Air Force recruiter stalking my kid.

[varmint]

First off, I don’t have much of a problem with this. She wants to be a nurse. And the military would set her well on that path.

What questions should I be asking though?

[John Rogers]

Since you never gave any info on your daughter it is hard to frame the questions such as what is her background, grade average, any college or nurse school already, ETC, ETC.

Without that the biggest worry is "pay back time" and what happens in case of failure of the Nurse program/school? I think today a recruit signs a "contract" and there might be "escape clauses" in it.

[varmint]

16
A to A-

Probably going to graduate early.

[Sunroof]

Beware....Recruiters are taught how to deal with parents, especially fathers who would prefer that their child hold off on joining the military. As an example, my son, when a senior in high school attended a Marine recruiting session and was so impressed he followed the Marine recruit along with a few other until he signed up. He was supposed to go onto College as we planned for so many years. I called the recruiter numerous times to "lay off" but he was skilled enough to avoid my wishes since my son then turned 18 and was already under his wing. As it turned out my son did join the Marines, worked as a Fire Rescue Fighter and like so many refused to complete his Anthrax vaccination series and ended up with a Bad Conduct Discharge!

Their is no guarantee that your daughter will end up being a nurse, especially if she needs to get the education first. The Air Force might say that after her service she is entitled to college tuition or may attend a local school where she is stationed with tuition being paid, but the military never guarantees anything unless you get it first in writing. Her aptitude test will reveal where her skills are for the Air Force and she can end up refueling airplanes to being a clerk typist. If on the other hand if she already is a nurse, then she would be an Officer, with great experience and pay. Be cautious dad, the military has a way and unless your daughter is just hungry to join the military I do recommend the "softer" service like the Air Force or the Coast Guard.

Ex-Air Force Sgt

[id10t]

Go to nursing school at a CC and get your ASN (2 year degree) which lets you take the RN exam and get a good job.

If she still wants to go .mil at that point, head for a BSN program, and join ROTC and she'll be off and running.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by varmint

First off, I don’t have much of a problem with this. She wants to be a nurse. And the military would set her well on that path.

What questions should I be asking though?

There are numerous programs in all services for nursing - in all services Nurses are Officers, as they should be.

Here is a good guide: https://nurse.org/resources/military-army-nurse/

I am assuming he wants to help with an ROTC program of some kind. If he/she offers any other path (enlisted medical staff, etc.) wave-off.

You are in Alaska, right?

Finstone will hopefully add to the discussion.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

.....

Finstone will hopefully add to the discussion.

Does she want to drink a beer as a teenager? If so....fint will tell ya the AF ain't for her....mebbe the Navy .

Nursing....first "path" I think of is Air Force....am I missing something?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by KC911

Does she want to drink a beer as a teenager? If so....fint will tell ya the AF ain't for her....mebbe the Navy .

Nursing....first "path" I think of is Air Force....am I missing something?

Each "service" has their own personality/mission - depends on varmints daughter's outlook on life.

[KFC911]

I assumed the Marines or Navy SEALs was the obvious path

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Sunroof

Beware....Recruiters are taught how to deal with parents, especially fathers who would prefer that their child hold off on joining the military. As an example, my son, when a senior in high school attended a Marine recruiting session and was so impressed he followed the Marine recruit along with a few other until he signed up. He was supposed to go onto College as we planned for so many years. I called the recruiter numerous times to "lay off" but he was skilled enough to avoid my wishes since my son then turned 18 and was already under his wing. As it turned out my son did join the Marines, worked as a Fire Rescue Fighter and like so many refused to complete his Anthrax vaccination series and ended up with a Bad Conduct Discharge!

Their is no guarantee that your daughter will end up being a nurse, especially if she needs to get the education first. The Air Force might say that after her service she is entitled to college tuition or may attend a local school where she is stationed with tuition being paid, but the military never guarantees anything unless you get it first in writing. Her aptitude test will reveal where her skills are for the Air Force and she can end up refueling airplanes to being a clerk typist. If on the other hand if she already is a nurse, then she would be an Officer, with great experience and pay. Be cautious dad, the military has a way and unless your daughter is just hungry to join the military I do recommend the "softer" service like the Air Force or the Coast Guard.

Ex-Air Force Sgt

Military recruiters can be pretty aggressive. Our daughter was in upper 5% of her high school class. recruiters go for the upper 10% aggressively. Yes, she was heavily recruited. But..decided to to get her RN ticket first. By the time she'd done that, didn't enlist.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

By the time she'd done that, didn't enlist.

She would not have enlisted, Paul, she would have sought a commission as an officer.

Both are honorable and worthy paths (my extended family is a cornucopia of both), but for nurses the distinction is important.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by KC911

I assumed the Marines or Navy SEALs was the obvious path

You'd be surprised how many really cool folks, men and women, seek the harder path of service as medical personnel.

Navy Corpsmen supply front-line assistance to both, btw.

[bleucamaro]

Does she want to go to college?

How financially prepared are you/her for college?

Statistically, it looks like the rate of college graduation of those using the GI bill is very low.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/04/why-is-the-student-veteran-graduation-rate-so-low/523779/

If her plan is nursing, I'd say go get her BSN. Then if she's still interested in serving, go in as an officer.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

You'd be surprised how many really cool folks, men and women, seek the harder path of service as medical personnel.

Navy Corpsmen supply front-line assistance to both, btw.

