Will I lose Advanced Enlisted Rank opportunities if I cancel my Delayed Enlistment?

2021-03-10T23:19:46-05:00

Hello Rally Point community. I'm sure as you can tell, im not a member of the Armed Forces and i apologize in advanced if this is not the forum for people like me. I signed my Army Contract last year just as the Covid pandemic was starting, and I was not aware at the time i would be stripped of most of my Junior year and my Senior year because of the threat to my parents of Covid. I feel like I'm about to just lose all of my chances to create memories with my friends and not even have a chance to have a girlfriend long enough for it to count. As my shipping date is June 14th, just two weeks after i would graduate Highschool and be off to join the real world, i am increasingly feeling quite sad about the situation. I am seriously considering cancelling my Delayed Enlistment and working towards getting a waiver for service later (12-18 months). However, i dont believe it would be worth it if i lose my Advanced Enlisted Rank as an E-3 for my four years of JROTC. I can honestly live with losing my ability to chose a lot of other things about my enlistment with having to gain a waiver, but this is different. For age reference i turned 18 last October (2020).

P.S. I also would love any advice for the situation from Veterans/Service Members such as yourselves.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2021 11:26 PM

2021-03-10T23:26:05-05:00

Caleb Ludolph Welcome to RallyPoint. This is exactly the forum to ask questions like the one that you are asking. I will let other RallyPoint members answers your question.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Mar 11 at 2021 12:19 AM

2021-03-11T00:19:08-05:00

You won't lose your rank. That is what you would come in at due to going through ROTC in High School. That is there no matter when you join the military even if you back out and decide to later go back in.

On the real though? Hate to break it to you but you are not going to make and have those memories with your friends because those have already been stripped. You graduate soon and will go off to do whatever in life... so will your friends. You cannot roll the clock back. You can only move forward. You can always reconnect. As to your girlfriend? She will be there when you get back from AIT. COVID had things and peoples head screwed up and around so this is actually a normal feeling but do not over think it or sweat it. People will be there.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 12:22 AM

2021-03-11T00:22:10-05:00

I believe you will always have the E-3 entitlement. You can also go in as an E3 with some college and NO Jr. ROTC and an E4 with a Bachelor degree I was once an E-4. Let's see what others say here.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 11 at 2021 12:56 AM

2021-03-11T00:56:21-05:00

So if you flake on your enlistment what magical thing will be different? Wont this be one more thing COVID screwed up? Are you planning on repeating your senior year? Are your friends going to hang around and not doing anything? Girlfriends are in indeed enchanting, if it is meant to be, she’ll be there. If not, you just saved yourself some trouble. Will she be hanging around waiting or will her life March on too?

You are already 18. Time to get on with something in your life. Whatever that something is for your. You can not capture High School in a jar.

Response by Cpl Johnny Willis made Mar 11 at 2021 1:05 AM

2021-03-11T01:05:06-05:00

Caleb Ludolph, how's it going man - what MOS did you end up choosing and why?

I hope that my response will be helpful to you.

I think that there is no real rush to join - if you don't feel ready for it and want to wait a little bit, then you should. Otherwise you might feel you rushed into something that you were not ready for and regret some of the decisions and choices later on down the road.

I will say that no matter what anyone here tells you and what you should do. At the end of the day, you are going to make up your own mind and do whatever it is that you feel like doing. But I want to give you some insight on something as I once was in a similar thought process as you (kinda) and I hope that maybe my post will help you and those after you.

I hear ya man, I was going to join right out of high school. I actually had two plans. Plan 1: Join right out of high school. Plan 2: Graduate high school, do college and THEN join as an Officer. Plan 2 was the one I really wanted to do and something that I thought to do for a long time, but as I got closer to graduating, I also had no plans to go to College - Like I didnt know what school I would be going to, how to apply, how the heck I am going to even afford to pay AND nobody was really pushing me to go to College. The main thing in my family was - just graduate highschool first. That was #1. Right. Funny story - I was working at a fast food restaurant. And I will never forget. This lady came through the drive through - obviously she ordered food, but I was the 'coordinator' (where you hand them the food and drinks - the customers last stop) and she asked me "Young man, are you getting ready to graduate this year?" I said yes ma'am. She then asked "Make sure you go to college as soon as you finish high school....." She then proceeded to tell me (which I will shorten here) that she made the mistake in life by taking "a couple months off" which turned out to be several years, but in the end of her explanation she said "Take it from me. When you plan to take 1 year off, it will turn into 2, then 3, then 4, then 5 and so on. So while you are already mentally in school, keep going and get your degree" I lied to her and told her that I was looking at colleges already. It was a lie because she got me. I wasnt looking at no Colleges man. I didn't know anything about school - I just wanted to graduate high school, I was so sick and tired of school I couldn't wait for it to be finished.

