My Recruiter steered me away from a combat MOS. What should I do?

I can’t speak for the US Army, but in the British Army everyone is a trained infantryman. You then go on to trade training.

The first part of basic is to get you fit, and train you as an infantryman. From there you go on to train for your MOS (anyone feel free to correct me)

You should pay attention to current events; conventional forces, especially combat MOS soldiers are being employed less and less. It was announced yesterday that we are going to meet with the Taliban to try to end the war in Afghanistan. If you want to go into harms way, go special operation or military intelligence. I have deployed more as a 35 series than I ever did when I was as a crew chief. Going 18 series or 35M, 35L or 35N will put you close to where things are happening in places all over the world.

Be careful what you wish for, my son was a medic for an infantry company in 2012 in Southern Afghanistan. He rushed to treat two buddy that stepped on a pressure plate IED. In his effort to treat his buddies, my son stepped on a second IED and lost his right leg below the knee. The bomb torn up his left leg, both arms , knocked him back about 20 feet and left a quarter size piece of shrapnel in his back; the shrapnel just happened to go between the two plates of his body armor. It took 51 units of blood to keep him alive before the medical team at Kandahar could stop all the bleeding. He had to go through 18 separate surgeries. Today, after over two year of being in the hospital and in rehab, he walks with a prosthetic leg, has about 50% usage of his left arm and is covered with scare tissue over 20% of his body. One of the guys that my son rushed to treat lost both legs and can never have kids due to the damage to his genitals.

If you want to be a hero, be a MEDEVAC pilot. Be someone that is in some part responsible for bringing someone's son, daughter, husband or wife, home.

If you really wanna fly don’t go in as a mechanic. I did that. By the time I got around to taking the AFAST and starting the fly packet I was so beat up I couldn’t pass Aeromed. I don’t know if they still have it by check into a program called high school to flight school. If not you do a lot better to get at a degree and your private pilot. Fixed wing and rotary are different, but it will give you a foundation.

Willy, you stated "I really want to be in the action...."

No. You really don't.
.....
The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.

Douglas MacArthur

Something you may consider is a quote that has been with me for my career. "No one prays for peace more than the soldier. For in war the soldier stands to lose the most." If you want to be combat arms be combat arms, some of the best interrogators I looked up to came from the infantry. What the recruiter is trying to do is put you in and around the pilots early so you will have the contacts you need for your flight packet. Also if you want to be a pilot you should be able to fill out a flight packet before you join and go strait in if you are selected (unless something changed in the last several years). You have to take charge of your military career / time from day one. Make goals and plans on how to achieve them.

He did you a favor. Although when I joined recruiters had almost nothing to do with what MOS you picked. MOSs were handled at MEPS after your physical. My recruiter asked me what MOSs I was interested in, and showed me short videos of the jobs I was thinking about. He wasn't even aloud in the room when I made my decision. If you were really set on an MOS that would have put you in the action then I'm sure your recruiters thoughts about the best MOS for you wouldn't have had any affect on your choice. Sounds to me like you might have a little buyers remorse. If however you really want to fly then your recruiter helped keep your dream alive. You see the combat MOSs always seem to be in need of more men. As a result it is almost imposible to get a new MOS when your already in a MOS that is short handed.

All jobs are important. BE A SOLDIER FIRST. Combat is not a fun and games experience. It isn't a rite of passage. You may have a MOS but the ARMY will use you as neede.

there could be a number of reasons why he did but one thing is are you the only son of either of your parents

The window to be a military Aviator closes at age 26 1/2 years. So look at your timeline...in the 1970s an American High School Graduate could sign up for 4 years...get an Honorable Discharge and then finish 4 years of college to arrive at 26 years of age and be able to step into a Flight School Contract...this is the USMC, Navy and USAF Aviation Commissioning Track.

I cannot speak for the Army. Their Aviation Track is different, includes Warrant Officers and appears to not require the same standards to meet before receiving your wings.

So if your age is 18 then get a 4 year contract in Combat Arms (if such a contract still exists); serve honorably then go to college.

Another path to Aviation before 26 1/2 is to join the RESERVES. Pick a Combat Arms Unit...be in the Gun club. Enroll in college and get into an Officer Candidate Pipeline with an Aviation Contract. Finish college and OCS as an undergraduate an step into a 2ndLt Commission before age 26 1/2.

If you want to fly, go to college and then go Air Force. It’s your best chance.