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?
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?