Do you support the US Military?

[Cuda]

EDIT: At the post above mine: The bases\camps in the middle east we have fortified are actually pretty **** good (still some places where you're in setups that are like in Jarhead).

YEAH BUT DO THEY GOT SPACE MOUNTAIN? Do they?

[Dan!!]

YEAH BUT DO THEY GOT SPACE MOUNTAIN? Do they?

They have It's a Small World Where Everyone Hates You.

(After all)

[XBC-Requiem]

--BUMP--
Admins, if I am in the wrong for bumping this, go ahead and lock it and let me know. I apologize in advance if this is the case.

I graduated Basic Combat Training on August 20, 2007.
I have been here and there since then, and haven't had time to really sit down on the ol' computer and take a look at the forums... mainly this topic.

To kornman00:

"1. Your BCT will MORE than likely NOT be that of what our 11B have to endure."
Not true. There were 11Bs in my platoon.

"2. You CANNOT be shifted to be an 11B, unless your recruiter some how managed to *** you contract."
MOS doesn't mean s*** over there. There was a 25U in my unit that was kickin' in doors before. There was a pencil pusher in my unit at BCT that did the same.

"3. I support my fellow SOLDIERS."
We all are. We all go through the same training, and all do the same stuff over in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc. In fact, my unit is supposed to deploy to Kuwiat soon, and we all have to go to Infantry School. Well, the pre-deployment version of it, anyway.

"4. I hope they aren't really adding the IV portion of CLS to BCT yet. Your required to actually stick someone to receive certification for that once in the real army (you'll be an IET soldier until you graduate from your AIT and leave the godforsaken **** hole they want you to call a 'home')."
Oh, they do. CLS wasn't that bad. I found the IV portion to be easy, though painful, because I had two different battle buddies stick me, and one of them screwed up the first time, so I was stuck three times.

"5. If I had a "hang in there kitty" walet sized picture, I would send it to you. I wish you luck in your venture through BCT. Your going to need it to combat the Blue Falcon's you'll have the pleasure of calling your "Battle Buddies"."
Haha. There's nothin' like a battery of 256 battle buddies, 90% of which are the definition of Blue Falcons.

"6. Don't let them get you down for being Nation Guard (usually just fun sasses, but some people go over the limit). You're no different from Active, just you're not going to get stationed over here in Germany, sorry :P"
There were TONS of us there who were ARNG. And as for the Germany bit, I can go Active fairly simply.
:)

As for AIT, I have yet to ship. It will be in Fort Gordon, Georgia. I am supposed to go some time in early 2008, but the exact date it up in the air right now, because I may be going as a 25B instead of a 25U. There's a lot going on with that right now, so we'll see.

And as for the place in my pocket already needing to be burned, I know what you're talking about. With GRAP, I'm snaggin' $2,000 for every friend I get to join... I'm up to 3 now.
No college tuition to pay for, pretty good paychecks... I think that I'm set. And from what I hear, hazard pay is nice.
:P

[UPS]

i dont support the U.S military as ive seen more bad things come from it than good[ive seen alot of reports and other types of media...] i could post a few links showing what i mean but then id be flamed and hit with a strike by a mod [not like ive seen a mod issue one out for nearly a year now....]
good luck i just hope you dont end up being like the rest and shoot my peoples transport trucks because of "misunderstandment of signals"[cough] our orange convoy and your fighter jets[cough]
like i said good luck.

Lol.. funny.
Like you wouldn't shoot when you are in a country that is famous for car-bombs that will blow your body to shreds.

[Hawaiian Modder]

Well for the most part I support the U.S. Army.
People don't just send other people into a country to kill people and don't know what there doing. Yes there are so many things and blah blah blah but I don't care, this is your country and the least you can do is fucking support it.

[Guest]

i support the military you and i do feel for the familys who have lost loved ones in this war. i support the military all the way maybe not were there being sent to but you get my point

[CabooseJr]

I support Kornman00

[galvination]

I support the use of ":3" faces. like in cabooses avatar

[sneakyn8]

my brother just finished LDAC and is dreading anything other than infantry

[UPS]

Good luck to you Requiem. Hopefully you won't need it too much. =\

[kornman00]

--BUMP--
I thought of you the other day and forgot to check up on this thread to see how it all went. Congrats on graduating BCT! Come to think of it, I started AIT one year to the day before Halo 3 was released

Let me switch some of your post around to suit my respondin' needs

XBC-Requiem:

Not true. There were 11Bs in my platoon.
My bad then, I was "informed" by someone (or at least I swear I remember being told by someone anyway)

MOS doesn't mean s*** over there. There was a 25U in my unit that was kickin' in doors before. There was a pencil pusher in my unit at BCT that did the same.
I didn't mean it like that. I mean they can't systematically change your MOS (unless of course again, your contract has some kind of backdoor or you are required to reclass for various reasons).

