I'm a 22 yr old college student living in GA and want to sign up for the Army. My preferred MOS is 11B. Right now I'm looking at the Reserves as opposed to active so I have time to finish college.

(And no, I'm not interested in the military just for the tuition money or to get a job skill. I want the opportunity to be able to serve my country. I also think I'd like the Army as a career choice. And yes, I'm aware I could be sent to Iraq / Afghanistan.)

Anyway, I have some questions for those of you currently serving, or who have served in the past.


1) Is it possible to apply for airborne school while in the reserves?

2) What kind of physical shape should I aim to be in before heading off to basic?

3) How easy is it to go from reserve to active duty?

4) Most important, how hard is it to change your MOS once signed up? If I serve several years as an infantryman and then decide I'd like to change out to something else, can I do that? Or is the MOS you sign up for the one you have to stick with forever?

5) Is anyone here using CONAP to get your college degree while on active duty? If so, what's your experience with that been?

6) And finally, is there anything else I should know before talking to a recruiter?


Once again, any responses will be most appreciated.

you won't find any 11b in the army reserve.  only NG.  there are no combat arms in the reserves.  additionally, regarding airborne, you won't get it in the reserves/NG unless you have it in your contract when you enlist.  re: bct, don't worry about it, it's not hard, just be able to run 3-4 miles at a decent jog, do 60-70 situps without stopping and 40-50 correct pushups when you go in, and you'll be ahead of 90% of everyone else.  

1)  Yes, but it is difficult.

2)  Be able to do 50 Push-ups 50 Sit-ups and a 2 mile run in 14 Mins, to have an easy time.
    You won't really hold anybody back with thous numbers, but more is of course better! That is not    
    max. Max is 72-78-13:00. Aim for it!!

3)  Really easy, and I think you get a choice in your duty station.

4)  I have heard that it is hard to get college credits while active duty Infantry, you spend too much
    time in the field.

5)  Get it all in writing, bla bla, you have heard it all before, but the big one is HOLD OUT FOR WHAT
    YOU WANT, DON"T SETTLE!!  you will get what you want if he dosent offer it to you.




Any questions let me know.


You won't regret it, I love the military with all my f***ing heart. God bless it.

Quoted: I'm a 22 yr old college student living in GA and want to sign up for the Army. My preferred MOS is 11B. Right now I'm looking at the Reserves as opposed to active so I have time to finish college. (And no, I'm not interested in the military just for the tuition money or to get a job skill. I want the opportunity to be able to serve my country. I also think I'd like the Army as a career choice. And yes, I'm aware I could be sent to Iraq / Afghanistan.) Anyway, I have some questions for those of you currently serving, or who have served in the past. 1) Is it possible to apply for airborne school while in the reserves? 2) What kind of physical shape should I aim to be in before heading off to basic? 3) How easy is it to go from reserve to active duty? 4) Most important, how hard is it to change your MOS once signed up? If I serve several years as an infantryman and then decide I'd like to change out to something else, can I do that? Or is the MOS you sign up for the one you have to stick with forever? 5) Is anyone here using CONAP to get your college degree while on active duty? If so, what's your experience with that been? 6) And finally, is there anything else I should know before talking to a recruiter? Once again, any responses will be most appreciated.

I was Reserves for 3 1/2 years during school and 9 1/2 years active. Got out in 1999.   Resigned my commission in 2002.


1. you could when I was in in 1987, not sure now
2.Army Physical Fitness Standards
3. Depends on "the needs of the service.  11B, probably easy.
4.  Depends on "the needs of the service. YMMV
5. No idea.
6. Talk to different recruiters with different bosses.  Ask questions, let them talk.  Only  believe what is in writing.  Zealous recruiters have been known "to take small liberties with the truth"

Quoted: you won't find any 11b in the army reserve.  only NG.  there are no combat arms in the reserves.

Oh yea, I forgot about that, but don't worry, the National Guard is better anyway ;)

Im in the process of enlisting too right now, 31Bravo, MP, Active Duty.

