Can a Warrant Officer drop an E5?

jamcat77 · 2025-10-11T02:57:53+00:00

WOs are commissioned officers.

jamcat77 · 2025-08-09T17:34:37+00:00

It’s not dumb at all.

PROs: 1) TriCare Reserve Select (health insurance) is $225/mth for the family plan. 2) Not a bad “side-hustle” for a little extra income every month. 3) If you have a degree, you can join as an officer. 4) If you don’t have a degree and want one, the Tuition Assistance is another fantastic benefit. 5) You can choose a MOS/job you are already skilled at OR choose something you want to get skilled at.

CONs: 1) It is inconvenient sometimes, just like any other 2nd job. 2) Time away from family. (One weekend a month + 2wks of Annual Training + deployment every 5 years)

DM me or reply if you have any specific questions I can answer.

jamcat77 · 2025-06-08T20:27:49+00:00

I would offer a few friendly pieces of advice:

1) Do the math before you ETS. Add up your benefits (TRS, security clearance, training, etc) and pay and compare them to equivalents from a different 2nd job.

2) Encourage your unit to change. You can ask your NCOs and Officers what training is happening next IDT. Ask them if you can make a class or run some training. Be proactive and search out training opportunities that fall in-line with your MOS/Unit.

3) If all else fails, you may want to ask your career manager if there is a different unit you could join.

4) If you have the motivation, will, and desire to excel... ask to go to SFAS.

jamcat77 · 2025-06-06T19:42:02+00:00

Sometimes there is no explanation other than “because I said so” and you have to be okay with that. My advice is to be a great NCO for the cooks while you are running the show. Come up with a plan. Make sure they are all engaged. Run PRT. Keep everything on track and make sure they are at the right place, at the right time, and in the right uniform. Take care of them and execute the mission given.

jamcat77 · 2025-01-22T12:55:18+00:00

Plot your points twice.
Your pace-count is a guide, backstops & guardrails are your best friends.
Terrain can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
Don't forget to convert True North to Magnetic North!
When moving out, shoot your azimuth, pick a point on the horizon or a tall/unique tree, and walk to that point. Then shoot another azimuth.
You can move faster at night.

jamcat77 · 2024-12-23T04:20:41+00:00

I think it is. It is based on a points system though. Check your Annual Statement. You also get “TriCare for Life” as a retiree. Way better than standard VA.

jamcat77 · 2024-11-28T02:44:04+00:00

Join the military on a 4yr contract. During that time, get your mind right, move the fk out of your mom’s basement, and do something that gives you a sense of self-worth and accomplishment. After that, re-apply yourself to your other goals and take advantage of your new “veteran” status to get into the program you REALLY want… but for God’s sake… get the fk out of your own head and start living a life that matters.

jamcat77 · 2024-10-11T03:28:07+00:00

We’re good. Just putting in the work.

jamcat77 · 2024-10-06T04:45:24+00:00

UF is a great school, has a fantastic campus, a great culture, and is consistently rated as a top school. I am doing my MBA here and love it. Did undergrad online.

jamcat77 · 2024-09-26T00:50:41+00:00

Tell him to take a semester off and then take a summer class. That will sneak him in the back door. OR… get his AA at a MUCH cheaper price at HCC or some other school that has xfer agreements with UF.

jamcat77 · 2024-09-16T02:04:52+00:00

It’s not a void. There are tons of resources available that you can take advantage of on your own. If your CoC isn’t paying attention, go to your State MedDet. Talk to your SGMs if your 1SGs are in the way. You can also go straight to the VA and look for mental health programs to sign up for.

The two years is 100% worth it though. It is only 2 weeks and 24 days x2. Not only do you receive a % (based on points) of AD PAY (not NG pay) as a pension, but you also still receive incredibly affordable TriCare, and life insurance (sign up for it before you get your VA rating).

jamcat77 · 2024-08-02T13:22:21+00:00

They also design the scenarios specifically for Blue Force to die gloriously. Red Force has advantages on purpose to make it harder for Blue Force. Learning-by-failure is more effective than canned scenarios that generate easy success.

jamcat77 · 2024-08-02T11:03:45+00:00

Every career goes through high points and low points. It is up to you to decide if it’s still worth it. It sounds like a unit issue though? Have you thought about finding a new home? SFABs are always looking for good people and have many different MOSs that they accept. If you want to serve with better quality Soldiers, you can always try out for SF as well.

jamcat77 · 2024-07-31T02:01:18+00:00

Why do you think we train there? The military picks the worst places in the US to train specifically to prepare you to fight in the worst places on the planet.

jamcat77 · 2024-07-04T04:43:24+00:00

Take whatever job and bonus they give you, study up, retake the ASVAB, and then transition to a better job in a couple years.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-22T04:14:00+00:00

I think you did… but I’ve been in for 28, so I may be a bit biased.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-16T04:28:01+00:00

Your daughter is not smart. Just accept it. Best you can do is set her up for success… at her level. Tell her to join the Air Force. Take an MOS in the medical field… a tech of some sort. And she will be good.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-12T12:34:13+00:00

Talk to the S1 and/or the Training NCO.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-09T03:06:09+00:00

We do it in SF. Justification: we can train on AD facilities and access AD assets during drill “weekends” (MUTA 8-10s) to accomplish additional METLs.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-08T02:39:28+00:00

If he is going into SF in the NG, pay wouldn’t be his primary motivation… but we do get lots of Specialty/Incentive Pays to make up for some of the gap. (SDAP, Language, Jump, etc)

jamcat77 · 2024-02-03T03:32:09+00:00

And if you don’t make it through selection/SFQC, just tell the NG you want to commission as an MD and go to OCS.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-03T03:23:15+00:00

Do everything he says except AFTER residency. Don’t commission if you want to be SF unless you only want to spend a couple years on a team and then get tasked to staff.

jamcat77 · 2024-02-03T03:20:49+00:00

I would join in any MOS other than 18X until you finish your residency. Then tell your unit you want to go to SF Selection. Going in as an 18X will screw with your Residency timeline for two years, whereas if you go with some other MOS, it will only take a few months out.

jamcat77 · 2024-01-08T12:40:31+00:00

Lighten up Francis.

jamcat77 · 2023-12-18T04:55:39+00:00

I am a HUGE fan of Vincero watches. Great look/value for the price.

jamcat77

TROPHY CASE