My neice just joined the ARMY!!!! Help! Help!

She is 22 and in veterinarian school. The Army promised her that she would NOT go overseas unless the "enemy" started poisoning animals or something like that. They are going to pay her while she finishes school and then pay her 45K per year after that. I smell a rat.

What are the chances that they will send her overseas? I mean, they are calling up vets who thought they were out of the service, etc. Are they going to honor their promise to a 22 year old six foot plus who is very bright? (Yeah, I know she joined the ARMY, but she is bright!)

Please let me hear from any military types or those familiar with recruiting and "loopholes"......We are dismayed. (She just got married in June, by the way.)

there is no such thing as a promise from the miltary even if she got it in writing

and I am sure believes everything the recruiter says. She is majoring in horse/cattle vet science and thought she might have to go to Ft. Hood to work with some horses, etc., but believes she will not be sent overseas.

I think it will have to be those rightwing families' kids who need to help bush in his wars. I see people on DU all the time saying we should tell them: send YOUR kids if you vote for this policy. I can't make exceptions because one of those rightwing families' kid is related to a conscious, aware liberal. She needs to go. The liberal family next door has a kid who is draft age and wouldn't join at all. Your niece will maybe take his place. Heartless, I know. But the red state people (regardless of where they live) need a reality check.

Let me qualify this - I don't want any of our young people in the military -- not with this wanton war group in charge of it. But I want rightwingers to go in before more sensible people.

My 18 year old son is joining the guard in Jan. He's planned it since he was 11. They are telling him he will go to Guantanamo bay (he wants to be an MP). I can't stomp all over his dreams..but I am thinking of shooting off his big toe. Course, now their fitting guys with prosthetics when they lose arms and legs, planning on sending them back in. my heart hurts.....:cry:

As an Army veteran, my advice to all young people that want to serve, is to join another branch of service. (Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard)

She'll wind up inspecting beef in Bhagdad. Recruiters lie...

Plus with their mandatory 6 year enlistment, I can almost guarantee he will be deployed somewhere. The last places I would want to be are MP or Infantry.

I hope he turns out OK.

for years...they extended his tour til March...he was supposed to come home in January..he is totally pissed off...reserves...MPs are sent to some damnable places...PS..he voted for Kerry.

in nuclear power school. They are offering the kids in her class BIG money to switch to Army and they -will- be sent to Iraq.

Give her to the end of basic to stay in the states.

Oh, and they promised my niece the same $45K to finish up her engineering degree and then take a place on a carrier. So far she's getting $15K and the only school she's getting is here on the Weapon's Station. (Same place Padilla is being held in the brig.)

I went through the Navy's nuclear power program and was later stationed on a carrier. I cannot believe the Navy is allowing kids to switch to the Army; especially since there is always a shortage of candidates for the nuclear power program,

Also, they may have offered your niece 45K for to finish college but I can tell you from experience she will not have time to work on it while in the Navy. The "nucs" on a carrier are always working hard; even while in port. They are the first to arrive before a cruise and the last to leave -- always!

One other thing...I have been out of the Navy for 13 years but a good friend of mine is still in. He was stationed on the Theodore Roosevelt as a division officer. He told me that the female nucs do a good job in the fleet. He said they work hard, qualify fast, and don't complain half as much as the guys.

Best of luck to your niece.

they're PAYING them to do so. Power school is full and has a waiting list. In fact, my niece had to wait almost a year before getting a berth. Just recently one whole class had to transfer to New York because there's no more room for them here at the Weapon's Station.

Were you at Orlando or Charleston?

I went through Power School in Orlando, and went to prototype in New York. I went to "A" school at Great Lakes. I went through right before they moved all the schools to Orlando. Now I guess everything is in Charleston -- even the prototypes.

I still cannot believe that they are paying kids to switch to the Army; that is amazing to me. When I was in, there was a severe shortage of "nucs" in the fleet.

One in New York and one here in Charleston. My niece was absolutely appalled when they made the offer to her. She's in the top ten in her class, class leader, and they still offered her a deal to switch to the Army.

The back door draft, calling up people who did their time, have shown that they will not honor any agreements.

Smart people would demand it be removed before signing.

Read before you sign!

They have a wartime mission,and if she is needed, she will be called. Army vets take care of military working animals. They also inspect the facilities that produce food for the soldiers.

The only one's I can think of that are "actively deployed" are dogs. I'm sure their are some ceremonial cavalry units out there who still have horses, but they'll never see Iraq.

Targeting Medical professionals. Even though she is a veterinarian is there a possibility that they may use her as a nurse or some other kind of medical personal?

... I imagine they could be pressed into service as triage doctors or perform "clean up" work for surgeons like stitching up exterior wounds.

I dare say that a vet may be better qualified to work on you than a medic ;-)

...riding shotgun escorting supply convoys in Iraq. Not even Air Force security personnel -- more like ground crews and cooks.

