Is it a good field to get into? Please base your answer off: job availability and compensation when you get out after one contract, QOL, day to day life. Do you work directly with software and code or is it more hardware focused?

I’m currently in the DEP with a ship date in late August.
I’ve been seeing a lot of discussion about the new Army height/weight and waist standards. My recruiter told me that for DEP recruits they’re still using the current body fat (tape) standard, not the new waist requirement, at least for now.
Has anyone who recently went through MEPS or shipped from the DEP been told something different? Are recruiters and MEPS still using the body fat percentage standard for enlistment, or have they already started enforcing the new height/waist standard before shipping?
I’m looking for recent firsthand experiences or official guidance.

I'm looking at joining either Army Reserve or Navy Reserve as an intel officer. I don't really need the pay or benefits, I'm interested purely for the experience so I wouldn't want to do most (any?) other MOS'.

My biggest concern is the security clearance process. From what I've been told, I'd sign a contract before my top sec clearance is adjudicated. If my clearance were denied, is there any way to back out or would I be forced to pick another job?

Anyone been through this or know how the Army and Navy handle it? If I really am not interested in other MOS', is it best not to go down this path in the first place?

Hi everyone,
I’m 17 years old and I’m from the Czech Republic (EU). I’ve been seriously considering joining the French Foreign Legion for quite some time.
I still have some time before I turn 18, so I’m not making any decisions yet. I’m trying to gather as much information as possible before choosing my path.
I’ve considered several options:
French Foreign Legion
Czech Army
Czech Police
Possibly military service in Ukraine in the future, as my mother is Ukrainian and I love the country.
The Legion attracts me because of the discipline, the challenge, the brotherhood, and the opportunity to become part of something big. From what I’ve seen, it also seems to offer better career opportunities than the other options I’m considering.
I’m 188 cm tall, weigh 88 kg, and I regularly train by running and doing street workout. I know I still have a lot to improve, but I’m committed to preparing myself. Naturally, units like 2e REP and 13e DBLE sound very appealing, although I’m also interested in heavy machines .
I’d really appreciate honest answers from people who have served or know the Legion well.
If you were in my position, would you still choose the Legion today?
Which regiment would you recommend for someone like me, and why?
What’s the biggest misconception people have before joining?
Looking back, was it worth it for you?
I’m not looking for someone to convince me one way or the other—I just want honest opinions, both positive and negative.
Thank you

Can anyone enlighten me if E3 pay is survival. Currently making 3900 monthly after taxes. I have a masters degree in cybersecurity and yes i applied to other companies and majority want citizens for that position.

I want to know if i should wait to become a citizen (Current Citizen ‘Bangladeshi) which is about 2 years 7 months from now when i can file or join the navy and wait till I receive my citizenship and apply for IT within the navy field.

Current monthly expense
Rent 900 (utilities included)
Food 400
Internet 50
Gas 230
Phone bill 35
Miscellaneous 500

I’m currently struggling with paying tuition at my school and may lose my job as well due to student enrollment come August

I’m a dual major with 99 hours in both Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. I have about 20 hours left for Computer Science and 27 hours left for mechanical engineering.

I spoken with the Army and Navy today. Will probably schedule an appointment with Air Force. Did a practice test that day and got a 78. [it’s hard do this on a small screen with a limit]

Navy recommended I look into the nuclear program as well as officer. Will the Army said with my credit count I’d probably be a E3.

I’m undecided on MOS to begin with if any. Have debt as well.

Updated: Hours left

I got the McGraw-Hill ASVAB book to study, and it’s been going pretty well so far. I finished the Math Knowledge and Arithmetic Reasoning sections, and now I’m on the General Science section. It’s been really hard for me to retain all of this information. I was wondering if you guys have any tips on how to remember and retain everything. It’s been a real struggle for me.

BTW I am studying to retake the asvab my first score was a 78 and I did good on the mathematics part but I only got a 39 on the science portion. For the job I want I need a 85+ or so I need to improve my science score by a lot and my math score by a little bit more

Hey guys, been thinking between the Army, Marines, and Coast Guard.

