U.S. Army Recruiters

**apollyondestrud** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 2:32pm

I've decided to join the US Army, however I've run into a snag: none of the MOS I want are presently available. I was going in for a medical oriented MOS, but given the lack of open positions in that field the recruiter is trying to push any job that is available saying there might be an opportunity to renegotiate my contract should the MOS that I want open up before I leave for basic training.

I was just told that I could go in, test, take the physical AND SIGN MY CONTRACT with the hopes of renegotiating prior to entering basic training AND IF one of my desired MOS DID NOT become available I could QUIT without consequence and simply count as a DEP Loss.

Call me cynical, but I trust the Bullshido crowd more than a guy trying to make mission. This sounds really fucking shady and I'd appreciate it if someone with some background in this sort of thing could provide some insight.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 2:39pm

This is super shady. First of all most medical MOS's are in high demand. As long as you have a decent ASVAB score you should be in no problem.

Secondly, while you can quit at any time(I mean simply just dont show up for your transport) if you wait until you're actually in reception battalion it will be a long and shitty road to get yourself out. I've seen it happen.

I assume you are going for a 68W, there should be plenty of training slots open for that. You just would have to wait for a training cycle to start over and it sounds like your recruiter is short for the month and is willing to sacrifice your future for it.

**apollyondestrud** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 2:55pm

You assume correctly. My first choice was 68W, but I'm also open to 68K and 68P if something doesn't open up.

Both my recruiter and his superior keep saying that it's unlikely ANYTHING in the 68 series will be opening up, and should one open up my chances of getting it reserved is slim UNLESS I enlist FIRST and then try to renegotiate, which would give me a greater priority. Sounds a little backwards to me. If they already had me signed they wouldn't need to go out of their way to get me that job when they could offer it to somebody else who hasn't enlisted yet.

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 3:04pm

Recruiters.

"Hey, Steve, what's up man? Sgt Smoketelli, pleased to meet you. So, working at Burger King , huh? That's a ....great uniform they give you. Yeah. Bet the chicks dig that. Listen, I don't know much about BK, they giving you thirty days paid vacation each year? No, huh? Any travel, training or anything? No? Listen, let's get a coke and a donut, my treat. Look, I'm not saying you're gonna get rich in the military, unless you're good at poker, but my wallet hasn't been empty in six years. damn, all I got is twenties and fifties, oh, here's a five. So listen, you have to pick an MOS before you go...what? Computers? No, those are all closed up right now, you don't want that anyway. You like camping?"

**Mtripp** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 4:18pm

One of the "60 minute" shows did an expose about this years ago. Their job is to fill where they have a shortage, NOT to get you what you want.

Sadly, with the economy the way it is, they can be picky. If you can't get want you want, shop around to other branches of service, take some college classes, and make YOU look better to them.

**tgace** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 5:26pm

Trust recruiters at your own risk.

**mad_malk** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 6:20pm

Do some more reserved you will find out when the mos vacancy list is sent out. It may mean delaying your entrance. Ask your recruiter to check with other recruiting stations or do it your self if they won't. That is if your heart is set on a branch and an mos.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 7:15pm

Yeah if you're over 18 you dont have to go with a recruiter in your area.

Honestly, it sounds like they are full of ****. I just re enlisted after a year out as a 68W with an additional skill identifier.

One of the few benefits the Army has over the other services is that they let you choose your job before signing. These guys are ignoring that.

My guess is that if you tell them you wont sign otherwise, they will miraculously "find" a training slot. And anyway, the recruiters have very little to do with picking your job, the career counselor at the MEPS will do this. You can go do the inprocessing(its a longass day) and then get to the career counselor and see what they say. You dont have to sign anything.

Here's the thing, I've been a 68W since it was a 91W, and I love my combat medics, but as far as transferable civilian skills, 68K is a far better choice. If you are going to go for the 68W, get an additional skill identifier, like M6. Because the regular 68W training just gets you an NREMT-Basic, which isn't worth a whole shitload in civilian life(you get trained in lot more, but it wont count in the "real" world) And believe me, Ft. Sam seems so much better when you are in the 187th and watching all the poor 232s hump there way out to Camp Bullis.

Either way, I'm glad you're considering serving, and I hope these fuckhole recruiters dont turn you off from enlisting.

**Matt Stone** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 7:54pm

It has nothing to do with going to another recruiter... If the Army isn't "hiring" for those jobs, then the Army's not "hiring" for those jobs. Period.

Understand, please, that we're in a drawdown phase. We have too many people on active duty as it is, and through the very complex process used by Human Resources Command what jobs need filling are determined and disseminated to recruiting commands.

If they're telling you that medical jobs aren't open, likely won't be open, then don't sign anything "just in case" you can "renegotiate" the contract later. If you sign, you've signed. There's no reason for the Army to "renegotiate" a contract for some enlisted man with no skills just to swap one job for another. So don't count on this being a reality.

Either pick a job that is hiring, and be happy with that, or sit back, wait, and hope that that job comes open. Expect the recruiters to become increasingly unpleasant to work with. They've already invested time and effort getting you this far; to have you pull out at the last minute isn't going to make you their best friend. They're unlikely to continue feeding you up to the minute updates on your MOS preferences.

**Whacker** · Posted On: 7/08/2010 10:59pm

I will toss out my two cents which is slightly related.

I wanted to fly planes in the military, so when the marine recruiter got a hold of me junior year in HS I went in a few times to listen and hear what they had to say, took some tests, etc etc. They ended up telling me that my eyesight wasn't good enough to fly, but all of the 'tests' they had me take came back top of the charts, so I could "sign up" and then see about "maybe they can do something to get me into flight or flight related duty later on". I told them no, my deal from the get-go was I was guaranteed path to being a pilot or not interested.

They got real nasty and real aggressive very, very quickly, to the point where my dad eventually told the recruiter that he was calling the cops if they tried to 'talk' to me again. There were never any actual threats verbalized to me, but they did on several occasions imply that bad things were going to happen to me if I backed out. It was not a pleasant experience for a 17 year old. I have no idea if things have changed, this was 14 years ago, but just beware and be prepared.

Matt's last comments just brought back some of those bad memories. Best of luck to you.