1ZlowZ

Hey everybody,

I want to join the Army or something like it, I'm 16 so I don't know if I can but, it doesn't have to be the Army it could be boot camp or something to prepare me for the Army. I want to be prepared for when I join the real thing. Is there any place that will ship me off to a different city or state for boot camp free of charge, my parents are in a financial bind and can't afford to pay for extra stuff right now. Thanks, much appreciated!

-1ZlowZ

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-Victor S.

I10cruiser

you can join an explorer program . .i know cops and federal jobs have them i think

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1ZlowZ

Will I be living away from? I want that. I want a boot camp type thing.

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-Victor S.

1989rps13

You shouldnt join until you talk to people that have actually been there. My cousin and step brother have both been in the military. My cousin served time in Iraq and tells me and all the other male family members not to because its just brainwashed and they dont really give a shit about you. My brother on the other hand loves it. Why? cause he never went to serve time in the iraq war and he joined when he was 18 like many do not knowing what to do with their lifes. For him it was great cause he didnt go and serve time but now he has to go since he signed another contract. Just think it twice man once you sign your theirs for four years i believe. Anyways Gl with your choices if you go anywhere near them though they try ANYTHING to lure you in..

cc4usmc

I believe you can enter the DEP (Delayed Entry Program), then when you turn 17 have your parents sign a waiver so that you may join. While in the DEP program you will train, somewhat. There is no reason to prepare, as long as you're mentally strong you can make it. While you may have the idea that the DI's are your enemy, they are not, and they want you to make it as long as you put forth effort. But I'm no recruiter and certainly can't speak for the Army, as I was unimpressed with their recruiters. So my suggestion to you is go speak to a recruiter.

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mrmephistopheles

You need to finish High School or have a GED before you can enter the military.
If you're 17 and meet requirements, your parents can sign a waiver for you to enter.

You're 16, so I'm not inclined to believe you really know what you want. Don't take this as me ragging on you because you're young - it's not that. My guess is that life might suck living with your 'rents right now, but that's a fact of life for most teenagers. My advice is to research the military, finish highschool, get into college if you can, and enjoy your little remaining time of limited responsibility. After you become an adult, life just isn't as carefree.

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1ZlowZ

Since I'm 16 I can't do anything? I read a little about the DEP, what it is basically is they reserve a slot for me for when I'm 17 and have the waiver signed? They teach me things and I go up a rank before I even begin basic training? That can't be done until I'm 17 right? Damn... I want to join the Army bad, or something similar to it meanwhile.

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-Victor S.

cc4usmc

No, no, no. There's no reserving of spots, there are plenty to spare lol. You wont go up in rank either. You don't have a rank until you graduate bootcamp. You can however get promoted when you graduate if you get a bunch of your friends to join as well. All you do is meet up every weekend, do a little PT, and somethings that have activities. The short time I was in we went paint balling and to the shooting range. If you're nowhere near graduating, the best thing for you to do right now is focus on graduating. Only then can you join and go to bootcamp.

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VQMaxFan

I thought that you didnt need a high school diploma to join the army or marines anymore? I thought i heard about it a year or 2 ago.

cc4usmc

^Well that would be ridiculous, Marines are already dumb enough as it is.

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spikNspan

sounds like this kid has been playing way too much COD4 if you ask me.

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touge monster

Two years is a long time kid. Take your time researching your options, the military is always going to be there so don't rush into anything. Just make sure 110% percent it's what you want to do before you enlist. You've got a lot of maturing to do the next two to three years and your goals will change. I'm 99% positive. But when the time comes and you're ready to make that decision, make sure you've made the right one.

couldn't agree more.

1ZlowZ

I don't play any video games. At all or watch TV or any of that. My room just has weights, guitar and, my computer which has nothing but Mozilla and a couple songs. Life with my parents doesn't suck We all get along well. Its just that I'm getting impatient, I started skating, I gave up its too boring. Biking too boring, only thing I do right now is play my guitar but it sucks, I can't even afford to get a 100$ cheap-o guitar. I just want to be able to join the Army already, I've wanted to since I was little so I know its what I really want. I'll talk to my teacher tomorrow, I guess I just wanted to ask here since some people have gone to USMC or the Army. I'll look into the DEP.

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-Victor S.

cc4usmc

Like I said, focus on school first. Do you have any idea what you want to do once you get in? Any job in mind?

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RedStage

Like the others said, there isn't anything that will take you to a boot camp type environment where you can live until shipping out for boot camp.

From what I'm reading into your posts, you are trying to make things easier on your parents by not being a burden to them.

If that is part of it, I commend you on wanting to do something to help your parents in what seems like a situation where money may be tight.

If that is the case, then if there are any places that you can work, maybe you can help your parents that way? Sounds to me like you have a little more maturity than some of the people that have posted are giving you credit for.

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Marc - Yokohama, Japan

HyperTek

my hat is off to you, soo young and wanting to support the country!