I don't think a person's "MOS" matters much anymore. The Army's promises aren't worth a warm bucket of spit.

from a military mag too!

Our across the street neighbor's husband is doing this. He was "trained" to provide escort fire support for his convoys. My husband gets so mad. He is a Vietnam infantry vet. He was trained for months for this kind of thing. The AF sends you to a 1 or 2 day class and you are supposed to be ready!! It is so aggravating.

They had me take it twice, once when I "signed the papers" then again before they put me on the bus to basic (I was delayed entry). Seem to recall later hearing that only after the second trip are you legally bound to Uncle Sam.

a beautiful teenage girl. She is the #1 ranked female ROTC cadet in the state of NC. Doubtless she will go straight into service. She is the child of a single mother who pulled herself up from her bootstraps, from nothing. It will devastate me to see this beautiful child be delivered into evil hands, knowing the poverty she faced in childhood and the struggles her mother (who wasn't the most stable) went through, and how far they have come.

I mean, I worried about her so much, and now she is a beautiful vibrant young woman. God protect her, and all these children, from these evil disgusting men.

A military medic friend of mine told me that this is a specialty in demand in Iraq, as is anything in the health/medical field. The vets do not take care of animals there. They are responsible for hygiene, sanitation,contamination, vermin control, that kind of thing. Can anyone verify this? Also a friend of mine who is a small pet veterinarian gets monthly recruiting letters from the US military.
Also I have heard many say that recruiters are like salesmen.
They will tell you anything to get you to sign on the dotted line.
Good luck to your niece. Tell her anything to do with the military
is very uncertain at this point in time IMHO.

And I am a veterinarian who only treats small companion animals. From what I hear, they are looking for veterinarians to go overseas and inspect the food supply. It has nothing to do with one's veterinary training - we all had a (very brief) class in food safety in school and that is what they want us for. They also plan to "cross-train" veterinarians to work as medics. (We are already able to suture and bandage wounds, monitor anesthesia, give injections and fluids, draw blood, place IV catheters, etc.) I wish your niece well, but I would also comment that I don't trust a thing that the military says. Not a thing.

And most health care providers are getting these letters from the
military every month. There has been a rumor that medical people may be drafted. Friends of mine in the military medical corps telling me there is severe shortage of medics. A friend of mine is an army reservist medical specialty. She was just sent to Iraq. They are not doing the mash tents behind the battle lines. They are sending medics to the front lines. She is in a jeep with a gun at the sight of the fighting. I am horrified. How stupid can this be. Why put the medics in harm's way. None of us have heard from her.

With health ins being cut back due to govt refusing tax breaks to employers for health ins, medical people will be out of work? May have to go fight in the oil wars to eat?

permanent shore duty by their recruiters.
I met all of them aboard ship. Truth.

That said, when I enlisted the Navy had bootcamps in San Diego, the Great Lakes, and Orlando.

I told the recruiter I didn't want to go to Great Lakes for the winter (it was October) but I wouldn't mind either of the others.

He told me the Navy had to send me to Great Lakes because it was closer and that was that, so I said I'd be back after I checked where the Air Force did basic training.

He laughed uncomfortably, and said he'd guarantee Orlando for me. I said type it up.

He said he would, and it would be in my service jacket.

I said it probably would until I got on the plane and found myself up to my ass in snow in Illinois...gimme a copy before I sign.

He did, I did, and I went to Orlando. I still have my "guarantee" in with my papers as evidence of the only time in my six years in that I had the Navy by the B's instead of the other way around.

Long story short to anyone considering this stuff...make your deals before you sign, and get a copy!

I asked for Germany in typing or nothing, served my whole tour over there. ;)

she should join the Public Health Commissioned Corps. I'm former Army and am now in an ENVH program gearing my career toward the Public Health Service. It gives you the same benefits of being in the military (officers pay grades and benefits) but with no contractual obligation and you can work for a multitude of different governmental organizations.

I'd tell her to check out this website: http://www.usphs.gov/html/veterinarian.html

If she likes it she still has time to back out of the commitment and take that path. Also remember to tell her, if for any reason she wants out of her contract, there is an obligatory 180 day window(from BASD) in which to do so; and don't let anyone tell her otherwise, its there, but they like to tell you its not as to keep you in.

Not that it probably makes any difference...the Army will do what it's gonna do.

I really feel for you...wish I had a good answer.

I know a bunch of folks who wanted to stay states side for their tours of duty. They were all given the same BS promises by the recruiters.

They ended up in Korea.

She still has time to back out, don't let the recruiter intimidate you - you saw F911 right?

You are owned by the military once you enlist (or are drafted) they can use you as dictated by 'military necessity'.

And no one - especially recruiters - are authorized to make contractual commitments for the military.

