Returning to service - older vets

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Returning to service - older vets

Posted: 4/11/2007 9:38:45 PM EDT

On May 2nd, it will have been 16yrs since I got out of the US Navy. Well I have visited the recruiting office for the Army National Guard and then passed the physical. If I get my waiver (Please let it be so!), then I am good to go.

I gotta admit, I am nervous. But not for the usual reasons that many people think (Iraq, Afghanista). I am nervous because I am not a young man anymore and worry about keeping up. I am nervous because it has been a long time since I been out and I don't know what may have changed. I also know that the Army National Guard will be different from the Navy, a different military culture (rank structure, regulations, uniform, etc.) that I will have to learn.

Any other veterans here, past the age of 35yo, thinking of going back to the service?

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:04:44 PM EDT

[#1]

Good Luck

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:06:13 PM EDT

[#2]

Have they said anything about going back to Basic Training/AIT at all?

We had a guy who was prior service Marines get back in after 21yrs and he got to keep his E5 rank.....

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:17:22 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
On May 2nd, it will have been 16yrs since I got out of the US Navy. Well I have visited the recruiting office for the Army National Guard and then passed the physical. If I get my waiver (Please let it be so!), then I am good to go.

I gotta admit, I am nervous. But not for the usual reasons that many people think (Iraq, Afghanista). I am nervous because I am not a young man anymore and worry about keeping up. I am nervous because it has been a long time since I been out and I don't know what may have changed. I also know that the Army National Guard will be different from the Navy, a different military culture (rank structure, regulations, uniform, etc.) that I will have to learn.

Any other veterans here, past the age of 35yo, thinking of going back to the service?

Dude, it's still the Guard. Pretty shallow learning curve.

You'll be fine! Good on you for coming back in.

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:34:47 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Have they said anything about going back to Basic Training/AIT at all?

We had a guy who was prior service Marines get back in after 21yrs and he got to keep his E5 rank.....

My recruiter said something about "warrior training" for prior service. Supposed to be like a refresher course for veterans.

I could use the "basic training", learning about the Army way of doing things as I had served in a different branch of the military. But I don't need "boot camp" as I already know how to be a military professional.

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:44:00 PM EDT

[#5]

Waiting on one waiver myself...

I have only been out 7 years, and do not have to worry about switch of services. Hell I hear that I can wear my BDU's still, just have to get some silly beret.

Posted: 4/12/2007 4:19:24 AM EDT

[#6]

I have not been in before but I just signed up 20070410, I will go to basic july 11, but I am 38,thats right 38,you think you are nervous, I have not been in before and not sure what to expect at all at least you do, good luck with it

Posted: 4/12/2007 4:28:26 AM EDT

[#7]

I went back in at 39 after being out for 10 years. It's like falling off a bike or jerking off, you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.

Posted: 4/12/2007 7:49:02 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Have they said anything about going back to Basic Training/AIT at all?

We had a guy who was prior service Marines get back in after 21yrs and he got to keep his E5 rank.....

My recruiter said something about "warrior training" for prior service. Supposed to be like a refresher course for veterans.

I could use the "basic training", learning about the Army way of doing things as I had served in a different branch of the military. But I don't need "boot camp" as I already know how to be a military professional.

We had 2 guys who were already in the .mil, one who was a Marine and the other who was like a Petroleum specialist go through BT/AIT with us after Total Control (week 3) was done.

They were reclassing to Infantry.

Posted: 6/14/2007 11:36:08 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I have not been in before but I just signed up 20070410, I will go to basic july 11, but I am 38,thats right 38,you think you are nervous, I have not been in before and not sure what to expect at all at least you do, good luck with it

You going regular army or the National Guard?

Posted: 6/14/2007 11:38:54 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I went back in at 39 after being out for 10 years. It's like falling off a bike or jerking off, you'll get the hang of it pretty quick.

That gives me confidence.

Right now I am studying the Army's General Orders. They have 3 general orders where we had like 11 general orders in the Navy.

Posted: 6/14/2007 11:41:06 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Have they said anything about going back to Basic Training/AIT at all?

We had a guy who was prior service Marines get back in after 21yrs and he got to keep his E5 rank.....

