Ben S wrote:Hrm....discouraging thought. Perhaps I should fill in some more details. The recruiter told me that certain MOSs do get shipped out. But that some actually stay. Also he said that once a unit is deployed, it is not deployed again for 5 years...found it interesting. Not sure I trust it though (given the impartial source).
He says that as soon as JAG gets wind that I am in law school (slated to graduate Dec. '09), they'll want me doing stuff for them. And that since I don't graduate for another year, and will then be starting up work as a junior associate in a law firm (therefore unavailable to be deployed because it would be catastrophic for my job), I can be put on a "stabilized" list which means I stay here in the USA. I wouldn't mind if i get shipped shipped around on humanitarian stuff (ie. 2 weeks in California helping victims of forrest fire, or some other such thing). It's just a long term deployment that would kill this idea for me.
Find the nearest Legal unit and talk to them. Seriously. Right now. Or maybe Monday.
ARFORGEN (look that one up) does put Army Reserve deployments at one in five years. For units, not necessarily individuals.
I was a legal clerk in a former life, before OCS. I'd say JAG is right. Listen; I work at U.S. Army Forces Command. Our operational law JAG will have info you need, and he's a Reservist. Send me a note and I'll put you in contact with him. I can probably find someone from the Guard for you to talk to as well. More info is better than less.
Well, state defense forces (SMURFS!) - eh... there may be better options. Remember, there's a reason it's called 'service.' You can wind up wherever they want you, including taking out garbage in Minot.
EDIT: Recruiters lie. They lie about everything. Do not ever trust a recruiter's word on anything, ever. They lie. Liars.
And may I say, from a moral point of view, I think there can be no justification for shoving snack cakes up your action.
--Weetabix
I've e-mailed Dan. He (and JAG)got me thinking about the Jag Corps reserves. Now there's a real possibility. like....seriously. I assume I still need to take an ASVAB, so I'll not cancel my appointment with the recruiter just yet, but you guys could just have talked me out of a big mistake, and into a real opportunity here.
I just e-mailed the local JAG screening person to ask for a meeting. We'll see what happens.
Thank you all again. I KNEW this was the right place to come ask dumb questions!!!
Seriously though, if you're gonna go into the service then you need to understand that there is a very good chance that you will be shipped off to many places you will not enjoy. I HATE Deserts, with the passion of a thousand burning suns. And I've been to three of them six years(OK, the first and last time was only for two weeks, but dammit anyway!)
Ben S wrote: I know that if I don't do something no matter how minor it is, I will always regret it.
Yeah, you would, I regret never serving and now I'm too old and too beaten up to do anything about it.
You have youth, fitness and intelligence on your side and it looks like you are determined to make the best of your opportunities. I salute you mate, good luck.
All my life I been in the dog house
I guess that just where I belong
That just the way the dice roll
Do my dog house song
Seriously though, if you're gonna go into the service then you need to understand that there is a very good chance that you will be shipped off to many places you will not enjoy. I HATE Deserts, with the passion of a thousand burning suns. And I've been to three of them six years(OK, the first and last time was only for two weeks, but dammit anyway!)
I hate cold weather, with a passion equal to yours for deserts, but I did three two-to-three week missions in a row, all in January or February, at Minot (North Dakota), Grand Forks (North Dakota), and Loring (Maine). Finally got a break the next year- went to Dyess AFB, in Abilene TX. In August.
Tell me mission planning doesn't have a sense of humor!
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six." Lindy Cooper Wisdom
First Shirt wrote:I hate cold weather, with a passion equal to yours for deserts, but I did three two-to-three week missions in a row, all in January or February, at Minot (North Dakota), Grand Forks (North Dakota), and Loring (Maine). Finally got a break the next year- went to Dyess AFB, in Abilene TX. In August.
Tell me mission planning doesn't have a sense of humor!
They have two monkeys that run the misson planning. They are named "Shits" and "Giggles."
(I won't take credit for that one, one of the privates I went to Iraq with came up with it)
Probably piss you off, but if you want to serve, then hang your ass in the wind like everyone else. I don't say this in a mean spirited way, but there is more satisfaction when it's over, knowing that you took your chances and didn't engineer an easy route while others carried the burden.
Seriously though, if you're gonna go into the service then you need to understand that there is a very good chance that you will be shipped off to many places you will not enjoy. I HATE Deserts, with the passion of a thousand burning suns. And I've been to three of them six years(OK, the first and last time was only for two weeks, but dammit anyway!)
I hate cold weather, with a passion equal to yours for deserts, but I did three two-to-three week missions in a row, all in January or February, at Minot (North Dakota), Grand Forks (North Dakota), and Loring (Maine). Finally got a break the next year- went to Dyess AFB, in Abilene TX. In August.
Tell me mission planning doesn't have a sense of humor!
I don't like hot weather, urban areas, pineapple, coconut, seafood, or salt water, and I sunburn easy. My dream sheet had Alaska, UK, Germany etc. on it, and I wanted to stay in the field at an operational level. Hence guaranteeing my assignment to CINCPAC HQ at Camp HM Smith Hawaii.
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
