A few questions about the army?

Question

I am strongly considering joining the army. I am a little foggy about a few things though.

1. Is finance a good job to have?
2. How much do recruiters lie when you have questions for the sake of getting you to join?
3. Is now a good time to join?
4. Do you really get to travel that much?
5. What are some of the cons about joining the military that the recruiters wont mention?
6. Anybody have any advice? Suggestions? or other general information that might be helpful?

Answer 1

depends:
1. secondary jobs are hard, although luckily there is a law saying if your in another away for the army you cant get fired
2. sometimes, not very often
3. it depends if you want to fight for your country or just want free college and/or housing.
4. if your on your tour, yes
5. you might get shot, the food sucks, the pay is ****, unless your commisioned, and... your away from home for a long time
6. well im gonna join, don't know if thats helpful or not.

Answer 2

Finance is a good job, but you must be prepared to deal with working for hours behind a desk, with a daily mission to ensure all Soldiers' pay is straight. It is a thankless job. Lots of paperwork.

Recruiters typically do not lie. They may sugarcoat things, or tell you part of something, but in general, do not lie. The Army is the only branch that guarantees the exact job, so when someone joins the Air Force and were told they "could become a...." and they didn't get that job, they feel lied to.

Now is a great time to join. You will always be able to tell everyone you joined when the nation was at war (even though you did finance and was pretty safe). You can always be proud of that.

I spent 9 years travelling around Europe and now I've been in Cali for over 11 years, travelling the west coast, enjoying life.

You will be working many long hours, day or night, in all kinds of weather. You may get your hot meals everyday, but it may be the same thing, day after day. There will be times when your pay is screwed up for a short period of time (damn finance guys). You will also work some weekends, but the upside is that you get many extra days off with pay (I just had a 4 day for Independence Day and got off work early on Friday). Your pay will always get straight, with backpay (and the Army pays quite well). When you do finish for the day, you cna eat the free food on base or go out for dinner.

If you want to make a career of the Army, do not go Finance first, go with a fast promoting job first, then switch. Take the rank with you to finance where it is hard to promote.

Answer 3

I was a recruiter as well as career Infantry, so I'll give it a shot.
1. Do you have a desire to be an accountant or some sort of bean counter? Then yes it is. It depends.
2. Some will lie to make quota...oops, we didn't have quotas, what I meant was they have to make mission. I myself never lied, but sometimes I didn't tell everything, or I might have painted a brighter picture of some aspects.
3. No time is good or bad. A conflict could spring up when we thought all was right with the world and everything was hunky-dory.
4. Depends on your MOS, but yes, you will get to travel. You can get HOPS. Ask your recruiter about that.
5. High divorce rate. Particularly in the combat branches.
6. I greatly enjoyed my time in the service. I traveled extensively and had my share of scrapes. It paid for my education as well. I have no regrets, a lot of fond memories (not to mention some pretty interesting scars), and lifelong friends. But this is not something to be entered into lightly. Give it long hard thought. I wouldn't think anything less of anybody if they honestly admitted it wasn't right for them. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Answer 4

1. Couldn't tell you, I wasn't in finance.
2. They don't really lie, they just only tell about the good parts, and lots of times don't mention the bad.
3. As good a time as any.
4. Yes, there's a lot of opportunity to travel.
5. The biggest thing that pissed me off was how menial and boring most of the tasks I performed were. The Army spent 11 months and about $100,000 training me to repair electronics, and then sent me to a unit where I spent more time sweeping floors, cleaning bathrooms, pulling weeds, and shoveling rocks than I spent doing the job I was trained to do. Even in Iraq, there weren't many opportunities for me to do my job.
6. Get a MOS that will teach a valuable, marketable skill that you will be able to use in the civilian world after you get out of the Army. Finance probably falls in that category. And when you're going through Basic and AIT, just keep in mind that that's not what the real Army is like, and don't get discouraged.

Answer 5

Finance is an OK job to have if you like that kind of thing.
Recruiters lie but not that much yeah they want you to join but it's not usually big lies.
Now is as good of time as any to join because by joining the army your main job is to go to war and that's for every job in the army
Some of the cons you are away from your friends and family for a while but that's it to me.
I have been in the army for 5 years and I really like it but sometimes the army is not for everyone so really think before you sing up. Good luck

Answer 6

If I may try to detour you from the Army to the Navy...Army are pack mules. You carry things for everyone else into combat. I can give you a million reasons to Join the Navy [e-mail]

1. Dont know
2. They lie about 70% of the time. Remember they are 'recruiting' you. They will beg, steal, lie, and borrow to get you.
3. Now is a good a time as ever. It depends on your feild of choice. You may or may not go to places like Iraq.
4. Yes. You do. If you are not looking to travel, then dont bother going.
5.Glad to discuss it with you in email..there are a lot of pros and cons.
6. Good luck in whatever choice you make. It can be a good life with wonderful benifits for you. Expecially GI Bill (college money)
Ask for enlistment bonus. I dont know how it works in the Army, but the Navy gives them.

Answer 7

If you truly love your Country, join.
You may want to check out the other Branches of the Military first to find the one that suits you. The benefits are good and a college education can't be beat!
I don't know about Recruiters that lie, you can always go to a second and a third one to see if they agree with what the first one said.
Please, be comfortable with your decision.
God Bless You for asking!

Answer 8

My husband is in the Army and the biggest con that the recruiter will never tell you is that Army life puts a big strain on your relationship and your family. Almost to the point of separation.

Answer 9

Recruiters are salesmen. Their job is to get you to sign up. Once you're in, if it turns out the recruiter lied to you, what do you think you can do about it? Nothing.

The military will put you where they think they need you. You can have a degree in mathematics, but if they need a typist, that's where you might end up. Or worse.

They make a big deal about their education benefits, but ask the recruiter where he got his degree, and see if you think it is a prestigious school.

Think your parents boss you around too much? Your teachers? Your boss? You have no idea what it means to be bossed around.

Answer 10

The army is good and It is a very important time for people to join yes you do travel alot. They will pay for your education. But be prepared to go to war if you join now. Good luck to you and be safe