If you've got Army experience, can you help me?

Question

I'm a 22 yr old small town female joining the Army. On wednesday i go to MEPS to take my physical and talk to a recruiter. Hopefully when everything is finished, i will have the date i'm shipping off to basic. I want advice for when i am sitting in that recruiting office- like what to ask for or what to demand.

Answer 1

OK, I think I can help with your question. First, if you live a good distance away from the MEPS your recruiter will put you in a hotel for the night in the City where the MEPS is. Don't go out and party (not that you would), and beware of the males looking around. You should get a good night sleep as it will be an early day. You will probably take a bus to MEPS from the Hotel and I would hazard to guess it will be between 5 and 5:30 am when you leave the hotel. If you want breakfast, get up early as it will be crowded and I guarantee you it will be well after 12 noon before you eat again. When you get to MEPS they will have you check in and then you will be briefed on the physical and what will take place. First, you will have to pee in a cup, they will then check if your pregnant and for drug use. Next you basically get a very general physical, the doctors do not physically touch you in any way, ie pelvic exam but they will examine you and if you remember all the questions your recruiter asked you they will probably ask you them again. OK, now your physical is over and your waiting to see a guidance conselor. If you have a good ASVAB score basically the sky is the limit. I would make a list of the top 5 jobs you want and go in order, remember there are some jobs that are not open to females. Remember if your qualified they can get you the job, you may have to make a sacrifice such as getting the job you want but not the location you want. As far as shipping out, if your not in school, then you will ship as soon as possible. What does that mean? From 10 days up to 364. It all depends on when the Advanced training for the job starts, then they back it up to allow for Basic Training. As far as demanding anything, I would treat this as you want something and they want something, you want a job, bonus, college fund etc.....they want you to join. Be firm but do not demand or they will not deal with you. In the long run remember just because physically qualified and did well on your ASVAB YOU DO NOT HAVE TO JOIN. You can join later when your more sure about what you want, or when the job you want is available. A good tactic to use is that if you are qualified for the job and really want it, tell them you won't join unless you get it, there may be some give and take but if they can get you the job, they will. Everything the Army promised you will be in your contract, be sure to read it carefully before you sign and initial. If you have questions about anything go ask the guidance counselor and they will explain it to you. Hopefully this has helped, good luck.

Answer 2

Well relax, meps is going to be a long sit and wait process.

Top 3 decisions to make before going to meps:

1. Do I prefer money over a job I really want

they'll push money in your face in hope to lure you into a job that you might not like.

2. What are the top 3 mos's i would like

do a little research find out what each job is about, if possible talk to someone to find out how long each training period for your chosen job is. Each job's training time is different some take as long as a year!

3. Am I willing to settle for the mos's they have available

Know this, when i went in i knew i wanted to be a finance soldier, they tried to push Military Police on me, and I think even a mechanic, I'm no mechanic. All they talked about was a $15,000 bonus.

Go in prepared, get everything written in your contract.
There are some good bonuses, some great educational benefits, and a few mandatory things like amount of time required to be served before you can get out.

Also you can get home town recruiting. this gives you the option to go home and work with your recruiter, and it doesn't use up your leave time!

Oh one last thing, they're going to try and break you, and will ask you a million times if you've lied about anything! Stick to your guns, either you'll tell the truth from the beginning or you won't. It's YOUR choice! But if when you get to reception you decide to tell the truth, be prepared to sit around and for your training period to be just a bit longer!

Your best bet is to tell the truth, from the beginning to your recruiter and then to those at meps!

Either way good luck, be strong and brave during your training and good things will come, believe me!!!!!!!!

Army Strong

Answer 3

I went into the Army when I was 20. Like everyone else mentioned, make sure you get everything in writing. Don't let them talk you into being a cook or something else you would hate doing. You must love your job in the Army or you will be miserable. Trust me on that. Someone mentioned if you didn't get a 110 GT score, don't do anything at MEPS, tell your recruiter you want to study for the ASVAB some more and take it over. You will have a much better chance of a great job if your score is higher.

Other than that, at the MEPS they are going to give you a complete physical including Female stuff. You will have to walk around a room like a duck in your panties and bra, and pee in a cup with someone watching you ( get used to that) it happens alot in the military.

If you have any other questions e-mail me: [e-mail] I joined the Army in 1991 so things may have changed now, but I'd be happy to answer some of your questions. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Ask your recruiter what your GT score is, if your score is lower than 110 DO NOT GO TO MEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back up, go to a book store, buy the ASVAB study guide, study the book for two or three weeks. Re-Take the ASVAB test, it will be tough to get a recruiter to allow this for you, but play hardball, do not enlist unless your score is over 110. Once your score is over 110, go to MEPS. Hopefully you will not have done any drugs within the last six months. Get plenty of sleep the day before, MEPS is a LOOOOONG day.

While at MEPS try and finish your physical as quickly as possible, get to the front of each line you can.

