Angelo

I'm just curious to know how come I never here about Mongolia. To me they just seem like the forgotten country in between China and Russia.I mean Genghis Khan who basically conquered so much was mongolian, and came from Mongolia I believe, which is why I'm wondering why they are never mentioned.

What is their government like? A dictatorship?Democracy?

Are they a modernized country or considered still more of a poorer country with lots of traditional old ways and people living in villages with elders, etc

Are there tensions between them and China or Russia? Or are they in good terms with them and just stick to their own affairs.

I mean just in general, what is mongolia like in general.

I was just thinking today, and sorry if I don't know this already, but

Why are countries like Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, well in general, most of the "stans" not modern? Why is it that they look like they are stuck in 50,000 BC? People still live in very small, poor villages, and dress exactly like someone I would find in my history text book in the Mesopotamia section or something.

Is it because of religion? Harsh terrain? or something else?

Like I couldn't imagine stepping foot in Afghanistan as many of our service men and women have without thinking to myself probably something along the lines of " Did I go back in time?"

I'm really curious to know

So I'm a military child so to say. Every man in my family has served in a branch of the military. My dad was in the Army for 10 years, My uncle in the Army for 21 years, my other uncle was in the Air Force for 24 years and the Marine Corps for 6 years before the Air Force had their policy about not excepting former active duty in other branches. And now my older brother is in the Coast Guard.

I'm 18, almost 19 in June and I'm a nursing major with 25.3 college credits to my name with a 3.6 gpa, and have been wanting to join the military since I was like 11-12. I want to join the Army like my dad, and I don't want to be the first guy in my family to break the chain of military service.

And although I'm old enough to join without her signature, I don't necessarily want to join without her support. She keeps telling me that she's already let my brother and my dad be in the military, and she doesn't want to have to let me join as well. She says it would put her in an early grave.

How can I convince her that this is what I want to do?

As of right now, with the war supposedly dwindling down( I'm not sure about this though), is there much of a need for 68W?

I've seriously been looking at the National Guard( California) for a while now, and 68 W appeals most to me, but I am not really job locked.

I was just curious to know if there is a need for them right now, and if possible to answer, what are some MOS's that could always use people in( Ones that are always in some type of demand).

The idea of 13F( Fire Support) seems cool. My friend was 13F in active duty army and was stationed in Hawaii at the Schofield Barracks, he said it was a decent job, but like any job in the Army had its ups and downs.

The call to serve has been really strong in me for the past few years now, since 16-17. I'm 18 now almost 19 and am a nursing major at a community college.

I want to join the Army, or a component of it, but I'm not sure if the reserves or National guard is right for me. Of course, I understand that the one weekend a month, two weeks a year thing isn't as it used to be, and I can be called into active duty at any moment(if I go reserves). I also know I can be deployed(doesn't really bother me)

I just want to hear some opinions about which you prefer Army reserves, or National Guard and why. It'd be great to hear some personal testimonies and experiences from those who have served in either one.

Side note: I'm not really interested in combat MOS, except maybe 13Fox Fire support(though I love shooting guns and hunting for recreation), but I was looking at more of the intel/medical MOS's, but I'm open to others. Not extremely job locked.

Could someone give me a rundown and maybe some specifics of what someone in the Air Force reserves does on a monthly basis, because I know you do something different every month.

Like when do you report to base, what do you do when you report there. Do you get your paycheck at the end of the weekend?

I randomly woke up sick yesterday morning. And I'm not sure why. I was fine the day before, but i did get 2 shots and blood test done.

But I woke up this morning with a pounding headache that just made me feel like my head was heavy and that my brain was pushing against my skull, and I had that feeling of weakness in your body that you usually get when you have the flu.

Can someone explain this to me?

I don't remember exactly, but I do remember hearing that when it comes to the military, the higher you go up in the rankings, whether in the officer or enlisted ranks, it becomes more about the politics and less about the military. I know this is an expression, but I'm wondering if there's any truth to it.

Does it really become very political?

I was curious to know if a BSN(Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) coupled with a certificate to practice nursing like an RN would make me a serious candidate to be able to go to OCS as an Officer.(granted that I get a gpa within the 3.5-3.8 range)

Is a nursing degree something they'd look for? Leaning more towards the Army/Navy.

I know they look for more technical degrees like engineering, but I for some reason feel that a degree in medicine/medical field would be just as important. But maybe not.

Was wondering what you guys thought of this plan. I've been thinking about my future since I was about 15, and wish I took it more seriously back then. I'm 18 now, almost 19 and about to go to MEPS tomorrow and swear in( hopefully as a Hospital Corpsman, but intelligence specialist is my back up).

Assuming I get HM, and have the route to go to C-School and work and study on a specialty, mine would be biomedical technician. My goal would be once I get out to get a bachelors in Biomedical Engineering, and work as a biomedical engineer at a hospital/clinic etc with my experience in the Navy.

Good idea or no? I know they don't make too much, but I guess that's alright.

