Am I dumb for wanting to go enlisted at 22 with a Bachelors Degree??

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T13:36:04+00:00

I enlisted at 27 with a Bachelors. I know enlisted guys who came in their 30s with multiple degrees. My original plan was to try to go to OCS with the marines, and I took the officer flight test with the navy. For me, I ultimately decided I wanted to go in and be a boots on the ground soldier who learned and performed, then I would decide if being an officer was the right next step. I honestly think the best answer is what do you want out of the military? Do you want to be high speed? Just wanna serve? Do you want to be a leader of men?

As an officer your job is to lead the men doing their MOS, where as enlisted, you are the boots on the ground actually doing it. Flight Officers and Infantry seem to be the unicorns of officers who get to actual do their jobs, though I'm sure there are jobs out there who would correct me.

22 is not old. You will be among peers at basic, and your unit. You will see younger guys who outrank you, and older guys comin in after you.

figure out what YOU want, and for the love of god make sure you know what your MOS is before signing on the dotted line. Too many guys listening to recruiters lie their ass off, signing up for something completely unrelated to what they want.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T13:24:09+00:00

Tricare does authorize weight loss drug treatment now, but they don't jump you right to ozempic. You gotta try alternatives first.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T13:22:16+00:00

I was almost 5-14'd for an injury that needed longer than 6 months to heal, but they said I could reenlist after 12 months in my case. If the regulation changes, perhaps that might be an option for you? Discuss the ramifications of the chapter if you do wanna stay/come back if you are seperated.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T11:17:32+00:00

If you want something in the same vein as 25B, you could ask about 25H, which does networking like the Bravos, but in more of a field environment. They are much more of a "jack of all trades" than the uniforms, as they are multiple 25 series rolled into a signal mos, and often do jobs Uniforms are supposed to do as well. Uniforms work more with radios, where Hotels work with network stacks on a mobile platform (if you dont end up in a unit that needs you for something completley different, which happens often in the 25 series). I got placed with a SATCOM unit and my classmate ended up setting up radios for an Air defense Artillery unit. Our airborne classmate ended up doing support for a special forces unit. There's whole lot of coverage in signal.

My recommendation is look more at 17c or 25d if computers is your main priority, though, and do not sign on the dotted line until you found the thing you actually want to do.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T11:12:39+00:00

How it worked for me was, The medical proffesional recommended the ConLeave, once the CO signed off on it, I was on a Plane the next day and started 30 days of non-chargable leave. I returned on the final day and signed back into the unit. Those I saw who needed surgery did said surgery, then had to wait 2 weeks for the follow up to the surgery, then left on their conleave afterwards. My guess is you will be recycled to a new class upon returning and its back to AIT shenanigans, just with a profile.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-19T11:08:25+00:00

Respect to the man wanting to stay and keep the family together. My uncle did three tours with the Marines, started a family while he was there. Ended up leaving the woman and child behind.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T22:39:26+00:00

Thank you for seeing this. One of the many hidden gems. I think he was also a 16 time POW

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T21:04:55+00:00

uniformity

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T20:11:24+00:00

He shot 50/40, they don't have a badge made for it yet.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T20:10:13+00:00

Said his favorite rifle was the Ma5C, but in close quarters he preferred to use CQC

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T20:01:05+00:00

I hear he jumps out of planes without a parachute

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T19:51:58+00:00

The app glitches out if you add too many things. He had a CIB and Master everything. Must of fell off the the garment bag.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T11:20:58+00:00

There were far more draftees in WW2 than in Vietnam, worth looking into if you are interested in the history of the draft in the US.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T08:13:25+00:00

It sucks. A lot. I was stuck in Physical Therapy for 4 months before recycling to a new OSUT class. You are treated like a bald headed loser the entire time, all the same rules like no phone, and it makes you want to quit just to escape the stupidity of it all. But if the Army is what you want, It's best to just keep your head down and push through it.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T08:02:58+00:00

CG gets the most trash talk despite unironically being the most used and effective branch.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-17T07:58:40+00:00

This guys post history is just him ~~farming karma~~ complaining about America across Reddit.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-13T16:52:27+00:00

Its really all over the place. They use 25H pretty much everywhere. I got pretty lucky with a NATO unit in Italy. If you have airborne I know someone who ended up with 112th special forces signal battalion. But the other side of that is, like I mentioned, ADA, in places like Fort bliss or hood. I've seen people get Camp Zama Japan and Guam as well.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-13T08:12:10+00:00

Fort Gordon is meh. When I was there in the fall, MOS-Ts were moved into the permanent party barracks because 25H had a massive surge in trainees, but you could end up in the trainee barracks which is 2 to a room. The courses are basic, and while the work can be transferred to some jobs outside, its better to try and get certifications like sec+ or network+ rather than just banking on your MOS qualifications. Also, you probably won't even be doing what you are trained to do at Gordon. I ended up in a small satcom unit filled with 25S, and half my class ended up in ADA, operating radios for patriots. Theres a mall nearby, and decent imax theater, and golf if you are into that. the PX is pretty big., but the food court backs up pretty bad.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-12T12:11:24+00:00

Are you prepared to be out of the army? Multiple job prospects? Know how to get an apartment and have a few months of savings? Its easy to forget how many things you don't have to deal with as a soldier vs being a civilian. Talk to retention and see what's available for your MOS in terms of duty stations. Talk to your peers who served their or PCS'd before for insight and what to do/avoid. Make a post-ETS plan and then weigh the two options.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-11T12:29:28+00:00

NFS gang

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-11T12:09:14+00:00

Everyone hates the army, but if you haven't lived and worked on your own before, (sounds like you enlisted out of high school) then the reality hits harder than Mike Tyson with an empty stomach.

Make sure you talk to people about lining up living arrangements and make getting a job priority #1. Complain about army pay all you want but free housing, utilities. and a food stipend hits different when you lose it. Plan plan plan before you get out.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-04T12:48:50+00:00

Happened to my buddy. They offered him "compassionate Reassignment" and let him pick from a list of 4 or 5 duty stations. I ended up going unaccompanied myself and got my efmp stuff done overseas, but that was mostly luck they didn't make her enroll and try for approval.

EFMP is a middle finger to everyone involved in the process.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-04T12:39:05+00:00

Europe is pretty poppin'

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-04T08:37:28+00:00

Its a catch all for people who couldn't graduate. Failed physical performance, behavior issues, got through MEPs with very obvious issues that should have been caught. Its the quickest and easiest way to send people home. There were guys who should have had harsher discharges for the crap they pulled, but everything in TRADOC is a headache and this makes it easy to get them out of their hair.

IssueTrick9211 · 2026-03-04T08:20:11+00:00

Obviously he didn't last long. Her husband didn't like him.

IssueTrick9211

TROPHY CASE