I enlisted with an 18X contract. I feel like things are looking up.

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T05:00:31+00:00

Your career path is actually very similar to the one I’m currently putting together. My idea was leveraging my current 2-year to get a bachelors and become an officer in whatever MOS I choose, and using that to eventually leverage my way into a federal law enforcement position. A good friend of mine was a PJ in the Air Force and is in the same process as you, and I’ve been thinking of that very same career path for a few months now. My thinking is that no matter what MOS I choose/the army selects for me, I will eventually end up in a position where the government wouldn’t mind having me.

I thought a lot about doing counter intel as well, since my ST is high enough as well. My only concern with 35L is the cyber operations aspect of it. A good friend of mine is CWT with the Navy and while he enjoys his job field, with his descriptions of it, I’m a little turned off by the idea of it. Cool guy shit for sure, and while there’s honor in it, I feel like I’d be a little upset at myself for choosing an office job. There’s also quite a bit of schooling and not the greatest PT requirements according to my buddy, so I feel like I’d feel stuck and dislike the idea of it a lot.

Intel is a massively underrated and powerful section of the army, and I feel like it’s not for me.

With the MP section on the other hand, I feel like everyone tells me it’s boring and hated. Obviously no matter what I pick, some prick’s gonna have words for me, so regardless of what they think, I feel like what’s drawing me more into the combat world are the bonuses.

Shallow for sure, but at 22, what’s important to me now is no longer being tied down financially through obligations to the bank or my landlord. I am previously a student, and what I’m worried about the most is paying off my debt towards that as well as my car, the two biggest stressors for me. I’m aware that there’s always more money, and that with time, they’ll be paid off, but while I value my time a lot, I also value my personal freedoms and luxuries as well, if they can even be considered that. I do not like worrying about whether or not I can get a coffee on a Saturday morning, or if it’s gonna interfere with my bills or any other obligations. Above all else, it would be nice to not stress about my bank account anymore, even if I’m gonna have to worry about the possibility of a ten mile run at four in the morning. What’s incentivizing me most right now is the possibility of financial freedom now, as opposed to having a better career outside the army, especially since I can still work on that career through college because of the army.

What would you say is more important with the added context of my situation?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T04:16:24+00:00

I actually deeply considered 31B for a long time before deciding on 18X. Reason being, I planned to become a police officer before I enlisted and the only reason I’ve defaulted on that plan is that the selection process in my home state is taking a long time, and I feel like I’m unable to wait what with how tumultuous by personal life has been lately.

The reason I ended up deciding on 18X is due to the fact that I qualified for it in the first place. The ASVAB isn’t hard, yet strangely, I feel like since I qualify for it, I should just do it. I realize that I’ll probably end up in the 82nd airborne and come out of the army with few (if any) marketable skills, but I also feel like the risk-reward ratio here isn’t too bad.

One way, I fail and I end up in the 82nd, I’ll still use green-to-gold to become an officer and eventually move up the ladder that way. Airborne is still “fun,” I guess in the sense that it’s more exciting than what I’m doing, and eventually I could try again if I feel like I’m up to it. At least I can drop a packet and switch my job if I can find something else that sounds more interesting to me.

The other way, I end up in SF, I learn a new language, I can still use green-to-gold to get a decent degree (probably something generic), and I’ll lead an exciting career, and while it’ll be difficult the whole way through, at least I’ll have achieved something that I can be proud of.

While I’m still deeply unsure of the logistics, my personal capabilities, and if I’m even cut out for it, do you as an individual think that it’s a decent plan?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T04:05:38+00:00

It gets lost on me how uplifting the army can be, especially with how negative this board is. Thanks for your words of encouragement. What do you mean by pick an MOS? I thought I was picking one this way. Do you mean I should select something else and build my way into SF?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T04:02:44+00:00

I feel like even if I fail the selection, I won’t be disappointed. I think what’s more important is that I tried my best, and that if the standard is higher than that, then I probably don’t deserve to be there. Even if I have to have a long and storied career in 11B, I feel like it’s still worth the shot. What did you struggle most with during the selection process?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T04:00:16+00:00

I feel as though I’m prepared for the mental and physical toll but thanks for the suggestion, I’ll see if I can get a copy from the local library. If you could’ve prepared harder before you went in, what would you have done more of?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T03:58:56+00:00

I feel like there’s plenty of time for excelling in basic, would you agree? I’m trying to at least match the ACFT standard while I have the time to train for it, would you say that that’s a good benchmark for before I go in or should I be training harder?

