Is it possible for a recruiter from Navy Reserves to be fibbing?

She is going for her physical and test next week. Recruiter has told my daughter she can get out up to the time she is sworn in.

Also, if you know, what is the possibility she would end up overseas?

In case it matters...she wants to get a nursing degree on top of her other Bachelors Degree.

My concern is that she is being misled. Guess I am a tad more cynical.

The whole raise your right hand thing is just symbolic.

sentence that states once you're in nothing that was said to you by anyone matters and you are property of the US government. Of course it does not use those words.

Recruiters lie for a living, are can rest assured that (s)he was lying.

Your daughter would have to go to MEPS twice...first time to get the medical screening done, the second time to process for basic training. The second time is where your daughter would have to complete her final paperwork, thereby making her enlistment "official". Yes, it's true the swearing in via raising your hand is symbolic, but it represents what you just did on paper. Once she arrives for her ship date, and signs the final paperwork prior to going to basic, she's "in". She can opt out any time prior to that, although they will often try to convince her otherwise. Look at it this way...a recruiter, no matter who they are recruiting for, is a salesman, and it's their job to give you a sales pitch. That's what they do, that's their job. Most people I know that worked as recruiters didn't like the job, but they had to do it anyways. The best thing you can do is take what they say with the realization that they are going to talk up the high points of the job, and minimize the low points. They actually aren't supposed to lie, and doing so can expose them to disciplinary action if you can prove they actually outright lied. But, they will and do omit certain facts, and will present the military as a viable career path. It's really up to the individual to do the research to determine if it is indeed a viable career path for their own personal goals.

As for your daughter going overseas, it really depends on several factors...what is her future career field? What unit will she belong to? You said she's joining the Navy Reserves...some jobs in the Navy Reserves hardly deploy, others deploy often. Your daughter should do some research to determine what the unit's tempo is. Also realize that some people WANT to deploy. I personally don't understand why people join and try to do everything they can to never deploy...it's sorta like joining the fire department and never wanting to respond to a fire. That being said, there are some who want to deploy a lot, and others who are willing to deploy, but not time and time again. You have to research the job and unit to figure out whether the position you're signing up for fits what you expect.

As for getting a bachelor's degree, joining the military is not the dead end to a college education that I've often seen parroted around on this message board. I was an enlisted member of the Army National Guard while attending college. I did get deployed during the Bosnia crisis, but luckily it was only a month in Italy...during the summer. So it had little impact on my college career. You also need to understand that I was fully prepared to go on a full-blown deployment...it's not what I would have WANTED, but I understood my obligation. After all, the Louisiana Army National Guard was paying my tuition, and if the balloon went up, I would have to put in my time. It does burn me up to see people join the military and expect all this financial support and programs for nothing. If joining a branch of the armed services doesn't impress upon you the idea that you COULD be sent to fight a war, then you are being naive.

Depending on what your daughter wants out of life, and out of her part-time military job, she could find being in the Navy Reserves a great experience. But make sure she knows what she's getting into. There are some really great, rewarding career fields out there in the Reserves, and instead of going to Iraq she could very well be the next wave of Americans to save lives during a tsunami or other natural disaster. Again, she should do her homework before simply signing the papers. Good luck to both of you.

- former LA National Guard, now active duty USAF.

their lips move.

I joined the Naval Reserves in 1984 as an enlisted with a college degree and was "promised" by the recruiter that I could easily apply for OCS. After I was in the reserves, both the recruiter and the CO of the Reserve Center basically gave me the run around as to how to apply and take the test for becoming an officer. As it turned out, the place to take the test was about 2 miles down the same road I lived on. By the time I could take the test, I had turned 35 and had run out of time. Bottom line - Recruiters will lie their asses off just to make quota. I think your daughter is stuck for now if she has signed enlistment papers.

People put too much stock in what others will verbally tell them. I'm not trying to be smug here, but he didn't really lie by saying you could easily apply...you could apply. The only problem is your application would get turned down due to age.

Perhaps it would have benefitted you if you had taken it upon yourself to find out the requirements for being an officer in the Navy. If that was your goal, then why in the world would you let anyone talk you into enlisting if you already had a degree? I've had lots of people try to talk me into things...I've had Army recruiters try to get me to go active Army (as enlisted) instead of applying for an officer program...I've had people try to sell me cars I didn't need or $1,200 vacuum cleaners. But ultimately the onus is on me to make a smart decision. If I bought the $1,200 vacuum cleaner and realize I was suckered, well, I did it to myself.

Rather than try to blame recruiters for talking you into something, I ALWAYS urge people to make decisions for themselves, and get the information for themselves. It's out there, all you have to do is look. I can think of tons of sources you could have used to determine if you were eligible for OCS instead of asking a recruiter. When you do ANYTHING in life, you should take some personal responsibility and know what you're getting into, and have a plan to reach your goal based on research YOU did. I'm an officer now partially because I knew well in advance what I needed to do to become an officer, and I didn't let someone else steer me based on other motives.

You are correct to say the recruiter had ulterior motives. But I find it lazy that you would stick the blame of your missed opportunity entirely on him because you were eager beaver and believed a paid salesman (yes, that's what they are) instead of figuring it out on your own.

:rofl: