Women in the US Army?

Question

I'm considering joining the army after high school for money for college. Before I make any decisions, I have some questions I hope you can answer.

> How much money will I get and how long do I have to serve?

> Does it make any difference because I'm a girl? Will there be anything I can/can't do?

> I'm kind of a wuss. I don't mind being yelled at or called a maggot, I mean physically. But I'm not opposed to getting in shape or training for it either.

> I'm not opposed to this either, but for my mother's sake, what are my chances of going to Iraq (etc.)?

> I graduate in May of 2008, but I don't turn 18 until September 2008. Will this cause any problems? (I'm thinking it will)

> Is it worth my time?

Thank you SO much for any answer you can provide me with. I want to go to medical school (preferrably University of Chicago) and I know I'm going to need lots of money.

Thanks again!

Answer 1

These are great questions that you should ask your local recruitment officer. He can give you specific numbers on the your earnings and what you should expedt in basic training.

Answer 2

I am an Army vet and my daughter is currently in the reserves, so, I have a little bit of knowledge to offer.
As to how much money you will get, there is your monthly pay plus whatever the current GI Bill is. If you are an Illinois resident it gets even better, with the Illinois Veterans grant, four years at a public college are free. That is how I got my degree and my daughter is currently going to school using the IVG.

As for the time commitment, it is now eight years. What that means is that if you join and serve 4 years, you will be in the inactive reserves for another 4 years.

As for Iraq, there IS a good chance you could go there depending on your military specialty (job). I was over there in Desert Storm and my daughter went in with the latest invasion.

As for your age, as long as you graduate, your parent can approve you going in at 17, or, you can enter the Delayed Entry Program until you reach 18. This is what I did and it caused no problems.

Do not worry about being too out of shape for basic. You will not be the first and definately not be the last to show up out of shape. That being said, practice your push ups, sit ups and running, it will help you immensely.

Is it worth your time? I spent New Years in Paris, a week on the Costa Brava in Spain, saw the pyramids, saw the panama canal, and traveled all over the world. All of which I would not have been able to do if I had not joined.

That being said, the final decision should be yours and yours alone. Don't do it for anyone else and for gods sake do not let the recruiter pressure you into anything that you are not sure of. Good Luck

Answer 3

Don't know about the pay, and how long is a matter of your contract. If you're not sure, try for a Reserve or National Guard slot. If you start Regular Army and want to switch, it isn't going to happen, but if you start Res. or NG and want to go RA, that will be easy.

Last I knew women can't be Combat Arms, so forget Infantry, Armor, and Artillery, but pretty much the rest is open, including Airborne school if you want to be gung ho. You can go into medical training if you qualify.

You won't be the first to hit Basic out of shape.

I don't know your odds of going to Iraq, but your odds of being properly trained and mentally prepared before you go are very good.

I think if you are under 18 a parent has to sign their permission.

Whether or not it is worth your time is up to you. I was 3 years Military Police enlisted and 4 years Infantry as an officer, and do not regret a day.

Answer 4

Ok, my son is in the Navy, 1 year next month. He is very happy that he did it.

If you want to go to medical school, look into the medical programs. When I was in, I went to 91 C school. After basic training, I went to Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio Texas for 7 or 8 weeks, to be a medic, that wa 91A, then I was assigned somewhere else where I went to 91 C school for 40 weeks (Clinical Specialist). They have changed the names now, but this will give you some good solid background in preparing for medical school and it will give you some college credit.

You can't be assigned to combat (I don't think)

Your chances of going to Iraq are there, but if you get the training I mentioned above, you will get some great experience.

Yes, it is worth your time, you can continue, you will have a growth experience that you can't get anywhere else. You will be able to continue your education while you are still serving.

When you get out of the service, you will be over 21, you will qualify for more financial aid, and being a vet will prove to be an asset. Many organizations have scholarships for vets and it will be see as a sign of maturity as you apply for schools.

Best of Luck to you.

BTW: Consider the Air Force or Navy as well for other medical options, (the marine corp uses the Navy corpman and don't accept as many women) but these are things to consider.

Talk with all of the recruiters...make an educated decision.