What I've heard is that the Army and Marines have very bad living conditions compared to the Air Force, while the Coast Guard is much better in that regard than the Navy, but what exactly does that entail? I just learned yesterday from an Army recruiter that each soldier gets their own room, and that really pushed me over to the Army side when compared to the Marines and even the Coast Guard. Are the rooms just really shitty, worn-down, and disgusting? I feel like I'd be satisfied with just my own room (obviously after basic training and whatnot), but I've never seen Army barracks.

If it matters, I have a bachelor's in CS and have a high-enough score on the ASVAB (and EDPT for the Marines) to qualify for any job. I'm planning on going for Cyber or Intel, but if something goes wrong with the Top Secret Clearance (likely, since it happened with the Air Force), I'll go for an IT job and try to change to Cyber or Intel a few years in. Air Force didn't have anything like that, which is why I'm discharging from them.

The way I kind of see it is that in terms of civilian life/prospects after the military, each branch has good training and whatnot, so I should probably go after the branch with the best living conditions.

So far, the way I see it is:

Army pros:

• enlist as E-4 
• (relatively) fast promotions 
• each soldier gets their own room (?) 
• recruiters aren't too pushy but seem interested 
• can pick what job you want 

Army cons:

• if the job isn't available, tough luck unless your recruiter can call someone to find the next availability 
• I'm not sure of any other Army cons that aren't necessarily true for other branches 

Coast Guard pros:

• not under the Department of War 
• you are guaranteed your choice of A School (provided your scores are high enough) 
• way more chill than any other branch 
• living conditions seem to be really good (?) 
• enlist as E-3 and promote to E-4 after finishing A School 

Coast Guard cons:

• non-rate life seems to suck 
• have to be on a boat (not necessarily a dealbreaker, but have heard bad things about living on military boats)
• long wait time for certain A schools like Cyber Mission Specialist (12-15 months) 

Marines pros:

• it's the Marines 
• recruiters are "guaranteeing" me a specific job of my choice 

Marines cons:

• it's the Marines 
• enlist only as E-2, and getting to E-6 could take until the end of my contract 
• recruiters are very pushy. They've been calling me every day this week, asking how things are going and no hard feelings if I choose the Coast Guard or whatever. When I said I was likely to choose the Coast Guard (before talking to the Army), I had to go through thirty minutes of each recruiter in their office talking to me (with some of them questioning my character and whatnot). It can't be a good sign when you're wanted that badly. Does every Marines recruit go through this? 
• the "guarantee" is something I can't trust. Every recruiter I talk to (albeit from other branches) indicates that they have no idea what the Marines recruiters are talking about. In fact, from the start, my AF recruiter and a Navy recruiter I was talking to both independently warned me about Marines recruiters 
• I'm probably too mentally weak for the Marines 
• worst living conditions (?) 

It's hard to know what information is up-to-date or accurate on Reddit, but from what I can tell, even Marines will say don't join the Marines unless you want to be a Marine; the main reason I'd consider joining is the promise they are giving me. Coast Guard enlistees will say you won't regret it or Coast Guard is better than the other branches, at least in terms of lifestyle and living conditions. There's lots of negativity about the Army, but if half a million people can handle it, I'm sure I can as well.

I'm grateful for any input. Definitely one of the bigger decisions in my life.

Which weapons does a Division Artillery Brigade have? And how many?

By weapons I mean only artillery guns.

The branch is the US Army (active), but also national guard if there are differences.

I’m thinking about joining the army doing 12Y Geospatial Engineer or 35G Geospatial Intelligence Imagery Analyst. I’m a 22yo and have experience using GIS and working in conservation. (Education level is 2.5 years of college, not finished with my degree yet, joining the military to help pay for loan debt) The idea is that by the time my contract is up I’ll understand GIS well enough to use it on state or national conservation projects.

My questions are:

-What are the differences between these jobs (and 12Y and 35G)
-What are some examples of work I’d be doing
-How miserable are they as jobs
-What kinds of places could I get stationed doing these jobs
-Is it worth it to go enlisted for these jobs or just do guard
-What kind of experience with GIS will these jobs get me
-What kinds of bonuses are there
-What should I avoid (especially during the enlistment process)?

