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In my case they told me I could choose where I was stationed. It turns out what they really meant is I could choose the TYPE of base I was stationed at. Of cour
by Tactic 10y ago
In my case they told me I could choose where I was stationed. It turns out what they really meant is I could choose the TYPE of base I was stationed at. Of course during the paperwork they had me sign that I would like a particular type of base saying I had to take that type for my job, not realizing what was going on, I did what I was told.
This is their tactic more than out-and-out lying, they take advantage of your lack of experience with the rules, regulations and verbiage. And they are your only guide through the red-tape, so you follow.
Similarly they told me the job I wanted (computer programming) was not available because it was full since so many people wanted it and recommended electronics on attack helicopters as it was at least technical. (So I did it.) What they didn't say was that new classes open every week, so while the one he showed me was full, the next one wasn't. (Had I balked I believe a class would have had a "sudden opening".) Or that while there were technically electronics it was really just black box replacement and the real work was on the weapons themselves and involved little to no relevant electronic experience.
Again... not out-and-out lies, but certainly to the military's benefit more than your own.
- linkregister 10y agoI'm guessing ADA Programmer was getting phased out anyway (it disappeared in 2002). Or was there another programmer MOS around that time period? I don't know of any subsequent programmer MOS's. Some soldiers and sailors program now but those are very limited cases for the "Cyber" Brigades, and not on any table of organization. In that case it sounds like the recruiter barely knew what went into O-level avionics so he or she guessed and said it was electronics-heavy. You now know that it's the I-level or Depot level techs that actually do troubleshooting with multimeter/oscilloscope, but only because you were involved in the Avionics field.
- Tactic 10y agoThis was back in '85 ;) And while the skills may not have been applicable these days the work experience in the field at that time surely would have been. To be fair the 10 month training for 68-J did include classes on circuits, resistors, etc... not that we ever used it.
- linkregister 10y agoYeah the programmer MOS would have been great experience. Especially since the GI Bill benefits were pretty paltry in the 80s-90s (though college was way cheaper!). I totally agree that the negotiation required to get a specific MOS is well above the ability of most 20-year-olds. That sucks about the recruiter lying about the school being full.