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April, 2024

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Joining the Army

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WI_Personallty
Posts: 881 - Karma: 161
So after a few years of thinking it over, I've decided that my next step in the world will be joining the Army Rangers. So far everything I've been doing I've found on goarmy.com. If anybody has any additional information is would be great. Looking for stories, experiences, where to get started, and pre-training. I am a junior in high school so I've got another year before I leave home.

Thanks in Advance

Probably a repost

Sep 8 2013 1:25AM
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macdonuts
Posts: 110 - Karma: 29
props for wanting to join the army, I am currently in Army ROTC and after I graduate I want to go to ranger school. And you can't just become a ranger, you have to be in the army and get sent to ranger school and pass. I am sure your recruiter can tell you all about it. good luck
Sep 8 2013 2:46AM
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coolflash8
Posts: 3171 - Karma: 2,046
DONT just go straight into the army, you will be a grunt making shit money, doing shit work, with no respect.
DO go to college do ROTC and then join the army as an officer

also if you value your knees and skiing dont join
Sep 8 2013 4:29AM
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Astomp
Posts: 10090 - Karma: 344
DO NOT listen to this chump. YOU do do a lot of shit work, you do make shit money, but the respect doesn't come from your fucking rank. The respect that makes the job worth while comes from your ability to be a leader, efficiency at your job, ability to motivate others, ability to decide when placing the mission first is most important. The list goes on beyond that even your physical shape and endurance, being able to persevere, resiliency. That shit gets you respect. Even the lowliest private and butter bar can get it by earning it. Has nothing to do with rank.

There is more money for officers. There is more paperwork too. More time committed to work. Less adventure in the job.

He's right about the knees though. They don't seem to be as great as they once were.

I would never trade my stripes i earned with experience and doing the job i trained to be so profficient at for commissioning....but I would trade for warrant and rotary wing!
Sep 8 2013 7:03AM
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marsh.
Posts: 1173 - Karma: 1,403
Wouldn't you want to do like ROTC? They basically pay you to go to college
Sep 8 2013 8:12AM
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hindu2
Posts: 75 - Karma: 161
You're thinking smart!
Sep 8 2013 12:22PM
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hindu2
Posts: 75 - Karma: 161
You're not.
Sep 8 2013 12:23PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,259
18,000+ for your first year in the ARMY isn't grunt money you squid. They pay for food/housing. So pretty much all that money goes right into your bank.
Sep 8 2013 5:51PM
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LiquorLanch
Posts: 1909 - Karma: 1,046
That's still not a lot of $$
Sep 8 2013 7:31PM
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,169
Go the ROTC route, they help pay for college and when you become an officer you'll make way better money.
Sep 8 2013 7:36PM
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Horsefacekillah
Posts: 867 - Karma: 874
I've thought about it a lot I'm still unsure but skiings really the best thing ever and i cant just give that up. Having that said if there was a serious world crisis i would probably join.
Sep 8 2013 7:42PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
The video games and movies glorifying war worked on me too. Then, I got out and realized all the fuckery in the system. I guess you'll find out for yourself...
Sep 8 2013 7:58PM
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cobra2.0
Posts: 12 - Karma: -12
Shut the fuck up Cadet, you don't know what your talking about, and are not in the Army yet.
Sep 8 2013 8:02PM
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cobra2.0
Posts: 12 - Karma: -12
Shut the fuck up, you pathetic sheep dick smelling turd. You think O-1s get respect right out of IOBC, and ranger school? Nope.  Respect is fucking earned, not issued.

Oh, and I value my knees and skiing. I also value our flag, Constitution and freedom; so I took a vow to support and defend them. Some things in life are more important then others. I pity the poor weak souls who place skiing and knees above our flag, and that for which it stands.
Sep 8 2013 8:07PM
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triss
Posts: 1293 - Karma: 2,916
do good in school

go to west point

make mad $$$ leave westpoint as an officer in the army

get hot babes
Sep 8 2013 8:08PM
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cobra2.0
Posts: 12 - Karma: -12
Listen to this guy. He has walked the walk, and unlike the rest of the cock cuddling cunts in this thread, knows what he is talking about.
Sep 8 2013 8:09PM
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cobra2.0
Posts: 12 - Karma: -12
So I guess Tuition Assistance, Student Loan repayment and the G.I. Bill are complete fucking myths my recruiter magic'ed up. Oh wait, the army paid for my education, and not a dime came from ROTC.
Sep 8 2013 8:11PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,259
To me, it is.


