That last point he discussed about of: “just do not look at the PAY SCALE between officers and enlisted but to look what motivates you of what you want to do matters the most”. I am enlisted in the Navy and I know so many Navy Officers that hate their job.
I’ve been both. I fondly remember my enlisted days in USAF Security Forces. The camaraderie was high, the shenanigans were endless, and I loved going to work. The pay however was lacking. My officer experience has been good, and I’ve had the honor of being an instructor at Officer Training School. If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed enlisted. My quality of life was better, the stress was lower, and the brotherhood bond was stronger. I strongly encourage anyone who wants to be an officer to start off enlisted. Get a good dose of what it takes to do the boots on the ground job before you put yourself in a position to lead those troops.
I’m an NCO all the way. PVT-1SG. I did consider ROTC when I left active duty. I couldn’t stand college, so the decision was pretty easy. I also love being around soldiers and mentoring and training them. Back bone of the Army. 💪
This the best enlisted vs officer I’ve seen in regards to the Army so far on TH-cam. Very informative and detailed. Some advice I have for those who do choose the enlisted route is to seek opportunity into the special operations community as soon as possible. Reason being, your quality of life and job satisfaction will be much improved. This includes the 75th Ranger Regiment, Special Forces, 160th SOAR, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs. Each of these units have requirements but the opportunity is there. If you don’t desire a combat MOS, you can still be in a support MOS in one of these units. There’s even a little known special mission unit somewhere on Fort Bragg that always needs good support personnel 😉. Do your own research on that. If you choose officer you will have a much better quality of life from day one. There is a reason they get paid so well though as mentioned in the video. Keep that in mind. I left the Army in 2016 but miss it every day. I wish you all the best of luck.
For those with scientific and/or medical backgrounds you can be commissioned through the AMEDD program. This is what I did and am now starting as a Captain in the 71A AOC. I graduated with a PhD in biomedical engineering and I suspect that played a significant role in be able to start as a captain instead of a 1 or 2 lieutenant. This process can take awhile; it took me 7 months from graduation to get my scroll. This route does offer a sign on bonus or student loan payback. There are AMEDD recruiters for those interested in this route.
I went enlisted and was a MP back in the day. Nudged my son to be an officer. He was commissioned last year and is going through Ranger school right now.
I think the way that you go about explaining things is how EVERY recruiter across ALL branches should talk to someone thinking about coming Into the military. Not just tell people what they want to hear. If recruiters took the time to explain things and break things down like you do. That would be amazing. I remember when I went to enlist I already had all the Information I needed I spent litterly everyday for all my time in high school and through college doing my research and preparing because I knew trying to talk to a recruiter and ask questions was gonna get me no where because they tell you what you wanna hear. So when I went to the recruiting office I knew everything I wanted so I asked no questions and was at basic in like 4 days. But anyways... Great videos though! I don't think I would try to go to ranger school lol but nonetheless I really admire how you go about talking about this stuff. Very helpful! Stay Safe Ranger! I Happily salute you
Have you heard about the new opportunity available in the Army where you can take as long as 3 years off to complete something that is important to you, such as school. However, for every month you take off you owe double. If you take 3 years off, then you owe the Army 6 years. In my experience thus far in the Army, I think that Officers are more of an executive than a leader for their platoon. It is the good NCOs in the platoon who really have that lasting influence upon their squad. I know there are Officers out there who understand the "ground truth" of what their team accomplishes and experiences. It is the probably the mustangs who understand it the most.
I would agree mostly with what you said, at least for the most part. But their are definitely good junior officers out there that want nothing more then to be with there team, and to provide good leadership. But some of that gets lost as ranking progresses on the officer world, especially since they only stay in their position for 1-2 years… it’s different for NCOs, they are more hands on and typically stay with the same group for longer. This is why it’s important to be a good nco, because your influence is much more lasting over the troops, and the impact of leadership is much more direct.
Go enlisted for 4 years while completing some easy online college degree then commission for O1E 💰. Or 18X and fast track to E-6 and get tons of special pay. Just remember that the root word of officer is office 😆. p.s. all SPCs get CPL before SGT after BLC now.
Yes, consider that if your powerpoint sux as an officer no one will take you seriously. And staff officers spend much of their time QC'ing powerpoint slides. Great stuff.
Ok I remember when I was in the 82nd ABD. The unit I was in had a system called. OML ( order of merit list). The list had on it Phyiscal Fitness test score Weapon or weapons qualification score or scores 4 mile run time Ruck march time How many boards you attend and how you did Here are some of the schools you can go to for being in a maintenance unit Air assault Sapper Recovery specialist H8 And a few others
Great video, very informative. I followed a route similar to yours but switched armies (US to Canada). Wouldn't have done it differently. That being said I'm trying to convince my 17 year old son to go officer route directly.
very well presented. I received my commission May 1971(2LT IN) Base pay $405/month. My first platoon had an authorized strength of 39em and 1 officer. I had 7 em and myself. Thank you for your service.
great video Sir emphasizing job satisfaction and happiness instead of money , cohesion as a enlisted infantry man is something that I really love but, perks as an O are great as well , personally I would fallow your career path and have both sides E then O . since to get promoted and be on top of your peers you need a degree anyway but that's just me .
