# Do I want to be 11B?



## Frisch (Jan 2, 2010)

Ok, so I know this is a question only I can answer for myself, but I reckon some constructive critism from men who have been there and done that can't hurt. First off I'm joining The Army for the right reasons in my mind. Its not about money, the free education, or because I have no where else to go. 

My ultimate end goal ,ATM, is to become a pilot, I signed a contract for 15U. Which I am very happy with and from what I understand is a pretty good step in that direction short of submiting a Warrant Office packet right from the begining. Which is what I would have done if it wasnt for my glasses. That being said, my eyes are rated 1. One of the recruiters in my station is a 15R, he said that this should not be a problem. Just get in, do my best as a mechanic, do my best to get to the 160th SOAR(A), get lasik/PRK surgery for my eyesight and drop as many packets as I can till they take me or I drop dead. While I am more than excited to get the chance to fix, and fly in the back of a hook. Maybe even get to be a Nightstalker. Possiably fly them. It seems like I would be holding my breath for a good long time.:uhh:

Now on the other side of the coin, I have this dark voice in the back of my head telling me, 11B 11B 11B!!!. Two good freinds of mine are Marine Corp Infantry. Both love what they do, one is going to renlist in The Army and continue doing it. Now as far as Infantry goes, I have almost as many delusions of grandeur about going back to meps geting a renegotiation of my contract, grabbing an 11B option 40 and getting to be an Airborne Ranger as I do about being a pilot. This way I will be getting the chance at everything I want straight up and with out all the dice tossing. The only thing I would seemingly have to worry about is my own personal performance. The only thing with this versus the aforementioned option is none of my family would speak to me till I leave for BCT, then is just crying through the phone for the next 20 years.

And for what its woth, to me at least. It seems in either one I got just as good a chance of walking on an IED, or having the bird malfuntion and just drop out of the sky, get hit by an RPG, Stopping a bullet, or just be chilling on a FOB and be at the POI for some mortar round. 

When I ask my Army Mentor about this, (Uncle by marriage, SFC with 17-18 years, 13F). I usally get a "its your path to choose, do what feels right." "Your over 18, white, and free. You can do what you want.":doh: I appreciate the guidence he has given me but he seems to stop short of out right encourgeing me to go Infantry for fear of familial retrebution or what have you. 

Sorry for being long winded but I think it covers most of it. So, any advice?


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## Rabid Badger (Jan 2, 2010)

You've come to the right place. I was 11B from 84-90 and SF from 90-04......the six years I spent Infantry helped my future career as SF as SF is a combat skill like no other.

If you're looking for 'after the Army' skills, stay in the Aviation field. If you're looking for shooter skills, 11BangBang SF is the way to go.

Now before I get jumped on by a bunch of knuckledraggn college grad-post grad Masters degreed doorkikkn knuckledraggers that say Aviation vs. SF is a non-sequitur......I'd say stay in school even while you're in the Army/Marines, SF, Aviation, and/or Infantry.

:cool:

:2c:


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## Polar Bear (Jan 2, 2010)

As a former 11 Bang Bang...I loved my time....Go Intel, Communication, EOD,  stay away from the Mechanic stuff. If you get hurt can you use your mechanic stuff in the civilian world...nope but you can use your mind


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## 8'Duece (Jan 2, 2010)

Polar Bear was too tall to go Airborne.  

If I had it to do all over again, I'd have let the Army pay me to become an X-Ray (radiography) tech.  Now I could be running the Nuclear Medicine dept at a hospital like Johns Hopkins or St Jude. 

Instead, I'm just now getting around to growing up.  

What ever way you go, just be the best at your MOS.


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## AWP (Jan 2, 2010)

Two thoughts from a non-11B type:

Do a few years as an 11B and then reclass into another MOS, just be prepared for the Army to not allow that to happen (choose a shortfall MOS to increase your odds).

The Air Force will almost always allow an airman to crosstrain into a new AFSC at the end of their first enlistment.


