So, October is my deadline for National Guard (or?) enlistment.

[dpete]

As for the topic at hand. Myself and OP already had a nice discussion via PM Re: his question rather than a military history lesson.

Good job, can't have anyone learn anything new to them from history. Can't seek out any other information that is not on the approved list. Whatever you do don't you dare think about the kind of people running the show.

"Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." Henry Kissinger, quoted by Bob Woodward in The Final Days, 1976

[jmdkodiak]

Ok.. So, I spoke with a National Guard recruiter and in the whole state of Florida there are NO 68W positions open. She will keep looking for me. I take my ASVAB on Tuesday.



I talked to a recruiter for Tennessee, and he said he saw one position two days ago but he's unsure if it's still open. Apparently the NG as a whole is "full" he said. There aren't many positions left, and not many people are leaving the Guard either.

So I am open to Active Duty as well I think now. I guess my question is if active branches will also pay back student loans for you too? Or is that only national guard.

Looking in the same line of work, I guess I could apply as a Navy Corpsman, I am not sure what the Airforce equivalent is, but I guess that's an option too?

This is all provided that the AF and NAVY don't mind tattoos below the elbow as I have a tat on my forearm.

[sgreger1]

Ok.. So, I spoke with a National Guard recruiter and in the whole state of Florida there are NO 68W positions open. She will keep looking for me. I take my ASVAB on Tuesday.



I talked to a recruiter for Tennessee, and he said he saw one position two days ago but he's unsure if it's still open. Apparently the NG as a whole is "full" he said. There aren't many positions left, and not many people are leaving the Guard either.

So I am open to Active Duty as well I think now. I guess my question is if active branches will also pay back student loans for you too? Or is that only national guard.

Looking in the same line of work, I guess I could apply as a Navy Corpsman, I am not sure what the Airforce equivalent is, but I guess that's an option too?

This is all provided that the AF and NAVY don't mind tattoos below the elbow as I have a tat on my forearm.

Yah sometimes it's hard to get into anything other than active, but sometimes the recruiters are just fillin gtheir quotas and are lying to you in an attempt to steer you towards a certain type of MOS etc. They tried pulling that on me when I went to meps, said there was nothing available in my MOS and then told me that there were no slots open for airborne school. Walked right out after getting in an argument with the guy at meps where I told him he was lying out of his teeth. Ended up going back 2 days later and got everything I wanted (because I told them I wasn't joining unless I got airborne school and my choice of MOS). SO try to judge whether or not they are BS'ing, stand your ground if you think they are. But with NG it wouldn't surprise me if they were filled, especially for 68W's.


Just be aware of what you are signing up for if you go active duty, you are selling youself into slavery lol.

As far as Tatoos, I think they have really laxed up on the requirements in recent years, but navy might still be gay about it I don't know. Recruiter could answer that.

As for student loans, I think you only qualify for the loan repayment program if you sign up for a star MOS (on where they have a shortage of guys in), which 68W probably won't count for. But that may have changed.

[EMT-B]

If you want to be a paramedic without signing up for the military, look into online paramedic programs through your state's community colleges. I live in NC and there is an online course in Kinston, NC at Lenoir Community College. They have an outreach program for out of state EMT-B's who are interested in becoming a paramedic. I think you have to come to campus for lab about 4 times in a year for a week and their costs are reasonable. The rest of the course is done online which is easy and convenient. Look into what your state's community colleges have to offer. I never knew about this program until someone told me; most community colleges do not advertise what they have available. I didn't know a person could take a paramedic course mainly online. Of course you still have to do 500 hours of clinical and ride time, but that would be in your area.

Joining the military would be a great way to have a career and all the benefits. My dad was in the Navy for over 25 years and loved it. He even became employed by the Navy as a civilian.

[shikitohno]

To answer the OP's tattoo question, I'm pretty sure the tattoo policy has lightened up quite a bit in the services now. As far as I can recall, for Army at least, you can't have anything offensive to ethnicities, religions, etc. And you can't have any tattoos related to criminal or gang activities. So basically, you'll have to get rid of that swastika/pot leaf/MS-13 tattoo if you join, but a lot of stuff is fair game now. I'm pretty sure that forearms and even hands are fair game, provided you don't go too crazy. Anything on the neck, face, or in general above the collar of your Class A uniform is going to be a no-go as well. From conversations I've had with tattooed people in a couple branches recently, you'll be asked about it by recruiters or at some point in the enlistment process. Someone along the way is going to have to approve it, and when they do, you just want to make sure to get them to commit their approval and a description of your current tattoos in writing, with their signature and what not. From what they've told me, any time someone who's done this has later had an officer try and get them in trouble for a tattoo or say they need to remove it, having that approval in writing was enough to make it go away.

If you want to get one later on while you're in the service, make sure to tell your commanding officer, with an image at hand, and tell him of size, placement and all that. If he approves, have him just put it in writing to cover your ass later.

Personally, I think I'll be enlisting for active duty in the army come January. I'm looking at aiming for 09L or 35P, either translator or cryptologic linguist, for my MOS. Looks like cryptologic linguist would be my best bet, as it seems the army can't be bothered to train translators in a language, and the one foreign language I speak with any proficiency isn't on the list of ones they want you to know. Looks like I could have fun with that, 6-18 months at DLI learning whatever language they put me in. That's of course assuming that all goes well, and I pass that language aptitude test with a high enough score to be useful. Anyone have any experience with that particular job in the army? If I were lucky, I could just get stuck yelling at North Koreans through a bull horn.

