Fast Track: No Limits - DivX Version (Normal Quality), iPod/iPhone Version
|
IMDB rating: 4.00 Plot: An action movie centered around a group of street racers. Love, hate, friendship and treason… at reckless speed! |
Available versions:
DivX Version (Normal Quality), iPod/iPhone Version
Actors: Walker Andrew W.,Beattie Joseph,Aaron Nicholas,Pasquale Aleardi,Bence Jack,Dantay Tim,Kim Ill-Young,Prendergast Shaun,Stuck Carl,Action,Thriller,
Army, Navy, or civilian?
I am a 30 year old man with no purpose or ambition in life. I made a massive mistake and quit trade school when I was younger because I made a little amount of money in retail. 12 years later I realize who a drain retail is, how bad the economy is, and how much it has seemingly held me back in life.
Any "real" job requires at least a bachelors degree. So I find myself stuck in a void where I am jumping around from job to job and am frankly unsatisfied with my life and its instability. There is no security in retail and I don’t want to live pay check to pay check. I want to make a change before it really is too late for me.
Most of my family does serve, or has served in the military. My parents are both retired from the US Army after 20+ long careers. I have a couple of brothers in the US Marines, and I recently had a fool of a brother chaptered out of the Army. It seems like everyone got a message that I didn’t.
I understand what the military is. I serve my country. And they will give me exactly what I am looking for in life. Education, purpose, and stability. But my choices at my age are limited in what I could do. My family all agree the Marines aren’t for me, especially one of my brothers who is a DI.
I am sadly too old for the Air Force. I feel they would’ve been the best, but I know they aren’t having any problems recruiting in the first place so that option is out. So at 30 years old, that leaves either the Army, or the Navy.
The Navy has incredible programs like STA-21 which would allow me to become an officer. But being out on a ship long periods of time doesn’t totally appeal to me. I’ve seen pictures of sailors in their bunks and it reminds me of a coffin. Surrounded by metal walls with only a curtain separating you from the other sailors.
The Army will almost certainly send me off to the mountains of Pakistan to help with security and the hunt for Al-Queida. That absolutely freaks my mother out. And while the Army seems quicker to promote dependent on my job field, there isn’t a fast track to officer like the Navy’s STA-21 program.
Many people have many different takes. My Dad thinks my mother shouldn’t worry about me being sent to Pakistan as there is no guarantee I would have to go based on my MOS. I have a friend formerly of the Navy who swears the quality of life is better no matter what I’ve heard and also uses the argument that dependent on my MOS that I would not end up out at sea.
I am at a cross roads, since I plan to take my ASVAB soon. I took a pre-ASVAB on goarmy.com and had a predicted score of 76. I understand this opens up my possibilities in MOS. I’ve met with both of the Army and Navy recruiters locally and they both seemed positive I would be a good fit based on my solid physical shape (5′9" and 177 lbs) and intelligence and demeanor. I am also straight edge and have never been arrested.
But at this point I am just not totally sure. I don’t want to upset my mother who is very sensitive. After she retired, she had major health issues. I also don’t want to lose my soul even if I gain confidence and a purpose in life. I am not intimidated by BMI and getting broken down and yelled at though.
So…what do I do from here?!?!?!
My friends all tell me I should join up with the Navy and be a CTN. (Cryptologist Tech) and that I won’t end up stuck on a boat or out in Pakistan. But no matter what they tell me and how confident they seem, I know that is just NOT how it works. Everyone takes a cruise in the Navy and everyone has to help hunt the terrorist in the Army.
Am I selfish? Should I stay a civilian for even thinking these thoughts? Is it wrong to deny a strong and stable future because I don’t want to be on a boat, or get shot at so my mother doesn’t cry?
I’ve decided that should I complete the process and go to MEPS that I won’t just be a 4 year and out guy. If I do this, I think I will be career.
But do I have what it takes?!