My dad could beat up your dad, pussy.
Sep 8 2013 8:11PM
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cobra2.0
Posts: 12 - Karma: -12
The only people who like West Point officers, are other West Point officers. The majority are incompetent narcissistic douche bags.
Sep 8 2013 8:13PM
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TRAP_CHEF
Posts: 1172 - Karma: 279
dude my dad only makes like 5mil a year
Sep 8 2013 8:28PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
Relax captain america... vowing to support something doesn't give you the right to be a cunt
Sep 8 2013 8:30PM
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Willgum
Posts: 3254 - Karma: 3,071
chill bro lol
Sep 8 2013 8:51PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
So, where was I...

If you want to join the 75th Ranger Regiment, go for it. If however, you ever doubt that it is what you want to do, it won't be.

At this point, what you will need to do is to excel in school, continue to improve your physical fitness, and avoid doing anything stupid. As you say, you are still a junior in high school, so be a junior in high school. Enjoy yourself, have fun, chase girls, and be an awesome student. While you do that however, you should be holding yourself to a higher standard. Read, learn, and live the Ranger Creed.

the 75th Ranger Regement website:
http://www.benning.army.mil/tenant/75thRanger/index.htm
You should be able to find just about everything you need there.

You are not going to find many stories from inside battalion. Generally most service members don't share their stories with people outside their unit (except SEALs, who all seam to have a book and/or movie deal); this is especially true for SOF units. That said, there are some personal accounts of life within battalion out there. Use the google and find them. The Regiment and the Army want self starters.
Sep 8 2013 8:56PM
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Gstrong
Posts: 4776 - Karma: 518
Have fun in Syria!
Sep 8 2013 9:04PM
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hindu2
Posts: 75 - Karma: 161
I have to agree, although I have never met any of them.
Sep 8 2013 9:26PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,259
You've never even been to West Point so.....

lol noob!
Sep 8 2013 9:44PM
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hindu2
Posts: 75 - Karma: 161
Just because i've never been to West Point doesn't mean I can't have a say.
Sep 8 2013 9:58PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
No, you can't have a say because you said you haven't met any of them. And you are agreeing with a typical loud mouthed soldier who doesn't have the maturity and experience to recognize an excellent opportunity to shut the fuck up, so take his generalized and highly immature posts with a grain of salt.
Sep 8 2013 10:17PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,259
Well I've actually been to West Point and talked to people who go there face to face.... And you have not. And we have 2 completely different opinions, hmmm.....
Sep 8 2013 10:22PM
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hindu2
Posts: 75 - Karma: 161
I'm referring to them physically.


Click for larger image
Sep 8 2013 10:32PM
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grapejuice3000+
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,985
THE ONLY ARMY I WOULD JOIN IS DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY
Sep 8 2013 10:57PM
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BE..
Posts: 1185 - Karma: 81
firstly, you don't just join the fucking rangers. you go through the basic army shit for a few years and if you're good enough (chances are you're not, no offense, just statistically speaking) they'll let you try to join the rangers. This isn't fucking call of duty. If they let everyone who wanted to join special forces join there would be no regular infantry.
Sep 9 2013 12:30AM
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II_strapped_II
Posts: 527 - Karma: 97

Ya, because my 2lt. gets so much more respects than my platoon sergeant....

Anyone in the military will tell you that NCO's are the most respected ranks.  They are the people who actually know what they are doing (for the most part).  "Backbone of the Army".

Sep 9 2013 11:18AM
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II_strapped_II
Posts: 527 - Karma: 97

And this is not necessarily true.  I went to basic with two guys who actually enlisted with ranger contracts.  One of them deserved the hell out of it.  Best soldier in my BCT company hands down.  The other didnt even come close to be deserving of such things.  He just got lucky and found an MOS that had the contact attached to it.  The point is that both of these soldiers entered BCT already knowing they would get to go to Ranger school.  Of coarse they still have to make it through school, but thats not the point.