I feel like my path is really good for me, it might not be the traditional way to go but I have continuously progressed and I don’t have any regrets whatsoever so far
@Gritty Soldier, I think you would be shocked to know how difficult it can be to get into the military now. I am a prior service Air Force Academy graduate. I finished my service commitment and separated with an Honorable discharge. I began speaking with National Guard recruiters right after my 28th birthday because I wanted to go 18X. Despite being selected from an SFRE, passing a Class 1 Flight Physical (to further prove there was no problem from my ACL surgeries that I received in the Air Force), having a 143 GT score, and a current TS//SCI security clearance--I have STILL not been allowed to ship to Fort Benning--and I turn 33 this August. The MEPS accession process is FUBAR. Yet they're now offering $50K bonuses for cooks and 2-year contracts, wondering why they can't get enough people to join...there's no mystery, but no one is willing to fix it.
@@GrittySoldier Hey, I actually really appreciate you asking. From being this long of an ordeal, I'm sure you can imagine...it's hard to be brief. The first nearly three years was almost all about my prior knee surgeries, ACL reconstructions. They all happened in the Air Force from a freak sports accident while I was a Junior at the Academy. It didn't heal right until I finally had a rock star of a surgeon do it right. By the time I was 28 I felt my fitness had recovered enough to where trying out for Army SF was a real possibility, so I started talking to NG recruiters in earnest, in Los Alamitos, CA. Fast forward 10 months and I had both been selected from an SFRE and had all 1s on my PULHES from a Class 1 Flight Physical. (My recruiter made the gambit to process me as a pilot candidate, so that I could use that physical as supporting documentation.) But, NONE of that mattered to the doctors at MEPS and NGB. They would not even read my packet before giving me a capricious "no." A Senator's office had to intervene..twice..to get them to follow their own regulations. I was finally allowed to enlist on 21 May 2020, and I had my 18X start date set for 8 Feb 2021... But only 2.5 weeks before I was supposed to ship, I found out informally from an NCO that I was being pushed out for Fraudulent Enlistment... The Recruiting Battalion Commander had written a memo of intent to separate me all the way back on 12 August...yet never bothered to even tell me, much less interview me, as he was required to by reg. I was already scheduled to leave my apartment and my employment, and thankfully got to keep both. When I first went to the CO Guard IG about the situation--he told me that he saw no wrong in the matter... I had to jump and down just to get real answers from my chain of command, and finally received the official Notification of Separation Memo on 21 Feb. It had turned out that Air Force OSI had given me an erroneous "arrest record"--that they never told me about, and that ground everything to a screeching halt. I got OSI to admit their error and expunge the record, but none of that mattered to this LTC. Mind you, he had never even met me. He completely circumvented due process by going all the way to TAG about my situation before I even knew there was a fight. He tried his best to prevent me from having an Admin Board, saying I wasn't eligible for one, and when I was able to prove him wrong, suddenly his recommendation went from an Uncharacterized discharge to an OTH. He then even went after my recruiter, slapping him with an Article15 and reducing him in rank from an E-8 back down to E-7--while not even presenting my recruiter with evidence of anything he did wrong. This same man then accuses me of not having honor and integrity... Despite everything being so obviously wrong to anyone with common sense, Trial Defense Service attorneys have still cautioned me that I might still receive an OTH from the Admin Board because it's so hard to convince board members that the LTC is the one who is wrong. That Admin Board has been delayed several times, and confirmation is still pending to be rescheduled again for 7 April.
@@michaelmitchell338 I hope you're not related to this LTC... They had the board on April 7th...after around 12 hours of process and deliberations all three of the board members unanimously decided that I would make a fantastic soldier--but they were still going to discharge me, with a "good luck getting back in after waiting 6 months." ...I'm not sure whether I have no words, or entirely too many.
@@wilremington6262 Did you have a disability rating for your ACL damage? I have a disability rating for a meniscus I recently got repaired (28 yr old former enlisted Marine) and am considering joining NG when I’m fully rehabbed. Curious to learn more about navigating a disability rating/ medical history to join NG approaching 30. I still have a lot more research to do and recruiters to talk to, but I would love to pick your brain if you’re open to it.
I was in prior and after Desert Storm era. The Army was larger ( More Divisions) back then and it seemed easy to join the Army actually you heard stories of recruiters lying to fill there quotas. Who knows if true or not BUT If you are young in this day and age it's easy to do research on what you are looking for in the Army. DON'T join the Army just for money alone like picking and MOS just for the fancy big bonus. Pick a job you really want ( Do research don't be lazy) E-1 to E-4 is automatic unless your a fuckup and you won't last in the Army anyways. I went from e-1 to e-4 pretty quick 15 months.I didn't know anything about waivers back then but i guess that's how i got promoted. Just do your job well and good things happen. I found that officers that were prior enlisted for the most part were respected. Humans always gravitate to natural leaders. with experience more then less people become that leader IF they want it bad enough. Prime example i'm in my 50's Been out of the Army and National Guard for years now but i find myself GRAVITATING to people like Gritty Soldier and a few others online because i'm a sponge i want to keep learning from people like them. They have that quality that people want to be like.
