Just enlisted and had a few questions.

[Pvt. Z]

Hey guys,

My name is Mark, I just Enlisted last week and had a few questions about my MOS and the training involved.

I Enlisted as a 21b and the job seems pretty cool. There are a few positives and negatives to the mos I picked. The first part to my question is that I couldn't enlist into the army as active. When I was 14 I did something dumb that came back to bite me in the arse for enlistemnt. Anyways The unit I was put in for the guard is 10 hours away from where I live! So I was wondering if during AIT or even during basic can I request a transfer to go active? My recruiter and the counsler at MEPS said I would have to do a few drills before I could go active and was also wondering if that was true. I dont mind a few drives but I complete my training in December, which means driving 10 hours or more in snow (Detroit to Calumet - u.p. MI). My second question is that my counsler at meps said I will be going to sapper school in my contract. I overlooked my contract and this is what it says,

Title: Combat Engineer
Unit: WX7UAA 1431 En Co (Sapper)

I researched this and found out that I would have to be an E-4 before going to sapper school, so what I'm thinking is that he ment that I'm attached to a Sapper unit and I could possibly be sent to school by my unit when I reach the correct grade?

I have more questions but I'm drawing a blank right now.

Thanks for the time,

Pvt. Zgagowski

[jakatan]

If you wanted to go Active Army, you should have enlisted in the Active Army. Most units are not very excited about releasing new soldiers to Active Duty. They just paid for all your training, and you're going to show up and say, "Hey guys, thanks for everything, I'm going to go work for someone else now." My unit is actually quite nice about letting people go Active, but we have been told to not even bring up the subject until we have put in at least two years of service.

If you really want to go Active, once you get back, start volunteering for deployments. You'll be active for at least a year and it will make transferring to the Active component a bit easier.

You're right about the Sapper thing. MEPs person probably had no idea what he or she was talking about, or you misunderstood them.

[andrew.tischner]

If you wanted to go Active Army, you should have enlisted in the Active Army. Most units are not very excited about releasing new soldiers to Active Duty. They just paid for all your training, and you're going to show up and say, "Hey guys, thanks for everything, I'm going to go work for someone else now." My unit is actually quite nice about letting people go Active, but we have been told to not even bring up the subject until we have put in at least two years of service.

If you really want to go Active, once you get back, start volunteering for deployments. You'll be active for at least a year and it will make transferring to the Active component a bit easier.

You're right about the Sapper thing. MEPs person probably had no idea what he or she was talking about, or you misunderstood them.

Um... PFC you might want to watch what you say.

I am pretty certain that the MEPS guidance counsler knows what he/she is talking about.

To the OP.

If it is in your contract then you will be going. There are lots of things that can be offered in a initial contract that can superceed what a regulation says.

Also you can go to AD as long as your Unit/ state authorizes a DD368 (Conditional Release). This is pretty much a very easy thing to get now adays as long as your unit is not slotted for deployment.

The NG is overstrength already and to keep you in the army, even if its AD, helps out the entire force.

When you get back just go visit your local AD Army recruiter, he will help you out with transfering.

If your unit is that far out of the way, you would have had to initial that you knew your unit was over 50 miles away from your Home of record.

Also if it really is that far from your Home of record what can be done is that your unit can attach you to a unit closer to your house that you can drill at that unit except for AT and mobilizations.

[jakatan]

Um... PFC you might want to watch what you say.

I am pretty certain that the MEPS guidance counsler knows what he/she is talking about.

That's why I included "or you misunderstood them." There is a lot of information MEPs counselors are required to know. Sapper school is not exactly the first thing such counselors are trained in, so it is pretty easy to see how they could get confused.

Straight from the Sapper Leadership School: "Under no circumstances will enlisted soldiers below the rank of Specialist be allowed to attend the Sapper Leader Course." Hence, Pvt. Z will not be attending.

I still assert, however, that it was not the counselor passing on bad information, but was rather a simple misunderstanding between the Private and counselor.

I mean no disrespect SSG. I'm simply trying to explain myself.