Oh and neither were infantry.

Sep 9 2013 11:26AM
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-benedetto
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 1,359
A basic history 101/102 course will prove that what the flag stands for is based on hypocritical bullshit.

To keep this short, the army isn't some noble cause. Currently spending billions of dollars on a decade-plus long war..killing innocent civilians (100,000+ ) etc..for what?

Nothing can change all I have learned about discipline after serving in the military and if I could go back, I would join again. However, don't puff out your chest so fast. I have a hard time respecting any military officer who has an education and still supports the machine. I apologize for scattered thoughts and lack of time/lack of care to reply more!

Bombs for peace!

The GI bill is fucking great! However, everyone should get free education (but that doesn't support the machine!!!!!!!!!!!)
Sep 9 2013 2:43PM
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powderdrunkie
Posts: 2034 - Karma: 976
I would much rather be in the coast guard or navy. I have worked on almost every military post in washington and the soldiers on the army base are pretty embarrassing. I know that it cant possibly be everyone but goddamn. I feel like most people in the army were rejected from the coast guard or navy so they figured what the hell. Thats my opinion.

Also JBLM is probably not the best example for army bases so theres that....
Sep 9 2013 2:57PM
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_DUSTY_
Posts: 1097 - Karma: 686
You want to be one of these guys but American? cool...


Sep 10 2013 1:16AM
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mikemac
Posts: 1277 - Karma: 3,507
Old thread but I'm bumpin it
I'm a senior in college, and I am currently looking into the OCS college option, 18x, or trying to get a ranger contract. Feels like it might be a little more meaningful than hopping right into that cube life or going to colorado or utah and and smoking away a few more years of my life. I've been talking to some friends from college and high school who've done it (1 got into OCS after college, 1 went enlisted right after high school) and they both were very wary of recommending it. They seemed to say that the bureaucracy was pretty demoralizing, and one of them got kind of fucked over after 2 years and moved to a unit where they weren't doing their MOS job that they signed up for. They seemed pretty keen to be through with it, although there were parts they REALLY enjoyed at the same time.

2 Big Questions for any NSers who've done time in the Army or Military in general:
1. Is it in fact super mind numbingly boring most of the time?
2. How serious of a toll does it take on your body, realistically, could you still ski, mountain bike, run, or play with your children when your 50 after doing 4 or more years of intensive training (ie airborne, ranger, mountain warfare schools, etc)
Dec 10 2013 4:39PM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
You are the reason people hate our military. People like you deserve NO respect. None. You joined up because you were a fuck up in high school and didn't know what the hell you wanted to do with your life. You figured the army could pay your rent and you could learn some valuable "life lessons," right? Now, a few years later, you're stuck in the same place you were when you joined, still an uneducated fuck donut, and the only way you can justify your poor choices in life is by talking about how much you've learned about "patriotism" and "respect." Hoo fucking rah to that, shitcock.
Dec 10 2013 4:51PM
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987321654hgfd
Posts: 5133 - Karma: 5,447
This thread is completely retarded except for a few people who actually are in and know what they are talking about

-The military does not pay for your food as someone said. They deduct $300 a month from your pay and you don't even get the opportunity to eat half the time (or they just toss you an MRE and say fuck off).

-Do no not do an 18x/Option 40 contract without actually researching or knowing what you're getting into. Especially with an 18x contract, you're signing for a 5 year minimum to most likely end up in the 82nd which is a horrible fate.

-Right now is a terrible time to join the military. Massive budget cuts are making legitimate training rare. Massive personnel cuts means they are kicking people out for everything. Afghanistan is coming to an end which means garrison life for basically everyone but a select few. Let me tell you garrison life is fucking miserable. I would love to deploy again.

-To the guy who said joining as an officer will get you respect. Nobody respects a cherry LT. He's basically the laughing stock of his platoon. No matter which side you join on you will not join with respect. You earn it.

-To the guy who said the only people who like west point officers are other west point officers, true. Sucks when you find out your new PL/CO is from there.