I'm just bs'ing here...

Nursing is a "harder path" too....my longtime ex-gf was a hospice nurse...special people imo...and a thankless profession for too many of 'em.

Best of luck to the OP's daughter....I got nuthin' here to add

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

She would not have enlisted, Paul, she would have sought a commission as an officer.

Both are honorable and worthy paths (my extended family is a cornucopia of both), but for nurses the distinction is important.

Actually, after getting her RN ticket, I urged her to consider the military. But by then, no interest. One of her early jobs was in a military hospital. Today? 48 years old, a consultant writing programs to upgrade medical records...or something like that. Doing well, pay scale wise, but do NOT envy her air travel time. Kind of a unique skill set to know both computer programming and medical terminology.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by John Rogers

Without that the biggest worry is "pay back time" and what happens in case of failure of the Nurse program/school? I think today a recruit signs a "contract" and there might be "escape clauses" in it.

Only when the service does not live up to their end of the bargain/contract. IE the school being overbooked, and stuck in some holding unit for an excessive amount of time ( we can give you chapter, or re-class you to the needs of the the branch which is usually a very sucky job, and if you had a bonus. you lose it). If you fail out of the school or training you will be forced reclass needs of the branch depending if you're not a dirt bag you may get to pick from a short list (depending on branch), sent out one morning on a plane, or dropped off at the gate.

That said Nurse is an O job. Nursing assistant not so much... Know what she's getting into. I recommend going to college doing AF/A-ROTC, so you're guaranteed a spot if you make selection. IF you fail OCS, you just signed a contract as an E4... That said I know one guy that failed OCS... was a salty SOB. I know plenty that enlisted with a 4 year degree, but too low of a GT score to attend OCS. they weren't as salty, but they did criminal justice degrees so thats on them.


Lastly, misconduct of recruiters/training NCO's is extremely high. They drill into your head. DON't have sex with the DEP kids, Don't have sex with the trainees. Yet they still do.

[legion]

They can promise her whatever it takes to get her to sign, and the second after she signs all bets are off. They will do with her as they please. If she's lucky, it will align with her goals.

True story. About a month before graduation I got a call from my best friend. He liked to call me and pretend to be someone else. Usually it was an exercise in how creative I could be in improvising a conversation. If I could get him to laugh, he'd usually give up and get down to why he really called.

The phone call goes like this:

Friend: "Hello Christopher. This is Sergeant Smith with the Marine Corps. What are your plans after high school?"

Me: "Well, I'm seriously contemplating suicide."

Friend: "You're not Marine Corps material." Click.

Weird. I thought for sure that would crack him up. I called him back.

Me: "That was a good one!"

Friend: "What are you talking about?"

Me: "That phone call pretending to be a recruiter. You really kept in character."

Friend: "I didn't call you..."

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by legion

They can promise her whatever it takes to get her to sign, and the second after she signs all bets are off. They will do with her as they please. If she's lucky, it will align with her goals..."

This not entirely accurate. Even back in the early 80s when I joined, I requested a specific contract for the billet I wanted. Of course they will push to meet immmediate needs but, if one is firm, it can be done. I was pursued heavily and was offered a number of “almost” billets and Nuke school but, I told them what I wanted and if they couldn’t provide that contract then I was walking. Because of that, I had to wait 10 months on delayed entry before I reported but, that time applied to time in grade for pay. I was almost a year ahead of the game when I reported for boot.

It is true that if I had washed out, I was up for grabs but, the services aren’t inclined to waste serious potential in this day of volunteer service.

She needs to know what she wants, is firm with the recruiter. Make sure the contingencies are known before signing and if she is bright, applies herself then there are many many opportunities. The experiences gained are hard to replicate and honorable military service is something she can always be proud of, not to mention well received in the civilian workforce.

[Bill Douglas]

You've got to want to join the military. I was Ministry of Defense for three years and I think I'd rather go to jail.

If she wants to be a nurse, be a nurse, but avoid those ****

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

This not entirely accurate. Even back in the early 80s when I joined, I requested a specific contract for the billet I wanted. Of course they will push to meet immmediate needs but, if one is firm, it can be done. I was pursued heavily and was offered a number of “almost” billets and Nuke school but, I told them what I wanted and if they couldn’t provide that contract then I was walking. Because of that, I had to wait 10 months on delayed entry before I reported but, that time applied to time in grade for pay. I was almost a year ahead of the game when I reported for boot.

It is true that if I had washed out, I was up for grabs but, the services aren’t inclined to waste serious potential in this day of volunteer service.

She needs to know what she wants, is firm with the recruiter. Make sure the contingencies are known before signing and if she is bright, applies herself then there are many many opportunities. The experiences gained are hard to replicate and honorable military service is something she can always be proud of, not to mention well received in the civilian workforce.

that only pertains to kids that are smart. If you have high ASVAB and college, you can get pretty much go/do anything you want.
If you got Bob off the farm and barely hits sub 30's on the asvab... You can just talk to some of those guys and realize they have a pea short in the pod. Common jobs are bottom of the barrel personnel magnets in my honest opinion. Not to bash on the mil at all, but when the common jobs are offering 40k bonus you're going to attract characters that are less then desirable. Especially with the drills being on short leashes....
Ie kids lighting rats on fire in Kuwait. I recognized there names and wasn't surprised when I heard of it happening. A lot join not for the opportunity to serve.