Ugent Assistance Needed! Delayed Enlistment Program + Army
 

A friend of mine wants to enlist in the Army. He's already signed Delayed Enlistment Program paperwork as a turbo machinery mechanic...

Here's where I need your help.

Does anyone know what I can look at, specifics preferred, to make sure he doesn't get screwed by this contract.

Some back story
We've caught the recruiter in two lies thus far (one could be plain stupid ignorance - but it was on the GI Bill). The other lie was DIRECTLY to his mother :eek:

I've already caught a few gotchas that have me PISSED that they pull that sort of ****...

We just want to make sure that he won't get screwed over... I know of two people thus far that have been - one started off (and signed to be) as a firefighter - a 9 mo. into his service, he was retrained and is now in Baghdad... That said - I would appreciate the "don't enlist" sentiment -- we're way past that and it doesn't help. The decision is his, we're backing it with our ability...

trebuchet03 -

Sorry, I am only familiar with the law as it pertains to changing your mind before you enter boot camp.

I think he's history once he walks in the door. From what I have read, the contract he signs is meaningless. His butt belongs to them because he's no longer a civilian.

My big worry in these cases is Depleted Uranium. You should make sure he gets an independent urine test before he goes in. The idea is that once he gets back, the urine test will show whether or not he has been exposed to DU. By law the military is supposed to take a before/after urine test before going into places like Iraq, but they conveniently skipped the before-test for the last war.

Make sure he learns EVERYTHING there is to know about Depleted Uranium. He won't get the real story once he is on the other side. If he breathes in DU dust, he can forget about having kids.

If he had a high-skill value going in, like system administration or IT skills (or turbo machinery?!?!?!?), then he might be safe in that he will be kept in "safe areas". That's what happened to one of our co-workers.

Hrmmmmmmm, I wonder. If they *know* he had an independent urine test ahead of time, they might keep him away from the hot zones to avoid liability.

CarloSW2

^^ Official "job" is something to the effect of "Aircraft Powerplant <something>" Where the something may be technician (or similar). Which, basically, is someone that works with turbo machinery (turbines et. al.).

I will make sure he gets an independent test...

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Today we went to the recruitment office.... I basically nailed the recruitment officer on a few points, set a few things into motion, and clarified a lot.

The key point that we're concerned with now, but can't do anything about.... They can't guarantee the job he gets into - but they can guarantee his training. As written, if they don't have the training available, he can (by option) separate without consequence. It makes me angry though that they throw the term "job" around so much - when that is not the case (just training). In all likelihood, he'll be trained for this job - then be used for that job (rather than be used for something else and wasting their training resources). Alas, we can only cross our fingers on that one...


I should also clarify about my buddy in Iraq... He's still a firefighter over there (rereading my earlier post - that was left a little ambiguous)... But now he has combat training too. We're worried that once his firefighting tour is done - he'll be called back for other purposes :/

You are right about the contract. They will train him in the mos of his choice, and tech fields tend to stay farther away from the front. That said he will, yes will, receive combat training if he's headed for Iraq. The extent of training depends on his intended duty location and proximity to a hot zone.

From my own experience("Sgt. Keim reporting for duty Sir"), I originally trained as a light wheels mech, switched to A/C & Refrigeration tech, and finally as a power generation and distribution tech with small engines as a secondary. The reason they did this to me is because I signed my enlistment contract for a choice of first duty station. I wanted to stay on the east coast and as near to Richmond Va. as pos. So before I got to the "real Army" I spent 16 weeks at Fort Belvoir U.S.Army Training Center. I believe my contract specified no more then 150 miles from Rich. Va., by the time I got to a post I was already an E-3 PFC.;) There was a little more to my unusually quick promotions, perhaps I'll get into that when I write my Bio. I am not sure what the regs are anymore, I'll get with some of my buddies and see what i can find out. I know things got a lot tighter in the last few years.

That said, I am glad your friend has chosen the Army for his first? permanent? career. The training will give him invaluable life skills, and you will notice the difference in his demeanor on his first trip back home after Basic and AIT. But some people are not cut out for the military and they are weeded out early. My older brother got sent home after 12 days in boot. I've picked in 'I'm for it since, but he got me good one day when i was visiting my mom. We were siting at the table for b'fast, he asks me what i see in the Army, i respond(OOH yur gonna love this) " Hey, (dramatic pause) we do more before nine a.m. than most people do all day" I was very proud to be a soldier. He looked me dead in the eye and says " ?This is a selling point for you?"

Any ways, give him a good luck wave for me and I will see what I can find out. As an aside , not all recruiters are dishonest. your Friend may have caught one on his way out cause he can't get his numbers up.

Does this mean your still on active duty?

no, I've been civilian since '87. i live in an area that is heavily invested in the military. many of my friends and neighbors are active duty. sorry for the confusion. I won't get a chance to talk to anybody (unless my neighbor is back from Guam) until Thurs.

Are you still in the IRR (Individual ready Reserve). Someone I know that got out (not retired) was called up out of the blue last year. He didn't realize that he was still in the IRR. Luckily he didn't pass the physical (sometimes it pays to be overweight) or otherwise he would be back on active duty now.

Short answer: no. The Army and I seperated 20 years ago. and my IRR was up in 1992.