-Ranger school =/= Ranger battalion. I've seen this too many times. People sign up with the option 40, which is minimum 4 years, and think they're going to ranger school.

-If you do join, sign up for the shortest possible contract they offer. You can always reenlist down the road (unless you're a piece of shit) and get some decent bonuses.

-It takes a nice toll on your body. Especially being airborne, be prepared for ankle, knee and back pain. 
Dec 10 2013 4:56PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51293 - Karma: 157,944
I wish they would ban them from setting up in high schools and trying to recruit young people. I understand it from their perspective but personally think they should get the boot.
Dec 10 2013 5:06PM
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Benson.
Posts: 2739 - Karma: 3,787
This, I would never take advice on joining the Army from someone who hasn't actually been in it. Or a biased recruiter.
Dec 10 2013 5:08PM
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Thadius.Castle
Posts: 1436 - Karma: 250
My brother is currently a MARSOC operator, (Marine Special Operations Command) it's pretty much the Marine equivalent of the Green Berets. I'm very much so interested in joining the rangers, or the military in general. He told me a few things that really put it in perspective.

-You can't just up and decide that you want to go be a ranger, or a Green Beret, or a SEAL. It's a life and mindset you're born into, and he said he saw countless guys flake out that thought training would be a breeze and they'd get to do all of the cool shit they see on TV.

-Ranger school, BUD/S, etc. Is the hardest thing you will ever experience, and you have to go into it with the mindset that you won't pass, and go day by day. This helps to break down the overall time of training. It's also rewarding when you pass a day.

-Once you pass, keep up your fitness. Be an asset to your Team/Squad/Battalion. Bring something to the table that others can't or aren't as good at.

-Make sure you are up to snuff after you get out of your training, and get into the mindset that they will have to drag you kicking and screaming out of your unit. Budget cuts are coming down hard. The Infantry is going to blow compared to a group like the rangers.

-Try to do something worthwhile in the Military and make investments that will benefit you when you get out. If you go into the rangers, there isn't much you can do there that will help you out with skills you'll want outside of the Military. My brother is a medic and is currently attending med school. This would hypothetically pay off when he is out of the Marines in four years.

Just a few things that you can think about.
Dec 10 2013 5:09PM
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DrunkRandy
Posts: 189 - Karma: 171
I think I may be able to help with the Pan-Pam dilemma.

Is the US actually still fighting for their country? ahahah all they do is go into every problemed eastern country to intervene and end up doing more bad than good. Glad I live in Canada where we're not all about violence and guns and all that other bullshit haha
Dec 10 2013 8:27PM
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Hammyslapwagon
Posts: 1261 - Karma: 1,409
Oh yeah definitely not about violence or anything

*cough* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Vancouver_Stanley_Cup_riot
Dec 10 2013 8:37PM
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BigScaryLarry
Posts: 1448 - Karma: 2,732
might i add that you really arent fighting or our freedom? youre fighting for oil. think about it like this: would you rather go and fight and probably get blown the fuck up or stay and ski and help your country in a meaningful way like starting a charity helping people in need. also i think you really need to listen to this song because it is completely relevant:
also think of all the shit you have to deal with if somehow you do make it home in one functioning piece: PTSD, bodily harm, you could be fucking crippled dude. honestly im just another stupid pacifist who thinks what he thinks but dude. Not.Fucking.Worth.It.
Dec 10 2013 8:54PM
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.squirrely.
Posts: 7563 - Karma: 7,540
.
Dec 10 2013 9:00PM
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Errl
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 451
This thread is delightful. Can't wait to get to Lackland for usaf bmt
Dec 10 2013 9:01PM
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corona
Posts: 12753 - Karma: 32,285
18,000 for the amount of work you'd do isn't much at all.
Dec 10 2013 9:04PM
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987321654hgfd
Posts: 5133 - Karma: 5,447
If you're not in the military please don't give this guy advice. You probably have no idea what you're talking about.
Dec 10 2013 9:05PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
That's the mindset that they would try to weed out. You can't be on a mission and expect to fail when failure means your team's death and/or the failure of the mission objective.
Dec 11 2013 1:23AM
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