We all are. We all go through the same training, and all do the same stuff over in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc. In fact, my unit is supposed to deploy to Kuwiat soon, and we all have to go to Infantry School. Well, the pre-deployment version of it, anyway.
-I agree, we are all soldiers. But when it comes to NCOs and officers, they always refer to the E4s and below as the "soldiers"
-We're expected to be able to do what Infantry guys are paid just to do, but we don't do their job down range (unless you're in a infantry unit and some detail comes up and you're E4 and below ;p). You'd be doing the job you're MOS details (for the most part of course, never know when you'll have to hop in that humvee). Like, an 11B wouldn't be expected to be the guy to setup a communications tower if they had a 25-series trained for those operations (the Army doesn't detail this specific jobs for no reason now)
-I don't exactly know what you mean by the pre-deployment version of Infantry School. I believe their AIT is three weeks long (and just spent in the field). Sure you're unit will want to train you on MOUT tactics and other basic soldier skills, but it would be crazy for you're unit not to have a certification (or something to that effect) of your duties as a 25B (again, depending on if you're actually attached to a Infantry unit, or if you're in a actual Signal unit)

Oh, they do. CLS wasn't that bad. I found the IV portion to be easy, though painful, because I had two different battle buddies stick me, and one of them screwed up the first time, so I was stuck three times.
I went to a week long CLS cert class (about 30 ppl in the class, mostly people from our Alpha Det who deployed early last year) taught buy medical vets, and since it wasn't in a IET environment, they're weren't actual screw ups (because why would a unit send a fucked up soldier to be trained for their CLS?)
-It was TDY too, so I got some extra moola for it.

Haha. There's nothin' like a battery of 256 battle buddies, 90% of which are the definition of Blue Falcons.
;_;

There were TONS of us there who were ARNG. And as for the Germany bit, I can go Active fairly simply.
Yeah, I was kinda surprised at the ratio of RC\NG to AC in BCT. And I meant as a NG you wouldn't be stationed over here. I know reservists who get stationed over here but those a special cases usually (ie, SM married to SM type deals where one is active)

And as for the place in my pocket already needing to be burned, I know what you're talking about. With GRAP, I'm snaggin' $2,000 for every friend I get to join... I'm up to 3 now.
I believe (it was like this when I came in anyway) you get the first half of that 2 grand after they finish BCT, then the rest after they graduate their school. The Army would loose too much money (like they don't already, god I've seen some serious shit with how easily money is tossed around these days) if they just paid you for snatching a body who ends up with a separation half way through BCT.

No college tuition to pay for, pretty good paychecks... I think that I'm set. And from what I hear, hazard pay is nice.

Yeah, the entitlements you get for most deployments are pretty nice. Have a family? Your pocket book just like tripled, or better (factoring in FSA or COLA) because of some duty stations, TDYs, schools (like WLC or BNCOC), etc


Hope all is well

[Kirk]

Is military pay as bad as they say it is, for a single person (no family living with you, just by yourself)? I've looked at a few pay charts and stuff, but I want to know the real truth and reality of living there (with expenses and all that accounted for).

Reason i'm asking is that I'm planning on joining, though not really for the money. Just interested to know, because, although it may not be the reason I do join, it's still important.

[kornman00]

Is military pay as bad as they say it is, for a single person (no family living with you, just by yourself)? I've looked at a few pay charts and stuff, but I want to know the real truth and reality of living there (with expenses and all that accounted for).

Reason i'm asking is that I'm planning on joining, though not really for the money. Just interested to know, because, although it may not be the reason I do join, it's still important.

How "bad" you're paid really all depends on how you view you're life in the military (I'm going to be basing this post in the view from an Army POV of course).

First you must realize you are given a roof over your head and you don't have to worry about paying the electric or water bills for it (in almost all cases you'll have to pay for your own phone and internet). Of course in BCT and for the most part of all AITs you will be in a open bay (this is the case for all BCTs) or sharing a room with at least one other recruit. Then once you become "permanent party" (you'll only actually hear that term during you're recruit\IET status, it just means everyone thats actually not a recruit anymore and has graduated from AIT) you'll have your own room while in the rear\in garrison (basically when not deployed somewhere). When deployed you'll either be sharing a tent with about 4 to 10 other people. Or if you're in a pretty developed FOB you may be in actual buildings (granted they will probably be constructed like those relocatable houses, but it will be better than a tent).

Then you (and everyone else except for officers) get an entitlement which they call BAS (basic allowance for substance) to pay for you're meals and other substances.
Now guess what? As a means to please congress and to "save" some of Uncle Sam's cash, you'll more than likely have Meal Deductions if you're not a NCO. There are of course exceptions to this (ie, there is no DFAC on the post where you live or work). You won't have this type of deduction in your paycheck during BCT and during most deployments (iirc).
People often mistake not being on meal deductions as being on "separate rations". I just laugh at their S1's (admin) stupidity or ignorance in whats suppose to be their job (they're the ones who 'help' their soldiers fill out the paper work normally). Sep-Rats doesn't exist anymore with the design of BAS (since its entitlement always given, just the gov't fucks you out of it with meal deductions as it takes about 90% of that BAS pay 'back').

You also get paid BAH (basic allowance for housing or some shit like that). If you're living in the barracks (all single soldiers will, unless you're E7 and I think maybe even as low as E6, or above, then you can live off post or in special housing depending on the type of area you live in) the pay for this will be small, but it helps for like buying better toilet paper (usually they will have a supply closet in the barracks so you don't have to pay for cleaning shit unless you want the stuff that actually cleans lol). If you're living in family housing, you pretty much don't get the standard BAH. There are other variants of BAH (BAH-DIFF, OHA, etc) but in single soldier cases, these really will never apply.

Now, say you get stationed overseas or hawaii (other cases, but I don't feel like listing every single fucking one ) you'll get COLA (Cost of living allowance). There are various degrees of this. Living in the barracks you get the '9' rate as they call it. When single, you will only get a 9 or 0 rate (0 rate is higher btw, only given when you're not receiving meal deductions, but it's up to the commander to raise you're rate). With each dependent you have you'll get +1 more rate (starting at 0) and stops increasing at the 5th dependent. The Army doesn't pay you to have a cluster phuck if you know what I mean. COLA also depends on you're rank, and time in service.
Here in the part of Germany I'm in, the COLA at 9 rate for E4 and below is a little less than $300, 0 rate is above $500. Fucking Italy has a higher COLA for some fucked up reason.

That basically covers most major things you'll encounter as a single soldier when not deployed. There are other deductions you get, such as federal and\or your state taxes (enlist out of florida or texas to avoid the latter), SGLI, list goes on.

When down range, the entitlements just pile up even more. You get (depending on the area you may or may not get these or get a lower rate) HFP (Hostile Fire Pay), HDP (Hazard Duty Pay), and various incentive pays. Also, you're pay is tax free. Got two years before you say "screw you guys, I'm going to Ft. Home"? Re-enlist down range and get a fucking shit load of cash because you're a sucker like that.

About incentive pay, if you're EOD, you get $150 more per every pay check (every 15 days), deployed or not.
If you're CID, you get a special civilian clothing allowance (while not an IP, just thought I would mention it).
If you're airborne or qualified to jump AND you're in 'jump' status, you get jump pay (however you have to perform so many jumps in a certain timeframe to continue to be qualified to get paid it).
There is also Flight Deck Duty pay. Don't ask me about this, I've never coded it before (when you make a pay input into the system for a soldier it's referred to as "coding". before you code something, you have to "research" his pay to make sure you're not reinputing a pay change because some dumb-fuck in the S1 can't do their fucking job right, and many other reasons depending on the type of pay transaction). Basically its for aviation soldiers flying shit.
Speak certain language(s)? The Army will pay for all that time wasted learning spanish (or if you're lucky, it's you're native language and you get a twofer; edu-ma-cation and more pay) or many other languages to the point where you're fluent. The Army tests you on the language(s) of course, they don't just look at your transcript and go "lul u took spanish 1, heres $200 extra a month".

Let's not forget the "free" heath care. I really don't want to go into the subject of this, because health care in the Army\military blows a super duper large version of a lower extremity found on most males (and some females oddly :s). For the Wounded Warriors, its generally better due to the fact that you'll normally end up at a major fucking hospital with real doctors and depending on the type of injury, some of your down range entitlements will continue to be paid and any depts created in your pay won't have to be paid back (in most cases). WW pay is an entire subject in itself.

Education. Ahh. You get the GI bill (which I hear is up to 38 grand now) which you can use up to 10 years after you get out or after two years of being in the service. You also get Tuition Assistance (TA) of up to like 2.5 grand every year (which you can use generally right away, after finishing your recruitment stage).
The Army also puts you through a shit load of training that can transfer over into college credits (hell, BCT and the AIT shit you do is transferable in most colleges).

This is really just tipping the iceberg on "military pay" (which won't "exist" as of FY 09, Oct 1st 2008 due to big changes in finance and the military, refer to google on the new shit to be in effect for the new FY).


Is the pay bad? Not at all. I make in between 750 and 900 per pay period (15 days). You have the option of getting paid once a month too, but thats out of the question come the new pay system in FY 09.
Does the job suck? Yes, but its a dirty job, someone has to do it[/fnm].

I could go on more about pay and the military, but I have personal work that I would like to work on in my personal time

also, long post is loooong

[Philly]

What can I say about the US military? Not much, but I can tell you about the British army, which I have mixed views on.

Firstly, prehaps second to America, I think that it's one of the best in the world, as far as the government would see it, anyway. Basically mirroring what Kornman said, across the pond, you are actually treated as a human being, and you get pay which is directly proportianal to your rank(sort of), not like some other armies.

However, there are some things that I think are, for want of a better phrase, quite wrong. Firstly, most of the basic equipment, accommodation and vehicles have not changes since the 70's. There have been a few cases of a military aeroplane (yes, that's how we spell it over here ) simply dropping out of the sky, because it was so worn down, and should have been repared or replaced. Even the rations are the same.

Nevermind, I support you, XBC-Requiem.

[kornman00]

Depending on the kind of unit you're in here and where you're located, the changes situation is the exact same (of course I understand the infantry should get all the new shit but it ends up leaving say a postal unit just with crap decades old M16A2s and the like while in the rear and some times even while deployed).
Even bureaucratically. Some shit really needs to be changed or at least updated to reflect today's world and society. Too bad the brass that get paid fucking 13 grand+ per pay period (again, 15 days) and pampered like no fucking other can't see that or don't know how to PROPERLY setup the transformation needed (and just end up having their bitch COL or LTC do it for them).

While we have a "pay grade" and a rank, there are hardly ever times when the two are different (like the pay grade for a 2LT is "O1" a Cpt "O3" a SGT "E5" etc, but CPL and 1SG are just lateral "promotions", no pay increase). It (standard pay grade but variant rank structure) also helps with cross-military operations and such.

Our MREs aren't too bad, I could survive a month living off them I think (as long as that fucking Veg. Cheese Omelet isn't in the MRE box that is) before I drive myself insane.

As far as being treated as a human being...I barely ever associate the average NCO (with soldiers they have to "maintain") with the ability to treat others the way they would want themselves to be treated too. Sure, if you fuck up then they are well within their rights to correct it, but I've seen too much abuse of the fucking NCO status up and down the chain :/

I fucking HATE being around new-found CPLs or SGTs. Some people can cope with the change, others just pay forward with the shit they got dealt as an E4 and below.

Most officers are pretty "cool" (for the lack of a better word in this situation) though

[shadowkhas]

However, there are some things that I think are, for want of a better phrase, quite wrong. Firstly, most of the basic equipment, accommodation and vehicles have not changes since the 70's. There have been a few cases of a military aeroplane (yes, that's how we spell it over here ) simply dropping out of the sky, because it was so worn down, and should have been repared or replaced. Even the rations are the same.

I can't say for certain over there (and even over here), but most of the equipment that the AF and ANG operate that I see is pretty well maintained. We have refreshment programs on our air refueling wings that refitted the old, ancient, whiny engines with pretty new ones. Whenever I hear about a plane going down during a practice run here in Utah, it's either a) Pilot error or b) Bad luck. Not because of age of the equipment. That, plus the last time I heard about a plane going down was one and a half years ago. That crash was honestly just bad timing. The engine had a compressor stall, and did get restarted, but the pilot didn't want to risk gliding anywhere, because then it'd be over a populated area, and people living there would be SOL if the plane's condition got worse.

[Kirk]

Thanks kornman, that actually really helped.

[kornman00]

np, its my job to know all of that ;p

But come July, all our unit has to know is disbursing operation shit thanks to the big change coming Oct 1st D:

[Caboose{SE}]

i swear to god you ship out to iraq i'll kill you. but if you're there, take pictures and video ffs! so we have something to work with : ). much <3

I've considered joining Marines myself, in fact, met with the recruiter and he told me what to expect and when things would be happening and such. But things change : \.

[jim20af]

officer pays pretty good too, so you could always go that direction. you'll have to go ROTC, a service academy, or if you want to enlist first then go OTS that'll work. depends what you wanna do too