infantry and skilled trades?

Question

i am joining the guard in 2weeks. i initially wanted to go for a skilled trade mos (electrician, plumbing), later on i was told that those jobs have more of a deployment and fatality rate than infantry.

granted, infantry is my third choice. but i just wanted to know if there is any truth to this....i just wouldnt think that a skilled trade mos would be as frontline, if anything i would think that they would be on base more.

i have no issue with deployment (i know it is part of the terrortory), but this just seemed strange to me.

i appreciate all of the answers that have been presented...but, if i am deployed and have a skilled trade mos, what am i going to do overseas?

james army wife......wow!

i wish i knew how to delete your answer

Answer 1

I don't know about fatality, but pretty much everyone in the guard gets deployed. I'd think you'd be better off picking a job you want since you're going to be stuck doing it for a while, you know? If you can parlay that into civilian life its worth it. You can't live in fear of dying if you want to be successful in the military. I'd rather die doing something I liked than something I wasn't sure I wanted to do to begin with.. but then again, dead is dead :)

Answer 2

Beware of what the recruiters tell you Fred. They'll tell you what you want to hear and try and dupe you into where they want you. Infantry soldiers are the ones who do most of the fighting so obviously they have a higher mortality rate than a plumber or electrician. Please ignore jamesarmywife post. They are NOT just empty heads who just know how to fire a gun. They have to have skills, training and a whole lot of guts to do what they do.
I respect all of the Army occupations, but if I was in the heat of combat and had a choice of who I'd want fighting by my side, I'd choose the army grunt over an information tech specialist every time.

Answer 3

Hard to say if those statistics are correct but I think you'll deploy just as much either way. If your looking for skills later down the road many people in the infantry become police officers. Don't ship without and MOS.

Answer 4

sorry, but that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. did you hear that from someone who wasn't infantry (P.O.G.) who maybe has an inferiority complex?

Edit: to "James army wife" i don't even know what to say to you, "that's the job they give Sh*t bag soldiers"!!!! what do you think the Armed forces ENTIRE purpose is? your P.O.G. husbands MOS? nope, you are either Infantry or you are Infantry SUPPORT!
Also, i seriously doubt that your husband "shakes their hand and says he'll see them in the next life"
and finally, if you don't support the infantry you are not a
PROUD ARMY WIFE

Answer 5

Those jobs dont have a higher fatality rate because the plumbers arent on the front lines driving thru Iraq with a plunger in hand

Answer 6

if you go electrician or plumbing you most likely will be working to help rebuild schools, and buildings...you also most likely will be doing patrols...i've never heard of them having higher fatality rates then infantry..esp since most likely those guys won't be doing as many raids or building clearings...good luck

btw alot of infantry soldiers are NOT s***bags...all the guys i know are great guys that chose to go infantry...so the person that replied before me may want to get her story straight...and if some guy ever want up to my husband and shook his hand or any of his soldiers hands and said that stuff that her husband said...that person would be flat on their back...because infantry soldiers work their asses off and train more then most POG soldiers do...

Answer 7

As a vertical constriction engineer you are working in areas that have the possibilities of injury or death but I would strongly challenge that they are more susceptible to death or injury than the infantry.

Answer 8

and your seriously believed whoever told you it was a higher death rate to do skilled trades?



ok dear. lets explain this slowly..


infantry...well...most often = death.

my husband is in the army and anytime he meets someone with the 11B MOS he usually just shakes their hand and says it was nice knowin ya...see ya in a better life.

because thats how they view 11B. infantrymen can sometimes come out the otherside unharmed but..thats the job they give s***bag soldiers that cant do any good but shoot a gun. its the last pick for most people. granted----those who choose it willingly have bigger balls than most men because they DO choose it.




really. all im saying is that infantry shouldnt really be your third choice. it should be your last.