After you get out and want to work in the defense industry or support to the services, your former rank (enlisted vs officer) will matter to a lot of people. It is much harder to be a former enlisted person to move up in a company. There are exceptions but officers take care of their own...
I don't know about that. A former enlisted guy / girl who goes on to get an MBA will get potentially more respect depending on what they've done while in and what industry. Aerospace and Defence industries are super top heavy with former air force senior officers, but other non defence industries often have mad respect for enlisted folks.
@@tryathletes Re-read my comment--it says DEFENSE INDUSTRY or SUPPORT TO THE SERVIECES--nothing about "non-defense industries," which is a total different world for ex-military--enlisted or officer. They will get more respect if they go to a Wharton or Tuck, but a Strayer or Webster--nope!
Thanks for all of your videos, Grit! Very informative and helpful! You’re doing a great job with your YT channel, keep up the great work! Speaking for myself, I’m going into the WA ARNG as an E-1 fuzzy. It’s always best to start out at the bottom and work your way up from there. I’m going OSUT at Fort Moore (formerly Benning, I still call it Benning) for 11B Infantry
@ 2:00 I'm going to add a caveat. Think seriously about what you want to do, because it's more than just "join the Army!" The Army has some of the coolest jobs ever - but it also has some of the shittiest ones too. Be very careful because not all MOS's are created equal.. If you want to be a mechanic, cook, or clerk, then rock on! I wish you the absolute best of luck. BUT.. if you want a Ranger contract, or Airborne Infantry - or whatever, then accept nothing but that. If they tell you it's not available on the day you go to MEPS then tell them to fuck off. Come back a week later and they might have hundreds of slots. And vs versa.. If you want to be a cook but all they have is an Infantry slot then... See you next week. Because you don't want to spend "X" number of years in a job that you hate. I picked a Signal MOS because I thought it sounded cool when I was 17 - and it sucked ass. Re-enlisted as an 11B and couldn't have been happier.
Awesome video brother. I just raised my GT score I graduate college next year, I been in the Army 15 years, have 12 active. Currently on AGR, and I'm looking to go active and comission because I'm ready to lead as an Officer. Thanks for the video
Leading PT this week. Can you recommend a PT routine for some old and out of shape medical officers with 50% being on profiles? Your channel is gonna take off man!
I gotta say I'm not sure what the correct answer is, and I assume your overarching goals will motivate and inform your course of action (of course). HOWEVER having gone the officer route, I always noticed that prior-enlisted officers were the best junior officers. I know that talent and experience curve levels out over time (perhaps after that first term of service and most O-3's achieve parity). However, I always felt that the prior-enlisted 2nd Lieutenants and 1st Lieutenants were just on another level. I went in as an 09 Sierra which is a yokle off the street with a college degree, went through Federal OCS, and damn if I did not feel like there was a steeper learning curve. But temperament and work ethic have a lot to do with it too.
Shouldn’t this be a no brainer? Officers eat better, get paid more and get treated better. Yes, there’s more responsibility and stress but that’s why you’re higher ranking.
You, Gritty Soldier, have the honor of being a" Mustang"( a Navy- Marine Corps term, predominantly meaning an Officer who is Prior Service Enlisted Man) , and, personally, I had alot more respect for Commissioned Officers of any Branch of Service, Who was either a Non Commissioned Officer ( NCO) or Petty Officer ( PO).
My daughter is considering joining the military. She has a 4 year bachelor of science in Criminal Justice with a 3.5 GPA. Should she enlist or go for officer? With this degree which branch of military do you recommend.
I have a hypothetical question: if I were to commission and make it to a ranger battalion, would I be stuck behind a desk or would I get to do the same sort of high-speed stuff an enlisted guy would get to do?
Thank you for this video! My parents are both army veterans (my mother was a nurse) but I personally went to college. Now I have a 4 year degree and would like to use it to help the country rather than a company, so I would like to become an officer. However, I looked into the Air Force and saw it’s very competitive. I graduated with a 3.1 GPA and played soccer in college so I am in good shape which I think helps me. However I was told that I could enlist and then apply for officer after 1 year since I already have my degree. I’m not sure what to do. I would hope I get accepted to OTS but since it’s so competitive I’m not sure because they said only 20% of applicants are accepted and usually they have a 3.4 GPA with a college degree. I also run into a problem if I want to enlist, because I had a boxers fracture in 2017 that required 2 surgeries and I have a plate with 5 screws in my hand for life. I was told this may not qualify me for enlistment but it may not matter if I go to OTS. I’m in a tough spot I feel.. I would really appreciate your thoughts. I’ve applied to the air force OTS and hoping for a call from a recruiter tomorrow. Guess I should quit marijuana pronto..
I’m about to turn 26 and also with a bachelors degree. Thinking about enlisting though to 35P Cryptologic Linguistic. It gives me the benefit to learn a new language which is something I want to do and a top secret clearance which can be useful down the road with an agency. Just curious what was your experience.
