04 December 2017 18X Contract Sign Help

[HemingwaysPen]

Good evening, gentlemen


On Monday, 04 December 2017, I'll be at MEPS to sign my contract, pick a job, etc. There is plenty of conflicting information on the web and I don't fully trust what my recruiter tells me so I'm interested in info from the horse's mouth.

No ifs, ands, or buts, I want an 18X contract. I told my recruiter this and his response was, "You're qualified, and as long as there's a slot, it won't be a issue." He added that I should have a backup, just in case. I've heard horror stories of promises for an 18X contract but 'they' were then stuck as an 11B after basic and spent their career raking cigarette butts. I'd rather not be forced into a different contract with promises that I'll be send to SFAS eventually, because I know that will be a bold faced lie.

My question is: How do I absolutely guarantee that I receive and sign ONLY an 18X contract and that I am then sent to OSUT, Airborne, SFPC, and then SFAS, provided that I meet all requirements therein? What should I expect at MEPS when talking to a career counselor?


Thank you

 

[Il Duce]

Do not sign a contract for anything you don't want to do. If you want 18X don't sign a contract for anything else. Anything your recruiter tells you that is not reflected in a contract is likely a lie.

 

[HemingwaysPen]

I understand.

As long as I meet the requirements and have an 18X contract, is it right to assume that the Army is contractually obligated to put me through the pipeline?

 

[Il Duce]

The Army is obligated to fulfill the terms of the contract - as long as you maintain eligibility i.e. fitness, behavior, medical. You can fail at any time by not meeting standards - that part will always be the risk.

 

[HemingwaysPen]

And I'm willing to take the risk. I know the chances are against me.

Acknowledging that risk, if I fail anywhere in that pipeline, am I then assigned to an infantry unit for the rest of my days or will I have the opportunity to try again at some point, or choose another job?

If I'm injured at SFAF or SFQT, is it like Navy BUD/S in that I'll be rolled back to a previous class to heal and reenter training or am I completely dropped and assigned to an infantry unit?

 

[AWP]

And I'm willing to take the risk. I know the chances are against me.

Acknowledging that risk, if I fail anywhere in that pipeline, am I then assigned to an infantry unit for the rest of my days or will I have the opportunity to try again at some point, or choose another job?

If I'm injured at SFAF or SFQT, is it like Navy BUD/S in that I'll be rolled back to a previous class to heal and reenter training or am I completely dropped and assigned to an infantry unit?

All of that varies. You become "needs of the Army" and a number of 11B's found themselves reclassed to a support MOS within Group. An 18x gets you in the door, everything else is on you. You should also understand the Army changes policy every so often. We can tell you that "x" will happen, but if the Army changes something in the interim? Our advice is nowe invalid but that's out of our hands. "You pays your money and you takes your chances."

I can't speak to injuries, but I'll wager that can change too.
Good luck.

 

[TLDR20]

An 18X contract doesn’t really guarantee you anything. You could for example be a shitbagand quit during basic or OSUT. You could fail the PT test to go to Airborne school. You could fail Airborne. You could fail a PTtest at SOPC, or more likely you will quit at SOPC. The last and most likely is that you won’t be selected. All those things prevent access to the pipeline, and you will probably fall victim to one of them.

Then you have to remember you still have the high attrition of the Qcourse in front of you.

 

[HemingwaysPen]

Understood. Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Dragoon5G]

Also, IF you did go ahead and get 11B, don't freak out about it, and don't worry about getting Ariborne, unless your plan was to stay Big Army.

Why do I say this, a few reasons

1 - Most 11B post, not all, but most, will have a Special Forces Recruiting center on post. They had one at mine, Ft Stewart. Bragg will, Campbell, Lewis, Drum, and Benning will and probably a few others. These are open "Recruiting" centers, very similar to the ones you interact with as a civilian, difference is these guys are SF or waiting to go to selection, or Q.
Or hell, if you got lucky and stationed in Europe somewhere, I say do that for you 1st term, THEN come back and and go to selection. Live it up Europe style.
Side note, I say "don't worry about Airborne" because once you go through Selection, they'll send you to Airborne OR if you're already qualified, you just skip that part, I believe, but you may want to research that.

2 - It's not a "bad" idea to go for 11B for the first year or so. Learn tactics and shooting, learn marching and team work, the basics to Land Nav. All these skills need to be learned, and you don't want to be "learning" them, at least I don't, while you're being grading under the most stress you will have probably gone through thus far. Do your research, get shape, not big, but SF shape. Buy the book Get Selected, read that shit front to back over and over again, and if you can get a deployment 1st, even better.

3 - After a year or so, or is it the rank of SPC, either way, that's like a year, you can walk over to the SF recruiter, talk to them, they will give you a PT Test, and Ruck, you pass and they'll start looking for your Selection date. You get that on a crisp piece of paper that should have a Report Date on it and take it to your Platoon SGT and he'll pass it on up the chain and that should be it. Now to be clear I have heard stories of COL's not letting a soldier go, but I believe those would be special circumstances and NOT the norm.

Special Forces' abilities are needed and wanted by the military badly. If you want to go, they want you there.

This is just my, "11B could be a good idea too" thought. This was my experience, so don't be to harsh in you thought process.

Hope this helps a little to calm the mind, and good luck in all your endeavors, DON'T take my word for it, do your own research.

Dragoon5G
Hang Tough, Stand Fast and Rattle them Bones.

 

[HemingwaysPen]

I appreciate the feedback. I'll roll with whatever punches come. I figured I'd be foolish not to do as much research and get as many questions answered as I can before signing and shipping out. I was supposed to sign this past week but they moved my signing to next week. I see your point that infantry experience would great preparation. It's certainly something to think about.