DOn't forget, these people took an oath to obey the constitution - which designates treaties - like the Geneva Convention - as the law of the land. And we know what happened about that under military direction ...

is called a "dream sheet" by anybody who's ever been in the military. Sure, she's got a great education as an animal doc, but that doesn't mean the army won't send her to school to be a medic. You do what they need, not the reverse.

My guess, though, is that she'll be used in the ceremonial branch of the army, caring for the horses they use in parades. At least, that's what I sincerely hope. The only way they'd use a vet overseas right now is to do a stint in the Baghdad Zoo, but I'm sure the Iraqis have their own well qualified vets for that.

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

way back then. He is still upset that those dogs, mostly German Shepherds, who saved so many lives, were just abandoned there. Good old military, all heart.

Sorry, couldn't resist. :silly:

Nothing like a little return loyalty for the faithful working beast.

Each post has a veterinary detachment. The soldiers in it do three things--food inspection, maintain the military's working dogs, and (if it's a place where dependents are authorized) care for soldiers' pets on a space-available basis.

Food inspection doesn't just mean for the mess hall, either; every commissary has at least one vet working there. That person, or persons (depending on how big the post is), inspects all of the meat and all of the produce to ensure its wholesomeness. Commissary duty is a good/bad gig if you can get it--good in that the army would NEVER send the commissary food inspector overseas, bad in that the job sucks ass.

that way, when they do send her over, which they will do right after she gets out of an abbreviated sort of basic, she might have a skill that makes her more valuable when she is captured.

It is proven that the ability of women to tell entertaining stories in Arabic can forestall execution indefinitely. See Sharazade...

GI Rights hotline 800-394-9544

Military Discharges & Regulations
Getting Out: A Guide to Military Discharges
http://girights.objector.org/military-discharges.html

Being that she is in the medical services, she may want to think about CO status.

What do YOU believe about war? http://www.nisbco.org/

What types of conscientious objectors are recognized by federal law?

The Military Selective Service Act and government regulations recognize two types of conscientious objectors:

1. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS: These are persons who, by reason of religious, ethical, or moral belief, are "conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form." These people may be discharged from military service. They are exempt from military service, in the event of a draft. If called up, they may perform alternative service as civilians.

2. NONCOMBATANT CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS: These are persons who, by reason of religious, ethical or moral belief, are conscientiously opposed to killing in war in any form but who do not object to performing noncombatant duties (such as being a medic) in the armed forces. These people are reassigned to non-combatant duties in the Armed Forces or, in the event of a draft, are trained without weapons and assigned to non-combatant service.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Link

The U.S. Coast Guard is an active player in the war on terror, both in Southwest Asia and on the home front, according to Adm. Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard.

Collins said the "fifth armed service," and the only one to fall under the Department of Homeland Security, is making its largest commitment to port- security operations since World War II. At the same time, the Coast Guard has deployed its largest contingent of Coast Guard members and assets overseas since the Vietnam conflict, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They are in desperate need of warm bodies as per the recent report made for Rumsfeld stating troop numbers are insufficient. That promise isn't worth anything and probably came with caveats anyway.

All that matters is what is in the contract, and as far as contracts go, enlistment contracts are ironclad.

She's basically there for eight years minimum.

Dogs means vets.

...in Iraq is very high. Even if the bullets dont get her the DU will. :(

She seems dedicated, and she appears to have gotten a good deal.

The assumption of a 'rat' is overblown, IMO.

She has nothing to fear. Joing the army is like a contract and so long as all provisions she's been promised are spelled out in the contract they cannot violate those terms. Well, they can violate those terms *but* she can get out of the army.

It's quite possible that she really does have nothing to fear about going over seas. She's a vet, they need her to work with the animals they test "things" on.

She will probably end up going over there. I was at an AF base in Kuwait. We had Army vets and vet techs taking care of the AF dogs. The AF doesn't have vets, in fact, my stateside base has a vet clinic, but the vets come in once a week from Ft Sill. Hopefully she will be sent to one of the "safe" bases in Kuwait or Qatar. She will still have to do a lot of traveling. There are lots of camps set up all over the place with gaurd dogs needing attention.

All military enlistment contracts have a clause - inserted after all of the promises - which states "consistent with the needs of the Army (Navy, Air Force, etc.)" This means that the military does not have to honor anything promised in the contract.

don't bet on it

they have all the pay rates for military, including any incentives for flight and medical pay. I didn't see much extra pay for vets, but if you do the math and they start her as an O-3 her pay will come to almost 45,000. This is including base pay and housing allowance - 3000 + 700.00. Most medical people start as O-3s. She needs to make sure this is what she really wants, because it's not very much money, even if they pay for her school. She's putting her life on the line.

and getting willing participants than have a draft. The recruits just need to read the fine print of every contract or better yet have a lawyer do it.

If not, she's screwed, because they will tell you anything to get you to sign up. If it's not in the contract, it won't happen.