army question can you help?

Question

ok so i signed up today have my leave date. everything im going to be a fire support specialist. any one know what thats like? and how do i get my sign bonous and normal army pay? does the army set up a bank account for me or do i have to do that? what is the min that i should be able to run going into basic?

Answer 1

First, nope, you will have to get your own bank account, most Army post have some, and even Military credit unions.
If you get one close to home, see if they can give you a direct deposit form. They may not be able to, until you actually get there, but check into it and get the banks mailing address. If your bank offers online banking, get that too, if you have a computer. Having the forms for finance will really speed things up for you. Keep the account information in your wallet.
(I "suggest" you open one yourself close to home, or at a Regions bank/Amsouth bank if you have one in your area, they are great banks with locations close to many military post, get a checking account with an ATM/Check card, maybe even a savings account too. See if they have any good sign-up deals)

Government workers get paid twice a month, mid-month and end-of-month. Divide your monthly check by two.

You should get half your bonus after you complete Basic/AIT, you'll get the other half later on. Ask your recruiter for details.

Fire support specialist, radios, lasers and big boomers, pay attention in class, cuz it sounds like fun!

You will have a lot of expenses for the first few months you enlist, every post has unique "quirks" you will have to pay for, mainly bits of uniform. The Army pays you a clothing allowance, but you only get it once a year, and you won't see it for a year. Try to save as much money as you can the first year, eat in the mess hall, (excuse me, Dining Facility) as much as you can, try not to spend all your money on fast food. (The number one luxury expense for new soldiers is eating out every night)

Try to be ably to run 2 miles in under 15 minutes, your drill instructor will be more than happy to help you practice once you get there. Try to be ably to do 50 push-ups and also 50 sit-ups without stopping. They let you practice those too.
(The last paragraph was just dripping with sarcasm, but the facts were straight)

Good luck, and welcome aboard!

PS. Don't pay any attention to Catbarf, he's not really a legitimite chemical engineer, he just says that because he knows how to cook meth!

Answer 2

Everyone that's told you about your bonus is wrong. You get 1/2 upon arrival at your first duty station. Then on the anniversary of your enlistment you will get a partial payment. The way that works is if you sign up for four years your remaining 50 percent will be divided into 4 equal payments.

Let's say your bonus is 10k. You will get 5k less taxes at your first duty station. Then each year you would get 25% of the 5k less taxes or 1250.

Have your own bank account established. You will be required to sign up for direct deposit and having the form already prepared from your home town bank cuts down on confusion. Your pay will come the 15th and end of month (EOM) every month. A lot of this stuff is covered by your recruiter if you just take the time to ask.

Hooah!

Answer 3

If you don't have access to your bank account when you show up for Basic, they will set one up for you during the one-week reception phase. If you already have a bank account, be sure to take a debit card with you. The pay will start automatically by direct deposit. When I went through they gave us a "smart card" with $250 advance pay for buying all those things that we didn't think of before we went.

When you reach your first duty station, you should receive your first bonus payment. If not, talk to your squad leader, or section leader (I'm sure the term is different in FA, but I don't know it :)

At reception, the standard used to be an 8 minute mile, 13 pushups and 17 situps. You will take a PT test immediately on getting to your training company, but it's only a diagnostic to sort you out into ability groups, especially for the run. The PT test you need to really do well on is the last one. Even that part is getting easier. :)

Answer 4

You will give a current bank account otherwise I think the military will set one up for you. For your ease just have one before hand. I beleive you get half of your sign on bonus after bmt and then the rest after tech.. (Sorry i never got one I should'nt be guessing. This is what I remember) . You should be able to run 2 miles in at least .. I stress at least.. 17-18 min... they will work you to make sure you improve from there...

Answer 5

i think you'll go to fort knox, i've only been there once, so i dont know to much about it, i went to ft. benning..

for ur bonus, it depends on how much ur bonus is, if its over $10,000 you'll get half after basic and ait, and the other half at some point during your first enlistment and you'll get paid twice a month, its directly deposited into your bank account, if you dont have a bank, when your going through in processing at reception, tell them and they'll get you set up..

the minimum 2 mile run time depends on your age, for the 17-21 age group its 15:36, im not sure about the rest..

minimum for pushups is 42, minimum for sit-ups is 53..

do alot of flutter kicks and side struttle hops, that will help you out on your run time..

good luck and thanks for enlisting :)

Answer 6

WOW, MY HUSBAND TRIED TO GET THAT MOS IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. ONCE YOU GRADUATE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FILL OUT PAPER WORK TO GET YOUR BONUS, IT WILL BE EASY, IT WILL SHOW UP ON YOUR MYPAY WHEN YOU GET IT, IN BASIC THEY WILL SET UP AN ALLOTMENT FOR YOUR PAY, IF I WAS YOU I WOULD SET UP AN ACCOUNT WITH USAA. JUST GO TO USAA.COM
THEY ARE THE BEST BANK, THEY WORK WITH THE MILITARY, SINCE THEY TRAVEL ALOT. ALSO THEY GIVE THE BEST RATES FOR CAR LOANS AND EVERYTHING.

ABOUT THE MIN YOU SHOULD RUN, I AM NOT SURE FOR MEN, BUT IT'S AROUND 14? I THINK, THEY WILL HAVE YOU DOING PT SO IT WILL GET BETTER AS YOU GO. THEY PUSH YOU HARD, BUT IT ISN'T GOING TO BE TOO BAD. I WENT THROUGH 3 YRS AGO.

Answer 7

Congatulations on deciding to serve your country. Your questions should be directed towards your recruiter since he's the one guiding your path. Have your own bank account and be able to run as fast as possible as far as possible. It doesn't matter what the minimum is because you'll want to do better than that to detract attention from yourself...unless of course you want to be the guy that the D.I. picks on constantly.

Answer 8

well, i hope you didn't assume fire support specialist didn't have anything to do with safety or putting out fires. You'll be working with artillery to support the firefights on the ground.

Answer 9

my husband is in the army you get your bonus half of it when you graduate ait the other half on your 1 yr anniversary from ait . you half to have your own bank act . for your checks to go in thobefore you get your pay . so do that right away before you go to bct .as for the running im not sure ill ask my hubby .

Answer 10

Start working on your pushups and 5 mile run. They'll tell you what you need to know.