[andrew.tischner]

That's why I included "or you misunderstood them." There is a lot of information MEPs counselors are required to know. Sapper school is not exactly the first thing such counselors are trained in, so it is pretty easy to see how they could get confused.

Straight from the Sapper Leadership School: "Under no circumstances will enlisted soldiers below the rank of Specialist be allowed to attend the Sapper Leader Course." Hence, Pvt. Z will not be attending.

I still assert, however, that it was not the counselor passing on bad information, but was rather a simple misunderstanding between the Private and counselor.

I mean no disrespect SSG. I'm simply trying to explain myself.

There is a easy way to fix that, promotion to E4 when MOSq'd.

Same thing happens with SF contracts.

[jakatan]

There is a easy way to fix that, promotion to E4 when MOSq'd.

Same thing happens with SF contracts.

I guess I should have enlisted into a Sapper unit then! Oh well, being a Private is quite enjoyable.

[ParalegalNCO1]

Am I the only one who sees that he enlisted into a Sapper unit, but doesn't neccessarily have Sapper school guarenteed??

[Pvt. Z]

Thanks everyone for posting your replies. It's much appreciated!

First thing I probably should have mentioned that I did know that it was a 10 hour drive to my unit. My recruiter said after training I should be able to go AD right after. What made me want to ask this question is that another recruiter overheard us talking and stepped in saying "yeah you can go active after 6 months of being with your unit" and the blank expression on my recruiters face was a for sure sign that he may have streched the truth a bit. Either way the MOS I picked was my decision.

Jakatan - To clearify, I mentioned in my first post that I wanted AD but army regulations doesn't allow anyone to enlist AD if they had a MIP as a juvenile. Although I was 14 and it was a bad decision that changed my life drastically, I'm still glad I learned that lesson as a child rather than 5 or 10 years down the road as an adult.

Next, What should I look for in my contract that says "Sapper School"? Earning the Sapper Tab would be an honor considering it seems to be a rare tab (as far as i've researched it seems almost untalked about). Not to mention it goes hand and hand with 21b's.

[andrew.tischner]

Thanks everyone for posting your replies. It's much appreciated!

First thing I probably should have mentioned that I did know that it was a 10 hour drive to my unit. My recruiter said after training I should be able to go AD right after. What made me want to ask this question is that another recruiter overheard us talking and stepped in saying "yeah you can go active after 6 months of being with your unit" and the blank expression on my recruiters face was a for sure sign that he may have streched the truth a bit. Either way the MOS I picked was my decision.

Jakatan - To clearify, I mentioned in my first post that I wanted AD but army regulations doesn't allow anyone to enlist AD if they had a MIP as a juvenile. Although I was 14 and it was a bad decision that changed my life drastically, I'm still glad I learned that lesson as a child rather than 5 or 10 years down the road as an adult.

Next, What should I look for in my contract that says "Sapper School"? Earning the Sapper Tab would be an honor considering it seems to be a rare tab (as far as i've researched it seems almost untalked about). Not to mention it goes hand and hand with 21b's.

Somewhere about 10 pages in to your stack of paperwork it will say Training Requst sheet.

There it will tell you the day your Basic training start date as well as the scheduled AIT start date.

If you have another school listed as Sapper Leadership Course with a date under it you will be going to it. If it Listed the course with the date with a comment such as TBD, or "when elligable" That means you have it in your contract but first must meet the prerequisets.

IF there is nothing then you are just a 21B in a sapper unit as ParalegalNCO is getting at by his message.

[ParalegalNCO1]

I am far from current on todays enlistment standards, however, I find it very, VERY, hard to believe that a single MIP (as long as that means Minor in Possesion) at the age of 14 kept you from signing an active duty contract. MAYBE, you needed a waiver, but I can't see something so trivial being a showstopper. Especially since, if I recall correctly, they combined the Enlistment Criteria Manual for all branches.

Tischner you got any insight on this??

[andrew.tischner]

Depends on what possession it was, weed, cocain and such.