Quoted: I'm a 22 yr old college student living in GA and want to sign up for the Army. My preferred MOS is 11B. Right now I'm looking at the Reserves as opposed to active so I have time to finish college. (And no, I'm not interested in the military just for the tuition money or to get a job skill. I want the opportunity to be able to serve my country. I also think I'd like the Army as a career choice. And yes, I'm aware I could be sent to Iraq / Afghanistan.) Anyway, I have some questions for those of you currently serving, or who have served in the past. 1) Is it possible to apply for airborne school while in the reserves? Just go active. There are way more slots for Airborne/Ranger school in active. 2) What kind of physical shape should I aim to be in before heading off to basic? Best you can be in. I know the time for my age bracket (19-whatever) is 15:56 for two miles. 3) How easy is it to go from reserve to active duty? I think you can do it when you re-up. Or when you are issued orders to go active. 4) Most important, how hard is it to change your MOS once signed up? If I serve several years as an infantryman and then decide I'd like to change out to something else, can I do that? Or is the MOS you sign up for the one you have to stick with forever? I hear you can after a couple of years, but that could be smoke up the ass. 5) Is anyone here using CONAP to get your college degree while on active duty? If so, what's your experience with that been? I got told that it won't be too hard. We will see. 6) And finally, is there anything else I should know before talking to a recruiter? Hear everything from more than one person. Perferably bounce it off a recruiter that freqents ARFCOM - they don't have anything to gain or lose. Once again, any responses will be most appreciated.

I joined a National Guard Special Forces Unit just because jump school was included... Those who join non-airborne units don't have a chance to go to jump school if you are in the reserves or NG. I hear that in active duty it is much easier to get in even if your unit is not airborne...

If you wrestled or ran crosscountry in high school and watched Full Metal Jacket then you will find basic to be a joke...

I was changing my MOS all the time... I got sick of one job and the next thing I knew I was the member another section... Even though I they were never able to get me MOS qualified since I was going to college... It depends on your unit and I hear that since the war started it is now almost impossible to change units... MOS.... and the branch you serve in.

Don't enlist! Go as an officer and life will be much better for you unless its not your thing.

As for the once the month weekend drills and two week summer camps they get old after awhile and usually fall on the days your college buddies plan to go to Moab or Vegas... Drill will also always fall on the day your family plans a summer camp or family get together. Drill just ends up on the worst day of each month. In then end I just could not stand the part time thing... I have to commit all the way or not do it at all... If I did it over again I would just go active army...

Good Luck! And if you go to Iraq hit them first.

Airborne school isn't all that man.  Don't make it a deal breaker or anything.  Its far from elite or difficult these days.  Three weeks of boring, repetitive training followed by a handfull of jumps... oh boy.

Infantry OSUT isn't hard either.  There were guys in my platoon that came is struggling to run one mile in less than 10 minutes... they all graduated without any trouble.

Realise that as an 11B, your unit won't likely have the budget to have you running around playing war constantly.  For every cool thing you get to do, there will be many more things that just plain suck.  I enjoy my job more when we are in the field.  But then again I've only been in about a year, so its all still new to me.

I'm an 11b in the 82nd Airborne... so yeah airborne school... inf OSUT... been there done that.  Went to RIP too... so if you go that route theres more info I could throw out here (even though I washed out during the CWST).

Traxus, first off, I want to thank you for your attitude guy  It's refreshing as hell in a time when I see all too many people talking about what "WE" should be doing in this war who've never (Or WOULD never) stepped-up to see a young guy wanting to throw his proverbial hat into the ring in support of something I "Think" (To my core) is going to get much worse before it gets better.  You're to be commended.

As far as your questions?  I can't help you a whole lot (Sorry).  I'm an old 19K (Tanker) in the 'Guard but I'll give you MY .02 FWIW.

Here in Oregon we only give out about two ABN School slots a year (That's all the Army gives us).