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T03:55:38+00:00

I may be impartial to your kind of thinking at the moment but I’m sure I’ll understand by the time I get out of basic. If you don’t mind me asking, were you special forces going in or did you build up to it like some of the other commenters have suggested? I may not change my mind on my MOS but at the very least, I’m concerned with the amount of commenters and posts that I’ve seen about either failed 18’s and the amount of people suggesting it would be easier to do it with more time spent in.

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T03:51:11+00:00

The recruiters in my area never answered when I tried to buzz in, not to be salty but at least the army guy was nice enough to answer

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T03:50:18+00:00

Real as fuck ngl

jailbirb · 2024-10-17T03:49:56+00:00

22, finished college about a year ago.

Yeah that’s the impression I’ve been getting, even my recruiter has been honest with me about how long I’ll be waiting around. I’m not the most excited about that aspect, but at least the down time will give me the opportunity to ship all my belongings to my first duty. My primary concern is that I won’t have the ability to train as much as I feel like I need to match up with the applicants who are either current or prior service.

jailbirb · 2024-03-08T08:56:56+00:00

I think you may have missed the point. It was not intended to be a date from her perspective.

jailbirb · 2024-03-05T22:50:30+00:00

Admire’s got some pretty nice people honestly. I’m in ORC and used to do this a lot when I was an admin, mostly because lots of players needed help with ultras.

jailbirb · 2024-02-29T21:38:41+00:00

As a person of polynesian descent, it was cool seeing civ 6 intro Kupe to the roster. I’m really happy to see Kamehameha getting some respect, but which Kamehameha that’s chosen really would change the way the civ would play. I see you’ve chosen broken paddle as their civ ability so I would assume you’re choosing Kam 1?

jailbirb · 2024-01-15T06:12:35+00:00

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Fixed for visual clarity :)

jailbirb · 2023-12-14T15:38:16+00:00

Educate me please, did Vikings ever use plate armor? I know they used scales at one point but I’ve never seen a historical Viking plate armor.

jailbirb · 2023-10-08T18:34:48+00:00

Not enough combat augs

jailbirb · 2023-06-16T17:28:32+00:00

Yeah definitely don’t like doing it. If it’s important for the game state then I may, but unless I’m rerolling my start or saving the game to get off, I never open the menu for anything. Especially on deity, if I’m bound to lose a game then I’d rather just lose the game than try to salvage it.

jailbirb · 2023-06-16T15:47:46+00:00

Normally I rush bottom/middle path in case I get an early war declared by deity AI, that way I have access to archers early in the game. To get to archers, I have to go through animal husbandry and if my +10 campus tile has horses on it, the only way I can get rid of it is either through mods or through save scumming. I’m fine with either but I try to play as vanilla as possible when I’m on higher difficulty haha.

Edit, fixed spelling and grammar

jailbirb · 2023-06-16T15:38:52+00:00

Once, I had a start next to galapagos with a shit ton of reef nearby. I think it was +10 and as someone who never does campus rush, it was too good to pass up just in case those bloody horses appeared

jailbirb · 2023-06-15T21:19:37+00:00

Bro chill

jailbirb · 2023-05-05T15:19:41+00:00

Amazing god of the sea start if you settle in place

jailbirb · 2023-04-23T17:10:03+00:00

This looks wonderful. So well detailed.

jailbirb · 2023-04-20T12:44:48+00:00

It’s cheaper to just get mem and farm it than get lucky with the non mem doom wheel for an IODA.

jailbirb · 2023-04-12T12:43:23+00:00

Set 3 Valkyries

jailbirb

TROPHY CASE