View Full Version : Good recruiter in Southwest Virginia?
Here's my story,
I wanted to join the military as long as I can remember. Coming out of high school I talked to a marine recruiter and almost joined, but was talked out of it by my (now ex) girlfriend of five years. Before we broke it off I landed a great job for a military contractor as a machinist making great money. I hoped and prayed it would satisfy my desire to go military, but that has not happened. I have decided enough is enough, I have no tie downs at the moment and being 23 it is now or never. If I do not join I fear I will live in regret for the rest of my days.
I was curious if anyone knew a reputable recruiter in the Southwest Virginia area that could be straight with me. I'm really not trying to get lied to when committing to something for at least four years of my life, and sacrificing a great job. I am torn between Army and Marines and would like to be a infantryman if that helps at all. I am looking to speak to recruiters from both branches.
Thanks in advance for any help
Noticed I should have posted in the Mid-South section instead of the Mid-Atlantic.
Failure2Stop
05-09-13, 06:29
It doesn't matter who your recruiter is, just stick to your guns on being combat arms and don't buy into the BS that "every Marine is a rifleman".
Just some advice: get into a "special" unit as soon as you are ready. The peacetime Marine corps is not the same as a wartime Marine corps.
Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.
Littlelebowski
05-09-13, 07:41
If you don't get it in writing, you don't get what was promised. Don't be afraid to shop around; don't be afraid to wait for what you want.
Eurodriver
05-09-13, 07:51
Here's my story,
I wanted to join the military as long as I can remember. Coming out of high school I talked to a marine recruiter and almost joined, but was talked out of it by my (now ex) girlfriend of five years. Before we broke it off I landed a great job for a military contractor as a machinist making great money. I hoped and prayed it would satisfy my desire to go military, but that has not happened. I have decided enough is enough, I have no tie downs at the moment and being 23 it is now or never. If I do not join I fear I will live in regret for the rest of my days.
I was curious if anyone knew a reputable recruiter in the Southwest Virginia area that could be straight with me. I'm really not trying to get lied to when committing to something for at least four years of my life, and sacrificing a great job. I am torn between Army and Marines and would like to be a infantryman if that helps at all. I am looking to speak to recruiters from both branches.
Thanks in advance for any help
As others have said, get it in writing.
I had a ~135 GT score and my recruiter made me take the DLAB. I kept telling her "I don't care - I want infantry". I scored a 115 on the DLAB and she tried to get me into cryptolingustics or some shit. I told her I wouldn't be going anywhere without a UH (Infantry option) contract. I got it. (More on that later)
Fortunately for me - the USMC was upsizing and desperate for bodies. They had no issue taking me as infantry because they'd get the crypto guy they wanted anyway.
Unfortunately for you - the USMC is downsizing and not desperate for anyone and everyone who does want in the USMC always wants infantry.
With the war winding down (but who knows what will develop) you may want to consider a different MOS. Infantry looks good on TV and in the commercials but it ****ing sucks balls 24/7 especially in garrison. But regardless, whether you're in garrison or deployed to Helmand your life is going to be infinitely shittier than it would be if you did something else.
Of course you won't get to play with the neat toys and blow shit up as a water specialist or whatever the ****, but a good test to see if you're up for it would be to make spaghetti - put it in your refrigerator for a couple hours. Remove it out of the fridge and put it in a plastic bag, this will be your homemade "MRE". Now get fully dressed and geared up in about 100lbs of gear and
go sleep in the dirt in your backyard Mon-Fri. Repeat every week for 4 years.
Oh and this -
don't be afraid to wait for what you want.
If you don't get it in writing, you don't get what was promised. Don't be afraid to shop around; don't be afraid to wait for what you want.
Not to derail the thread but for anyone that likes numbers...
Post # 7-000 for you
You joined in 200-7
2x7 = 14
14 letters in your screen name.
It'd be real freaky if you were born on the 14th day of the month...
...carry on
Littlelebowski
05-09-13, 08:04
Born on the 25th.
Damn, guess I'm not psychic after all.
Must just be the effects of staring at IP addresses all day.
