Thinking of signing up... would like some questions answered.

[Greeneman]

I am considering signing up. I am maybe a lttle old to just be considering it at 26. I would like the training and challenge of it. What I am wondering is this... I am part owner of a company started last April and if I sign up and I were to be deployed(overseas,not disaster response etc) I think it would be basically shutting down the company. the company is my only source of family income for household of five. I am not saying I am trying to get a guarantee not to be deployed(overseas,not disaster response etc) because that is what the military does. However I am wondering how many of you have been called up and shipped overseas. If I knew the company would survive for a year without me I would not be so concerned but 10 weeks is one thing for BCT and I would have to try and find a way to do my AIT at a different time if possible. Too bad you could not do that overlapping with your BCT.
Maybe a little selfish to want my cake and eat it too??!! Any insight on this somewhat rare situation would be appreciated. Thank You, Ryan

[Chaplain4me]

you could hire someone to run it while you are gone.

[Mike2K]

What kind of company is it? Is it something you can still contribute to over the internet while you're deployed? Seems like you could find someone to take over for you while you're gone.

[Greeneman]

It is a marine service company. It would be ok for the time I would be at BCT and things like that but not if i were deployed for 12 months. have most of you had full deployments. Doesnt have the moeny to hire at the moment. May just be bad timing but I am not geting any younger and if people could do all the cool stuff and not have to leave home for that long, everyone would do it. i have a friend down at Ft Jackson now doing his BCT and they told him he may not get deployed, which could have just been a recruiter. He also want to go AD though after his first six are done. I have not even talked to a recruiter lately, and was also referred to look into something like the AF reserves. NG sounds like more fun, and atleast has a lot more info online.

[Mike2K]

Could your business partner take the load if you weren't around to service the marines for a year? You just need to make a life decision and determine what is more important to you. Also, do you have a 5 year plan with this business? Is this business something that you want to do as a career? If you are deployed, you will have extra money to hire someone. You would have your active duty military pay plus whatever revenue your business generates.

[Greeneman]

Mike, You are exactly right it is a life decision i need to make. I have always been a mechanic/technician. I would like to kep doing it, which is why i am looking at a part time gig. Obvioulsy Irag/Afghanistan are not part time. My business partner is family but not it is me running the place. It would fall apart at the moment if I left. i guess you would all say, if your signing up, plan on shipping out. That sounds like a logical response considering what I am asking to do.

[Mike2K]

What MOS are you interested in?

[Chaplain4me]

You can put off leaving for basic up to one year (conditional).

He's probably interested in 56M.

[Mike2K]

LOL, I'm betting on 15T!

[Greeneman]

Haha, sorry, no chaplain work for me. 15t sounds up my alley but I'm pretty mechanical all around and have a good knowledge of electronics so I would probaly do alright with most of the mechanical, some engineer etc. Honestly I have not made it that far in my decision making. I know there is an MOS for me out there. And again going to BCT is not the time away I am worried about. I could pay bills for two months and skip town.

[MichaelPC]

He's probably interested in 56M.

Thats what I was thinking too ;) ..........jk.

[Greeneman]

Mike, Chap anyone else that has read this, How ong have you guys been in the guard? What has your experiance been like? Where have you gone and where are you from?

[Mike2K]

Mike, Chap anyone else that has read this, How ong have you guys been in the guard? What has your experiance been like? Where have you gone and where are you from?

Your experience will be what you make it. If you get a job as a field sanitation engineer or in kitchen affairs your experience may not be as enjoyable than if you were flying around in helicopters or blowing **** up all day, or chaplains assistant. So pick an MOS and a unit that you think you will enjoy for the next 6 years. Many of us on here would not still be in the Guard if we didn't enjoy what we do. Part of the hype is not knowing where you're going next.

[SGT Juggernaut]

You can expect to get deployed at least once in a 6 year contract. Your chances of being deployed are far greater than your chances of not being deployed. Typical Army deployments are 8-12 months in theater, 2-3 months of premob and 2-3 weeks of demob. My last deployment was just over 15 months in total.

[Greeneman]

You can expect to get deployed at least once in a 6 year contract. Your chances of being deployed are far greater than your chances of not being deployed. Typical Army deployments are 8-12 months in theater, 2-3 months of premob and 2-3 weeks of demob. My last deployment was just over 15 months in total.

Ok, I knew typical deployment was that long, but I did not realize it was not all time over there. What does pre and post mob consist of?

[SGT Juggernaut]

Pre mob is designed to train and equip a unit for their mission in theater along with medical screening to make sure you are fit for deployment. The unit basically has to go through one last evaluation before getting the green light to deploy. Demob is handing over equipment and going through medical screening.