Answer 5

I am in the Army (Infantry) and have been in Korea for 2 and a half years. I signed for Three years, You may be able to sign for two, Depends on the Job (MOS). No matter what You will have to serve eight years of inactive ready reserve, which means you live your life normally but after you get out, they can call you back. Since you are a women, you can not serve in any combat MOS'S, their are no females in my battalion since i'm an infantryman. Basic was brutal for me, All male, but i hear some of the guys that went with women said it wasnt to bad. Your chances of going to Iraq are good but some jobs are non-deployable. You can go to basic when you are seventeen, you just need a waiver signed by a legal gaurdian. I have greatly benefited from my time in the military but i would never do it again. Im not sure if i would have joined in the first place if i could do it all over, i definately would not have chosen to be a ground soldier. My GI bill is 36,600, That cost one hundred dollars a month for the first ten months. I added 600 more dollars and that took me to 50,000, good deal. If you are from Illinois, like I am, you will get four free years at any state college. I hope I answered your questions.

Answer 6

I'm in the same place you are, just two years older, and doing Air Force. I definetelly commend you for wanting to join the army, but believe me, you have to do it because you want to serve your country, not because you want the money. I would suggest going through the ROTC program. Work hard for a scholarship, and they will pay for college. You will go to school for four years, and graduate as a 2nd leutenant. Its definetelly worth it. Thats what i'm doing, and I love it. I have made a ton of friends, and my parents are happy because I didn't enlist right out of high school like I had planned! And being a girl has it's advantages, on the physial fitness tests we don't have to do things on the same level as the guys, and there are quite a lot of good looking boys in uniforms. Your job will determine whether or not you go o iraq, but girls can't really go into combat. Your chances are pretty low. But it could happen.
And your age won't really cause problems, you could wait till you turned 18, but if you want to do it right after you graduate, your parents will have to sign a release.

Answer 7

First off it all depends on what rank you are for your pay.
Second, there is no difference at all if you're a girl. You will be trained the same as the guys.
You will deploy to Iraq as many times as nessesory, for as long as this war is going on.
I'n saying no it's not going to cause any problems.
Is it worth your time? Well, hon, this is something that you got to ask yourself! I served for 2 years, got out because I got pregnant and I didn't want our child to have both parents in the Army and both parents deployed. Some days I beat myself up that I got out. But I'm very happy t have our little girl.

Answer 8

First of all be prepared to be called every name in the book during basic training.I told my nephew the hardest part of basic training is trying not to laugh at the drill Sergeant . If you can keep a straight face and not laugh you should have no problem during basic training..I don't have a poker face,I had a rough time but I made it lol..and women pretty much do the same work as men in the army.
Yes unfortunately your risk of going to the Middle East are pretty high right now,they are talking about 75,000 to 100,000 more troops before the next Presidential Election in Nov of 2008.
My nephews graduation date is Dec. 1st and he is pretty much through basic training ,just awaiting orders ,he is at Ft. Benning,and they are sending him to Ft. Bragg for more training .
It will be a long war and right now there is no guarantee that American troops will be withdrawing any time soon at least as long as the Republicans are in power.
Good luck and I think it is a good career move. Try and go to Germany I heard it is really nice there and get a chance to see Europe.

Answer 9

Ask a recruiter about split option enlisting. You do your basic training between your JR and SR year then do reserves one weekend a month during your SR year and get paid for it. Then do AIT after you graduate. You will need your parents or guardians signature to join before 18. I've always been in good shape so basic was easy. You can get into any MOS except combat arms. If you want combat or close to combat MPs are the way to go. There are all kinds of jobs. go to GOARMY.COM and check it out.

Answer 10

ok lets just say that i am going into the army (active duty) and look if you ask the question is it worth your time dont go, becaouse this has to be something you really want to do mentally, physically, emotionaly, well prepard for what is ahead of you. but let me just say that there are alot more benifets then just getting money for college you are standing up and becomeing something greater then yourself, my best friend just went to basic 3 weeks ago and it is hard for her because of all the PT but she knows in the end it will pay off and so let me say to you that if you are going to go in the army then that is great and thank you and you dont have to be 18 you can be 17 mom or/and dads promision. take caree and remember life is better in the service you get lots of better benifets then you would at some other place

Answer 11

You have to serve 4 years of active duty and 8 years total military service (the other 4 years you are inactive duty it also depends).
You will get paid ~$1000-$1500 if you plan to only stay in for 4 years.
The Montgomery GI Bill is about $38,000 paid for your college after you are out of the military for ~10 years (you have to take a small bit of your paycheck out for the first year for this).
While you are in the military your college is pretty much free.
Is it worth your time? Depends on what you feel about it.
Any other info you can pretty much find online; best I found was at http://usmilitary.about.com

[Not telling you to join or not join just giving you the info to the best of my knowledge]