I know you say you want Infantry, however I can't help but recommend you look into something that betters you chances at pay good employment when you get out. I didn't serve, however I worked with a lot of Veterans years ago as a Job Recruiter and I can tell you that those who'd served in service with the types of jobs where the skills transferred well into civilian life and needs faired much better than those that didn't. Being 40yo now I can't help but stress the importance of gaining job skills which get you into a career making as much money as possible. Money ain't everything but it sure makes life easier when you have some rather than when you don't. Keep in mind your financial needs will change as you age as your life will change. Add a wife and kids to the mix and you'll really get what I'm saying about the need to make more.
The funny thing is combat arms looks down on the soft skill MOS's, but when you are looking for a job later in life all those soft skill MOS types are the ones that do the hiring, and they have a tendency to look down on the combat arms people because they don't posses any administration or technical skills. An option is to go infantry for your first tour and if you decide to make a career out of the military switch to another MOS. Look into which service has the best education and training opportunities. Ask the recruiter if you can change your MOS later, this may vary with each service and how long you have served and your pay grade.
Recruiters are like used car salesmen. Most of them will tell you just about anything. Figure out what you want and stick to it, as others have said. If you go in there knowing a few things, they may very well lay off the sales pitch a bit and be more real with you.
Littlelebowski
05-09-13, 12:20
There's absolutely nothing wrong with going Infantry for the experience and then using that experience to go onto college or to another MOS. Infantry teaches things other job fields don't and you can do 4 years of Infantry and then go onto other things if you wish.
(I was a guaranteed UH with my choice of MOSs too)
Failure2Stop
05-09-13, 16:47
Once you leave the military, as long as you don't get booted for being a douche, there are a plethora of opportunities for further education if you want a post-service job that does not directly correlate to your military specialty, and frankly, most military specialties do not directly correlate to civilian employment anyway.
Don't join the military for what it might lead to after your service, join to do a job, and be the best motherf**ker you can be at that job. Superior performance will lead to advancement and reward all on its own. Discipline and tenacity are traits honed to a razor edge in a good combat arms unit. Those things that people look for in a service-member are embodied and emboldened by those that run to the sound of the cannons. Nobody, absolutely nobody that wasn't there, that didn't do that duty, that haven't given their pound of flesh, that don't have those lifelong connections to other brave, disciplined, lethal warriors will ever be able to give you a perspective on what life on that side of the coin is like.
The vikings were onto something.
Valhalla only awaits those that wade into battle with a sword in hand.
I can't seem to remember what they said about the folks that sent in the requisitions for ship tar, can you? Only you can decide how you want to live your life, how you want to forge your legacy, or who you want to find your eternal resting place next to.
You don't have to be in the combat arms field to be a good person, or to lead a full life, but you don't have to give up on your calling to get a job either.
SeriousStudent
05-09-13, 19:16
Nof555 - Please, please, please listen to Failure2Stop. I'd love for them to print that post on the wall at the SOI barracks.
Life is about dreams achieved through hard work, and regrets based on actions never taken. I was but a lowly enlisted swine, who started out as an 0331 in the Corps. But it was probably the best job I ever had, and produced what I am today. I run a team of very highly-skilled technical geeks, and we all make a very good living. Not bragging, just pointing out that knuckledraggers eat steak every now and then as well.
If you want to be a grunt, be a grunt. Later in life, when people try and pile crap on you, you will be able to shake it off with a smile. Because you will have been shit upon by experts, with centuries of experience.
Do you know how many people later in life will look away and say "Yeah, I wanted to do that, but..." They will not meet your eyes, their voice will drop, and they will think about what could of been.
And you can stare them in the eye, and tell them you were what you were. Pride can be a sin, but it can also be a powerful motivator.
Do what you want. Just do it so well that people speak admiringly of you after you have moved on.
And I'll buy you beer and ribs after you get an 03 label. ;)
If you want to be an infantryman, then be an infantryman. Why join the military as anything else if it doesn't fulfill your desire?
As others have said, be steadfast with your wishes and don't let any recruiter tell you different.
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