[jmdkodiak]

Well I went and took my ASVAB (I got a 97 out of 100). The recruiter was impressed!

I got a 68W position on hold for me, and I'll be at MEPS this coming Thursday for my enlistment process.


Hooah!

I want to eventually join an aviation unit and do flight medic training. But for now I'll be with the cavalry unit since it's the only slot open at the moment.

[sgreger1]

Well I went and took my ASVAB (I got a 97 out of 100). The recruiter was impressed!

I got a 68W position on hold for me, and I'll be at MEPS this coming Thursday for my enlistment process.


Hooah!

I want to eventually join an aviation unit and do flight medic training. But for now I'll be with the cavalry unit since it's the only slot open at the moment.

So they're sticking you in with the 19D's? Cav scouts are good folks, that was my second choice when I joined, you'll have fun there for sure. Glad you got the MOS you wanted and congradulations on your ASVAB score! That is an amazing score and it doesn't surprise me that you got your pick of what MOS you wanted. I am so glad they got a spot for you. Try your hardest to be a flight medic, I heard that is one of the coolest jobs and if your like me and like helicopters than it is one sweet gig. Good luck bro, it's going to be an adventure!

[sgreger1]

To answer the OP's tattoo question, I'm pretty sure the tattoo policy has lightened up quite a bit in the services now. As far as I can recall, for Army at least, you can't have anything offensive to ethnicities, religions, etc. And you can't have any tattoos related to criminal or gang activities. So basically, you'll have to get rid of that swastika/pot leaf/MS-13 tattoo if you join, but a lot of stuff is fair game now. I'm pretty sure that forearms and even hands are fair game, provided you don't go too crazy. Anything on the neck, face, or in general above the collar of your Class A uniform is going to be a no-go as well. From conversations I've had with tattooed people in a couple branches recently, you'll be asked about it by recruiters or at some point in the enlistment process. Someone along the way is going to have to approve it, and when they do, you just want to make sure to get them to commit their approval and a description of your current tattoos in writing, with their signature and what not. From what they've told me, any time someone who's done this has later had an officer try and get them in trouble for a tattoo or say they need to remove it, having that approval in writing was enough to make it go away.

If you want to get one later on while you're in the service, make sure to tell your commanding officer, with an image at hand, and tell him of size, placement and all that. If he approves, have him just put it in writing to cover your ass later.

Personally, I think I'll be enlisting for active duty in the army come January. I'm looking at aiming for 09L or 35P, either translator or cryptologic linguist, for my MOS. Looks like cryptologic linguist would be my best bet, as it seems the army can't be bothered to train translators in a language, and the one foreign language I speak with any proficiency isn't on the list of ones they want you to know. Looks like I could have fun with that, 6-18 months at DLI learning whatever language they put me in. That's of course assuming that all goes well, and I pass that language aptitude test with a high enough score to be useful. Anyone have any experience with that particular job in the army? If I were lucky, I could just get stuck yelling at North Koreans through a bull horn.

Yah Tatoos (especially in the army) aren't even a big deal anymore. We had guys with tatoos on their necks, full sleeves etc. My brother has 2 full sleeves and no one gives a shit and it's easy to get someone to sign off on it. Once your in you can get pretty much whatever you want too, though you are supposed to tell your comamnder. But your supposed to consult your comander before you do anything like purchase something expensiev (e.g. a car) or get married or do anything else. No one actually does that, just show up with your new car and full neck tatoo and be like "oh yah btw chief I got this over the weekend... lol. Just don't get anything on your face and no gang tatoos, though I've seen people that certainly had soem borderline gang/drug culture tatoos and they got signed off on as well.

[shikitohno]

I'm not too worried about my tattoos. All are on my leg, easily hidden by pants.

[sgreger1]

I'm not too worried about my tattoos. All are on my leg, easily hidden by pants.

Ooh unfortunately the combat dress that will replace the ACU's will be 1970's style short shorts. Bad news for guys with leg tatoos

[jmdkodiak]

Ooh unfortunately the combat dress that will replace the ACU's will be 1970's style short shorts. Bad news for guys with leg tatoos

Seriously? lol

[jmdkodiak]

So they're sticking you in with the 19D's? Cav scouts are good folks, that was my second choice when I joined, you'll have fun there for sure. Glad you got the MOS you wanted and congradulations on your ASVAB score! That is an amazing score and it doesn't surprise me that you got your pick of what MOS you wanted. I am so glad they got a spot for you. Try your hardest to be a flight medic, I heard that is one of the coolest jobs and if your like me and like helicopters than it is one sweet gig. Good luck bro, it's going to be an adventure!

Yeah, unfortunately the Aviation unit here in Florida is deployed right now, which means I Can't join that unit. So I'll go with Cav for now and try to move later on.

[sgreger1]

Seriously? lol

Lol, no but that would be hilarious. We should do it just to piss off the hardcore fundamentalists in muslim countries. Show up in hot pants with tshirts tied in a knot like everyone is gay. Then again with a repeal of DODT you never know

[sgreger1]

Yeah, unfortunately the Aviation unit here in Florida is deployed right now, which means I Can't join that unit. So I'll go with Cav for now and try to move later on.

You'll have plenty of oppertunity to move around once your in, especially if you stay in for a few years. Every so often they will ask who wants to go to specialty schools and as long as you are in good standing you should get a chance to go. Good luck man!

[jmdkodiak]

I'm in. Swore in yesterday!