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I'm in a strange situation that I'll try to make as short as possible. Basically due to some legal stuff I stupidly got myself into I've been put in a situation where I was taken off a deployment roster(unit is deploying with limited slots) and my previous team leader thinks that if I fight for it I can make it on the deployment still(probably by kicking off a new guy). I'm trying to decide if I should try to get on the deployment or just let it go and focus on college(junior in engineering) and my civilian life. I'm an 11b in a national guard unit. Major concerns from either point of view: If I don't go I'm concerned I'll regret it as this is likely my only shot at ever deploying and feel like my time in the military was pointless. I don't have the mentality of desperately wanting to go kill people, but I do want to test myself in a unique and difficult situation. If I do go I'm concerned that it's going to affect my progress in school(mostly just the break making it hard to get back into) and/or that the deployment will end up feeling like a waste of time sitting around in a desert doing jack shit. I have a lot going for me right now on the civillian side and some of it I can pick up a year later, but some of it not so much. If anyone has any advice that might help me figure this shit out I'd appreciate it.
I guess I want to emphasize that my really big concern is feeling like I just wasted 9 months. It seems pretty likely that I'll mostly be sitting around doing dumb stuff, is there anything positive about a non exciting deployment?(keeping in mind I don't need money and I do have good things going for me stateside)
Another option I've considered is finishing school now and going AD after college. Following the way things are going I believe there will be more opportunities in a couple years.
I guess I want to emphasize that my really big concern is feeling like I just wasted 9 months. It seems pretty likely that I'll mostly be sitting around doing dumb stuff, is there anything positive about a non exciting deployment?(keeping in mind I don't need money and I do have good things going for me stateside)
Another option I've considered is finishing school now and going AD after college. Following the way things are going I believe there will be more opportunities in a couple years.
Deployment
College
Infantry
Civilians
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 52
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I would deploy. You can always take college classes while you're there. You may be too young to have seen "Patton" but a line from GEN. Patton's speech comes to mind:
"Thirty years from now when you're sitting by your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, 'What did you do in the great World War Two?' You won't have to cough and say, 'Well, your granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana.'"
There's nothing worse than sitting on the bench when the team goes forward, ask me how I know.
"Thirty years from now when you're sitting by your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, 'What did you do in the great World War Two?' You won't have to cough and say, 'Well, your granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana.'"
There's nothing worse than sitting on the bench when the team goes forward, ask me how I know.
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SPC (Join to see)
That's kind of my secret concern. I don't feel that I'd ever feel strong shame or guilt. I've always done a good job while I've been in. But at the same time there might be a little regret later in life. Especially if this deployment turns out to be more than just sitting around. Of course with the way things are looking there might be decent opportunities in a couple years when I could go AD after college if I really do regret it.
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LTC (Join to see)
Another consideration would be to get your college degree and then apply to your state OCS or have them send you to OCS at Fort Benning and become a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard or the Army Reserve. I was enlisted before two years prior to my commissioning and I went to basic training as an e-4 specialist at age 31 and became commissioned at 33 years 9 months. I took my time over the last 21 and a half years but now I'm close to finding out if I'm going to make lieutenant colonel. You could do the same thing that I did and probably cut the progression down to 15 or 16 years. When I became a second lieutenant, I did not know about getting activated for Afghanistan and Iraq. I didn't know that I would go for a military police and Branch transfer to armor and later go into civil affairs. I am now an OC/T. My particular perspective was different because I changed rank and went between the California and the Idaho Army National Guard and later went to the Army Reserve. Everything you do is a calculated risk. If I were you, get that college out of the way and maybe even go into the inactive ready Reserve. You can also take 30 day tours in the inactive ready Reserve if you wanted to still accumulate points in between your semesters but you didn't want to bother with going to drill every month. You can always keep in touch with those you know now so you don't lose those friendships. Take the risk, complete your education so you can become a commissioned officer or warrant officer and open up many more doors that you never would have been able to open up had you not had your education out of the way. This will also mean a better retirement if you are still on the older retirement plan.
https://www.military1.com/military-career/article/ [login to see] -what-you-need-to-know-about-the-individual-ready-reserves/
https://www.military1.com/military-career/article/ [login to see] -what-you-need-to-know-about-the-individual-ready-reserves/
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Capt Christian D. Orr
Love the Patton quote, I frequently use it myself when people ask me why I do what I do now as a PMC.
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College can be done at any time, but I have always run my career making career choices first. I made 1SG before being accepted to a commissioning position because of it.
Personally, I prioritize deploying, nothing else replaces it and in the end, nothing else compares as a Soldier.
That said, it’s up to you. Do you want to go with your unit? Are you committed to them, and they to you?
My first tour, a million dollars wouldn’t have kept me from invading Iraq with the 173rd Airborne, it meant more than life to me. But that was then, that was me. It only matters what it means to you, now.
Personally, I prioritize deploying, nothing else replaces it and in the end, nothing else compares as a Soldier.
That said, it’s up to you. Do you want to go with your unit? Are you committed to them, and they to you?
My first tour, a million dollars wouldn’t have kept me from invading Iraq with the 173rd Airborne, it meant more than life to me. But that was then, that was me. It only matters what it means to you, now.
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SCPO Bruce Davis
I can't speak as a soldier -- I was a career Seabee -- but if you feel that you should deploy simply to get your "ticket punched", you are doing it for the wrong reason. You do it because you are an integral part of the unit and contribute to the unit's assigned mission. I served a total of 22 years and 11 of those years were in a Moble Construction Battalion. I deployed 10 times and would have felt like a fraud if I would have ducked out.
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Deploy if you can. Not an easy decision. Do it while you are young. It can open doors for you in the future.
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CW5 Jack Cardwell
Contacts in the Guard ( many Guardsmen own businesses ), you earn the been there done that badge, looks good on a resume, Veteran benefits, points if you seek a civil service job, but most important pride in yourself.
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SSG Todd McAllister
Take it from a guy with 35 years combined service (20 in uniform) who never got the chance to deploy (was in from 1981 to 2001, was a recruiter for the first gulf war then on terminal leave when the towers were hit and couldn't pull my retirement packet due to medical). Take the deployment, you most definitely WILL feel a sense of guilt and regret you can never go back and change. Years of training and preparation wasted. Yes, there are many benefits to serving without deployment but when your buddies deploy and you stay behind, well let's just say it doesn't feel good. As someone stated earlier, you can always go back and finish college anytime, you can't go back and fix the feelings of disappointment and regret. Good luck to you.
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SFC Kenneth Withers
There comes a time in our lives that we must test ourselves. Your self respect needs you to do what you know is the right thing to do!
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