Marines

[hemi68charger]

Cody, if you're into computers, see what the Air Force can offer you. All Air Force bases/units/etc, for the most part, have a Communications Squadron. Like the rest of the world, they are connected as well and rely on computers for day-to-day tasks. Also, the Predator program is growing and growing and of course, again, computers are there..... I've been in the Air Force in either an Active Duty or Guard/Reserve capacity for over 20 years now and counting. I agree with everyone here that joining the military was the best thing I've ever done, with my wife and kids as the exception to that. I was a punk kid at 23, skipping Community College classes in Palm Beach, Florida to play with my cars and hang out. I FINALLY wised up and realized I was going NO WHERE FAST !!!!!   If I ever wanted to accomplish my dreams of a college degree and owning a Daytona like my Dad, I'd better changed.

I joined the Air Force in '87, got out after Desert Storm and went immediately to Houston Community College. Two years later I graduated with an AS in Pre-Engineering with a 4.0 (award of highest graduating Veteran). At the same time, I joined the Air National Guard and have seen the world. Some very cool places ( Hawaii, Denmark, Destin  ) and some not-so-cool places ( 2 tours Iraq ). I wouldn't change a thing !!!!

Now, I have my family, BS degree (Geophysics), a good job, still having fun in the Air Force ( Afghan, here I come I bet ) and yes, finally a Daytona similar to the one my Dad owned.

VERY LONG reply short.......... Do it !!!!!  Any branch and don't forget about the Coast Guard, it's a regular branch of the Department of Defense and need computer geeks too ( just kidding on the geek part  )

Troy

Thanks Troy!!!!!! I really appreciate the help. And a touching story about you wanting the same car as your dad made my day. I hope I have kids that want to build and save chargers too!!! What I think I have decided to do is I think I am going to take advantage of the free college. The service will still be there when I get out. Not only that, a good majority of the people I have asked said that they would MUCH rather have a degree then be in the miltary. So I really appreciate it guys at DC.com. Good to know I have friends on here that I can rely on!!!! 

Cody

If you get your Bachelors degree 1st and still wish to go in, look into getting your commission as an officer.

Troy

[twodko]

Cody,

Everyone here has offered wise and sage advice, several coming from us vets who've been there.

Go to college, its the most important decision of you life.

Tom

[hemi68charger]

Cody,

Everyone here has offered wise and sage advice, several coming from us vets who've been there.

Go to college, its the most important decision of you life.

Tom

Since I didn't have any free college before hand, I went 1st. Now, I used my GI Bill for mine AND I have enough free tuition through Texas' Veterans Programs to get my Masters..  (yeah, right !!!!!  @ 45 with a 3 and 9 yr. old, don't think so )  

PS: if you go to school beforehand and it's free,,,,,,,DON'T BLOW IT !!!!!!  STUDY !!!!!  PASS !!!!!!  and of course, relax during Spring Break........ 

[chargergirl]

Cody as I've said here before I raised a ton of boys...the way that the men on this site feel about you comes shining through...you have a good head on your shoulders. I have two boys Army, one Air Force, and I am married to a Navy man. They have all loved serving, or are even currently serving. It isn't easy, nothing worthwhile ever is. Therefore as a mom, and co-member of this site I am telling you...if you have an opportunity to go to college for FREE GRAB IT! You are young and can sign up at any time to serve your country! You will be able to go in as an officer...much easier to get that rank through college education than time served. Then use your GI bill to "finish" your education...Masters Degree or even Doctorate...there are no grants during that stage. Air Force is overloaded with people...Army and Marines have the toughest tours...on the ground in the heat. OK they have great stories...like being chased in a hot zone by a camel spider. Or coming home from first tour with a permanent dent in his left pectoral muscle from two sniper bullets...thank GOD they were on the downsweep and he had his Kevlar on. (I cried and threw up for 4 hours). Navy seems a good choice for flight and technology...they use it a lot. Cool stuff on those ships and they eat VERY well. See the world and don't unpack...not a bad gig. Go to school FIRST!

[twodko]

Cody,

She's speaking the gospel, your BS in computer science is waiting for you!

Tom

[charger_cody]

College it is!!!!! Thanks people I really appreciate the help. I look at all the people on this site and wonder, "man how can they have 2 or 3 children and STILL afford to completely rebuild a charger." I grew up in a house of 2 children, we arent poor but we arent wealthy, we get by. No father until I got to the age of 15 and my sister moved out the year before. So things are getting better. The charger is just put on hold. But I REFUSE to sell it. No one will be able to peel it from my dewad hands. Unless its for a 1st or 2nd gen =p=p

Cody

[twodko]

Outstanding Cody!

Believe me, after college when you begin your career your income will rise each year. Restoring our cars isn't something the great majority of us can do all at once. Most tend to do what the budget will allow. Find a way to store/shelter your car, save your pennys and resto/rebuild as you can. Good luck.

Tom

[chargergirl]

See...good head on your shoulders.

[teamroth]

I'll tell it to you exactly the way I would say it to my son or daughter. Go to college first. If you have the desire and still believe you have what it takes, then join as an officer. I am a very understated person by nature, don't really like to brag about a whole lot, but there is something in that basement that always starts churning when I think about my time in the Corps.I miss it dearly. I did 8 years and left at a time when I wasn't having too much fun. Just recently I have re-connected with almost every marine that I served with. I held multiple MOS's through my time. I went in as an infantryman, and earned the designation of TOW Gunner(0352). I also held a secondary MOS of machine gunner(0331). I was lucky enough to have served with a mechanized reconiassance unit. I got to do tons of cool shit from blowing up tanks to calling in air support, among many other things.

I went on to join Security Forces battalion upon my re-enlistment.  I can break it down fairly easy for you.
If you are infantry, you set yourself up to be a Cop on the outside. If you are intelligence, you will write your own ticket.
If you are a mechanic, you can get out and be a mechanic, but that seems less rewarding to me as you could do that without going in the military. There are Communications and electronics fields available, and I know people who also had jobs waiting on them before they got out.

(elacruz)All I can say is, they get the job done every time, on time, never give excuses and they MAKE S**T HAPPEN. If you're not naturally motivated to keep moving at all times, look elsewhere. I've come to appreciate how elite they are compared to the rest of the services. They earn their right to be elitist and any other service who says otherwise must never have worked or fought next to them. They never fail to do more with less.

Oh yeah, if you're afraid to shoot people and get shot back at, forget it. They'd run in to a retreating Army unit and tackle them to take their ammunition.




I really appreciate that you noticed that, sometimes the other sevices think they are equal, I can assure they are not.
I do respect all the services, but it just isn't the same.

I am trying to be respectful, but clearly everyone here has an opinion, and I'm not sure I like some of the turns this thread took along the way, but I digress, think long and hard before you sign on the dotted line.

It would be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, but it is not an easy one.

Also, if your scores are high enough they will give you a shitload of money for college. Just don't expect that you are going to have much time to go while you are in. Especially with the current conflicts that we are engaging in.

Most of the time when I was in, there were no re-signing/signing bonuses, so if you are told there is one, make sure it's in your contract.


(69charger440)Yep, The marines a few proud whiners!!! Agree totally!


I resent that remark in it's entirety. Not sure where you get off running your soup cooler about Marines being whiners. If you've done what they've done then maybe you have some room to criticize, until then I don't think you should.

Troy,Chargergirl and many others have given great advice. I'm not necessarily trying to offer advice, just sharing what I've learned through the years.

Oh and take a look at this letter to a sailor back in 01. Be advised, not Navy friendly but funny as hell!

http://failblog.org/2010/01/19/letter-fail/

[chargergirl]

That letter sounds like the crap that goes on at my table when they, my men, are all here together...nothing is sacred but me.

[teamroth]

That letter sounds like the crap that goes on at my table when they, my men, are all here together...nothing is sacred but me.

Chargergirl,
I was the first Marine in my family, everyone else was Navy. I used to bust my uncles balls about 500 sailors going on a float and 250 couples coming back...

[chargergirl]

That letter sounds like the crap that goes on at my table when they, my men, are all here together...nothing is sacred but me.

Chargergirl,
I was the first Marine in my family, everyone else was Navy. I used to bust my uncles balls about 500 sailors going on a float and 250 couples coming back...

