Posted: 12/5/2004 6:13:55 PM EDT
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Hey guys...well, first off Im new here. Ive been a lurker for awhile and just now signed up. My name is Josh and I live in Phoenix. Anyway, Im very much considering the military route, probably for many of the reasons many of you chose. Only problem is my mom doesnt want me going straight out of HS for two reasons. 1) Our current situation, and 2) She wants me to get my degree first. These are both totally understandable. And I agree, to an extent. I want to go into medicine, some time in my life. I was thinking ROTC, graduate and become active. Sounds like a good plan, but how far and few between are Special forces Medics? Any input at all on which direction to take would be greatly appreciated...Also anyone with medic experience, would be well, even more appreciated. Too bad I cant search these forums because I know there is a wealth of information about topics such as this... Well, thanks in advance. Josh |
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If you like medicine and the military, then go for a career in medicine. Use your HS ROTC to get you a scholarship in college. It will take a lot of work and you GPA will have to be in the top percentage of your class in HS. Talk to your HS ROTC about what it takes to get a scholarship. Good luck...........the US Army paid for my 4 years in college and I really enjoyed the career it gave me.......but it is a lot of work, and you need to be a "Yes man" to get as far as I did in 25 years of service. Your commision will be a reserve commision. Not RA (regular army) like a West Point commission........................... |
I'd have to advise you contrary to the above post. I would encourage a career in the health profession. I wish I would've gone that route. The "current" situation as you've called it should not be discouraging you from joining. If you want to serve your country, now is the time! However, getting a college degree should be your primary goal. Do that first. This war will still be here when you graduate. Never mind the 18D MOS, that's for the enlisted men. You just concentrate on your degree and get yourself into the officer corps. Try nursing. That's a 4 year degree and you will get preferential treatment during the recruiting phase. Best of luck to you and thank you for considering the armed services as a career. edited to add: Welcome to the site!  |
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Lots of 91Whiskey right now. Enlisted Combat Medic. Got one friend who just graduated the school, and two more that just signed for that MOS. Current Situation: Well, when is a better time for your country to need you than now? During peacetime its yadda yadda yadda. Army is a military organization. Its role in the universe is to puncture the enemies of the US of A with as much hot and heavy lead as possible. John |
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Ha, thanks for the responses guys. As far as the current situation, I want to be there more than anything right now. The fact that Im 17, cant go with out parent consent...and that would never happen, hinders that prospect. But then again, education first, but might as well have the Army pay for it:) Thanks again Josh |
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If you want to be an 18D you can enlist and go straight to it. Thats the MOS for a Special Forces Medic, proably the best first responder/EMT in the world. Your enlistment contract will be 5 years, and the courses and training will be harder than anything any college can throw at you. During your term of service, you will most likely add a lot of hours towards a BS degree, most SF enlisted men either get a degree or come very close while they are in. Once the five years are up, if you want to go to/finish college, or go to grad school, you will be able to go wherever you can get in, and most likely won't pay a dime (either due to a scholarship, the GI Bill, Army college fund, or some combo.) You may also have the oppurtunity to suspend daily unit activities to pursue your education full time, at some point during your enlistment. If you want to be in medical more than anything, go the college ROTC route right out of HS. If you want to wear the Green Beret more than anything, and you are very very tough, go for a direct enlistment. Ask an Army recruiter about the 18x program. Also, call the recruitment officer of the ROTC programs at the colleges you are looking to get into, ask about scholarships. Need any more info, shoot me an IM. |
| kappa4life, I am in ROTC at Ohio University. If you have any questions about ROTC and what it can do for you just give me an IM. I like you, want to serve my country, but I also want to get my degree. I want to be over there right now also but parents aren't too hot about me joining the military at all, but hey its not their life. |
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There are no SF Medics who are officers. Zero. None. Nada. As an officer, you need to be a senior 1LT or a CPT to even apply for SF. If you get accepted, you will be trained as an SFOD-A team leader. You will be in charge of SF Medics, but you will not be one. You will learn basic first aid in ROTC and your basic course, and probably more advanced first aid in SFQC, but you won't be a medic or have anything close to a paramedic in training. ROTC is to commission officers; to make leaders. If you want to be a regular soldier, doing hooah soldier stuff, ROTC is not the route. If you want to be a leader of soldiers, and responsible for tactical and technical decisions of a unit, then ROTC is one of a few routes to take. From your post, it looks like you want to be a hooah soldier. My recommendation is to go to community college, get a 2-year degree, then enlist. During your enlistment, work toward finishing your degree as well as you can, but focus on being the best soldier you can be. After your enlistment, finish up college and either go back in the Army with an OCS option or do ROTC while in collge. If you manage to finish your degree while you're still in the Army, just apply straight for OCS to become an officer. With some college under your belt and 4 years enlisted, you should be an NCO at the end of your enlistment, and have a reasonable idea of what soldiers, NCOs, and officers in the Army actually do. Alternatively, enlist in the National Guard, and go to school while in the guard. You'll likely deploy, get some experience and hooah time. When you finish your degree (associates or bachelors), file for a conditional release to go Regular Army. With your degree and experience, you should easily get a shot at SFAS. If you pass, you get to go the Special Forces Q-Course. If you don't, you can always apply for OCS if you have a 4-year degree. If you have any specific questions, ask away. I went through the ROTC program at Oregon State University (did not finish my degree, however), have National Guard experience, and am currently filing a conditional release to go Regular Army. |