Anyway, that was my plan 2. And because I was so sick and fedup with school, I opted for Plan 1. It was the easy way out, right. Anyhow, I talked to a recruiter, took the ASVAB, was ready to go. BUT this was at the time the war was at it's peak and every single day, there was always roughly 10 service members names being announced about being KIA. My dad told me that maybe I should wait - but I was determined to go. I gave him an ultimatum. I applied at a semi-conductor business making computer chips and I told my dad that if I get that job then I will push back joining - I made It clear that I was going to join one way or another BUT if I got that job, I will push it back a couple of years. Well I ended up getting the job. Long story short, I worked there for a few years and looking back I should have done College. Because as I was seeing on social media - my friends that DID go to college right after high school were all posting they would be graduating soon and all that and I felt some type of way about that. Like, "dang if I would have just done college I would have be finishing now with my bachelors degree and then be able to go in as an officer" - at this point in time, I was backwards. Right. Well now my age is kinda up there on top of that, at this time the economy was bad. My job, kept doing lay offs, and it was just unstable. Every day we had to come into work and worry about our job - and I got tired of it. I said enough is enough - I wasted 4 years, I didnt go to college, I wasted my time. I had to join.

So this was when I signed up. From there, obviously it was one of the best decisions of my life, even though I did an enlistment and got out. I've now done college and now I am trying to go back in as an officer.

I get you Caleb Ludolph, that you want to live and enjoy your life, make memories with your friends and to be honest you should! But at the same time, make the most of your time. Right. Knock two birds with one stone. Make a deal with yourself. If you are going to stay home, then do college as well. You can start with a community college for the first 2 years, and then transfer to a University to finish your term. Don't just work a bull crap job, and have fun with your friends because life happens in this period. And it could be life that you want or perhaps even that you dont want, for example, you could get in trouble, end up having a baby I mean many many things can happen to prevent you from joining or stopping you forever from going in. Right now I feel you are kinda at the same fork, I was in except obviously our roads were different but similar.

And just like everyone here has experienced - After you join something bigger than yourself, and several years goes by - lets say even just 4 years. You hop on social media and see how your friends back home are doing, what they been up to - your going to see that a lot of them 1) either popping out babies left and right or 2) doing absolutely nothing. -- So think about my story, what I did for 4 years after high school. I didn't do anything, I chilled, enjoyed my time with my friends. So my friends that did graduate, perhaps they went on social media at that time to see what "there friends are doing" and most of them, including myself - was doing absolutely nothing. I will say though, I did work a pretty good job, and at that time, and my age I made GREAT money, but it was a dead end job. Do I regret all of it? Kinda, sorta - I wish that if I didnt join right out of high school, I should have really done college. And if I were to join right after high school, I would have been able to retire at an early age. Joining was one of the best things I ever did for myself, and it provided me many great opportunities after service as well. In some cases, I wish I would have joined at a younger age as well. while your body is fresh.

Like I said earlier, your going to learn that in the next 4 years, all of your friends from high school - not all of them but a majority of them, are going to be doing the same thing you guys are doing now.

There are going to be plenty of people you age, in the same perdiciment as you, when/if you join and go now. When I went to boot camp, there were many 18 year olds, 1-2 17 year olds turning 18, and very few 20+ maybe about 4 out of a total class of 80. So, if you are worried about making memories with your friends from high school, your going to make plenty of new memories with new friends and youll probably be BETTEr friends with those you serve with than the ones in your high school. Just saying.

So if your going to push back your time to join because you want to hang out with your friends. You need to, or well I guess I can't say you need to, but you should make a deal with yourself, and also do College. Your first 2 years in college, are your general education. Apply for a student loan, or try to pay for it out of pocket. You will have plenty of time with your friends, plus you will have plenty of time to make and memories to make with new friends but at the same time your also highering your education. And who knows, maybe after 4 years, maybe youll land a sweet job and never join - maybe you'll invent something.