Be in the best shape you can be before you go to basic.  It's not too hard but but at least being in "Decent" shape will make all the other demands you'll be under easier to deal with.

When you talk to a recruiter?  Get everything you want in writing.  They're (The recruiters) not the scum some people would have you believe but you need to keep 'em honest.

Anyway, good luck with whatever it is you decide and thanks again for your motivation.

Traxus,
Ask the recruter if the GARNG has a Long Range Survalence Detachment or Company. If they do and they will hire you, that is likely your best and only chance to go 11B and get to BAC. If you do get hired, they will have high expectations of you and if you do not meet them, be prepared to be fired.
Good Luck and stay safe !

Why don't you join ROTC?  It would let you do SMP (ROTC and reserves), give you opportunity for airborne and a variety of other schools (at least our school does and I assume most are the same).  Besides, being an officer is much better comming out of college than an enlisted soldier.

Its probably to late in his college career to join ROTC, but perhaps join the reserves or guard and then join ROTC (you only have to do the last 2 years if you've been to BCT).  Switching to Active Duty can be done but can be difficult.  I did it, but it took almost a year.  And switching out of your MOS can be done, but also can be tough sometimes.  

11B With Fort Bragg as a duty station.  

Quoted: I'm a 22 yr old college student living in GA and want to sign up for the Army. My preferred MOS is 11B. Right now I'm looking at the Reserves as opposed to active so I have time to finish college. (And no, I'm not interested in the military just for the tuition money or to get a job skill. I want the opportunity to be able to serve my country. I also think I'd like the Army as a career choice. And yes, I'm aware I could be sent to Iraq / Afghanistan.) Anyway, I have some questions for those of you currently serving, or who have served in the past. 1) Is it possible to apply for airborne school while in the reserves? 2) What kind of physical shape should I aim to be in before heading off to basic? 3) How easy is it to go from reserve to active duty? 4) Most important, how hard is it to change your MOS once signed up? If I serve several years as an infantryman and then decide I'd like to change out to something else, can I do that? Or is the MOS you sign up for the one you have to stick with forever? 5) Is anyone here using CONAP to get your college degree while on active duty? If so, what's your experience with that been? 6) And finally, is there anything else I should know before talking to a recruiter? Once again, any responses will be most appreciated.

22?

So you're a Senior?

Apply for OCS... They can put you on delayed-entry pending graduation.... Takes a bit more work, and you won't be 'for-sure' Infantry (it's a 'Rate your top 10 choices, 1-10 in order of preference' system), but why not start as 2LT since you've got the education...

In the  Reserves, the closest you'll get to 11B (or 'Infantry Branch' for officers) is Military Police....

National Guard has plenty of 11B openings, and they do opt to let you structure your training to fit the drill-weekend/drill-week system (eg in the Guard you can complete OCS and/or BCT without taking 13 weeks off to do it)...

Whatever you do, good luck...

- Dave_A

P.S. I'm currently finishing up the process of japplying for full-time/active  Army OCS... My interview is Saturday, and with all luck I'll be on my way soon enough...

I'm an 11A (was 11B) in the National Guard. Airborne school will depend on your state. The state has to pay for the school so it depends on if they have the money for it in the budget. Some states don't send you there since it is unlikely you will be in an airborne qualified unit (there are exceptions like the 19th and 20th SF). In MS you can get it, but you will have to really work for it. It's often given as an award for recruiting leads.

Finish school!
Become an Officer!
Get abused by Enlisted people!

Honestly, if you can finish up your education either on your own or by way of ROTC do it!!

You can get closer to 11B than MP in the USAR.... 21B. Plenty of combat engineers left in the USAR. My unti even gets a few Sapper Leaders Course slots every year.

You can usually change MOS fairly easily so long as a slot is available.

If you can do 20 push ups and run 2 miles in under 18 minutes, you are in good enough shape to start basic.

Going AC is usually no problem.