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Viceroy808

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For those of you expected me to be gone by now, well, I wish I was too. Unfortunately I have to stick around Chicago 'til January 2nd, '01. That's when I get sent to Fort Benning.

If the last sentence didn't already give it away, I got what I wanted, and then got into something unexpected. I took the ASVAB test (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test) today. Got an aggregate score of 93. One sergeant took me aside and said:

"Son, what MOS you want?"
"Infantry, sir. 25th LID."
"Son, you're going to the Airborne Rangers. You go get your Airborne Stamp on your medical right now. As in right now. Hurry up now and go get that stamp right now."

So there ... that's me. Somehow I ended up with an airborne stamp and a new direction on my career. I won't go into the minor details of dossers getting blown off for low scores, the various idiots who treated the Army as a joke - "I'm in it for the money, dude" - and the basket cases who chickened out or blew themselves out of the process for various pathetic reasons during the day. I don't have the time right now (cybercafes aren't cheap for poor me) ... maybe some other day I'll tell you the really funny stories (like how one of the guys passed out cold getting a blood sample drawn and knocked himself out on the floor) ... but for later. Today, I just took care of myself.

I did good. This is one of the proudest days of my life. When I swore fealty to the United States, I knew this was what I wanted all my life. It seems like it'll take me a while to get back to Hawaii and "Hawaii Power and Light" (;)@Tamara) ... my question to all the trusted members of TFL is, on the assumption that I get through everything - should I do a tour in the 75th Ranger Regiment before I goto the 25th Light Infantry Division? Your thoughts, please.

Just to let you know, the pup will be around for a while still ... and I want to let you all know that I am proud to soon bear arms on your behalf and serve this country.

Much aloha to you all :D

(minor typo corrected)

[Edited by Viceroy808 on 12-07-2000 at 07:25 PM]
 
Oh I forgot to tell you all ... I'll be starting as an E-4 (Corporal) since I already got my college degree ... I'd be eligible for Officer Candidate School otherwise but my citizenship is still Canadian (@#$%) ... I'm going to get naturalized within the next 6 months and ditch that dead weight asap, then the world will see if this pup becomes a Lieutenant :D

Great ... am running out of $$$ for my cybercafe card ... down to my last $2 ... won't be back for a while ... will miss you all ... take care and be safe.
 
Go Ranger ASAP

The cool thing about having a Ranger Tab is that it serves as major brownie points over any other candidate wanting a position your trying for or for your next promotion.
Especially if your an Officer.

The Downside is that you have to be harder than hard and do everything Better than everyone else. You can never screw up and you can never "let them see you sweat". You have to be better cleaner faster and smarter than the other guys.
 
Dude, if you read this, good luck. And keep after the OCS - "Mustang" officers always get much more respect than the ones that Rotcee and the Point crank out...

If you end up at Lost in the Woods for basic (hey, I thought I was going to Knox, started at Knox, and ended up down at Fart Meadowmuffin...), know that there's TFL friends within a bit of a drive...
 
Rangers

Well, young man, you are on your way to being an officer and a gentleman in a Ranger unit.

We're proud of you,Chou san. You may not have to prove anything to yourself, but you might have to to others...pick your opponents and how you fight them carefully...let it be lessons for as many as possible when you decide to fight.

You are the leader that many want to follow and look up to.
Be safe.
 
A sincere "Thank You" for your service to our country. I'm proud of your aspirations. Rangers! Too cool. Our hopes and prayers are with you.
 
Good for you! You can skip that pre-Ranger crap that everyone else has to go through. Basic will be tough. Airborne school will be the most fun you've ever had in a green suit (despite what your drill sergeants tell you), and Ranger School will suck, but nothing good ever happened the easy way. You will become quite familiar with Benning, especially if you go OCS. Do Ranger first.

Remember: Ranger school isn't about strong, it is about tough. My CSM preached to us that it isn't about strong, but stickwithitness that earns the tab. Don't sweat recycles. Keep focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. I recycled 3 times, (then injury and a pathetic ex-wife forced me to give it up). Give all you've got. You can recycle all you want, but if you quit, you can never go back.

A Leiutenant with a tab gets anywhere he wants. The only thing that beets an O1 or O-2 with a tab, is a scroll or a green beanie.

I'll keep you in my prayers as you have times you'll never forget.
 
Out of curiosity, what kind of careers can you expect out of having been an "Airborn Ranger" officer/lieutenant ? I saw something in the paper today, that 50% of everyone in the Army is earning less than $20,000. Its $12,000 (give or take a few) for new recruits. Unbelievable.

I envy you, me at 22, stuck in some bull**** job, I wish I could turn back the clock four years. Knowing me, I'd just want to take on the challenge of basic and Ranger school, then go AWOL with all my new skills :D.
 
Farm... Err... Far Out! Ya done good! Anything beyond I'm proud to have met ya and slightly know ya would just be repeating what everyone else has said so far. (Basically then it's a big `ditto' and keep your eyes and ears open.)
 
Hey, military pay ain't all that bad...

Yeah, it's no fun if you've gotta live of post, and support a family, but if you're young and single, hey, you're housing is covered, your meals are covered, your healthcare is covered, and you've got spendable income at the end of the month. When I was in, a PFC would have about $600 or so. Now, that's no fortune, but it's a start...

Advice: Do NOT buy a new car when you get to your permanent station. Or a motorcycle. It's tempting... For what a car costs, you can ride a lot of taxis on the weekends. If you've just gotta have wheels, see if you can get together with a coupla-three buds, and buy a decent junker. When I was in AIT at Ft. Ben Harrison (damn fine golf course!), we had an old Capri - no rear window, etc., but it sorta ran...

Stash as much $$ as the Army will match for education, etc.

Pick up a secondary MOS. There's not a lot of call for killin' folks...
 
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