My son is 18 and is tallking about joining the military. Of course I'm terrified for him! Anyone out there have recent experience in the military? I'd like to hear from someone in all areas of the military, all of the branches. Any suggestions? My son has great interest in the Air Force, and he has an IQ of 140.
2006-12-27 13:11:58 · 26 answers · asked by cherokeee51465 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Just want too add here, that I am very proud of my son, and support whatever he chooses for himself. I asked this question here today for him, as he asked this quesiton of me...simply put I am trying to get an answer to HIS question. Thus my reaching out to those with experience. I know of his IQ as he has been tested twice and has always been in advanced classes and special schools. He doesn't want to go to college without the military. He like the discipline and structured life, he wants to go to college while active in the military. He seems to be leaning toward the Air Force. I've tried to get him to get his AA degree before enlisting so he can become an officer quicker, but he is eager to get started...
2006-12-27 14:13:50 · update #1
TOUGH situation! and I suppose Air Force is probably a good bet depending upon the MOS (job that he chooses or is assigned)
Obviously, the Air Force is about flight ops and the necessary support; mechanic, pilot, load master. Then you have supply and clerical (many of those billets are taken by woman.
With a 140 IQ (if he knows how to reason and apply it to problem solving) he will probably be pointed toward some technical MOS relatively safe in the middle of a base.
The KEY issue is what your son wants and his motivation for joining any branch. With that IQ, why not college first? If he wants to be in the thick of things he will be MISERABLE with his experience as a behind the lines support asset.
The next choice might be Navy; not many bullets and IED's aboard a ship. Not many missles that can go 20-30 miles with accuracy either. Besides Navy ECM and missle defense is TOP NOTCH. Then you have situations such as the USS Cole so being in port is a problem of defense perimeters and CI training.
I was in the Navy and did time aboard a ship (great experience) and time in-country (not so good, but learned a lot). I enlisted at 17 with my parents signature (what a fight that was!) and was HD before I was 21.
Then you have the ARMY and their job is to get on the ground, dodge the bullets and get it done. Now too many "safe jobs" that carry respect in the Army.
What you have heard about the MARINES is TRUE! FILO (first in last out)
I hope that this helps and be VERY careful with the recruiters because to make their numbers they may promise things that they can not deliver; get it in writting.
Good luck and Thank your son for thinking about serving.
J
USN 1964-
Honorary MARINE CORPS DI.
2006-12-27 13:41:46 · answer #1 · answered by jacquesstcroix 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tell your son to join Air Force ROTC. I have been in the Air Force for almost 3 years. The Air Force has the best quality of life and it is definitely the safest. It sounds like your son is way too smart to be enlisted though. The enlisted side is not bad, but if I could go back I would have joined as an officer. At least by doing ROTC he would get a taste of the military lifestyle soon while getting a quality education.
2006-12-27 14:59:51 · answer #2 · answered by Kristen 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Send him to the Air Force. They take care of their soldiers much more than the Army or the Marines do. And I would never suggest to anyone to join the Navy.
I'm in the Army, which isn't bad at all. I did just come back from Iraq, where I worked with and saw plenty of soldiers from all the branches of the military. So if you were asking if any one of the branches would keep you kid out of Iraq, the answer is the Coast Guard.
2006-12-27 13:19:33 · answer #3 · answered by Micah D 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your son seems to already be on the right track. The Air Force is the most technical and hardest to qualify for branch of the services. If your son has the brains for it, he may qualify for our top mechanical and electronic career fields.
The Air Force is also the ONLY branch that comes with an accredited 2 yr college "built in". All Air Force members are automatically enrolled and many complete their associates in their respective fields as soon as they knock out their basic general education credits (math, english, speech, etc) The best part about this is the fact that you can CLEP/DANTES test them and bypass going to a traditional brick and mortar classroom.
If your son is doing well in high school then he should already possess the skills needed to get credit for his basic classes through CLEP/DANTES testing.
The best thing you can do as a parent is to go with your son to the Air Force recruiter and ask as many questions as you can.
The Air Force also has several programs to promote from within for those airmen who aspire to become officers.
