[OT-rotc] I have made my decision!

[BV210]

I grew up in Oklahoma so it's a homecoming. Tornados aren't so bad. What are the odds another one will hit OKC anytime soon.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DerianCypher]

Thanks again everyone for the support.

Main reason I chose army is because of family tradition. I'll be the 5th generation of going into the army. That and AF and Navy ROTC require 4 quarters of calculus which would have me hanging myself mid-way through.

As to which medical school I want to go to, the one at the top of my list is definately the Department of Defense med school.


DC

 

[Mark]

Congrats, DerianCypher!

 

[Dinkeldog]

Note that he said the real military.

Of course, Shark should be along shortly, asking why he didn't join the Marines ...

The Marines don't have medical officers. They use the Navy's.

I would go with Army as the best choice. Most likely the most fun option, too, since Marines aren't available for you.

Four quarters of calculus? We only had three when I went through the Navy ROTC program. Maybe because my school only had three quarters, I guess.

 

[Richards]

Originally posted by DocMoriartty:

Remember all those guys who sit in pairs with keys around their necks in the missle silos are officers. I doubt many of them have 20/20 vision. Just something to think about if you join the Air Force without having perfect vision.

I was one of "those guys who sit with pairs of keys around their necks in the missile silos" -- kind of. First of all, missileers don't wear their launch keys around their necks; day to day, the keys are stored in locked containers until it looks like we may have to go to war. Secondly, God forbid we should sit around in the missile silos -- that not only wouldn't get the missiles launched if needed, but it would be death those of us sitting around there if they did get launched. Missileers pull their alerts in underground launch control centers (aka "capsules"), several miles away from the nearest missile under their command.

I was a missile launch officer for the first four years of my Air Force career. Many people disparage the job, but I loved my four years of combat crew time. I pulled an average of 8 alerts a month; each of those took up about a day and a half, considering you spent 24 hours in the capsule at a time and then factored in travel time there and back from the capsules. There were generally about 4-5 days of training each month, maybe a commander's call and some squadron additional duty days, but the rest of the time was yours. I have never had as much free time as I had while pulling alert.

Alerts weren't all that bad, either. Sure, it's not something for the claustrophobic, but for an avid reader like me, it didn't matter that I was in a tiny room filled with equipment racks so long as I had enough reading material to keep me occupied. And I managed to crank out my Master's degree while I was on crew -- plenty of time to do the required reading while monitoring missiles from an underground bunker.

In my career, I have actually turned keys with my crew partner and launched a Minuteman III ICBM -- naturally, this was a test launch that involved first removing the nuclear warhead and firing the ICBM at a test range facility. Still, there's only a limited number of people on the planet who can honestly say they've launched an ICBM, and I'm proud to be included among their number.

Also, for the record, I have 20/20 vision, and I volunteered for missile duty. Not all missileers are disgruntled, washed-out pilots.

Johnathan M. Richards
Major, USAF
Missile Staff Officer (and proud of it!)

 

[DerianCypher]

I have never had as much free time as I had while pulling alert.

And I managed to crank out my Master's degree while I was on crew -- plenty of time to do the required reading while monitoring missiles from an underground bunker.

Like I said... I wanna go into the real military

DC

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Like I said... I wanna go into the real military

DC

Note to young cadet: never make flip comments to men who control nuclear weapons ...

 

[Dinkeldog]

Note to young cadet: never make flip comments to men who control nuclear weapons ...

*zzzzz*
Huh? Oh, nothing important. Just another zoomie

 

[KitanaVorr]

Congrats on your choice of a military career.



I do regret a bit my parents talking me out of the Air Force Academy, although now I'm playing with the idea of becoming a marine officer. LOL - however, I think I'm getting too old to start over in the military and dueling with those 18 year olds.

But anyway - I'm rambling. Good luck to you!

 

[Taloras]

Heh. Im enlisting in the Air Force soon (take back my enlistment application Monday). Im -hoping- for a computer programming job......but as i still have to take my ASVAB....im not sure if i qualify. Where i went to school it wasnt offered, and i was sort of...anti-military at that point. Now i realize its my only decent option to go back to school and get a degree. And when i get out...computer programming pays.