I never was a commissioned officer. However, my opinion of the distinction between a commissioned officer and an enlisted person may be unique. I believe a commissioned officer makes sure plans are carried out. In contrast, non-comissioned officers/ petty officers execute plans using the help of junior enlisted. Also, commissioned officers can only give indirect orders while Non comissioned/ petty officers give direct orders. In addition Officers can be put in a situation where they have to make life and death decisions for civilians or people in the military.
1st point is correct. 2nd point is incorrect. As an officer in your chain of command (ie i was your PL or Commander), if I gave you a direct order, you are obligated to follow it. My orders override any NCOs. If I was not in your direct chain of command, if I were to give you an order, you would be obligated to follow it unless it was contrary to your current orders and mission were.
How are new Lt's treated by enlisted soldiers in your opinion? Is it worth the grief waiting to pin on Captain? From everything I've seen the Army looks down on its junior officers. What's it like to be a new Lt?
When arriving to their first units, BOTH are treated like they know nothing, because frankly they don’t. Both E’s and O’s are expected to mostly shut up, listen and learn in the beginning. The difference is that LTs are still expected to lead, even though they havnt really learned how yet. This is their first test of leadership. PVTs just need to show up in the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform and at least pretend to be motivated. LTs are expected to do all that, PLUS be the one to do the motivating, while providing purpose and direction for the entire team. Being an LT isn’t bad at all, as long as you accept the fact that you know nothing. But as long as you remain humble, can learn new things quickly, are a good motivator and can lead by example, you’re an asset to the team and you are doing your job. If you fall short on any of those things, it will be noticed (immediately) and your team won’t forget it. LTs must go through the “butter bar” phase, because it is absolutely where they learn their first and most critical lessons on leadership (at the lowest levels), it’s where they can still afford to make mistakes, and it’s where their leader style style is born. Yeah, it’s worth it! 👍
@@GrittySoldier Thanks man, my son is on track to commission next year, we don't know a whole about the Army and his experience thus far has been less than motivating. You have very informative videos and we appreciate it. Good luck on your career path.
@@jeffk6941 he’ll do great if he just listens and STAYS MOTIVATED! Also, I would encourage him to seek the career path the really speaks to him personally, not the one that seems like a “smart plan.”
Currently serving as a 1LT in the NYARNG. I will say you need to stay humble, take the time to get to know your Soldiers and even more important, incorporating your NCOs on decision making, plans, and advice is what will set you apart from your peers. Also dominate your PT and lead by example. Never ask your Soldiers to do something you wouldn’t do or haven’t done. Finally, my NCOIC has close to 20 years in my section, I involve her in all decisions and we hold each other accountable to the mission at hand. It will be rough in the beginning and you’ll go through some growing pains but its worth it. Also, sleep out in the field with your Soldiers. Don’t sleep in barracks even if the other Officers are. 👍👍
LT's aren't really judged by enlisted soldiers by their expertise (at least not 2nd Lieutenants). A 1st Lieutenant has some time in his or her belt in a relative sense so there's a much better knowledge base. A brand new LT is genuinely judged by attitude and character -- which is how you want it. A seasoned Platoon Sergeant KNOWS they need to train up the LT, and they know their role. But they also know when they see an LT with shall we say a "self-limiting attitude" be it power issues or very obvious character flaws. Ask a lot of questions, and be the kind of change you want in an organization. I knew I was on the right path when I had enlisted men calling me at night asking me for advice about shit, such as whether or not they ought to re-enlist bc their wives weren't happy if they did, or if a spouse was cheating on them. Think about that for a minute. It's late at night, you're a Soldier with family all over the country, and you call your lieutenant. WTF. But I'll tell you what, those were great calls, and they humbled me a great deal. Tell your kid he's making the right choice. Just remember to be the change that he wants to see -- as long as he doesn't want bullshit. =) Also, you basically just have to have a pulse and wait the clock to make Captain. As long as your dont' make any major mistakes and get kicked out, of course. HOWEVER the responsibilities increase EXPONENTIALLY, and you don't want to be "unsure" of who you are and your leadership style as a company commander. I'll say the best military jobs I ever had was as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer -- I got to lead and had half the administrative crap to deal with.
Great video! Gritty I'm a programmer/coder. What mos's are good for people in the IT and coding field? Also if I join one of these mos's will I still be able to go down the route of 75th regiment and green beret's?
The best way to join the Army??? Don't! Go blue (Air Force) or don't go at all .... 😃😁😮😂......OK.....had to throw that in there..... I grew up around Army as my dad was an 11Bravo through and through. I made frequent trips on base with him growing up and so I got to see Army life up close. I trained with the Army and the Marines off and on for years. Never got to do anything with the Navy. But had two siblings in the Navy. I was given the opportunity to go through the bootstrap program, but declined. It was a great decision. So happy I joined the Air Force and stayed enlisted for my full 20.