After the physical, you will be offered some jobs, the offers will be very good if your GT score is over 110. You want a college fund, and any bonuses you can get, you want a cool duty station (this is opinion, but stateside I like Ft. Carson, overseas, get Italy) see if they will offer you duty station of choice. Lastly if they don't offer exactly what you want, be prepared to walk away. They'll call you back when it becomes available if they can't give it to you that day. Play hardball, this is your last time you get to tell the Army what to do for a while. After you sign up and swear in, they will be telling you what to do.

Think about what you can do with the skills you're going to get. What will you use them for in civilian life?

NEVER GET ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH SOLDIERS IF YOU ARE A SOLDIER. Trust me on that. Just promise yourself that you won't get involved with any Soldiers for at least a year, after that, you'll know what i mean.

Answer 5

If what you want is realistic, then stand firm and don't leave unless you are happy with your contract.

Don't expect much if you scored a 32 on your ASVAB. Hopefully you studied.

It is a lot of luck in terms of what is available for training. If you see an MOS you think you like, then take it. It might not be there next time you go to MEPS.

You may or may not know where you are going when you enlist. The career counselors are there to meet the needs of the Army first, but they will work to make you happy, especially if you are firm with what you want.

Schools like air assault don't get written into your contract. The Army might get you a slot in Airborne school enroute, but it won't be written on your contact.

What will be on your contract is your MOS, # years, bonus, and Army College Fund option, if you qualified and picked an MOS that offers it.

You should get a reservation sheet that shows the date you ship out, post where you go to Basic Training, and MOS, as well as what your bonus is.

You have 8 total years obligation to the Army, so if you enlist for 3 years, you will have 5 years in the IRR (Inactive Reserve) which you can be recalled.

The doctor at MEPS is not your friend, and they are not there to help you get into the Army, they are there to cover their own @ss. Just remember that when they start asking questions. Don't disqualify yourself over something retarded (you will understand when you are there).

No matter what you pick, you truly won't know if you like it until you get to your duty station. If you like the Army but don't like your MOS, you can reenlist and change. So I don't recommend enlisting for long than 3 years.

Thank you for serving your country and good luck to you.

Answer 6

(1) Get station of choice. If you want to goto Germany, insist on Germany. If you want to goto Japan, insist on Japan. If they don't give you station of choice, walk away. "Just anywhere" will get you stuck most likely with a unit that will deploy within 3 months of you getting there as a replacement.

(2) Get MOS of choice. If they say you're not eligible, demand to see what the qualifications are. If you don't meet them, ask to retake the ASVAB at a future date or be given a list of eligible MOS fields. Take that list home with you. Don't ever choose on the spot. If they suddenly say it's not available anymore, walk away. Tell them to call you when it's open.

(3) Be sure to sign up for ACF (Army College Fund) and full MGIB benefits. Don't sign up for more than 3-4 years, no matter what they offer you in bonus. Re-enlistment bonuses are better, especially if you're in a tax-free zone. And you'll be able to change your MOS one year before your contract expires by re-enlisting for a different MOS. Taking a 6-year contract is like indentured servitude. Don't do it.

(4) By the way, don't ever just take your physical and knock out your contract all in one day. Take your time, no matter how far you have to travel, to research the MOS choices you have and like, and the duty stations you can choose. If they can't offer you everything that you want in one go, walk away no matter what they say and tell them to call you. Don't fall for any "this is going to go away" traps. You always have another day.

Good luck.

Answer 7

Get the school that can help you get a useful job once you get out. The key is to school high on the test. Then you can be anything you want to be look for MOS with sign up Bonus and get into something you really want. Don't be stuck with a cook. Go into something you like because I can tell you a cook life really is bad. Look at the MOS in demand and pick what you want to be and stick by your guns. Remember though the Army isn't really the best branch to go into. If you don't want to spend time in IRAQ. You can choose the Navy or the Air Force it is my understanding they treat their females better.

Answer 8

well there's this nice little thing called a "needs of the army" clause that means pretty much you aren't garaunteed anything except the GI Bill and other legally mandated things. Just sign up for the job you want and best bonus you can get, they may have some other programs available, but again nothing is set in stone.

Answer 9

Decide what you want to do before you go...make sure your GT score is high enough to get what you want...if you have over a 110 you can do whatever you want to do in the Army...for example if you wanted to be a 68P Radiology Tech, and they only offer you Cook, Laundry Bath, or some craps like that...tell them you are leaving and to call you when the job you want comes open...as long as you qualify (GT Score) they will either give it to you that day or they will call you soon with it...the best fields are 69 Series (Medical) and 98 Series (Intel)...you want something you can do in Civilian life...

Answer 10

You are the type of recruit that the Army LOVES. You don't know what you want to do yet...

First of all, make them show you a list of shortage MOSs that have bonuses.

Also, make them show you a list of MOSs that have the really great college incentives.

Try to get station of choice, if you can. Germany is great, as is Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, Italy, etc.

Good luck.