to Korea, buy cheap suits and meet a girl to bring back. Enjoy Fort Drum with its unforgiving winter and isolated feel (for a military post).
Back to the commitment. Despite my desire to continue tradition and my love for all thing military, when I first joined I had no idea how I would like it. My longest job to that point was held for around two years. My father-in-law was in the Navy in the '60s. He got out after four years and was never called back, despite the war in Vietnam. His biggest regret now that he is in his mid-60s is that he never committed to a job. He would get a job, leave for trivial reason like more pay or a supposedly better boss, then suddenly realized he had never worked anywhere long enough to have a good retirement.
This is getting off-topic. Shinysides asked for opinions and he got them. I can talk all day about my personal experiences, but in the end it is up to the individual. I have covered pay, benefits, deployments, and a slew of other topics. I am not the most experienced, but if anyone wants a more personal example of anything I have shared I am sure I can give one.
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