My recruiter said something about "warrior training" for prior service. Supposed to be like a refresher course for veterans.

I could use the "basic training", learning about the Army way of doing things as I had served in a different branch of the military. But I don't need "boot camp" as I already know how to be a military professional.

We had 2 guys who were already in the .mil, one who was a Marine and the other who was like a Petroleum specialist go through BT/AIT with us after Total Control (week 3) was done.

They were reclassing to Infantry.

I assume they were going into the regular army rather than the national guard?

We had a former Marine and a former soldier in my company during basic for the USN.

Posted: 6/14/2007 11:44:05 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Right now I am studying the Army's General Orders. They have 3 general orders where we had like 11 general orders in the Navy.

That is because they have to break them down to smaller bits for the ~~Squids~~ ummmm Navy guys to understand them.

Posted: 6/14/2007 11:50:10 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Right now I am studying the Army's General Orders. They have 3 general orders where we had like 11 general orders in the Navy.

That is because they have to break them down to smaller bits for the ~~Squids~~ ummmm Navy guys to understand them.

This is coming from a service that has to make their TMs into comic books for their soldiers to read? PM Magaine anyone??

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:29:48 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Have they said anything about going back to Basic Training/AIT at all?

We had a guy who was prior service Marines get back in after 21yrs and he got to keep his E5 rank.....

My recruiter said something about "warrior training" for prior service. Supposed to be like a refresher course for veterans.

I could use the "basic training", learning about the Army way of doing things as I had served in a different branch of the military. But I don't need "boot camp" as I already know how to be a military professional.

We had 2 guys who were already in the .mil, one who was a Marine and the other who was like a Petroleum specialist go through BT/AIT with us after Total Control (week 3) was done.

They were reclassing to Infantry.

I assume they were going into the regular army rather than the national guard?

We had a former Marine and a former soldier in my company during basic for the USN.

They had both been Active Duty but were reclassing to Infantry/Special Forces...or trying to rather.

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:36:46 AM EDT

[#15]

Not sure I understand, it seems as if you are saying that an active duty POG has to go through Army basic training again to switch his MOS to infantry.

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:37:50 AM EDT

[#16]

if you've got the PT down, your biggest challenge will be having to listen to guys younger than you, that don't have all of your experiences.

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:39:03 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Not sure I understand, it seems as if you are saying that an active duty POG has to go through Army basic training again to switch his MOS to infantry.

Back when I went through, the 2 guys that did it, obviously had to go through it again. Nowadays, I think most if not all, just go to MOSQ....at least thats how it is if someone joins NG Infantry that wasnt Infantry before.

Of course, when we went to Iraq, before we deployed, we had a former Marine who'd been out since '84 join back up and go with us without having to go through any kind of refresher or MOSQ AND he kept his E5 stripes.

How fucked up is that?

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:45:53 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Not sure I understand, it seems as if you are saying that an active duty POG has to go through Army basic training again to switch his MOS to infantry.

Back when I went through, the 2 guys that did it, obviously had to go through it again. Nowadays, I think most if not all, just go to MOSQ....at least thats how it is if someone joins NG Infantry that wasnt Infantry before.

Of course, when we went to Iraq, before we deployed, we had a former Marine who'd been out since '84 join back up and go with us without having to go through any kind of refresher or MOSQ AND he kept his E5 stripes.

How fucked up is that?

IMO, He should keep his paygrade, but he should have gone through the refresher course.

Also, I can't see sending an active duty soldier back to basic training just to switch their MOS. Thats so ludicrous.

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:48:34 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Right now I am studying the Army's General Orders. They have 3 general orders where we had like 11 general orders in the Navy.

That is because they have to break them down to smaller bits for the ~~Squids~~ ummmm Navy guys to understand them.

This is coming from a service that has to make their TMs into comic books for their soldiers to read? PM Magaine anyone??

Hey don't get mad cause we got comic books with a pretty girl in 'em and all you guys got to look at was a bunch of other sailors in their dungarees.