Join well you are still eligible to join. Join the army if you need a quick ship out and if you can wait a year for ship out join the navy. Your mother has to understand this is your life. You have a better chance being shot and killed as a civilian than on the boat to Pakistan or in the army. Do what is in the best interest for you…
Say What | Oct 23, 2009
While parked on a ridgetop in Afghanistan, pining for your mommy, some turd will likely blow your brains out. While out to sea in the Navy, pining for your mommy, you’ll misstep a bulkhead, fall, and break your neck. Does mommy still tuck you in at night? How about making your mother proud, instead of worrying about her. Cut the apron strings, grow a pair, and remember you have to be able to get 20 good years under belt before age 55. I read a recent article and some branches are accepting enlistees up to age 40.
WOP2_99 | Oct 23, 2009
The Navy is pretty much full. The Army would be the best bet. To be honest your 30 years old you have to think what’s best for you and not parents. You have to make the decision.
Brian | Oct 23, 2009
30 years old? Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marine Corps are out! Forget them, you are over the age limit, as you have figured out. You have the Army or the Navy left.
Pick a job, then figure out which branch is the best way to go. Personally, go Navy and get a high security clearance job.
Good luck! Welcome to the beginning stages of a depression - history repeats itself.
bravo | Oct 23, 2009
At 30 years old, you need to stop thinking about what will worry your mother. Mothers are designed to worry, chances are she worried about you while you’re driving, afraid you’ll get into an accident. It’s time to take control of your own life. You’re really jumping to conclusions about the Army. We have troops all over the world, not just in the mountains of Pakistan. I will admit that the Navy seems more suited to you. Good luck.
RiskyBiz | Oct 23, 2009
If you enlist, you will be living in the barracks and will not be eligible to collect the housing allowance, BAH, till E-5/E-6 in the Navy/Army.
Sta-21 is not a fast track to officer. You are too old to utilize Sta-21 to commission in any navy program since you do not already have a degree.
https://www.sta-21.navy.mil/program_options.asp
The army has a similar program-green to gold- but you will be too old to utilize:
http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/green_to_gold _scholarship.jsp
You can still commission as an officer in the Air Force through afrotc(non scholarship) or ots before turning 35. Same goes for Navy ocs but not Nrotc. And for Coast Guard ocs. Nursing in the air force and navy has extended age limits for commissioning. Best route to a Coast Guard officer’s commission is through the maritime academy graduate program which direct commissions graduates of the six state maritime academies-California Maritime, Maritime College-New York, Massachusetts Maritime, Maine Maritime, Texas Maritime, Great Lakes Maritime(Michigan.)
http://www.gocoastguard.com/find-your-fi t/officer-opportunities/programs/maritim e-academy-graduate
You can still utilize army rotc to commission, but you better get started on it very quickly because the age limit is 35:
http://military.isu.edu/scholarships.sht ml
If you want to commission through rotc or afrotc, time is of the essence. You could start next semester at a community college that has cross town school arrangements with a university rotc battalion or afrotc detachment. For instance:
http://www2.lmu.edu/afrotc/cross.htm
http://airforcerotc.berkeley.edu/_crosst own-schools.htm
Good Luck!
Tom | Oct 23, 2009
Try for Linguist, Navy or Army. In the Army, it’s 35P, Navy it’s CTI. And from what I understand Navy CTIs really don’t do much cruise time at all.
If you don’t score high enough on the DLAB for that, go for Navy CTN/CTT or the Army equivalent of 35N. Or All Source Analyst, 35F.
Regardless of which service you choose, if you get language school, that’s a regionally accredited institute, which means you get 45 actual college credits coming out of there. If you take your basic level math, English comp, history, and science with a lab, while there or afterwards (and you CAN CLEP out of all but the science with a lab) then you will have your Associate’s degree.
The Army does have an enlisted to officer program - it’s called Green to Gold. If you are selected, you go to school full time to finish your degree, and then come back as an officer.
Alternatively, you can leave the service at the end of your enlistment, and then use the GI Bill to finish a degree - or your skilled trade, then you can come back into the service as an officer and finish your career then.
I’d say go for it. You only live once, and you’re at a point in your life where this might be your last chance to serve.
HDH | Oct 23, 2009
who has the time to read all that?
MICHAEL | Oct 25, 2009