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## Frisch (Jan 2, 2010)

I was thinking I could always reclass into Infantry from 15U if it wasnt working out. How ever the minimum enlistment for 15U was 6 years. I dont know how long you have to wait to reclass, but 6 years is pretty long.


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## TLDR20 (Jan 2, 2010)

I would go 11B. If you have any kind of hankering to do all that highspeed running and gunning you might as well do it while you are young.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jan 2, 2010)

I’ve been an 11B going on 9 years now and I would not have changed a thing. My only regret was not going regular Army and doing the option 40 (BAC-RIP) and trying my ability with Ranger Regiment.

I have been trained in all kinds of stupid stuff that has nothing to do with being Infantry, but b/c I was there and the training was available I attended. I have spent a lot of time on shooting teams, teaching small arms, as well as combative’s. I have been boots on ground in Iraq for 27 months, 18 of those were kicking doors and killing hajji and the other 9 months was convoy security. The convoy security sucked balls, but then again it was something new and different.

I have given basic medical/ life saving treatments to fellow soldiers and Iraqis, I’ve conducted recon/surveillance, I’ve done Intel gathering and site exploitation, on spot interrogations, sniper and counter sniper operations, joint combat operations and direct combat operations, counter insurgency operations and I have trained, advised and lead Iraqi soldier in combat. All of that as an 11B!

As an Instructor I have been in charge of classes of 90 to 120 soldiers, I have trained them, evaluated them and been accountable for them.

As a convoy security truck command I have been in charge of millions of dollars of equipment and provided security for millions of dollars of equipment and supplies. 

I have been trained in record keeping, administrative duties and unit, personnel and duty reporting.

I have worked on all types of military equipment ranging from a gun truck to a M2 Bradley (the Bradley sucks to work on). I have used all types of explosives as well as played with anti-armor weapons. I have planned, trained and executed combat missions. I have operated all types of radios and communication devices, as well as messaging systems and blue force trackers. I have called in close air support and I have called in medical evacuations. I have been in the front of every other damn soldier on the battlefield, as well as in the rear.

I was on top of a building in Baghdad Iraq during the very first “free” elections providing sniper and counter sniper over watch for a voting center.

I plumbed clean water to 23 Iraqi families in bombed out buildings in southeast Baghdad.

I fed hungry kids and provided them a safe school and playground. 

I have trained thousands of soldier, airmen and sailors prior to deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan.

I have done all of this as a run of the mill 11B, some will say being an 11B is like being a jack-of-all-trades but I say it’s the best job in the US Army! Not many soldiers can honestly say they have done what I have done and not many can say they did it as a member of the US Army National Guard (weekend warrior) …

Do what you want, but my advice is enlist 11B and enjoy the job until you are ready for something else. Then do that! My body is broken now and I am looking for a new MOS (37F maybe) but my heart will always be with the Infantry!


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## Frisch (Jan 2, 2010)

J.A.B.  That is exactly the sort of experience I want out of The Army. I know I'm not gonna get that anywhere else. The worst part of it all for me is the over whelming intial pucker factor.


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## 0699 (Jan 2, 2010)

8'Duece said:


> Polar Bear was too tall to go Airborne.
> 
> ...


 
Don't think it's considered Airborne if you're tall enough to climb down from the C-130 in flight.  Yes, I envy his height... 

The one thing no one has commented on yet is your concerns about how your family will deal with you going infantry.  IMO, you need to do what you need to do.  They can either deal with it or not as a they choose.  Trust me, if they have problems with you going infantry, they will probably have problems with you joining the military.  23 years in the Corps, college degree, married for 20+ years, two great kids, good post-military job, big house; I'm still the "bad son" because I joined the military...


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## Frisch (Jan 2, 2010)

Yeah I have already been called selfish a couple times for going this far. And forget even talking about this with anyone other than my uncle. Thats the hardest egg to crack with this.  With my sister in jail, I have to carry the good child burden. Lord knows if anything happened to me the family reunion wouldn't take to long to organize. God help me if I pulled a "Its my calling" or "lifes mission for me" with them. I'd get my teeth knocked out. Nothing but a bunch of crazy Sicilians in my family.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jan 3, 2010)

Frisch said:


> The worst part of it all for me is the over whelming intial pucker factor.