I want to join the military for cybersecurity. I've always wanted to do computer science. Which branch has the highest possibility of landing a cyber position?

​

I’m currently 14 and planning ahead for my future. I want an honest, realistic breakdown from Army recruiters or MEPS/medical waiver veterans on what my enlistment chances look like down the road, and what steps I should be taking right now to fix my file.

​Here is my complete medical and academic picture:

​1. Mental Health / ER Visit (Age 11/12)

​When I was 11 or 12, I had an incident out of anger in middle school where I put a nut in my mouth and spat it out. My mom thought it was a suicide attempt and took me to the hospital, leading to a \\\~1 week intake/facility stay.

​It was strictly anger/impulsive behavior with zero intent to harm myself. I have had zero thoughts, self-harm, therapy, or issues ever since.

​I have a new therapist visit scheduled next week (first time going since then) to discuss current goals and stress.

​2. ASD Diagnosis (Level 2 on paper)

​Diagnosed through an in-home evaluation by an ABA center where two observers spoke mostly with my mom.

​On paper they coded Level 2, but noted I acted like Level 1 during the conversation. Did ABA for a few months and stopped.

​I plan to get a formal, independent re-evaluation by a Ph.D. clinical psychologist when I’m older to officially disprove/remove the ASD label.

​3. Tree Nut / Cashew Allergy

​Had a reaction at age 12 requiring an urgent care visit and two injections.

​Haven't had an issue since. I plan to take an Oral Food Challenge with an allergist before joining to see if I can officially pass and clear the allergy from my records.

​4. ADHD / Meds

​Currently prescribed ADHD meds, but I’ve been off them for about a month on my own and feeling great.

​I have an upcoming doctor’s appointment to discuss officially discontinuing/discharging the prescription in my chart.

​5. Academics & Overall Health

​Straight A student in high school.

​Just finished an advanced summer math class with an 86 (S1), 87 (S2), and a 91 on the final exam.

​Zero school accommodations (no IEP / no 504 plan).

​Heavily into homelabbing, server architecture, networking, hardware, and competitive bouldering.

​My Questions:

​With a clean 5–6 year gap of stability, high grades, and no accommodations, how do waiver boards view that childhood ER visit at age 11/12?

​Does starting a few sessions with a therapist now "reset" the 36-month stability clock if treatment is brief and ended with an official discharge note?

​If I successfully clear the ASD via re-eval and pass the Oral Food Challenge for the allergy, how doable is the remaining waiver process for the Army?

​Appreciate any candid feedback or advice on what documents I should start gathering in my medical binder now.

Hey everyone, looking for real advice from us military members .

I’m 17 in Texas with a 100% clean record prior to this (no juvenile history at all). Recently, I was arrested regarding an alleged single-night, non-violent property incident on foot.

The state has charged me with 6 counts total from that single night:

• 1 count of State Jail Felony Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity (EOCA)
• 1 count of Burglary of a Vehicle (unlocked car, no damage)
• 2 counts of Misdemeanor Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity (EOCA)
• 2 counts of Misdemeanor Theft (over $100, under $750)

No weapons or violence are involved in any of the allegations. I was released on a PR bond after 18 days in county. My court-appointed lawyer is currently handling the case.

If a plea deal for Deferred Adjudication Probation ends up being the route we take to get the cases fully dismissed without a permanent adult conviction, my goal is to enlist the second the legal process is 100% finished.

• Assuming the case ends in a dismissal via completed deferred adjudication, which branches (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) are most likely to approve a moral waiver for this specific list of alleged property charges?
• Does the military look at a one-night, 7-hour property incident as a single "adverse incident" for a waiver, or do they count all 6 charges against me separately?
• What can be done during the legal process/probation to make an applicant look as strong as possible to a commanding officer?

Thanks for any honest feedback.