Overall good video, but you definitely didn't talk about how things are affected unofficially or play out. I know you are trying to be black & white on these descriptions, but you definitely didn't explain how the difference truly add up off the record items. Example, how a single NCO with 5-7 years of experience already in charge of 10 other soldiers and signed for millions of dollars equipment, their living conditions subpar compared to a fresh out of college officer on day 1. You can actually use the same example for people with families. NCO gets, for example, a thousand dollars less for housing allowance. Even if that NCO has a degree. Yes, they don't get as much food allowance, but it's enough of a difference that I have never met an officer who would swap. Just because you have a college degree doesn't make you an officer. I had a college degree and had a couple of friends with masters degrees but were enlisted. I think how the Army would not promote me to LT because i did not go to Green to Gold was another crap. There is no way you can convince me any ROTC program or Basic officer Leader course is harder than any combat arms Basic training. Plus, I am older (1990 12B Basic & AIT) when there were unofficially 2 basic training courses. Plus, now I am getting on my soap box, but military officers who brag about having a masters degree piss me off. Because unlike an officer, when I got my degree, I had to do it around the Army training youdid say how great it is that enlisted having the opportunity but you did not truly share how that is easier said than done. There is no garentee that you will get the opportunityto even attend the class on any Tuesday night. I had to drop & retake so many classes because of a 3 week field exercises was decided at last minute by senior staff that was not on the long range training calendar. So you sign up for a 8 week course but in wk 5 your going to the field for 3 weeks. So i had to drop, and start over. There is no, next term i will just come for last 3 weeks. BUT !!!! officer's don't have that problem. So any civilian education or college opertunities, for example go get their masters degree yes they may have to extend their military obligations an additional 4 years, but 2 of that is going back to college. College is their job for that 2 years. They don't have to run a military company / wing, etc. and study around military training like every enlisted person does. So let's say they have been in military for 6-8 years, and are extending their contract for 4 years to get that masters degree. So 2 years is being a college kid again, so by time that extention is over. They are a Major (O4), with 10-12 years total service. So at this point they are 8 years from retirement, making 100k a year. Plus their retirement is going to be around 40-50 % of their income. But that information does change often.
You are providing a dis-service of information when talking about military pay. As a civilian You have an overhead of liabilities that you must pay. I have to pay for a portion of medical, dental, eye insurance; Rent/Mortgage, utilities, high speed internet, Food and so much more. As an enlisted soldier living on base all that is provided to you and your pay all goes straight to your pocket. Civilians are living pay check to pay check just to cover living expenses. A soldier has it far better, their paycheck is all disposable income, until they get stupid and rack up unnecessary debt. I've seen an Army SPC buy a brand new corvette with only an LES statement, after making the monthly payment he didn't have any money for gas, damn thing sat in the soldiers parking area covered with a tarp, but hey he had a cool car. I bought a Honda Civic with no job by just flashing my order to report to active duty. Corporate America targets soldiers income, your not really getting a military discount for that new 4x4 your getting 5 years of high interest rate debt. This applies to NCO and Officers as well.
That last point he discussed about of: “just do not look at the PAY SCALE between officers and enlisted but to look what motivates you of what you want to do matters the most”. I am enlisted in the Navy and I know so many Navy Officers that hate their job.
Become a Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) officer
I’ve been both. I fondly remember my enlisted days in USAF Security Forces. The camaraderie was high, the shenanigans were endless, and I loved going to work. The pay however was lacking. My officer experience has been good, and I’ve had the honor of being an instructor at Officer Training School. If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed enlisted. My quality of life was better, the stress was lower, and the brotherhood bond was stronger.
I strongly encourage anyone who wants to be an officer to start off enlisted. Get a good dose of what it takes to do the boots on the ground job before you put yourself in a position to lead those troops.
Good advice! 👌
That’s the plan I’m pursuing
Ive heard multiple people say they regret commissioning. I have 9 years of enlisted time and I can start seeing why. Being enlisted is a blast!
Always enjoy your videos. I am a retired airborne ranger 05. Happy to see my army is still in great shape with men like you.
The army is doing great, regardless of what you might hear. Still tons of motivated troopers 💪
I’m an NCO all the way. PVT-1SG. I did consider ROTC when I left active duty. I couldn’t stand college, so the decision was pretty easy. I also love being around soldiers and mentoring and training them. Back bone of the Army. 💪
You could become TAC, black hat, for officer schools.
This the best enlisted vs officer I’ve seen in regards to the Army so far on TH-cam. Very informative and detailed. Some advice I have for those who do choose the enlisted route is to seek opportunity into the special operations community as soon as possible. Reason being, your quality of life and job satisfaction will be much improved. This includes the 75th Ranger Regiment, Special Forces, 160th SOAR, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs. Each of these units have requirements but the opportunity is there. If you don’t desire a combat MOS, you can still be in a support MOS in one of these units. There’s even a little known special mission unit somewhere on Fort Bragg that always needs good support personnel 😉. Do your own research on that. If you choose officer you will have a much better quality of life from day one. There is a reason they get paid so well though as mentioned in the video. Keep that in mind. I left the Army in 2016 but miss it every day. I wish you all the best of luck.
For those with scientific and/or medical backgrounds you can be commissioned through the AMEDD program. This is what I did and am now starting as a Captain in the 71A AOC. I graduated with a PhD in biomedical engineering and I suspect that played a significant role in be able to start as a captain instead of a 1 or 2 lieutenant. This process can take awhile; it took me 7 months from graduation to get my scroll. This route does offer a sign on bonus or student loan payback. There are AMEDD recruiters for those interested in this route.