The NG only accepts 1 possesion of weed. None of CDS

The army might have different standards than us , meaning yes we all use the same reg, but they can "bar" certain waivers. IE the NG does no PS waivers for Psych issues anymore.

Also the NG does no waivers for any PS with drug possesion of failing DAT for PS or NPS.

So with these examples it is possible that USARC, with the AD army being over strength currently, has put more strict requriments on.

So in short there is the "standard" but you can always add to the standard but never take away.


I do not talk to AD recruiters anymore ( me and them dont get along sometimes lol) so I do not know there current standards

[Pvt. Z]

The counseled was honest with me. He even printed everything out for me to read. It did state that one count of an mip of weed would take away the ability to join AD.

I checked my contract it does not say anything reguarding sapper school. It's unfortunate but I'm sure if I work hard I will have the chance down the road.

As far as asking Nco or my co of my unit to go AD, how long will I need to be with my unit before he would even consider looking? Or is there anything or anyone I can talk to during osut?

Thanks.

[andrew.tischner]

The counseled was honest with me. He even printed everything out for me to read. It did state that one count of an mip of weed would take away the ability to join AD. O see your not talking about Active army recruiting you are talking about the "Active First contract" which is correct you cannot have any moral issues to do that.

I checked my contract it does not say anything reguarding sapper school. It's unfortunate but I'm sure if I work hard I will have the chance down the road.

As far as asking Nco or my co of my unit to go AD, how long will I need to be with my unit before he would even consider looking? Or is there anything or anyone I can talk to during osut?

Thanks.

see red print

[Pvt. Z]

EDIT - Asterick Takeover!

[Pvt. Z]

O see your not talking about Active army recruiting you are talking about the "Active First contract" which is correct you cannot have any moral issues to do that.

I'm not sure if I followed you correctly. Would an "active first" contract mean talking to the army first then being sent to NG?

I was refered to my recruiter by my brother who was NG. I wasn't aware if there was a difference in recruiting. Also the first thing I requested to my recruiter was AD, so if I would of went to an actual Army recruiter instead of NG would I had the chance to get a AD contract?

Z

[andrew.tischner]

I'm not sure if I followed you correctly. Would an "active first" contract mean talking to the army first then being sent to NG?

I was refered to my recruiter by my brother who was NG. I wasn't aware if there was a difference in recruiting. Also the first thing I requested to my recruiter was AD, so if I would of went to an actual Army recruiter instead of NG would I had the chance to get a AD contract?

Z

Um basicaly yes if you went to a actualy army recruiter you "possibly" of gotten into the active army.

Again I am no means a AD army recruiter and in no way know their standards that they have right now.

The NG can recruit for the AD army with the "active first contract" the Active army of course has thier own recruiters.

[andrew.tischner]

Is anyone else still getting these mother ******* astrixes when you type ****!

No its fixed, except you are cursing.... and thats called a language filter

[Mike2K]

No its fixed, except you are cursing.... and thats called a language filter

Oh. Opps, my bad...

[Pvt. Z]

Um basicaly yes if you went to a actualy army recruiter you "possibly" of gotten into the active army.

Again I am no means a AD army recruiter and in no way know their standards that they have right now.

The NG can recruit for the AD army with the "active first contract" the Active army of course has thier own recruiters.

If this is true then I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Any words of advice?

[andrew.tischner]

If this is true then I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Any words of advice?

Pull up your pants, Take it as a lesson learned.

Hind sight is always 20 20.

Its not your recruiters fualt, he did what he was trained to do, get you in the guard.

There was no way he knew that you didnt know there was active duty recruiters.

You are in now, go to training, do your duty and try and go active when you get back, there is really nothing you can do, and even if you do find something , its not the best idea to try and do anything now.

Go to basic and ait, do the dance, get back and maybe it will be the best for you in the future.

[Mr_Loki]

Go to school using the Guard.

If you already went to school...do it again.

[Pvt. Z]

Thanks for the advice. I am a bit down. But its not the end of the world. I'll get over it.