How I joined the US Army!

[hummer0328 6]

It was a little more than a year ago that I made a post talking about how I had joined the Air Force.  At the time I had to get a medical waiver for my eyes (i'm a bit too nearsided).  A few weeks later I received the waiver.  However, about a week later I got a call from my recruiter who told me that someone had screwed up with the waiver and I was actually denied.  You can just about imagine how pissed off I was!  I have been fighting it ever since.  I have talked to my state senators (nothing they can really do to force the Air Force's hand).  I have been fighting it for over a year and to no avail.

Then about a few weeks ago I ran into an Army recruiter and I decided to finally give up on the Air Force.  Because of the needs of the Army right now (under-recruitment vs the Air Forces being overmanned) I was easily able to obtain a waiver.  I went down to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) in Denver on Tuesday and signed up on yesterday.  When I went to do job selection yesterday some pretty cool things came up that I qualified for.  My MOS is: 98Y Military Inteligence - Signal Collector/Analyst.  It does require a Top Secret security clearance, so the Miltary has authorized a $60,000 FBI background check on me.  Basically, an FBI agents will go around trying to talk to and interviewing everyone I know.  The only catch to this job is that it is a very limited position with very limited spots, so my only avaiable choice to obtain the spot is to ship out in 3 weeks (June 21).

Even though I have been waiting for this for I long time, I'm pretty nervous, but just excited that I have been finally allowed to join the military and serve my country. 

So in 3 weeks I leave for Fort Jackson, South Carolina for 10 weeks of Basic Training.  After that I will head to Pensacola, Florida for 6 months of training for my job.  (both of my recruiters were pretty jealous when I told them that! )

[defcon pilot 0]

Good luck in Iraq.

Not that I support the War or the deployment of troops there in the first place, but I suppose it's the nice thing to do.

So... Fare well.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: hummer0328 . . . 

It does require a Top Secret security clearance, so the Miltary has authorized a $60,000 FBI background check on me.  Basically, an FBI agents will go around trying to talk to and interviewing everyone I know.   quote>

 

These are fun.  They freak out people who haven't been through them before.  First time they did one on my dad, his parents called up, all worried about what he was getting into, wondering why the FBI was crawling around, asking about him.

Growing up near Washington, DC, there were a lot of people in the neighborhood getting background checks.  I think I was 10 when I answered the front door and some guy flipped his creds at me.  My response was a bored "Mom!  The FBI is here again" 

Good luck, hummer.  I hope things work out for you.

[thesonofgray 0]

Sounds very interesting.  What exactly will you be doing?  Or is that top secret.

It's nice to hear you're chasing your dream and for the most part, have achieved it.  Just be safe collecting and analyzing those signals and congrats!

[Compromise 1]

If I had to to join the armed forces I would try the best I could to stay with the air force but its good to see your happy where you are and finally ding what you want to do, serve your country.

[Boggy1 45]

Hey, good luck, and remeber to report back to us on all the Top Secret Alien Coverup files you find!

[your_adress_here 11]

Originally posted by: Boggy1 Hey, good luck, and remeber to report back to us on all the Top Secret Alien Coverup files you find! quote>

No...cause then we will all have to be killed..

[hym 358]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

Originally posted by: hummer0328 . . . 

It does require a Top Secret security clearance, so the Miltary has authorized a $60,000 FBI background check on me.  Basically, an FBI agents will go around trying to talk to and interviewing everyone I know.   quote>

 

These are fun.  They freak out people who haven't been through them before.  First time they did one on my dad, his parents called up, all worried about what he was getting into, wondering why the FBI was crawling around, asking about him.

Growing up near Washington, DC, there were a lot of people in the neighborhood getting background checks.  I think I was 10 when I answered the front door and some guy flipped his creds at me.  My response was a bored "Mom!  The FBI is here again" 

Good luck, hummer.  I hope things work out for you.

quote>

 

Wow!!  The worst I've had is some door-to-door people.

Hey, good luck, and remeber to report back to us on all the Top Secret Alien Coverup files you find! quote>

He doesn't have to report on alien coverups.  You can ask me for all the facts--I'm ST's first contact.

EDIT:  I just realized that I forgot to wish Hummer success with his new career.  Congratulations on the new job and I hope you find it fulfilling.

[Joesocwork 4]

I wish you well Hummer! I'm really proud of you!