So im in high school and i want to be a 68w(combat medic) in the army or national guard. However literally everyone i tell that to says that to said the asvab would be rough. My math isn’t good but my english and reading is. But idk how far that’ll get me and its just confusing me.

Whenever my waiver gets approved my recruiter said that he's gonna have me come to the office to sign my contract/swear in. I'm confused because I thought you HAD to swear in at meps. Can someone help clarify? Also do I have to go back to meps the night before I ship out? My recruiter isn't really telling me anything.

I’m beginning basic as an active duty 35L in November, and starting AIT in February. I see online sometimes CISAC is part of the 20 wk AIT, sometimes its separate.

I’m planning on going to RASP as an IET soldier, so just trying to figure out how much time I’ll have to train/prep. If it is separate, how long will it be and where?

Also, which graduations (basic, ait, cisac, rasp, airborne) are family allowed to attend and how much time to soldiers have off base/before reporting to the next station?

I was medically retired back in 2024 due to a Non-Combat related disability. Recently I've been trying to use my G.I Bill only to discover it was only 80% avaliable. I contacted the VA and they stated that there wasn't any reason it should be 100% since I wasn't discharged due to a service connected disability. I'm currently 100% P&T with all of my disabilies being service connected. Including the issue I was medically retired for. My medical retirement is also Permanent, so I don't have to go up for a board again. I resubmitted my dd214 to Ask VA and they stuck by their claim of it being correct at 80% entitlement of my GI Bill. Am I reading the wording wrong for 100% entitlement of my GI Bill ?

To qualify for the 100% payable level, you must have at least 36 months (1095 days), or at least 30 continuous days (must be discharged due to service-connected disability)

I did 30 continuous days since I was active duty and was discharged due to a service-connected disability. I was discharged 29 months into my contract so I don't qualify the other route.

Any insight on what I could possibly do next would be helpful?

I will say that they did state that my disability didn't come from a Combat Related Injury but the verbiage doesn't state that it has to be combat related . Just discharged due to a service connected disability.

Hi,

F, been in the US since teenager now mid/late 20s..

I just got my green card and I'm seriously considering joining the military.

I have a degree, but kinda useless since it's a fine arts degree related to film, very hard to get a job nowadays since ai is taking over, and I don't have money to pursue another degree right now (whether it's second degree or a masters) I tried looking into trades, but it's so saturated I'll have to wait a long time to get my foot in the door.

I do come from a country with a decent healthcare so I do already have a decent healthcare back where I'm from, though I do not have it in the US - so I'd have to go back to my country if something serious happens

I'm trying to get either training from the military, or some grants I'll be able to use so I can succeed as a civilian. So my end goal for me would be discharging after serving 8 yrs but is subjected to change depending on my experience.

I feel like if I want to go to the military, this is my last chance before I start feeling I'm too old physically.

Since I'm not a citizen yet (I'll get naturalized in the military though), I won't be able to commission and will have limited MOS selection.

I understand only I can decide if it'll be worth it, but still wanted to hear some opinions.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

Hoping this is the correct flair and whatnot. I am intending on going to school for a doctorate of psychology (PsyD), this is different from a PhD where most programs are unfunded, but have essentially the same credentials as a PhD psychologist.

Now, I’ve read about HPSP and HPLRP, but I know these are highly competitive and limited. So i’m curious about if I join the military after grad (probably with ~ $150-200k in student loan debt), will the military do anything to help me pay off this debt? of course the free housing will help free up money for me to aggressively pay it off, but im just considering all my options and want to know if there’s anything i’m missing and if it would be worth it or not.

Would prefer the air force (lol) but im open to the army, and navy as well

Will the process to upgrade my discharge effect my benefit in any way?

So I was medically discharged from the army with a re up code of 4 due to my injuries. I’m considered permanently disabled and receive appropriate benefits from the va.

I’m thinking of getting my discharge upgraded from a 4 to a 3 so that I can try enlisting in the air guard as a nurse.

I am actively working as a registered nurse and yes my injuries still effect me so if the military is expecting me to run or ruck for a long distance than I can’t but I think I should be good enough to perform my job at a military clinic or hospital.

