Ask a soldier thread....

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

In the tradition of all the "ask a XXX" threads I am humbly starting one for those of you that may have questions regarding the US Army and my insights from my career in the military.

Fire away, and I will try to answer as best I can.

Atropos · May 11, 2006

How much of an average soldier's career is spent in the front line?

What is the most common motive for joining?

What do current volunteers think about the idea of a draft?

How useful is body armour?

Xanikk999 · May 11, 2006

How long and hard is basic training?

I bet it would kill me though!

silver 2039 · May 11, 2006

Where have you served and what have been your most memorable expierences?

Mise · May 11, 2006

What are your career prospects within the military? How much can you earn? How high can you rise? What qualities do they look for? What about job security? (I'm talking from both a university graduate's and a high-school drop-out's perspective, if you see what I mean)

Also, what are your career prospects outside of the military, if you decide to quit after X years?

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Atropos said:
How much of an average soldier's career is spent in the front line?

This is dependent upon the Military Occupational Service (MOS) you pick. If you select a combat arms MOS for the large bonus' chances are you will see front line action. But even then, when you measure a soldiers career over twenty years and such deployments are about 1 in 3-5 years, I would estimate around 10 to 15% avg (with a high of about 20%0 for combat arms and thats during our current operational tempo. Not during war, it of course drops down to 0.

For job skills that are in combat support or combat service support the percentage is much lower.

What is the most common motive for joining?

Money. A lot of the jobs in the military today are paying significant bonus'. People looking for training and experience in certain job skills. My advice is if you are interested in a certain job, like computer programming or electronics, dont let a recruiter talk you into something you dont want. Hold out for that specific MOS regardless of how long you may have to wait to get it.

What do current volunteers think about the idea of a draft?

Not going to happen.

How useful is body armour?

While I have never had it on, my boss says it makes a big difference, but it is uncomfortable and heavy as hell. It can make a difference.

BCLG100 · May 11, 2006

have you ever shot and killed someone?

Xanikk999 · May 11, 2006

BCLG100 said:
have you ever shot and killed someone?

Thats the kind of question i always wanted to ask my grandfather. He served in the navy during WW2 and was an adimiral.

So i guess he didnt shoot anyone with that position. Although he was in the pacific.

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Xanikk999 said:
How long and hard is basic training?

I bet it would kill me though!

I think basic training is still about 8 to 9 weeks in length. Its hard, but not as hard as you think. Once you get past the first three weeks you get used to the routine and the yelling and it kind of becomes a game. At least thats how I remember it. From what I have heard from new recruits it seems to be easier today than it was when I went through.

Xanikk999 · May 11, 2006

What skills are you expected to be good at if you fight in the frontlines and if your stationed in iraq.

And also what skills do they teach you besides being able to kill people?

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

silver 2039 said:
Where have you served and what have been your most memorable expierences?

I have been to Denmark, Germany, Spain, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and several spots in the continental US. Some for only a few days or weeks, some much longer.

As for experiences....I could go on and on and on....

BCLG100 · May 11, 2006

Xanikk999 said:
Thats the kind of question i always wanted to ask my grandfather. He served in the navy during WW2 and was an adimiral.

So i guess he didnt shoot anyone with that position. Although he was in the pacific.

wasnt sure whether to ask it because it was a bit blunt but thought i would anyways.

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Mise said:
What are your career prospects within the military? How much can you earn? How high can you rise? What qualities do they look for? What about job security? (I'm talking from both a university graduate's and a high-school drop-out's perspective, if you see what I mean)

Also, what are your career prospects outside of the military, if you decide to quit after X years?

As an E7 with over 18 years of experience I get about $2300 bucks every two weeks after taxes. If I make my E8 (Master Sgt) this next year, my pay will raise about 600 bucks a month.

You can also look up military pay scales here: http://www.dod.mil/dfas/militarypay/2006militarypaytables.html

Job security is good. You have minimum requirements to meet at certain levels, but overall if you meet these you can make it a career.

As for qualities they look for: leadership, intelligence, decision making ability under pressure....all the same type of things most employers look for.

As for job prospects after the military: pretty good, but dependent upon your MOS. The military actually has a problem keeping some of its better trained people as they often opt out after their ETS (End of Term of Service) for higher paying civilian jobs.

Also, the miltiary has many programs for you to get a college degree while in service with tuition assistance programs and many on base college courses and online programs.

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

BCLG100 said:
have you ever shot and killed someone?

Nope and the actual number of soldiers that do is very small.

Che Guava · May 11, 2006

I've often heard that in combat, the mentality that gets the job done is not "Fight for your country/president/god/etc", but rather "Fight for your fellow soldiers alongside you". Is there truth in that?

Along the same lines, how does your training prepare you for the psychological effects of combat?

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Xanikk999 said:
What skills are you expected to be good at if you fight in the frontlines and if your stationed in iraq.

And also what skills do they teach you besides being able to kill people?

Battle skills are being able to think in high stress situations, physical ability, teamwork and initiative just to name a few.

Every soldier needs to know a lot more than just marksmanship (i.e. killing someone). We are all taught basic medical skills - how to treat wounds, shock, broken limbs, stop bleeding..etc. etc. We are also taught land navigation, compass use, map reading etc. Also, communication skills, radio coms and procedures. Driving skills - how to drive defensively and in convoys and what do to when ambushed. Everyone is taught how to conduct a patrol and how to react to enemy fire. Everyone gets marksmanship training and how to clean and maintain a weapon. Everyone is taught about the Law of War and the Geneva conventions during basic training. You also learn about chemical weapons and experience the gas chamber.

Thats just off the top of my head. There is even more than that.

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Che Guava said:
I've often heard that in combat, the mentality that gets the job done is not "Fight for your country/president/god/etc", but rather "Fight for your fellow soldiers alongside you". Is there truth in that?

No. The mentality that gets the job done is "train as you fight". What you do in combat should be almost instinctual and second nature due to your training - you dont have time to think "would president Bush want me to do this" during combat. However, for a team to be truly effective, they do have to trust one another and have loyalty to one another - perhaps that is what you mean.

Along the same lines, how does your training prepare you for the psychological effects of combat?

Cant answer that as I have never been in combat. My opinion is that is different for everyone....some more so, some less.

Mr Moron · May 11, 2006

How is the food?

MobBoss · May 11, 2006

Mr Moron said:
How is the food?

Heh, good question. Overall, not bad...but I find it depends on the cooks. As in everything, some mess halls are better than others.

The MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) are a TON better than they were when they first came out. We used to call them Meals Refused by Ethiopians and some were just plain awful.

But now, the MRE is actually pretty darn good.

Che Guava · May 11, 2006

MobBoss said:
The MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) are a TON better than they were when they first came out. We used to call them Meals Refused by Ethiopians and some were just plain awful.

!

That takes me back! When I was in Scouts, we would take MREs along with us camping (mostly because all my leaders were in the Canadian military and could get a certain amount for free) and god were they awful! I remember getting a 'cheese omelette' that looked like a preserved lung. Thank god for the peach cobbler....!

I guess the name must transcend borders, we used to call them "meal rejected by ethiopians"

thanks for the thread, btw, there's always been lots of stuff I wanted to ask a soldier.

One more question: is the armed forces the kind of place where you check your politics at the door, or do you ever discuss what you're doing and its effectiveness?

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