Do not get me wrong. I'm not joining the military as a means of turning it into my own personal job/career factory. I'm lucky enough to have parents who are capable of paying for my college, but I'm dropping out and putting my university life on hold so I can serve this nation. I know if I didn't serve, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

I've done my research online about what the job entails, but I'm always curious from an actual person's point of view. I go to MEPS in 2 days. I got an 88 out of 99 on the practice asvab at the Recruiters Office(hoping for something similar on the real thing at MEPS)

What kind of background check do they do on you? I've never been in a fight, never broke the law, don't drink alcohol or do any drugs, no speeding tickets etc.. But I'm curious as to what kinds of things could disqualify you.

Can you be stationed in San Diego with this rating?

How dangerous of a job is it?

What are some jobs I could look for after my service is up?

I took the practice asvab test at the recruiting office a couple of weeks ago and scored 88 out of 99.

Assuming I do well on the real asvab test, past all of the necessary and required tests at MEPS this Thursday and Friday, my top 2 rating choices are Hospital Corpsman and Intelligence Specialist.

My biggest fear for Intelligence Specialist is what kind of Top secret background check do they do on you? Like are they going dig stuff up about me from like the third grade and hold it against me (joking, but somewhat not joking). And what are some things that can disqualify me from getting this job? I've never been arrested, never been in a fight or suspended from school. I'm 18 years old with 30 college credits to my name. Like everytime I think about becoming an intelligence specialist my mind races with so many questions about what can disqualify me etc.

In terms of Corpsman, my recruiter bluntly told me that going greenside with the Marine Corps is a choice and you are not necessarily "voluntold" to do it. He said within Hospitalman itself, there are about 25-27 different specialties. Going greenside does not bother me, in fact, serving with the Marines would be an honor, but I'm just curious if it's actually a choice as opposed to being told to do it.

going into Navy boot camp as an E-2 because of my 30 college credits.

I've heard of people leaving boot camp as an e-2 because they passed all of their tests and physical fitness tests etc. Does the same rule apply to an E-2 leaving boot camp as an E-3?

Is it possible to come out of Navy boot camp as an E-3?

I know that during my A-School/Training I will be required to live in barracks, but I was curious that once I am assigned to my first duty station, if within the states(NAVY btw), If I'm able to live off base.

I wouldn't want to live off base asking or using a basic housing allowance, as I probably wouldn't get one, but I'd do it with the money out of my own pay check.

Also what is this I hear about people living "ghost"

Basically, would it be ok for me to live off base using my own money from my pay check as long as I show up to every mandatory thing like field days and such and such.

I'm certainly curious about this, as I know there is the option of greenside and blueside, but it seems like from what I'm hearing that all Corpsman have to go through FMTB at some point in their career.

I was wondering what my AFQT and VE(Verbal Expression) scores would be for my practice asvab that I took today. I haven't been to a recruiting office yet( Navy, Army are two branches I'm looking at) because I don't want to go there until I've studied and practiced the Asvab for a good month at least( 1 week so far. I don't want to waist a recruiter's time.

General Science(GS)- 72%, 18/25 correct

Arithmetic Reasoning(AR)- 80% 24/30 correct

Word Knowledge(WK)- 71% 25/35 correct

Paragraph Comprehension(PC)- 93% 14/15 correct

Mathematics Knowledge(MK)- 88% 22/25 correct

Electronics Information(EI)- 50% 10/20 correct

Auto and Shop Information(AI)- 44% 11/25 correct

Mechanical Comprehension(MC)- 56% 14/25 correct

Assembling objects- 84% 21/25 correct

Thanks for all the help. I searched online on websites such as military.about.com, but I found the explanations a bit confusing and was unsure of when it came to MOS/Rating jobs if I added the percentiles together or the number correct together.

I want to join the Coast Guard

I know this is probably the hardest branch to get into apart from the Air Force. The cut off ASVAB score to get in is a 40 I believe, but realistically what should I aim for to get myself better suited to be picked.

Basically, what are some things I can do to really make myself stand out as a great Coast Guard Candidate

Extra Info- Wanting to go Active duty, no criminal history, 2 parking tickets to my name(paid off), 19 years old with 30 college credits to my name(3.5 overall gpa), I do wear glasses, no tattoos, very fit(lift weights/strength train 6 days a week)

Ratings I'm interested in- Intelligence Specialist, Electricians Mate, Health services technician, and yeoman, but for the most part I'm very open about taking what is available

BTW, are there any ratings that are considered undermanned?

I want to join the Marine Core.

Currently 19 years old with 30 college credits to my resume. And a 3.5 average gpa.

I heard I can come out of boot camp as an e-2, is this true?

Also my two MOS's that I'm looking at are 8811 Fireman, and 1141 electrician.

I'm curious how often these two jobs get deployed, and if anyone knows where they are likely to get deployed too.

Last question.Would you compare tech school/AIT to a college classroom setting?

Do individual ready reserves for the Air Force go to bootcamp? tech school? Do they get paid?

I'm doing a project on the Air Force, and it's important that I understand every aspect of it(Because my teacher was in the AF, so he will definitely grade hard).

So besides that question. Are there companies in the Air Force like there are in the Marines? Like Helo company or bravo company or something. And what do they mean/stand for in the Air Force?

And lastly, what does it mean when people in bootcamp say things like they are part of "wolfpack squadron" or something of that nature?