I am meeting with a recruiter this week to start the enlisting process, any advice?

Callista Waterbly Welcome to RallyPoint. Do as much research as time permits so you can figure out what questions you have for the recruiter. Take a notepad to take notes and if you do not understand something, ask for clarification. Please provide an update after meeting with the recruiter. Good luck!

https://www.goarmy.com/army-life/basic-training.html

The intelligence jobs are where the money is when you retire. If you have a thing for languages than check out 35P Crypto Linguist. I would generally check out all the 35 Series (MOSs). You do need at least a GT score of 110.

I don’t have anything to add, a lot of great advice has already been posted. So I will just wish you good luck!

As always you received sone great advice from RP folks. I would only add that you are not alone, as you see you will recieve sone timely advice, so with that I recommend that you check in as the process eveolves should the Recruiter seem to be selling too hard.

Do pick a job you believe you will enjoy doing for the next few years. Don't aim to pick a job that "translates to civilian....". That's a frequently quoted red herring. If you enjoy the job, you will probably continue to do it, and probably in the Army. If you don't enjoy it, you won't want to do it in the Army.

Don't pick a job with the intention that you are going to go in, get trained, and exit. The Army retains about 85% of people who are eligible to be retained. Statistically, you will stay for more than one contract. That's great. The truth is there are very few entry level jobs that you could enter and leave at three years that would set you up for any kind of success. Highly technical jobs have long contracts, and unless it absolutely requires a civilian license to do the work, you have to get the license or certification on your own.

But, five to six years in the Army you can complete a Bachelor Degree on Tuition Assistance without touching your GI Bill. You can get the training and certifications in your current or future desired job field. Start your college as soon as you can. It will help you get promoted faster than your peers who wait.

Finally, DO NOT pick any of these MOS's at MEPS: 18X Special Forces, 37X PSYOPS, 89D Explosive Ordinance Disposal, 12D Diver. If you want to pursue any one of those, I encourage you to do so, but only after getting to your first duty station. Once you are there you can try out for any one of these MOS's and if you fail you go back to your old MOS. These MOS's have high fail rates, like 75% of the Initial Entry Soldiers who start will be dropped. Then they get reclassed to a new job, needs of the Army. So, pick a job you like at MEPS and then apply to one of these later if you like

Hi Callista Waterbly. Thanks for your commitment to service. Now that you're on RallyPoint, I suspect you'll never feel alone in the enlisting process - or while serving or eventually when you become a veteran - ever again. This is your life and your choice for what path you take. We're honored you're including us in the journey. As for my advice, I'd suggest reviewing each MOS suggestion you get, and then search for someone on RallyPoint who is now or recently left that MOS. Then reach out and ask them how they like it. Hopefully we'll all be seeing a post from you like this one from someone who seems to have been in a similar situation (4 years ago) from where you are now and then successfully joined the Army: https://www.rallypoint.com/status-updates/4446013

Here's what I tell my four children: Join the Air force because it will be relatively easier and I won't worry about you as much. There great opportunity there. Or, Join the Army because there are some outstanding people to meet there and you will get tough or die. The Army will make you strong. Please don't join the Navy, unless you're going to be a pilot, because weird things happen in the navy and I have not heard good things about a majority of Navy officers in recent times. Please don't join the Marines because I'll worry about you, but if you must than I want you to commit. Some of my favorite warriors were Marines, but they were all-in, hoo-rah sons of bitches that went through hell to earn the wisdom and tenacity I admire today.

Read your military contract carefully, I was promised by my military recruiter that they would pay for my college tuition and guarantee my MOS: Military Occupational Specialty(my job in the service), these were all in my contract before I signed my life to the military.

In boot camp I talked to my fellow service recruits and some of them said they think they got that benefit also. That's when I'd ask them, "Was it in your contract?' and most recruits would say, "I don't Know". Know what you want from the service and make sure it's in your contract. If it's not in the contract the military will not give it to you.