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Keep it Classy

Marcus

Is there a JROTC program at your hs? if so, join it.

not sure how reliable the source was, but i heard 70% of JROTC cadets dont end up joining.

anyway, the program will help you learn basic basic military structure. if you join an AJROTC program and if you are in the program for 2 years, upon boot camp graduation, you will hold some kind of rank. im not sure of the details, but it helps. not starting off from 0


anyway, good luck with the family and your decision.

jdm538

by the way you described your surroundings you lead me to believe you are a bored meathead. have you ever thought of going off to college? the best time in life is moving out and dorming the 1st year in college. you can also join the army ROP military program they provide at universities im sure it will suffice your bootcamp desire while completing school in the end if you graduate from college you can become an officer.

soreballz

First post should be changed to...
"Hi Zilvians! I'm sixteen years old, and I really want to start making poorly thought out decisions that might very well fuck up my life as soon a possible! How can I go about joining the Army?"


As others have said, sign up for an ROTC program.

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-Kyle

spikNspan

the military hasn't supported the country in a long time bud, at least imo they haven't. we start shit with other countries when it isn't our place.

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cc4usmc

Well I take great offense to that. Of course you're speaking out of your ass, because you know nothing of what you speak about.

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spikNspan

^^ actually I was speaking clearly out of my mouth when I said that and I truly believe in what I said. If you don't then that's your opinion and I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise. I'm entitled to my opinion as you are yours.

here's one statement to back up my opinion... lets see, we are spending billions of dollars a year trying to liberate other countries while our own country is falling into a huge financial crisis. It's just ridiculous if you ask me, we should be spending government money to try and improve our own country, not a country on the other side of the world that has nothing to do with us.

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cc4usmc

Convince me of what? I actually know both sides, but do you? No, you don't. You might believe what you say, but that does not add any credibility to it. You talk like us "dumb kids" had any control over where we went or what we did. I know, and I can probably speak for a lot of the people that joined and fought, that we would have rather done that and risked our lives then live a live you'll most likely end up living. We were apart of something you'll never know. What you're talking about isn't something to be talking lightly about so when you go throwing your opinion around...all I ask is that you show some respect. If you have a problem with that, please PM me. I don't want this thread to go off subject.

EDIT: I really hope you PM me, that statement you provided to re-enforce your opinion has nothing to do with the insulting comment you made.

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spikNspan

In no means am I trying to disrespect individuals wanting to serve their country. What I was trying to say is that the position that we've been put in is the fault of our own government and noone else. It's all about money, and someone high up is making a shit load of it right now.

edit: I'm gonna change the "dumb kid" comment because that's not the message I was trying to portray, I meant that for the kid who started this thread alone, and no one else.

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cc4usmc

That "dumb kid" is making the same decision tens of thousands of people before him have made, including me. It is not the kid that is dumb, it goes much higher.

I support him, only I hope that he pays attention to every word and everything he signs, so that he get's the most he can out of his time in, should he serve. One piece of advise I will give, is that while you're in, make sure that you pick a job (not sure what the Army calls it) that will teach you something that you can use when you get out. The infantry was cool and all, but when you put that on paper.. it doesn't add up to much.

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RedStage

That's OK...that "Dumb kid" will support and defend your right to call him a "Dumb kid".... it's what we do.

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Marc - Yokohama, Japan

ThatGuy

The Military doesn't support the Country?

You are obviously making the same foolish assumption as most of the sheep in the United States in this day and age. You are confusing the Military with the Government.

The Military does not make decisions to go to War.
The Military does not pick their opponents.

The Military does support and defend this country, however the government sees fit.
The Military does face all the same hardships facing the rest of the country, plus lose some of the same rights we defend.

I'll ask you, nicely, to not post such things again.

I'll ask everyone else to kindly get back to the Topic at hand and give this kid your actual experience. If you don't have Military experience, then don't advise him about the Military. If you still feel the need to post, then suggest other avenues for him to consider.

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RedStage

/\ Well put

Another recommendation for the OP.

Talk to a recruiter early and find out about taking the ASVAB (Armed Service Vocational Apptitude Battery)
The better you do on this test can make a huge difference in your career field options.

Score low...get the bad jobs, score high and you can get a better selection of career fields. The recruiter may have study materials for you to help prepare for the ASVAB.

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Marc - Yokohama, Japan

cc4usmc

I couldn't have said it any better.

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j4d3_h4v0k

i recommend, as others have already, that you join, if available, jrotc at your school i did 2 years of that and was told that if chose to enlist it's 2 pay grades higher than the individual who walks in off the street, plus you get experience that will help you when you actually get into the service, but make sure its what you want to do, cuz once you sign, as stated before, you're theirs for 4 years and take cc4usmc's advice to heart if you dont plan on being a career military man pick a job to train in that will benefit you when u get out! if you decide to join i thank you in advance and re thank all the zilvians that are and have served so we can all enjoy the freedoms some people too much for granted.

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