These videos are great Sir, I’m one year away from commissioning from Rotc. Your videos have really helped my training.
Awesome! Glad to help!
At first I wanted to be an officer, but I liked being enlisted too much. Do you know what else I like? RANGER PACKS
😂
I went enlisted and was a MP back in the day. Nudged my son to be an officer. He was commissioned last year and is going through Ranger school right now.
I've watched a lot of the enlisted vs officer videos. And this is hands down the best. 100%.
Thank you !
I think the way that you go about explaining things is how EVERY recruiter across ALL branches should talk to someone thinking about coming Into the military. Not just tell people what they want to hear. If recruiters took the time to explain things and break things down like you do. That would be amazing. I remember when I went to enlist I already had all the Information I needed I spent litterly everyday for all my time in high school and through college doing my research and preparing because I knew trying to talk to a recruiter and ask questions was gonna get me no where because they tell you what you wanna hear. So when I went to the recruiting office I knew everything I wanted so I asked no questions and was at basic in like 4 days.
But anyways...
Great videos though! I don't think I would try to go to ranger school lol but nonetheless I really admire how you go about talking about this stuff. Very helpful!
Stay Safe Ranger! I Happily salute you
This was great man very detailed imo.. I’m going in Enlisted but I’m gonna try to go to college after a while and become an Officer
Glad it was helpful for you!
Have you heard about the new opportunity available in the Army where you can take as long as 3 years off to complete something that is important to you, such as school. However, for every month you take off you owe double. If you take 3 years off, then you owe the Army 6 years.
In my experience thus far in the Army, I think that Officers are more of an executive than a leader for their platoon. It is the good NCOs in the platoon who really have that lasting influence upon their squad. I know there are Officers out there who understand the "ground truth" of what their team accomplishes and experiences. It is the probably the mustangs who understand it the most.
I would agree mostly with what you said, at least for the most part. But their are definitely good junior officers out there that want nothing more then to be with there team, and to provide good leadership. But some of that gets lost as ranking progresses on the officer world, especially since they only stay in their position for 1-2 years… it’s different for NCOs, they are more hands on and typically stay with the same group for longer. This is why it’s important to be a good nco, because your influence is much more lasting over the troops, and the impact of leadership is much more direct.
@@GrittySoldier You being an infantry officer there is a different mindset compared to officers in a sustainment brigade.
Go enlisted for 4 years while completing some easy online college degree then commission for O1E 💰. Or 18X and fast track to E-6 and get tons of special pay. Just remember that the root word of officer is office 😆.
p.s. all SPCs get CPL before SGT after BLC now.
Good advice, gotta take advantage of the opportunities out there man!
lol ill consider this xD
Yes, consider that if your powerpoint sux as an officer no one will take you seriously. And staff officers spend much of their time QC'ing powerpoint slides. Great stuff.
Ok I remember when I was in the 82nd ABD. The unit I was in had a system called. OML ( order of merit list). The list had on it
Phyiscal Fitness test score
Weapon or weapons qualification score or scores
4 mile run time
Ruck march time
How many boards you attend and how you did
Here are some of the schools you can go to for being in a maintenance unit
Air assault
Sapper
Recovery specialist H8
And a few others
Excellent review, wish I saw it before searching the web for days
Glad it was helpful!
You can enlist as an E3/PFC with a associates degree in the army.
That’s right! Or if you completed some JROTC in high school.
Great video, very informative. I followed a route similar to yours but switched armies (US to Canada). Wouldn't have done it differently. That being said I'm trying to convince my 17 year old son to go officer route directly.
This is the first I’ve heard of an someone going from U.S. to Canada army. Are you American?
@@Brickswol First Nation, or American Indian in US terms. We are given same rights as US citizens under the Jay Treaty of 1795.
@@tryathletes That is interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for this video!
very well presented. I received my commission May 1971(2LT IN) Base pay $405/month. My first platoon had an authorized strength of 39em and 1 officer. I had 7 em and myself. Thank you for your service.
great video Sir emphasizing job satisfaction and happiness instead of money , cohesion as a enlisted infantry man is something that I really love but, perks as an O are great as well , personally I would fallow your career path and have both sides E then O . since to get promoted and be on top of your peers you need a degree anyway but that's just me .
I feel like my path is really good for me, it might not be the traditional way to go but I have continuously progressed and I don’t have any regrets whatsoever so far
@Gritty Soldier, I think you would be shocked to know how difficult it can be to get into the military now. I am a prior service Air Force Academy graduate. I finished my service commitment and separated with an Honorable discharge. I began speaking with National Guard recruiters right after my 28th birthday because I wanted to go 18X. Despite being selected from an SFRE, passing a Class 1 Flight Physical (to further prove there was no problem from my ACL surgeries that I received in the Air Force), having a 143 GT score, and a current TS//SCI security clearance--I have STILL not been allowed to ship to Fort Benning--and I turn 33 this August. The MEPS accession process is FUBAR. Yet they're now offering $50K bonuses for cooks and 2-year contracts, wondering why they can't get enough people to join...there's no mystery, but no one is willing to fix it.
Dang, what’s the hold up?
@@GrittySoldier Hey, I actually really appreciate you asking. From being this long of an ordeal, I'm sure you can imagine...it's hard to be brief. The first nearly three years was almost all about my prior knee surgeries, ACL reconstructions. They all happened in the Air Force from a freak sports accident while I was a Junior at the Academy. It didn't heal right until I finally had a rock star of a surgeon do it right. By the time I was 28 I felt my fitness had recovered enough to where trying out for Army SF was a real possibility, so I started talking to NG recruiters in earnest, in Los Alamitos, CA. Fast forward 10 months and I had both been selected from an SFRE and had all 1s on my PULHES from a Class 1 Flight Physical. (My recruiter made the gambit to process me as a pilot candidate, so that I could use that physical as supporting documentation.) But, NONE of that mattered to the doctors at MEPS and NGB. They would not even read my packet before giving me a capricious "no." A Senator's office had to intervene..twice..to get them to follow their own regulations. I was finally allowed to enlist on 21 May 2020, and I had my 18X start date set for 8 Feb 2021... But only 2.5 weeks before I was supposed to ship, I found out informally from an NCO that I was being pushed out for Fraudulent Enlistment... The Recruiting Battalion Commander had written a memo of intent to separate me all the way back on 12 August...yet never bothered to even tell me, much less interview me, as he was required to by reg. I was already scheduled to leave my apartment and my employment, and thankfully got to keep both. When I first went to the CO Guard IG about the situation--he told me that he saw no wrong in the matter... I had to jump and down just to get real answers from my chain of command, and finally received the official Notification of Separation Memo on 21 Feb. It had turned out that Air Force OSI had given me an erroneous "arrest record"--that they never told me about, and that ground everything to a screeching halt. I got OSI to admit their error and expunge the record, but none of that mattered to this LTC. Mind you, he had never even met me. He completely circumvented due process by going all the way to TAG about my situation before I even knew there was a fight. He tried his best to prevent me from having an Admin Board, saying I wasn't eligible for one, and when I was able to prove him wrong, suddenly his recommendation went from an Uncharacterized discharge to an OTH. He then even went after my recruiter, slapping him with an Article15 and reducing him in rank from an E-8 back down to E-7--while not even presenting my recruiter with evidence of anything he did wrong. This same man then accuses me of not having honor and integrity... Despite everything being so obviously wrong to anyone with common sense, Trial Defense Service attorneys have still cautioned me that I might still receive an OTH from the Admin Board because it's so hard to convince board members that the LTC is the one who is wrong. That Admin Board has been delayed several times, and confirmation is still pending to be rescheduled again for 7 April.
@@wilremington6262 any update yet? Good luck with everything.
@@michaelmitchell338 I hope you're not related to this LTC... They had the board on April 7th...after around 12 hours of process and deliberations all three of the board members unanimously decided that I would make a fantastic soldier--but they were still going to discharge me, with a "good luck getting back in after waiting 6 months." ...I'm not sure whether I have no words, or entirely too many.
@@wilremington6262 Did you have a disability rating for your ACL damage? I have a disability rating for a meniscus I recently got repaired (28 yr old former enlisted Marine) and am considering joining NG when I’m fully rehabbed. Curious to learn more about navigating a disability rating/ medical history to join NG approaching 30. I still have a lot more research to do and recruiters to talk to, but I would love to pick your brain if you’re open to it.
I was in prior and after Desert Storm era. The Army was larger ( More Divisions) back then and it seemed easy to join the Army actually you heard stories of recruiters lying to fill there quotas. Who knows if true or not BUT If you are young in this day and age it's easy to do research on what you are looking for in the Army. DON'T join the Army just for money alone like picking and MOS just for the fancy big bonus. Pick a job you really want ( Do research don't be lazy) E-1 to E-4 is automatic unless your a fuckup and you won't last in the Army anyways. I went from e-1 to e-4 pretty quick 15 months.I didn't know anything about waivers back then but i guess that's how i got promoted. Just do your job well and good things happen. I found that officers that were prior enlisted for the most part were respected. Humans always gravitate to natural leaders. with experience more then less people become that leader IF they want it bad enough. Prime example i'm in my 50's Been out of the Army and National Guard for years now but i find myself GRAVITATING to people like Gritty Soldier and a few others online because i'm a sponge i want to keep learning from people like them. They have that quality that people want to be like.
Thanks for all the input brother! Great advice!! 💪
I want to keep everyone healthy, so I'm looking into AMEDD. Thank you! Financially, civilians make more. I just want to do military medicine.
After you get out and want to work in the defense industry or support to the services, your former rank (enlisted vs officer) will matter to a lot of people. It is much harder to be a former enlisted person to move up in a company. There are exceptions but officers take care of their own...
Lol at dudes wanting to be called general or admiral well after they've retired and are working in civ sector
I don't know about that. A former enlisted guy / girl who goes on to get an MBA will get potentially more respect depending on what they've done while in and what industry. Aerospace and Defence industries are super top heavy with former air force senior officers, but other non defence industries often have mad respect for enlisted folks.