If you dont want to go to College - you should join now. Everything is setup for you already, you just need to join. You made the decision before that, that was what you wanted to do, went through all the paperwork etc, but only now its getting closer and your legs are shaking and your mind is racing. No College, then join. Or College and join when you have a degree. Those are the only 2 options.

Joining the Military will be a great experience. It was one of the best choices in my life, and there are many benefits after service as well. You'll be 21 years old when you finish you 4 years, or you can be 38 years old - RETIRED with a pension and VA benefits. Can you imagine, 38 years old... retired.... with a pension..... You put in another 20 years somewhere else, and youll be 58 years old with 2 pensions. Or you can be 21 years old. Full pay ride for college. VA benefits. Just as good.

Your young, take advantage of it!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 1:25 AM

2021-03-11T01:25:56-05:00

You're pretty damn young, and the things that are important to you now won't be important in a little while. Of course, that doesn't make them feel less important now, and at your age a school year feels like an eternity. But as you get older time moves faster. The people you know in high school will be doing the same thing they're doing now in a few years. They're all going to get jobs or go to college and focus in their lives. Not everyone can stay at home with their parents and just enjoy life, most people will be working to pay rent, getting their girlfriends pregnant and working to scrape by. If you want to wait a year and watch everyone around you grow apart, if that's what it takes to walk away without regret, then go for it. I left the Army at 21 and spent several years traveling around, being a ski bum, and working in restaurants till I realized I wanted to actually do something with my life other than party. Then I came back in for a second round and have been killing it ever since.

As for your rank, it's garbage. Everyone who joins the Army will make E3 in a year. They'll all make E4 in 18-24 months. Your advancement is worth a few hundred dollars over the course of a year, if that.

As for advice from veterans and service members with previous experiences: your gf will leave you or cheat on you or you'll make a giant mistake and marry her then spend years paying child support for a kid you don't see. By the time you're old enough to drink a beer with you HS friends you won't be able to stand them and you'll be glad you didn't end up like them. Wait to get married till your older. Use your opportunity to move as far away from home as possible and experience a new culture and meet beautiful women, or men or whatever you're into and get a taste of life. Do not buy a Mustang or Dodge Charger on your first enlistment. These bits of knowledge are so common in the Army they are actually Army cliches.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Mar 11 at 2021 1:38 AM

2021-03-11T01:38:18-05:00

E-3 took six months in my time, probably less than a year now, still. Don't let that be a deciding factor. E-1 to E-3 is pretty much push-button. Competition for rank does not really begin until E-4

Response by SSG Laurie Mullen made Mar 11 at 2021 2:45 AM

2021-03-11T02:45:39-05:00

There is a whole new world of experiences waiting for you beyond your city limits. I don't regret for one moment going Active Duty when I was 20. The real world has a way of smacking you in the head when you get out of high school. I had to go to work full-time and pay my mother 10% of my paycheck for rent. Most people leave high school and work full-time or head off to college and focus on their studies. There isn't a whole lot of time for playing around. I went into the Reserves when I was 17 and then switched over. You will make long lasting friendships in the military. If you delay your entry you risk receiving a non-waiverable injury or you could end up making one very stupid decision one night that could keep you out of the service.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 7:24 AM

2021-03-11T07:24:36-05:00

I’m currently on recruiting duty now and if you were my future solider we would have a nice and long conversation. The feelings you’re having are completely normal. This doesn’t feel like the right time, but is there ever a right time? I strongly believe that too many times in life we wait “for the right time”. Every moment you wait, an opportunity passes you by. Your family is not going anywhere, they will still be there when you want to use your leave days to see them.
Your rank should be the least of your worries. And if coming an as an E3 trumps all of those things and you’ll ship if you lose it. You already have your answer. You want to do this, you’re just scared of the unknown and what’s to come. It’s completely normal, but I say do it man. Take the leap and start the career you set out to start. Don’t make the first desesion that you ever make as an adult one that you go back on. You’ll start a nasty trend that’s hard to get out of. Good luck!

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 7:39 AM

2021-03-11T07:39:28-05:00

COVID and the subsequent government reaction to it has already taken away your Junior and Senior year of HS. And I hate that for you, because I have great memories of those times. But they are gone, and hanging out after graduation isn't going to bring them back. And I hate to tell you that too, but it is true.

So, look forward and move on with your life, building it up and not looking back in a vain attempt to capture what was taken from you.

And this is coming from the dad in me too, not just the colonel.