 
The fears or hesitations you may have will follow you until you face them. <----- That sounds great until you are at the point of having to face them.

I was afraid to be away from my parents, family and friends when I went to OSUT, but I faced it and succeeded. There were times when I just wanted to go home, but I told my self that I need to prove my worth and show all of those people I was my own man.

I was afraid when I crossed the Kuwaiti, Iraq border to head north, but my unit was depending on me to be there and do my job. My buddies to my left and right were just as afraid but we all knew that we were needed and had a job to do.

I was afraid when my wife told me I was going to be a father, but I told my self that not only my wife but my new baby girl was depending on me to what ever it took to protect, feed and shelter them. I have and will always succeed in this, I have too.

You can be the biggest badass mofo and be afraid; it’s how you choose to face those fears and over come those fears, that makes you a man. Fear is natural and should always be with you (it will keep you alive) but you should never allow those fears to control you. Use those fears to motivate you to overcome, succeed and finish the task/mission.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jan 3, 2010)

Frisch said:


> Yeah I have already been called selfish a couple times for going this far. And forget even talking about this with anyone other than my uncle. Thats the hardest egg to crack with this.  With my sister in jail, I have to carry the good child burden. Lord knows if anything happened to me the family reunion wouldn't take to long to organize. God help me if I pulled a "Its my calling" or "lifes mission for me" with them. I'd get my teeth knocked out. Nothing but a bunch of crazy Sicilians in my family.


 
You have to be your own man, mom-dad and the family may or may not always be there, but you will always have to live with your self!


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## Frisch (Jan 3, 2010)

J.A.B. said:


> You have to be your own man, mom-dad and the family may or may not always be there, but you will always have to live with your self!



You have a way with words. your right. 100% This is the hardest thing I have had to work through in my 19 years.


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## Ranger Psych (Jan 9, 2010)

One of my team leaders in Regiment is currently a CW2? right now waggling his stick in a blackhawk... so you can still be johnny highspeed Ragnar blow shit up, then once it's out of your system go and blow shit up from the air instead...


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## varsity (Jan 9, 2010)

Go 88M.


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## Frisch (Jan 10, 2010)

varsity said:


> Go 88M.


 
Well since you put it like that I'll call the good recruiter tommorow and tell him to set me up a meps date this week, If I'm lucky I can that 88M, or if the Lord is smiling that day i will be blessed with 57E!


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## car (Jan 10, 2010)

Stay with the 15-series. I've done a lot of flying as a crew slut, and I've sat in a flt ops shop updating records.  Granted, I'm an Intel guy, but I learned a lot hanging around the flt shop. A grunt is a  grunt is a grunt. If that's what you want to do, the go, but I promise that you'll have more fun in aviation - unless you just want to suffer and kill people.

And, if you wanna fly, then being a 15-series job will give you an advantage when you put your package together.


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## Frisch (Jan 10, 2010)

Yeah, I think I'm gonna stick with 15U. I got lucky to have it show up in the first place and I'm not about to slap that gift horse. I'll do my best to get to the 160th and work on that WO track too. In the end it seems the Infantry will always be easier to get to this way then the other way around. Just got to push this anxiety out of my mind.


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## fritz.r (Dec 1, 2015)

How can one go from 11b to possibly try out for rasp? Just curious to try and absorb as much knowledge as possible. Will an opportunity come up?


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## x SF med (Dec 2, 2015)

fritz.r said:


> How can one go from 11b to possibly try out for rasp? Just curious to try and absorb as much knowledge as possible. Will an opportunity come up?



Ok...  a necropost on a 5 year old thread.   Fritz, use the search function, and look in the 75th Ranger Regiment sub forum, your answers are there.


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## fritz.r (Dec 2, 2015)

x SF med said:


> Ok...  a necropost on a 5 year old thread.   Fritz, use the search function, and look in the 75th Ranger Regiment sub forum, your answers are there.


Thank you!


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