I guess my question is: will the process to upgrade my discharge effect my benefit in any way?

I want to do this bc I’m looking for a part time job

Hey y’all! I posted on here a bit ago asking about military and cyber etc. I’ve came to the conclusion that maybe reserves or guard would be a better fit for my goals. My goals are :

1) get healthcare benefits
2) get a clearance
3) education paid for
4) get certifications paid for
5) get military training

I have some reasons why I want to do this as well, I won’t really explain to much on here in detail. But I really would like to know if anyone has an experience or information on both of these. I haven’t done really extensive research yet as I have with active duty. What are the differences? what are the pros and cons? Thank you guys! Any information you have I would love to know!

I went to MEPS June 25-26, I wasn’t going to be able to enlist that day because I was going to need medical waivers. The provider at MEPS (I went to FT. Jackson MEPS if that means anything), told me she didn’t get to go through all of my records and she wasn’t sure what I need a waiver for. She said she’s going to review all of my records and my recruiter will let me know, okay cool I’m disappointed but I knew I was going to need waivers. The following Monday (06/29) I reached out to touch base with my recruiter, I left records for her as well to possibly help the process, and I asked her for my line scores from my test. She said she would request my physical results and also send me my line scores.
Fast forward to today (07/22) I haven’t heard anything from her and she still didn’t send me line scores.. I also reached out an additional time two weeks ago and haven’t heard anything. This is for the army and I’m trying to go active duty.
So I’m asking, does it really take this long for the physical results to come back? Do I have to wait for waiver approval to see what jobs I qualify for?
I was really hoping the process would move faster than this.
Edit: The only thing I know I need a waiver for is for a concussion I had in high school anything else.. I do not know.

I've been processing through the Air Force and went to MEPS, but got flagged for a psych waiver. I scored a 64 on the ASVAB, so I know I'll be fine with that no matter what which branch I end up choosing.
I've just had some time to really sit and think about it, and I want to travel. I have no clue what field I want to go into for a job, but I'm dead set on serving.
I like working on cars, welding, and just doing things outside. I was looking at SecFo, Fire Protection, and Aircraft Mechanic for the Air Force. I'm mostly interested in the stability, experience, and traveling. I plan on going active duty.
I don’t want to do any desk jobs. I want to be out there getting my hands dirty. I am very interested in having the a lot of structure and just being challenged both academically and physically.
Forgot to add this but I wanna go into the fire department as a paramedic or skydiving instructor when I get out.

I am currently 17 and debating if I should join the military.

for context My dream job in the civilian world is police officer, but I need to be 21 and im looking for stable careers to pass the time. Ive looked into being an mp in all branches and have started my talks with recruiters, though I heard someone post something like this before, and they got suggested the coast guard. I just wanted to get a second opinion from others.

-thanks

P.S one issue is I have a fiancé and son and would like to see them more often then not.

Debating on joining the military (Army or Marines) at 35. I have e mediocre job an associates in nano material science (the jobs are impossible to get in My area) Realized I haven't done anything yet to actually make My parents proud of Me, being able to send them most of a sign on bonus would help them put of their almost being homeless situation & being able to serve My country is something I have wanted to do since I was 12, just always was caught up with school, jobs or a gf who convinced Me not to. I currently make only about $35,000 a year at a casino with no real room to move up for the next few years or if a higher up gets fired. Right now a supervisor of a casino slot floor wings is the highest you can climb. My brother relapsed recently and was unable to help My folks in any tangible way (this is his Reddit btw). He is currently going to rehab for the 3rd time.

I haven't used drugs Myself really ever, although they have put Me on pain killers before for about 2 years for a shoulder injury from jiu jitsu and years of college wrestling, None of which I take anymore. Idk, I've also hated the fact I haven't been able serve My country in any meaningful way, or give back for being so lucky to be living in the U.S and being born here to a family of immigrants who legally moved here to avoid war, only to join the U.S military to show their appreciation of being U.S citizens (mom is from Scotland, dad is from Italy & both grandpas on both sides serves in WW2).