Good luck and you are in my prayers, because it is a tough decision. (as you will find most adult decisions are).

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Mar 11 at 2021 9:34 AM

2021-03-11T09:34:32-05:00

It's your choice. Your JROTC certificate doesn't expire so if you ship later it will still get you the rank it would if you still shipped in June.

Don't put so much stress on yourself to create memories. That's not how it works anyway. Watch any reality show about sweet 16'2 bridezillas, house of my dreams, etc etc. The one common factor is that when you force you or those around you to "have fun and make memories" all it does is stress fracture everything.

Don't worry about trying to lock a girlfriend down before you ship. Your first year will be a whirlwind of entry level training and you won't have a lot of free time to dedicate to much of anyone to build up or maintain a meaningful romantic relationship. You will see that joining the military breaks up a lot of couples. It's not a lifestyle that fits everyone's needs or expectations. Don't be in a rush to get settled down. If it happens it happens but again, stop trying to force yourself into things because social norms make you feel that is what you should be doing.

If you want to stick around home go for it but you will need to have an escape plan in mind. You can't graduate and just exist like a shapeless cloud of "meh" floating around your parents house. You need a plan. Get a job, go to school, do something. Have a goal or you will just drift and end up doing something dumb.

But if you don't have a legit reason to skip your ship date just move forward and start building some life experiences.

I graduated on a Saturday and was in a van headed to a hotel monday night and was at MEPS bright and early on Tuesday morning. I was standing on the yellow footprints while the sun was setting on Parris Island. Compared to my peers I was out the door while they were still sleeping off their graduation party hangovers. But I was ready for the next chapter. The main thing is stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Life is pass or fail. Just go for it and see what sticks

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 11 at 2021 1:56 PM

2021-03-11T13:56:08-05:00

Memories???? High school hasn't that big a deal- memories from my units, people and time in the Army are more important even after 27 years of retirement. Which is more important to you serving, or screwing around.

Response by SFC Randy Hellenbrand made Mar 11 at 2021 3:11 PM

2021-03-11T15:11:31-05:00

Hi, I served 25 year and now have been out for quite awhile. While I know very well how important it is to make memories, you will make plenty of them in the military. I highly suggest you go in when they say. I wouldn't jeopardize you're getting to jump 2 pay grades. Uncle Sugar puts a lot of emphasis on hitting his recruitment goal. I wouldn't jeopardize any of it. I hope you got Germany as part of your deal. Keep the faith.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2021 3:13 PM

2021-03-11T15:13:14-05:00

If you miss your ship date you’ll eventually be discharged as an entry level separation. Once you are discharged you can rejoin the army after 6 months has passed and a reentry waiver has been granted. They are pretty common. As far as your JROTC goes the business rules change from time to time but as it is now you’ll still advanced to PFC with your time in JROTC. I won’t try to add anything to the advice you’ve already gotten but it’s all accurate. I graduated high school 10 years ago and I might occasionally talk to one person. I graduated basic 10 years ago and I consistently talk to about 8 people almost daily that I went to basic with. You make the call but as a recruiter right now. I have to urge you to have a heart to heart with yourself. Be upfront and honest with your recruiter. If there is any part of you that thinks you won’t ship in June then tell him or her now. My advice, go to basic and travel the world and do great things. You can go home and visit later and see that everyone was telling you the truth. Best of luck

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Mar 23 at 2021 5:42 PM

2021-03-23T17:42:31-04:00

I believe you are getting a case of letting other people try to talk you out of serving. There is also the chance that you just don't want to serve, that leads to the question, Why did you go to JRTC or even talk to a recruiter?

Response by Lt Col Timothy Cassidy-Curtis made Mar 24 at 2021 5:28 PM

2021-03-24T17:28:11-04:00

Caleb, first, this is the right place for that question. I commend your courage for bringing it up.

I will give you an honest answer. Forget High School; finish up and graduate. I'm sure you think it's the time of your life, right now, but I suspect most of the people on the RP will agree with me; the time of your life is in the future, especially with the Army (and, I'm Air Force, so y'all know what it takes for me to say that).

A decade from now, if you "stay the course" and join the Army on the current timeframe, you will come home and tell your HS friends what you did. Then, they will say "Day-Yammm!"

Let me give you a taste. Ten years after I joined the Air Force (commissioned) I had flown faster than the speed of sound, and had stood on the decks of two crewed space craft (Discovery and Atlantis).