Check out these sites for some education info:
http://www.airforce.com/education/enlisted/index.php
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/examinations/CLEP.htm
http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/
2006-12-27 17:34:54 · answer #4 · answered by dsmturbo16 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't answer for your son, but he should chose the branch that fits him best. Just don't pressure him.
As to some of the other replies on the Coast Guard:
There are Coast Guardsmen in Iraq right now! So the answer of you won't go to Iraq if you're in the Coast Guard is BS! One Coastie was killed a couple of years ago in the Gulf.
Another answer said that the Coast Guard was part of the Department of Transportation. Not anymore! When the Department of Homeland Security was created, the Coast Guard became part of DHS. But the Coast Guard can be under the Department of Defense during wartime. It is not right now.
I have been in the Coast Guard for 7 years and have never regretted my decision in joining!
Semper Paratus!
2006-12-27 14:38:01 · answer #5 · answered by caddydaddy472 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say as an Army wife, and sister of a brother in the air force, the air force would be a better bet. Your son needs to take the ASVAB test to see what score he obtains, and then go to each branches recruiters, speak to them about what jobs are open to him and go from there. As for as deployments to Iraq, my husband is in the Army, and has been for 4 years, he has only been to Iraq once. His job is a mechanic, he did not get involved in Raids, infantry work ect....the job your son ends up picking is going to determine how much action he sees more then the branch. All branches of service have been sent to Iraq, yet Marines and Army have sent the most servicemembers. Air Force seems to have some really great technical jobs, a lot of jobs that can work well in civilian life. My husbands job in the Army also works outside the army and in civilian life as well. There is an ASVAB book your son can purchase to help him study, i am unsure of the name of the book, but it has a section on jobs each branch offers and what their civilian counterparts are. Its very handy!! Have your son go to a local barnes and nobles and check out a few of the ASVAB study guides...i wish i could remember the one that has the section listing jobs, and have your son talk to every branchs recruiters. Once he hears what each have to say, he might be able to better make up his mind. Good luck to your son in whatever he decides!!
2006-12-27 14:24:50 · answer #6 · answered by misty n justin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have him talk to a recruiter and let him decide. All branches of the military carry risk and I don't think that I could tell you that there IS a safest branch. I'm ex-Navy (i know, here come the jokes), a SeaBee to be exact. SeaBees are the Navy's combat engineers, our combat training is actually provided by the United States Marine Corps (unlike the rest of the Navy with the exception of the Seals and EOD).
2006-12-27 17:05:26 · answer #7 · answered by Seattle SeaBee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How about Air Force air refueling tech, there is enough excitement he won't want to guard the front gate and his job is critical, Air traffic control very important long tech school good opportunities in civilian life, nuclear medicine tech or weather tech. All those jobs require brains and have some element of excitement without putting him directly into the fight.
Stay away from Security Forces, and surgical tech unless he want to go more that twice to Iraq
2006-12-27 13:56:30 · answer #8 · answered by usamedic420 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
im actually in the military at this time. im in the the airforce but i am deployed currently in iraq. anyhow to answer your question. back in the states (or stationed overseas like germany, japan whatnot) the airforce does take care of the families better. my cousin is going on three years in the marines and is still bunking with another person in his dorm room. sounds bout like college. who would ever want to be on a ship at sea as well. my first year in the airforce, after tech school that is i was in my own room. i just had to share a bathroom with one other person. now deployments. being deployed depends on your job and what base. im a security forces member in the the airforce and ive been in less then a year and a half and im currently in iraq at this time. i carry a m-4 attached 203 grenade launcher. back to my cousin, of which is in the marines is going on three years as armory personnel and hasnt deployed yet. my base back in sd, is also a deploying base. thats the base mission for back home. to deploy. so i will be getting deployed a lot. over here in iraq im stationed on a army base so we see a lot. even in the airforce. but over all id say the airforce provides a lot more for the families, but the navy is probably the safest due to the fact when they deploy it isnt in a big group and they are usually on a ship anyhow.
2006-12-27 14:26:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if he wants to join the "military" and be out of harms way then it would have to be the Air Force...how did he do on the ASVAB? I know tons of people with high IQ's that bombed it.
the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation in piece time, they are basically a para-military organization.
2006-12-27 14:27:45 · answer #10 · answered by lv_consultant 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