[blahdy 21]

Congratulations hummer0328.  We can never thank you enough for your time and dedicated for our country, wherever the threats are.

[Micah 16]

I hope you do well over there, hummer! Keep safe and make sure that when those insurgnents do show their faces that you know exactly what to do.

[infoscott 0]

Well wishes from an old 98-er myself. I went 98G (SIGINT/Voice Intercept), with Russian language training at the Presidio of Monterey. Our analyst support guys back then were 98C, traffic analysts, and 98B, order of battle analysts (these were the guys with grease pencils briefing the commanders). I don't think the 98Y MOS existed back then. Job training for all the services was at

Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, near San Angelo.

You'll have fun. As long as you're not doing tactical collection, direction finding, or jamming, you won't be on the front line. But I guess these days there really isn't such a thing as the front line. :^P

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Good luck, and God bless.

I was (maybe) cleared to TS SA a few years ago in connection with a job I was doing that involved the DND.  The Mounties fingerprinted me, and then spent some time digging around in my past going back twenty years.  The contract died, so I have no idea whether the clearance was completed or not before that.

If your system is like ours, you will never know what you are cleared for, exactly.  Only your security officer will know that.

[xiziz 11]

How fun for you to get a dream relised, and good luck down soulth in Iraq(i guessed from the other posts thats where your going huh?)

Myself im getting into the Swedish Navy 2008, Eather on a Visby class Corvett or a Gotland Class Submarine, and both of them are top secret positions. Ive got to travel down to the soulth end of sweden for some tests to get on a submarine, and if i dont manage to complete the 3 day's of tests il end up on a Corvett, which isnt bad going that eather ^^

[DuskTrooper 316]

Congrats! I salute you!

Give em' Hell!

[ardecila 125]

Yeah.. subs are cool, but I definitely wouldn't want to serve on one - I'd take the corvette. Claustrophobia doesn't affect me typically, but the thought of 3 or 4 weeks underwater without getting out for fresh air.. uggggh. If that's not a problem for you, by all means, go for it!

[your_adress_here 11]

Oh, and don't get killed... by your sommanding officer in training, that is.

[xiziz 11]

Originally posted by: ardecila Yeah.. subs are cool, but I definitely wouldn't want to serve on one - I'd take the corvette. Claustrophobia doesn't affect me typically, but the thought of 3 or 4 weeks underwater without getting out for fresh air.. uggggh. If that's not a problem for you, by all means, go for it!quote>

Well, the corevette's, The Visby Class are nearly as closed up as a submarine, since there the first real Stealth Warships(Smyge was the first stealth-ship, but that was a testplatfrom for the Visby-Class).

However i dont really siffer of claustrofobia or the need to have fresh air everyday, but i think it would be really fun to have been working on a submarine, Its like having been to space, only that more people have done it. And we dont have any Spaceships in the Swedish Airforce so ^^

[The Terminator 0]

Good luck hummer.

I dont believe in god, but God Bless you and stay safe.


Personally i am opposed to all forms of war, and I believe the only justified wars the USA has ever fought are the Revolution, the Civil War and World War II. But despite political diffrences, i still wich all of our service men well, because no loss of human life is ever good, even if it is the life of a political adversary.

But if i had to join the armed forces, id join THE NAVY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
because all my family members were sailors. My great Uncle served on a destroyer in World War II(and he still vividly remembers all of the technical details he learned). and an other Uncle of mine served on a Submarine in the 80s(keeping those darn commies in line,lol!).

[The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz 27]

Well done, I applaud you for serving your country. Just don't let war change you, or the way you act. Good luck!

[greedygreg 1]

Congrats on joining our Army, we need more people like you in our military. Keep your head up and hang around only those who are there to better themselves as the military has its losers too.

And too bad the Air Force screwed up your waiver. Take it from me, nobody screws up orders and paperwork like our Air Force!

[hummer0328 6]

Originally posted by: greedygreg

Take it from me, nobody screws up orders and paperwork like our Air Force!

quote>

lol!  To bad I had to figure that out the hard way.

2 weeks till I ship and I still have the longest to do list!  What makes it even harder is that my last day of my current job isn't till next Friday and I work around 60 hours a week.  That is why I have taken today and tomorrow off because I have "the stomach flu".

The closer my ship date gets the more nervous I become.  I know the next 2 weeks are going to fly right by.

[General Gunfire 0]

Good luck dude! I hope things go well for you over there. Take out a couple of them for me.