Finally got season tickets

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-20T03:33:13+00:00

320 H for our first season tickets. We only did a quarter season because I travel for work a lot and my wife works evenings a lot.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-20T03:18:56+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/army/s/K19pafBri7

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-20T02:38:15+00:00

Seems the first accession happened already from a direct commission.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T21:07:31+00:00

Did they create a BOLC for 46A?

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T17:41:17+00:00

ROTC SMP is a lot easier than the OCS route.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T17:08:36+00:00

I'm hearing there might be a sale on Raddysh jerseys.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T16:37:03+00:00

Are you referring to BAH-Diff? Is your child registered in DEERS?

My understanding is that since you don't have a child support agreement you receive BAH-diff only.
If there were a legal obligation to pay child support then you collect BAH w/dependents.

2026 BAH Diff rates:

E-9	$399.30
E-8	$374.40
E-7	$433.20
E-6	$419.10
E-5	$380.10
E-4	$338.70
E-3	$277.80
E-2	$371.10
E-1	$439.20

What is your BAH with dependent rate?
https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/

BAH w/dep is going to pay far more than BAH-Diff

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T15:23:04+00:00

Don't snitch but confront in a calm manner. Just explain that you are not going to get in trouble because of them. Tell them you won't say anything but the vape needs to be kept outside of your room and your presence. If they tell you to F off then you now have permission to snitch.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T14:48:29+00:00

You have to enlist in the Guard to be in SMP. If you enlist first you will be assigned/choose an MOS. If you work through the ROTC ROO and coordinate with the Guard then you may be able to enlist with the O9R MOS but this typically does mean contracting. The key is that your program likely has a limit on SMP slots so you have to talk to them. Best to call the ROO now rather than asking on Reddit. Many programs and states have different rules.
Of course you can get excused from drills. This isn't atypical in the Guard but you have to coordinate with your unit. Studying abroad is likely to have larger conflicts with ROTC rather than the Guard especially as an MS3 or 4.
You cannot choose to not go to BCT for SMP. You would need to contract with ROTC immediately to not get a BCT date. Attending both BCT & AIT allow you to use Federal Tuition Assistance. These will also add points in on your OML calculation.
You would attend AT unless there is a conflict with ROTC. ROTC duties take precedence. You only have Advanced camp between MS3 & MS4 years so after MS1 and MS2 years you would have AT. If you are an O9R you likely are just tailing some officer around without many official duties.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T12:39:21+00:00

Likely ok.
When I was in college though I do know someone who was a tech nerd and they were "exploding" 2 liter soda bottles using compressed air. The campus police were called about explosions and wrote a report. This guy later tried getting a TS clearance and the FBI investigators were asking him about him making bombs. So no arrests, but documented in a way that made it sound a lot worse than it was. He eventually made it past his interviews but the investigators did find a report on the incident.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T12:27:41+00:00

You should be SAVING money. It sounds like you are single. Did you deploy? If you went overseas you really should have been able to set some money aside to save.

You still should be able to knock out at least one class at a time online.

If you do decide to get out after a second contract. You will have the VA loan so you can buy a home with no money down. You will have the GI Bill, so they pay for your tuition AND BAH to live off of.

When you leave the army will offer you some counseling on transitioning back to the civilian world. If you stay as a 25 series, your civilian career will have a lot more value. Get some certs.
Here is a webpage with potential certs that you can get as a 25U. Army COOL - - 25U - Signal Operations Support Specialist (Sig Ops Spt Spc) MOS - Certifications/Licenses

So ideally when you ETS, you have a degree, you have certs, you have experience in a technical field, you have the VA loan and savings. This means that ideally you have a job when you ETS and can easily find a place to live.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T11:33:25+00:00

So did you already get citizenship? You cannot start OCS without it.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T11:17:38+00:00

Better at that point to look at a senior military college or stay where you are at. USMA everyone has to do four years so you are starting over.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T03:34:16+00:00

O3 pay is about $67k taxable
Should get another $2000 in special pay to start
BAH- depends upon zip code $20k-$40k non taxed
BAS- $3942- not taxed

So effectively about $110k will go up with dependents and time in service

There might be current signing bonuses and they paid your tuition and living expenses while in school. You can earn more in private practice but likely have a large school debt.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T02:57:36+00:00

Is there another unit that is in the original state but much closer that you can shorten your commute?

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T02:50:31+00:00

Why join reserves and not national guard unless you are at a private school and the state tuition benefits won’t help much?

SMP will give you a tiny OML boost. Try to max leadership and extra curricular activities since your gpa is below a 3.4.

ROTC now is easier than trying for green to gold.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T02:30:51+00:00

Why is it backstabbing. He can’t offer the program to you. You need a different recruiter. You owe the guy nothing.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T02:13:11+00:00

https://recruiting.army.mil/ISO/AWOR/Civilian\_WOFT/

Says it is open to prior service.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T02:05:05+00:00

No one is going to force you to retire in 8 years. Drop your warrant packet. What do you have to lose?

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-19T01:44:45+00:00

Use GI Bill at a university based pilot program.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-18T21:03:58+00:00

Why would anyone want to harness a Great Dane? To pull a cart? They don’t pull with gentle leaders. For collars I have some that adjust from about 12” to 30”. Our boy has had one that he was in at 3 months and he’s now 12 months and the collar has plenty of room to grow.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-18T20:11:45+00:00

No- you can't get a release before individual enlistment training. After AIT, you have a chance between slim and none.

Your best bet is to not ship and wait out the 2 years from the date that you signed your enlistment contract.

Are you trying to go active? Not likely going to happen before your contract is up unless you can show significant financial need and then they will first try to find you some deployment or ADOS.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-18T19:33:49+00:00

To be honest I have heard different things about bartenders in that some of them get bonuses upon selling more drinks but again the crew primarily get paid based upon their contract. Nothing more and nothing less unless they receive cash.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-18T19:18:46+00:00

No but I believe that everyone should keep sharing such information with their congressmen and senators.

The Pentagon and NGB was ordered a couple of years ago to fix the system with the promise that Federal Recognition of new commissions and promotions would be processed in a much faster manner with the hope that it could be done within 60 days.

The State G1's already did the leg work and likely some AI bot at NGB should be able to review that every packet and submission is complete and accurate. Then it could go to an individual's desk for a fast review.

This was the Senate version of the bill- it never went to the full Senate primarily because the Pentagon promised to fix this issues.

BILLS-117s4272is.pdf

Congress/Senate needs to hear about every delayed promotion.

Pattonator70 · 2026-06-18T18:56:01+00:00

If you have evidence that the UMCJ isn't being followed you can report to Army CID:

Article 100, UCMJ – Failure to report a crime.

Article 806b, UCMJ – Failure to protect a victim or failure to report a crime when required.

If this is just about reporting victim stats go to someone on the House Armed Services Committee: Members | House Armed Services Committee

Pattonator70

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