Walk out on Recruiter or MEPS Job Counselor?!?

[BC79er]

Just finished Army BCT at Ft Leonard Wood, word on the street is the Army filled their recruiting needs for the whole year already in most MOS minus Combat Medic. You'll get the white glove treatment if you say you want that, they're hard up for that arena since it's a guaranteed overseas trip when you're done at AIT. A few kids at BCT were trying for FF but that's filled so they had to take other MOS to get in at all. Supposedly transferring over to FF is easier once you're in.

[DennisTheMenace]

My son tried to enlist (Army) as a corpsman in NJ in 2007 after high school. He was days away from boot camp when MEPS called and said he was being turned away because of a hearing loss - NOT deaf, but a loss.

He recently started talking about trying again - he is now living in the midwest.

Friends there have told him to find a "hungry recruiter", one who needs to get their numbers up , and they will work the MEPS system and get him in ......

is that true?

Depends on how bad the hearing loss. It is an MD that makes the call, not the recruiter.

[SPFD7]

Hey everyone my name is John, I'm 18 and just graduate High School this past June. I'm enlisting in the Army as a 68W Healthcare Specialist "Combat Medic" on a 4 year contract sometime within the next couple of weeks. I think your correct about getting the "white glove treatment." I told my recruiter I wanted Medic and nothing else, he was more than happy to get the process rolling with me. He told me the MOS would definitely be open and he would be able to reserve a slot for me at his office, then once I get to the MEPS it will be there ready for me to sign!

I should ship out around February-March 2011. I'm excited, can't wait! Does anyone know how I could go about getting my NREMT-Paramedic while I'm in? I'd really love to get out of the military with that as I want to get on a full-time department right after I am discharged. I am already an NREMT-B and MN state EMT-B and plan on going through all of AIT even though I hear I can fast-track it to the Whiskey side. Figured what could more training hurt? Plus the Army probably trains a little different then the civilian course I went through my Senior year in HS.

BC79er, whats this about a guaranteed overseas deployment after AIT? If you could just elaborate on this more I'd appreciate it!

Thanks,
John

[LVFD301]

BC79er, whats this about a guaranteed overseas deployment after AIT? If you could just elaborate on this more I'd appreciate it!

Thanks,
John

Well, a Medic is going to be put where he is needed - and where are people getting shot and blown up right now?

[BC79er]

88Mikes (truck drivers) and 68Whiskeys are in demand overseas so Drill Sergeants told us there's no way those MOS won't be overseas within the next year or so, especially Active. About half of my platoon's Guard 88Mikes already knew their unit's deployment dates, some in February and others in June. We only had 1 68W in the company and they told him no matter what unit he got sent to he was going to be in Afghanistan before the end of 2011. He was Active also.

[SPFD7]

Thanks for the reply. And yes I am aware Medics are needed where people are getting shot and blown up, I just wanted BC79er to elaborate more on what he meant, when their deploying, whos deploying etc.
I know 68W's can be both with an Infantry unit on the line and in a hospital/clinic, but what are the chances of me (being male) going with an infantry unit? I'd much rather be out in the field working with the grunts than in a cozzy hospital.

Thanks,
John

[BC79er]

I would guess the fresh meat ends up in infantry units and those with more time in get the hospital assignments. Don't know for sure either way since I'm a newbie to it all, just going off of what I got out of our CLS instructors at Basic.

[DennisTheMenace]

I would guess the fresh meat ends up in infantry units and those with more time in get the hospital assignments. Don't know for sure either way since I'm a newbie to it all, just going off of what I got out of our CLS instructors at Basic.

There is no rhyme or reason on where the military will assign someone, you go where there is an opening based on the priority that manpower has given the billet. Could mean you get sent to a hospital/clinic to train up more, or it could mean you check into a unit that is deploying in a week.

[FWDbuff]

There is no rhyme or reason on where the military will assign someone, you go where there is an opening based on the priority that manpower has given the billet. Could mean you get sent to a hospital/clinic to train up more, or it could mean you check into a unit that is deploying in a week.

Funny story about that- My mom grew up in a zinc and coal mining town about 75 miles north of Philly. Her dad worked the railroad, her mom worked doing sewing. They didn't have indoor plumbing until my mom was 12. All throughout her childhood they never had a pot to **** in. So when my mom graduated high school, she wanted to become a nurse, and enlisted in the USN to become a Hospital Corpsman. She figured she could use the GI Bill to get money for nursing school. Anyways she enlists, and since she never left the confines of Central Pennsylvania, she requested Germany, or Italy, or Japan as her assignment. Where did she get placed???? downtown South Philadelphia, Pa. Naval Hospital.

You wanna talk about ****ED!!!!!

[eodcheese]

OK so I know there is a lot of threads on this topic already but I have one specific question that I need help/advice with!
I have already been to a total of 3 local Air Force recruiters in the area which I live in and all have been unsuccesful in getting me 3E7X1 Fire Protection Apprentice guaranteed. I have a couple more I can call. That's all I want to do in the Air Force and I have literally read posts on here from 8-10 different people that have said they have gotten Fire Protection guaranteed in their contract, none of that "list 4-5 jobs and a career field" BS. I have also read countless posts/threads of people that have gotten it guaranteed on other sites such as yahoo answers, firefighting forums etc. So I know I can get it, I just have the worst luck in finding the right recruiter!

