ArmyBrat152
04-05-2005, 07:35 PM
Hey all. I am in the process of enlisting in the Army right now, however, my question is this: I am very set on becoming a Ranger. It is something I have thought about and wanted for a long time. The thing is, my recruiter tells me that there are only "so many" Ranger contracts. He told me you can go in as an Infantry contract, and then apply to Airborne School and Ranger School later on (sometimes Airborne at the end of Basic you can apply for he says, or something like that).
Anyhow, the thing is, I've read on some other forums people saying, "Go after for what you want, do not "settle" for anything). The thing is, although I would prefer to go in as a Ranger contract, I am not sure, if I cannot get it, if I should wait, or if I should just go in as an Infantry contract or Airborne contract if I could get that at least, and apply to Ranger School later on, or just wait and see if a Ranger contract comes along before I officially enlist. This question probably answers itself, except I sort of have a dilemma. I need to go to Basic this summer pretty much. If I have to wait, I am kind of going to be without a job and without a car for a loooong while, and I do not want to wait up for months in my family's house (which is small) just to wait for a Ranger contract that I may not get.
I guess this is one of those, "I'll have to answer it myself" questions ultimately, but I was just wondering if anyone had any input or advice.
There was also something else I was wondering about. The recruiter tells me I'd go to MEPS, and there they'd show me what Army jobs are available for me. He says if they have a Ranger or Airborne contract there, I would take it, but if not, I'd have to choose something else or wait or whatever (however that works).
So my question here is, if I go and they say there are no Ranger contracts and I want to wait.......HOW exactly would one know if a Ranger contract came along then to obtain (after waiting)? My recruiter says he would be absolutely lying to me if he said he could guarantee a Ranger contract at the moment, as there is just no official info on how many there are. They come and go. So my point is, if I decided to wait, how could I know if one came along? By "wait," do they just mean, wait to go to MEPS longer, or go again and hope one is avaiable, etc.....or is there a specific way to know if one is available and the recruiter is just blowing smoke up me @$$?
I trust this recruiter because my father was a Sergeant-Major in the Army and was in charge of a LOT for recruiting (spend half his career in recruitment), so he knows it upside-down and out (i.e. the recruiter knows I am fully aware of all the tricks recruiters will use), and also, this recruiter sort of has "reputation" amongst lots of local Reservists to protect (these people spread the word around about him, so he couldn't lie too much even if he wanted to), but I am still wondering.
I just want to make sure I get everything right with my enlistment. I don't want to enlist as an Infantry contract if I don't have to, then find out, "Airborne and RIP are full right now, yada yada" if I don't have to.
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks.
Anyhow, the thing is, I've read on some other forums people saying, "Go after for what you want, do not "settle" for anything). The thing is, although I would prefer to go in as a Ranger contract, I am not sure, if I cannot get it, if I should wait, or if I should just go in as an Infantry contract or Airborne contract if I could get that at least, and apply to Ranger School later on, or just wait and see if a Ranger contract comes along before I officially enlist. This question probably answers itself, except I sort of have a dilemma. I need to go to Basic this summer pretty much. If I have to wait, I am kind of going to be without a job and without a car for a loooong while, and I do not want to wait up for months in my family's house (which is small) just to wait for a Ranger contract that I may not get.
I guess this is one of those, "I'll have to answer it myself" questions ultimately, but I was just wondering if anyone had any input or advice.
There was also something else I was wondering about. The recruiter tells me I'd go to MEPS, and there they'd show me what Army jobs are available for me. He says if they have a Ranger or Airborne contract there, I would take it, but if not, I'd have to choose something else or wait or whatever (however that works).
So my question here is, if I go and they say there are no Ranger contracts and I want to wait.......HOW exactly would one know if a Ranger contract came along then to obtain (after waiting)? My recruiter says he would be absolutely lying to me if he said he could guarantee a Ranger contract at the moment, as there is just no official info on how many there are. They come and go. So my point is, if I decided to wait, how could I know if one came along? By "wait," do they just mean, wait to go to MEPS longer, or go again and hope one is avaiable, etc.....or is there a specific way to know if one is available and the recruiter is just blowing smoke up me @$$?
I trust this recruiter because my father was a Sergeant-Major in the Army and was in charge of a LOT for recruiting (spend half his career in recruitment), so he knows it upside-down and out (i.e. the recruiter knows I am fully aware of all the tricks recruiters will use), and also, this recruiter sort of has "reputation" amongst lots of local Reservists to protect (these people spread the word around about him, so he couldn't lie too much even if he wanted to), but I am still wondering.
I just want to make sure I get everything right with my enlistment. I don't want to enlist as an Infantry contract if I don't have to, then find out, "Airborne and RIP are full right now, yada yada" if I don't have to.
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks.