Enlistment Options

A

AKguy

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Joined
May 17, 2016
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Hello Shadowspear members. I am in a somewhat "unique" situation and could use some guidance. I just got out of the National Guard after 3 years of service. I am an E4 11b looking to enlist into active duty and serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment with my current mos. I REALLY do NOT want to reclass.

The issue I'm facing is that my recruiters are basically telling me that if I go to meps and the option 40 contract I need is not available, I need to pick something else then and there or else they will no longer assist me in my enlistment. I'm willing to wait for it but was told they will not. They also told me that all of the recruiting offices in neighboring cities all fall under the same command and I would essentially be blacklisted because it shows "I don't have commitment to the Army". Now I'm not sure if this is true or not but that's what they told me, and if it is I have only one shot at enlistment.

This brings me to my options. These are some roads I have looked into but I am not quite sure of their viability:

-Pray I can get an 11b with op40
-Try and get 11b with an airborne contract and volunteer at airborne school
-Or the Shitbag option: get 18x and try to get my contract changed at airborne school(last resort, and I'm not sure if its even possible)

Any advice is appreciated, and thank you.
 
Why not wait until the option 40 contract IS available, and THEN go to MEPS. Can the recruiters not tell you in advance? That seems pretty simple for them to figure out.

Am I missing something?

EDIT: I find it interesting that prayer is your first option...
 
No, according to them because I am considered prior service they cannot see what jobs are available to me from their office. They cannot reserve a slot for me like they could for a non prior service individual. Everything is done at MEPS.
 
Oooof. That sucks.

I think option #2 is your best bet. I have it from first hand sources that as of last November, they are offering RASP to qualified soldiers graduating from infantry basic training and/or airborne school.

My opinion and $2 will buy you a cup of coffee at Wawa...
 
I'm not disputing the OP, but I am trying to understand A) how a recruiter can't see what's available for a PS enlistee and B) you go to MEPS and have to take it or leave it.

Is the goarmy.com chat still running? It might be worth going there just to validate what you're being told.
 
AWP said:
I'm not disputing the OP, but I am trying to understand A) how a recruiter can't see what's available for a PS enlistee and B) you go to MEPS and have to take it or leave it.

Is the goarmy.com chat still running? It might be worth going there just to validate what you're being told.
Click to expand...

To answer your questions AWP:

A) The recruiters told me all prior service contracts must be pulled from the ROC at MEPS so they cannot guarantee that there will be option 40s available for my mos. They cannot reserve a contract for me like they can for an initial entry enlistment, which means I can't wait until it is available for me to go to MEPS. This means I have to go to MEPS to pick a contract. I was told I could keep my mos and choose a duty station, but no guarantee of an option 40 or an option 4(aiborne).

B) The recruiters basically told me that if they send me to MEPS and I do not enlist the first time, they would be unwilling to send me again and would stop working with me. I'm not opposed to trying a different office, but they told me all of the offices in the nearby cities fall under the same command and they would "blacklist" me because I'm "not committed to the Army, only to a specific job." They don't want to waist their time with me.

I'm going to call nearby cities and see if they give me the same answers.
 
Your recruiter is a sh*tbag. Plain and simple. It’s your life, your career. If MEPS doesn’t have the contract you want, I wouldn’t sign something different... and if the recruiter stops working for you then fire his ass and move on to the next one.

They aren’t going to blacklist a prior service guy for wanting to take his service to the next level.
 
Duke said:
Your recruiter is a sh*tbag. Plain and simple. It’s your life, your career. If MEPS doesn’t have the contract you want, I wouldn’t sign something different... and if the recruiter stops working for you then fire his ass and move on to the next one.
Click to expand...
Which is what I was prepared to do but according to him all recruiters in the area are under the same commander who won't want to help me. Worse comes to worse ill drive a few hours to go to a recruiter that uses a different meps station.
 
They also told me that they want my word that I'll sign up the first trip up to MEPS before they'll even send me the first time.
 
AKguy said:
They also told me that they want my word that I'll sign up the first trip up to MEPS before they'll even send me the first time.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t lie to him and say you’ll sign and then not sign, as then he‘d have some ammunition. Another recruiter in the area will likely be more willing if it means filling his quota.
 
AKguy said:
They also told me that they want my word that I'll sign up the first trip up to MEPS before they'll even send me the first time.
Click to expand...
Tell them to eat a fucking dick. That recruiter is way, way out of line. I will echo @Duke- send us their stations contact info. Everything you have said- if it is 100% truthful- is the reason people don’t trust recruiters.
If you haven’t, submit your info to these guys and use the contact info to link up with them

75th Ranger Regiment Army USASOC Ranger United Staes
 
DasBoot said:
Tell them to eat a fucking dick. That recruiter is way, way out of line. I will echo @Duke- send us their stations contact info. Everything you have said- if it is 100% truthful- is the reason people don’t trust recruiters.
If you haven’t, submit your info to these guys and use the contact info to link up with them

75th Ranger Regiment Army USASOC Ranger United Staes
Click to expand...
Roger DasBoot, I sent them an email about my current situation. Thank you.
 
If you're telling the truth, your recruiter is a limp dick fuck boy, and a terrible excuse of an NCO.

I'd go to another recruiter just out of principle even if it's under the same recruiting command, just to try and call his bluff.

I agree with my boys though, if you get black listed I'd love to call and chat with them.
 
Last edited:
DZ said:
If you're telling the truth, your recruiter is a limp dick, fuck boy and a terrible excuse of an NCO.

I'd go to another recruiter just out of principle even if it's under the same recruiting command, just to try and call his bluff.

I agree with my boys though, if you get black listed I'd love to call and chat with them.
Click to expand...
Definitely going to try somewhere else. It wasn't my specific recruiter telling me this, it was the head honcho at the office (I'm not sure how leadership works in recruiting, he wasn't a 1sg)who when calling meps to ask questions kept referring to me as a hard sell. My recruiter was just quiet during the whole exchange.
 
Get a different recruiter. I’ve been pursuing a conditional release from the Guard for 9 months now. My AD recruiter told me the exact opposite.

My understanding is, because you’re prior service you DO NOT have to go to MEPS until you’ve reserved a contact you actually like. I was told I’d have to go to the recruiting office, pick out a contract to reserve and then head to MEPS whenever I picked out a contract. Obviously those contracts are within reason, see the new Prior Service Business Rules posted at the end of February. According to your post, you’re 11B and have under four years AD, should be fine.

Call a different recruiter. A technique I’ve used is play dumb and call them. Don’t explain yourself until you have them on the phone or a visit in person.

Good luck and keep us in the loop.
 

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