So my question to all of you who have gotten Fire Protection guaranteed is and/or know how to get it guaranteed is how do I get it!!???? I know I need to go into the recruiters office, tell them I want Fire Protection or nothing without being an a**hole about it, and dont let them talk to me about anything but Fire Protection. I know I need to lead the conversation and all of that. But I dont know whether to walk out on the recruiter if he/she says they cant get it for me? Or should I go along with their BS, go to MEPS, and if I cant get the job guaranteed walk out from the MEPS?

HELP! Please this is my future, and all I want to do. I know ya fellas are probably sick of us kids asking questions but you're truly helping us out! I got to get this guaranteed, otherwise I'll be joining either the Army or Navy which arent bad but I want USAF.

Thanks fellas, I truly truly appreciated it. Any tips, advice, what to say, etc. is greatly accepted!
Also if anyone has the name/number/location of their recruiter that got you your contract and lives someplace in the Midwest, I'm willing to travel to get this guaranteed!

To the OP: The idea that the AF recruiter needs you is years old now. Remember that we are overbooked with candidates right now (hence the lack of waivers and prior-service entry slots!) Your recruiters may very well be telling the truth when they say they do not have any slots available for GTEP. The AF is trying to draw down manning in many career fields, and across the board in general. Many recruiters are only required to place one trainee a month into training. Not that hard considering today's economic environment. Best of luck to you, if Fire Protection is what you have your heart set on, don't let anyone disuade you. Just know the reality of the current recruiting climate.

[Desire4theJob]

To the OP: The idea that the AF recruiter needs you is years old now. Remember that we are overbooked with candidates right now (hence the lack of waivers and prior-service entry slots!) Your recruiters may very well be telling the truth when they say they do not have any slots available for GTEP. The AF is trying to draw down manning in many career fields, and across the board in general. Many recruiters are only required to place one trainee a month into training. Not that hard considering today's economic environment. Best of luck to you, if Fire Protection is what you have your heart set on, don't let anyone disuade you. Just know the reality of the current recruiting climate.

Good point. Maybe you should take your asvab first talk later. Kick *** on the asvab then see what branch will give you what. And don't let any recruiter tell you you have to go through the MEPS process to take the asvab, anybody can take it.

[164thDelta]

Check out the Air Guard. There are a few jobs out there in the Air Guard. I did a deployment last year as an Air Guard firefighter. Same school,same courses, same pay while you are active.

[DennisTheMenace]

Good point. Maybe you should take your asvab first talk later. Kick *** on the asvab then see what branch will give you what. And don't let any recruiter tell you you have to go through the MEPS process to take the asvab, anybody can take it.

Careful with kickingbutt on the ASVAB, many a Marine and Soldier has come out of Boot Camp/Basic Training with much higher scores than required for their dream MOS and gotten stuck in other jobs in the Occupational Field. IE. someone wants Combat Engineers or CFR, both Combat Support Fields, but their high scores get them put in CBNR or Intel; happaned to me, turned out for the best by far, but was a kick to the gut when it first happaned.

Essentially the only way that you really KNOW for sure about the MOS you are getting is if you signed up to be a Grunt(and even that is no longer for sure) or they have given you a contract with a bonus for a specific MOS(not too many of those these days). Even those require that you stay on your training track with not hold backs in Boot Camp.

Join the Military to fullfil your desire to serve your Nation and for what it gives you as a person. If you are joining for the job training and a specific civilian career post-discharge you will likely be disappointed and miserable for four years.

[2769crow]

Being that I am a Recruiter and have been for the last 7 years, I think I can shed some light on the subject. My background is that I was an Active Duty Recruiter for the Army for 4 years and am now a Recruiter for the National Guard. The common misunderstanding is that people believe the Recruiter is the one who writes the contracts, they do not. The actual contract is written by the Guidance counselors at the MEPS. If you go the MEPS and they can't give you what you want then walk out, no big deal. But it is true that we keep track of everyone who bounces around from recruiter to recruiter. The rules change all the time so if another Airmen was Gauranteed a specific MOS/JOB that may no longer be the case. GOOD LUCK

[AFButters]

It is possible to get a 3E7X1 billet in the Air Force. Possible, but incredibly rare. There are so many people that want that job, and not enough openings.

My first trip to the recruiters office, I said, "I want to be an Air Force firefighter." The recruiter said, "What do you have to offer?"

So I showed him my Firefighter II certificate. He called up the Job Counselor at MEPS, and we were on our way. How did I walk in, tell the recruiter that I want a specific job, and get a trip to MEPS? I was what they call exceptionally qualified.

The fact that my vision is too bad to be a firefighter in in the AF is beside the point. If you want to walk into a recruiters office or a job counselors office at MEPS and make a demand, you better have what the Air Force wants. If you have a FFII ticket, which means that they can jump you ahead during tech school, thereby costing less money on training, and getting you fully qualified faster, they are going to think a little harder about you.

[fire49]

Way to go

Good info

So are you in and past tech school?????

[AFButters]

Graduated basic 5 years ago. Enjoying my time as a flight medic stationed in Germany.

[fire49]

Germany is a great place

Can hop to many places

[AFButters]

Don't need to hop when it's your job to fly to those great many places. Haha. Even though I have only been in Italy a total of about 2 hours, I can still say that I've been there!

[fire49]

Hay
Me too on the way to sunny Athens


So did you switch from fire to medic?????