Posted: 6/15/2007 8:50:35 AM EDT

[#20]

edited, I already wrote to you about it a few days ago

Posted: 6/15/2007 9:07:04 AM EDT

[#21]

I tried to get into the National Guard a couple years ago. I figured that since they had a helicopter unit up the road and I had a couple decades of aircraft maintenance experience we would be a ggod match.

The discussion with the recruiter ended when he found out I retired from the AF. He said that since I was drawing a pension they couldn't take me.

Turned down by the NG.

Oh well, I'm doing my part as one of those filthy defense contractors.

Posted: 6/15/2007 9:35:02 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
I tried to get into the National Guard a couple years ago. I figured that since they had a helicopter unit up the road and I had a couple decades of aircraft maintenance experience we would be a ggod match.

The discussion with the recruiter ended when he found out I retired from the AF. He said that since I was drawing a pension they couldn't take me.

Turned down by the NG.

Oh well, I'm doing my part as one of those filthy defense contractors.

check again, sometimes recruiters themselves think someting can't be done but they can. Sometimes they don't want to go through all the work for different situations, such as building a waiver packet, ect., shop around, after 4 or 5 recruiters you should know for certain. And they change policies.

What about the air force anyhow, do they not have a reserve component?

Posted: 6/15/2007 9:59:59 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Not sure I understand, it seems as if you are saying that an active duty POG has to go through Army basic training again to switch his MOS to infantry.

Back when I went through, the 2 guys that did it, obviously had to go through it again. Nowadays, I think most if not all, just go to MOSQ....at least thats how it is if someone joins NG Infantry that wasnt Infantry before.

Of course, when we went to Iraq, before we deployed, we had a former Marine who'd been out since '84 join back up and go with us without having to go through any kind of refresher or MOSQ AND he kept his E5 stripes.

How fucked up is that?

IMO, He should keep his paygrade, but he should have gone through the refresher course.

Also, I can't see sending an active duty soldier back to basic training just to switch their MOS. Thats so ludicrous.

I disagree, alot has changed in 20years of fighting not too mention Marines to Army. Not too mention he has no clue about alot of the weapons platforms now and infantry tactics, how can he lead troops when he is 20years behind the change? And believe you me, it showed through the entire deployment. We had an E2 just who went through BT/AIT 2mos before our deployment who knew more than he did. And this guy is supposed to lead us into battle?

I dont fuckin think so.

I agree wholeheartedly but when you have a Petroleum Specialist who's reclassing as Infantry/Special Forces, he should at least go through Infantry AIT before hitting Airborne/SFAS/Q Course. As well as a helo mechanic. They didnt do the "whole BT/AIT" with us, they came on about Week 5 or 6 out of 14weeks. Just about the time we started BRM and before we hit Infantry Tactics.

Posted: 6/15/2007 10:25:06 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

What about the air force anyhow, do they not have a reserve component?

I could join the AF Reserve, but under their rules I would forfeit my pension each day that I am in uniform.

To me that's just wrong.

My pension is for what I did prior to 1 Oct 1999 and has no bearing on what I do today. I'm not letting them take money away from me that I earned.

Posted: 6/15/2007 11:14:18 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:

What about the air force anyhow, do they not have a reserve component?

I could join the AF Reserve, but under their rules I would forfeit my pension each day that I am in uniform.

To me that's just wrong.

My pension is for what I did prior to 1 Oct 1999 and has no bearing on what I do today. I'm not letting them take money away from me that I earned.

The military has lots of policies that lack common sense.

Posted: 6/15/2007 4:06:59 PM EDT

[#26]

a guy I work with goes to basic I think in august or September.
he is 40 and no prior military

also if you are drawing any v.a. disability you will lose that amount if you go back in.

Posted: 6/15/2007 4:35:38 PM EDT

[#27]

Well, I did actually speak to the recruiters. They asked me about my age, I said 42. They went "uhhhh.....well....it's great that you wanna help out....buuuut....." We spoke about an age waiver, which they were kind of vague about. Asked about my health, kind of like a questionnaire over the phone. Heart? I have Atrial Fibrillation.
Seems the US Military doesn't want people whose hearts don't always beat right.

I guess they might have a point at that. What was I thinkin'?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Returning to service - older vets

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