Introduction (enlisting 18x)

[Jack Dalton]

Hello,

My name is Jack. I have been a long-time lurker here, but I suppose it is finally time for me to fully join the forum.

I tend to read exponentially more than I post, but I will do my best to contribute to the boards in the areas that I have knowledge or experience.

I recently graduated from college with my four year degree, but my true passions have little to do with what is on my diploma.

I have met with an Army recruiter and my initial scores qualify me for 18x. Serving my country as a Special Forces soldier has been a goal and dream of mine for as long as I can remember.

I have no doubt that the journey will be long and arduous, but I am excited to finally begin the process.
Thank you all for having me here and providing a venue with such a wealth of information.

I look forward to meeting many of you.

God bless America.

- Jack

 

[Grunt]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Jack Dalton]

Thank you for the welcome, Agoge.

 

[Muppet]

Welcome.

M.

 

[Red Flag 1]

Welcome to SS. I'm sure that in your lurking time, you've noted we have a fair number of 18's here. If you haven't already, take a look at our Special Forces Mentorship program too. Best of luck to you.

 

[AKkeith]

Welcome.

 

[reed11b]

Welcome.
Reed

 

[Jack Dalton]

Muppet, Red Flag, AKkeith, Reed -- Thank you all for the welcome.

Welcome to SS. I'm sure that in your lurking time, you've noted we have a fair number of 18's here. If you havem't already, take a look at our Special Forces Mentorship program too. Best of luck to you.

Thank you, Red Flag. The Mentorship program is definitely something that caught my attention early on. It seems like a fantastic resource and it is quite generous of those individuals who have "been there and done that" to guide those who aspire to join them.

 

[Deleted member 2517]

Welcome! Don't take any shit from recruiters- 18X or bust. Have fun on sand hell. Good luck.

 

[Jack Dalton]

Mods: I know this is the introduction thread, so if my response does not belong here, I will delete it or place it in an appropriate thread.

Welcome! Don't take any shit from recruiters- 18X or bust. Have fun on sand hell. Good luck.

Thanks, DasBoot. I appreciate the advice. I've already been faced with quite a few obstacles from the recruiters that I've dealt with. I in no way expect to be treated like a special snowflake that the recruiters should swoon over, but I had hoped that I'd have my questions answered and be treated respectfully. Instead, the recruiters have tried to bully me into signing whatever they put in front of me and then try and make me feel like an idiot when I question them.

When I first went in there and took the pre-ASVAB test, I ended up scoring very well. They sat me down with one of them sitting across from me and two others standing around me and told me that 18X was hard to get and that if they could not get get that for me, I'd need to sign up regardless for whatever MOS's they could get.

They said they could guarantee me 11B and that because I was physically fit, I could just volunteer for SFAS at OSUT. From talking with prior and current SF soldiers, I knew that there was no guarantee of picking up an SFAS slot during OSUT. Of course, I alway want to be respectful, and told them that I had no intention of wasting their time, but that if my contract was not 18x, then I am not signing and would wait for a slot to open up.

They didn't like that and proceeded to tell me that I was acting "retarded" and that I was "not willing to compete for a slot during Basic." They also claimed that whoever told me to make sure 18X was in my contract were "a bunch of idiots who didn't do what they needed to." When I told him that soldiers in Special Forces had told me that, he finally fell silent

Besides the intimidation tactics, the amount of misinformation is insane. I don't expect an Army recruiter to be an expert on every MOS or fully understand every little nuance in the Army, but I thought they'd at least know the difference between RASP and Ranger School, or the difference between Special Forces and SOF.

I know that most military recruiters are upstanding and honorable men and women, and different recruiting stations probably have vastly different cultures. My experiences have made the process more difficult, but I am rolling with the punches -- this will hardly be a blip on the radar compared to the challenges I am sure I will be facing down the way. Since this is one of the only times I will have much control with what happens to me when it comes to my future in the Army, I am just going to follow the advice I have been given and stick to my guns.

Sorry for the long tirade. Your advice echoed what others have told me -- hopefully others take heed. Thanks again!

 

[antnyc]

Welcome.
New guy here also.

 

[CDG]

Welcome to the site.