And your just saying how it starts...

[charger_cody]

Thanks chargergirl!!!!!! I really appreciate it. And i'm trying pretty hard to listen to when the elderly peolpe have to say about what I should do. Because they KNOW how to bring in bucks now.

Cody

[chargergirl]

Elderly...owww dang Cody! I gotta laugh cause in my head...my mom is elderly...she's in her seventies...but baby...yeah turning 50 this year was a bit tough...elderly...dang

[elacruze]

the elderly peolpe
Cody

Ouch! 

[charger_cody]

elderly as in 32 years older than I am!!! 

Cody

[chargergirl]

Elders is a cool word...Elderly is not...sorry it took a bit to get back to ya...had to put my glasses on, put my teeth back in...and...never mind...ROTFLMAO...my kids would be loving this!

[charger_cody]

Elders is a cool word...Elderly is not...sorry it took a bit to get back to ya...had to put my glasses on, put my teeth back in...and...never mind...ROTFLMAO...my kids would be loving this!

Haha chargergirl.  you seriously just made my night 10x better. 

Cody

[twodko]

That was pretty cool.

Tom

[89MOPAR]

Just remember if you go to any military service , if you want something Specific you have to be firm with the recruiter, by firm i mean get it in writing.  The military can always move you around to their needs later, but the recuiter is usually trying to fill a few positions they have shortages in, and he/she will attempt to steer you in that direction.
   And once they've invested money training you in your chosen field, the chances of transfeering to a totally unrelated job are small.

[teamroth]

Cody,
You could top it off by calling her maam...lol   

[teamroth]

Just remember if you go to any military service , if you want something Specific you have to be firm with the recruiter, by firm i mean get it in writing.  The military can always move you around to their needs later, but the recuiter is usually trying to fill a few positions they have shortages in, and he/she will attempt to steer you in that direction.
   And once they've invested money training you in your chosen field, the chances of transfeering to a totally unrelated job are small.

Great points that I/others may not have mentioned. I will say this though, my recruiter never lied to me, not once. He just left a few things out...lol
Like the possibility of getting stationed in the middle of nowhere. Trust me 29 palms is the middle of nowhere...

[draftingmonkey]

Great points that I/others may not have mentioned. I will say this though, my recruiter never lied to me, not once. He just left a few things out...lol
Like the possibility of getting stationed in the middle of nowhere. Trust me 29 palms is the middle of nowhere...

What's wrong with 29 Palms. I spent a lovely 12 months there getting to know all the snakes, scorpions, cactus, rocks, sand on a first name basis.  The Corps was great to me.  Why, my DI's in boot camp held a nice celebration for my 21st birthday by letting me do 20 sit-ups for every year.  Great guys.  Of course that was a few years ago when you could still get an inspiring rack whooping at midnight from your favorite junior DI.

Hey, chargergirl I'm in the same club, 50 this year.  As for elderly, what say we ship our dentures to Cody's mom and let her bite him with them in absentia for us 

[twodko]

I'll include my partial plate too.

Tom

[sixty8charger]

Cody, I am on active duty. USMC since 2003, and I tell you this, I am looking forward to completing my  20years. Not just for me, but my family.  The Marine corps is a different breed. Every service has its type of people. I love the corps. Call me crazy, but becides the fact that on the 1st and 15th, I know I am getting paid, when me or my wife is Ill or injured, our medical is taken care of. I have never paid over $3 for a med visit and perscription for my wife, and have spent 0 for myself. That right there is huge, especially in the current economy.    The brotherhood of the Marine corps is unlike any organization! I am a Sgt (hopefully SSgt this time next year) the leadership opportunities you have 24/7 is incredible. The feeling of pride every time you wake up put on that uniform... Or the lucky chance you meet a veteren at a bar and share a beer and personal bond that not many Americans will ever experience is something I never take for granted.

Take everyones opinion on here "with a grain of salt". The service is going to be what you make it, just like any occupation. Sometimes you have to look beyond the amount of money you make, live within your means (and that is easy to do, hell my wife and I own a home, a truck, a car, motorcycle, and I still get to build my 68... All I never had prior to enlisting).

My two cents..  Call me if you ever want an honest opinion. PM first