Posted on Sep 26, 2022
Should I wait or take the quick ship bonus? Will there be a bonus of some sort after the new fiscal year?
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So last Tuesday I sat down with my recruiter and we
checked the system I was looking to be a 25B but only
option was 25U. So it was 25U with quick ship bonus of
40K and option 19. Well I wanted to get more info on 25U
MOS. Well I got the needed info and went back Friday to
sign up and they had removed option 19. Well my wife
really wants to go to Germany or Hawaii. So question is
being a week away from army fiscal year should I just wait
for the new year to see if option 19 comes back but my
recruiter says the 40K will be gone. Any words of advice
would be appreciated?
checked the system I was looking to be a 25B but only
option was 25U. So it was 25U with quick ship bonus of
40K and option 19. Well I wanted to get more info on 25U
MOS. Well I got the needed info and went back Friday to
sign up and they had removed option 19. Well my wife
really wants to go to Germany or Hawaii. So question is
being a week away from army fiscal year should I just wait
for the new year to see if option 19 comes back but my
recruiter says the 40K will be gone. Any words of advice
would be appreciated?
Posted in these groups: 
Enlisted
Enlisted
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 8
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Michael Clark, choosing your first career field is a pretty big decision. While you can change your MOS later, it can be difficult and there is an effective window between when your contract obligation ends and when it may be too late based on grade/experience to be competitive.
I suggest you revisit why you chose 25B, and the Army, in the first place. 25B translates to industry far more effectively than 25U. If you plan on getting credentials or certifications while on AD, 25B will help you add experience to your resume. No matter if you are a 4 and out or a careerist, both top out pretty quickly when it comes to broadening and leadership opportunities. I have seen quite a few leave the Army between E-5 and E-7 to take their skills to industry. 25U is a critical MOS, but 25B is becoming important in its own way and the Army is investing in the capability.
Knowing that there is an incentive to choose one over the other, you have to decide if the juice ($40K +option 19) is worth the squeeze in the long run. A career counselor, aka SFC (Join to see), can help you navigate what options you have and the impact of the decisions.
I suggest you revisit why you chose 25B, and the Army, in the first place. 25B translates to industry far more effectively than 25U. If you plan on getting credentials or certifications while on AD, 25B will help you add experience to your resume. No matter if you are a 4 and out or a careerist, both top out pretty quickly when it comes to broadening and leadership opportunities. I have seen quite a few leave the Army between E-5 and E-7 to take their skills to industry. 25U is a critical MOS, but 25B is becoming important in its own way and the Army is investing in the capability.
Knowing that there is an incentive to choose one over the other, you have to decide if the juice ($40K +option 19) is worth the squeeze in the long run. A career counselor, aka SFC (Join to see), can help you navigate what options you have and the impact of the decisions.
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Michael Clark
I appreciate your details and knowledge. Yes I originally choose 25B in the case of I want to exit in four years to my understanding 25B can transfer into civilian IT pretty easily. But I was told so does 25U. Was I misinformed or does 25B just open a wider spectrum of IT jobs? Thanks again.
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CSM William Everroad
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-are-the-main-differences-between-25b-and-25u
Yes. 25U is more tactical communications. You typically maintain, setup, and troubleshoot unit level field communication equipment. Handhelds, vehicle communications, and command post communications. These include radios, force tracking hardware (Blue Force Tracker), digital command post setups for the HQ all working on encrytped high frequency and satellite communication bands. You will work with some computers, but depending on the unit you are assigned to it is very limited in how much you actually "design" a communication strategy. For example you won't design the encryption, or choose which bands or equipment types for a given mission set. A 25U, early in their career, will simply set everything up and make sure it works and keeps working.
A 25B is more server side and making sure all the communications equipment can talk to each other on the larger NET.
Yes. 25U is more tactical communications. You typically maintain, setup, and troubleshoot unit level field communication equipment. Handhelds, vehicle communications, and command post communications. These include radios, force tracking hardware (Blue Force Tracker), digital command post setups for the HQ all working on encrytped high frequency and satellite communication bands. You will work with some computers, but depending on the unit you are assigned to it is very limited in how much you actually "design" a communication strategy. For example you won't design the encryption, or choose which bands or equipment types for a given mission set. A 25U, early in their career, will simply set everything up and make sure it works and keeps working.
A 25B is more server side and making sure all the communications equipment can talk to each other on the larger NET.
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SGM (Join to see)
Michael Clark - 25B would prepare you for an IT job in the private sector.
As a 25U, you might get the opportunity to help the 25Bs enough to prepare you for an entry level help desk job, or you might just spend 4 years with a radio on your back, and teaching the people around you how to use a radio.
As a 25U, you might get the opportunity to help the 25Bs enough to prepare you for an entry level help desk job, or you might just spend 4 years with a radio on your back, and teaching the people around you how to use a radio.
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The bonus money is taxed and dissappears quickly. Your MOS and duty station will last much longer.
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Bonuses are never predictable. I can say that you will almost certainly never again see a 40k bonus in your entire military career, and you probably won't see it again in the next fiscal year. Bonuses and options are whatever are available at that moment. One of the worst mistakes people make is sitting on it to make a decision, someone who is more ready will snatch that option up in a heartbeat.
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CSM William Everroad
SSgt Clinton Krueger, what's not true? 25U, to my knowledge, has never had a $40K bonus. A RIF tends to make general and re-up bonuses get smaller or go away so they can feed more money into critically short MOSs. Because they are now competing with the private industry for the tech CMFs, they have to entice young people to stay away from colleges and tech schools.
The highest I ever got for re-enlisting was $20K (12B) and if you missed the window it disappeared because they met their quota in a matter of days. Adding option 19 along with $40K, they won't be desperate for 25U for a while.
The highest I ever got for re-enlisting was $20K (12B) and if you missed the window it disappeared because they met their quota in a matter of days. Adding option 19 along with $40K, they won't be desperate for 25U for a while.
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SFC (Join to see)
SSgt Clinton Krueger I'm a Career Counselor, I do the reenlistments and process the bonuses. A 25U in the Army is almost definitely never going to see a 40K bonus during their career. I have paid tens of millions of dollars in bonuses in over a decade. You are giving advice on Army situations based on your Air Force history, it is not applicable.
Everything CSM William Everroad said is correct
Everything CSM William Everroad said is correct
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