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a load of bull?

darkvesperiadarkvesperia Member Posts: 201 ✭✭✭
edited April 2009 in US Military Veteran Forum
A guy who's enlisted in the national guard claims that if I went to college got my degree THEN enlisted. I'de be Enlisted as an E-4 if my job was linked to my degree. The guy is not a recruiter and the whole thing kinda sounds fishy.What do any of you know about this.
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    n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427 ✭
    edited November -1
    It is not unheard of (I do know of one person who got in at E-4 due to his college background) but most likely it would be more like E-3.

    But if I would have gone in with a 4 year degree I would have enlisted for OCS and forgotten about the enlisted ranks.
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    cce1302cce1302 Member Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What GRD said. If you finish college, get commissioned and start out as a lieutenant.
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    darkvesperiadarkvesperia Member Posts: 201 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was told it was E-4 by this dude because E-4 is "specialist" as for where I'm going they don't have ROTC because its a tech school and my program is more like 18 months anyways. I'm kinda curious about it because I want to get my degree and then join the guard the reason being one of those want to do everything type of things..plus i think later on I'd feel embaressed when I get to tell any kids I have that I didn't do any service. Plus once I've done my duty to the military I'd lick to go back for a bachlors degree in the field I'm studying or take other programs as a way of broadening my knowlege as I would like to take the time to perhaps become a scholar in mythology and learn a few foreign languages (jap, and latin mostly)

    Sorry if I bore you with too much info [xx(]
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    BigKev72BigKev72 Member Posts: 37 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would seriously suggest going "O" stream...nothing against the "E" stream ( i was in that pile) but I always equated the army as two massive piles of the affore mentioned "Bull****" and you might as well start at the bottom of the better smelling pile, than at the bottom of the bad smelling one...
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    kschillingkschilling Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes.... he was correct. You can enter the service as an E-4 Specialist. Its based on the number of credit hours you have completed prior to signing your contract. I'm a Army Master Sergeant and I'm married to a Army Major. Officers deal with different issues and have different responsibilities then Enlisted and NCOs. YOU need to pick which one YOU want to be. I've seen both sides and I can tell you first hand..... being an Officer is not as simple as people make it sound. If you enter as an Enlisted Soldier, you can always decided to attend OCS later in your career or even become a Warrant Officer. Focus on what YOU want to do first...... then pick a rank. No I'm not a recruiter...... I'm just someone who has served for 20 years........
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    clinteasterlingclinteasterling Member Posts: 549 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Any one with a BA gets an auto prom. to E4! Reguardless of what it has to do with you MOS.
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    rogue_robrogue_rob Member Posts: 7,033 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yep, a bachelor's degree will get you E-4 when you enlist.

    HOWEVER, once you enlist, you can APPLY for officer's candidate school.

    As long as a soldier has 90 credit hours, they can apply for OCS.

    You can get automatic E-3 if you are an Eagle Scout or if you help enlist a few folks before you leave for basic training.

    (I recruited in the Army a few years ago)
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    JuggernautJuggernaut Member Posts: 719 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yeah its true, just watch out for the game players as they are good at it and be sure to get it all on paper. If you do decide to enlist bring a military veteran with you for guidance and introduce him to the recruiter as it may help you get what you are supposed to, provided that the vet is familiar with the basic recruiting procedures, which they should be and since you would have your degree you should consider being an officer perhaps.
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    jsuggsjsuggs Member Posts: 110 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you are young enough and single you can enlist and then apply to west point. 20% of each class start out in the ranks (enlisted). One of my platoon leaders did this but by the time I found out about it I was married with a kid, so I didnt qualify. Cant remember the exact requirements but you may want to look into it. He told me that it is a overlooked program that his class only started with about 10% prior enlisted because that was all that applied.
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    rotarymetertecrotarymetertec Member Posts: 30 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes you can come in as a E-4 and have seen it in my 21years & 8 months
    Most units will lenghten your time as E-4 to E-5 to make sure you understand the Army way, don't have to though. Not sure of the years, but if you serve enlisted then go Officer you make more money for your rank then those who went straight officer. My 2 cents useally respected an officer who was enlisted first. Most times had more common sense, but not always.
    US ARMY MP CORPS RET.
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    bubbhabubbha Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    When U get activated and get stuck in some hell hole, they will bust U down a few ranks anyways, so go the officer route or don't join.
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