@@tryathletes Re-read my comment--it says DEFENSE INDUSTRY or SUPPORT TO THE SERVIECES--nothing about "non-defense industries," which is a total different world for ex-military--enlisted or officer. They will get more respect if they go to a Wharton or Tuck, but a Strayer or Webster--nope!
Thanks for all of your videos, Grit! Very informative and helpful! You’re doing a great job with your YT channel, keep up the great work! Speaking for myself, I’m going into the WA ARNG as an E-1 fuzzy. It’s always best to start out at the bottom and work your way up from there. I’m going OSUT at Fort Moore (formerly Benning, I still call it Benning) for 11B Infantry
@ 2:00 I'm going to add a caveat. Think seriously about what you want to do, because it's more than just "join the Army!" The Army has some of the coolest jobs ever - but it also has some of the shittiest ones too. Be very careful because not all MOS's are created equal.. If you want to be a mechanic, cook, or clerk, then rock on! I wish you the absolute best of luck. BUT.. if you want a Ranger contract, or Airborne Infantry - or whatever, then accept nothing but that. If they tell you it's not available on the day you go to MEPS then tell them to fuck off. Come back a week later and they might have hundreds of slots. And vs versa.. If you want to be a cook but all they have is an Infantry slot then... See you next week. Because you don't want to spend "X" number of years in a job that you hate. I picked a Signal MOS because I thought it sounded cool when I was 17 - and it sucked ass. Re-enlisted as an 11B and couldn't have been happier.
Thanks for the advice brother! Well put! 👍
@@GrittySoldier I still say you should get a pair of BLACK BOOTS.
@@Richard-lu8ck 😛
So as an officer, I am required to go to Ranger school in the US army? That is exciting. Currently studying for the ASVAB in order to apply for OCS.
Awesome video brother. I just raised my GT score I graduate college next year, I been in the Army 15 years, have 12 active. Currently on AGR, and I'm looking to go active and comission because I'm ready to lead as an Officer. Thanks for the video
Leading PT this week. Can you recommend a PT routine for some old and out of shape medical officers with 50% being on profiles? Your channel is gonna take off man!
Sure I can do that!
I gotta say I'm not sure what the correct answer is, and I assume your overarching goals will motivate and inform your course of action (of course). HOWEVER having gone the officer route, I always noticed that prior-enlisted officers were the best junior officers. I know that talent and experience curve levels out over time (perhaps after that first term of service and most O-3's achieve parity). However, I always felt that the prior-enlisted 2nd Lieutenants and 1st Lieutenants were just on another level. I went in as an 09 Sierra which is a yokle off the street with a college degree, went through Federal OCS, and damn if I did not feel like there was a steeper learning curve. But temperament and work ethic have a lot to do with it too.
Shouldn’t this be a no brainer? Officers eat better, get paid more and get treated better. Yes, there’s more responsibility and stress but that’s why you’re higher ranking.
Senior NCOs generally want their children to become officers, not enlisted.
Great explanation, but what about... Warrant Officers?🤨🤷♂️
Great video Sir
👌 Thanks!
You, Gritty Soldier, have the honor of being a" Mustang"( a Navy- Marine Corps term, predominantly meaning an Officer who is Prior Service Enlisted Man) , and, personally, I had alot more respect for Commissioned Officers of any Branch of Service, Who was either a Non Commissioned Officer ( NCO) or Petty Officer ( PO).
Well, things have changed. In my day, you didn’t need a college degree to go OCS. You just needed a high enough GT score.
I’m 25 with my undergrad degree and looking to go the officer out, but I have no idea where to even start
My daughter is considering joining the military. She has a 4 year bachelor of science in Criminal Justice with a 3.5 GPA. Should she enlist or go for officer? With this degree which branch of military do you recommend.
Enlisted when young and have a ball, Officer when you need the pay and are done with the shenanigans. Green to Gold
I have a hypothetical question: if I were to commission and make it to a ranger battalion, would I be stuck behind a desk or would I get to do the same sort of high-speed stuff an enlisted guy would get to do?
Real answer…. Depends.
Very Good!
Thank you for this video! My parents are both army veterans (my mother was a nurse) but I personally went to college. Now I have a 4 year degree and would like to use it to help the country rather than a company, so I would like to become an officer. However, I looked into the Air Force and saw it’s very competitive. I graduated with a 3.1 GPA and played soccer in college so I am in good shape which I think helps me. However I was told that I could enlist and then apply for officer after 1 year since I already have my degree. I’m not sure what to do. I would hope I get accepted to OTS but since it’s so competitive I’m not sure because they said only 20% of applicants are accepted and usually they have a 3.4 GPA with a college degree. I also run into a problem if I want to enlist, because I had a boxers fracture in 2017 that required 2 surgeries and I have a plate with 5 screws in my hand for life. I was told this may not qualify me for enlistment but it may not matter if I go to OTS. I’m in a tough spot I feel.. I would really appreciate your thoughts. I’ve applied to the air force OTS and hoping for a call from a recruiter tomorrow. Guess I should quit marijuana pronto..
How about being a Warrant Officer and having the best of both worlds?😊
Enlisted E4 at 26 with a degree in AET. Kinda wish I would’ve went Officer but nonetheless imma earn my strips
Hope I don’t fuck up as a specialist 😂
Get your stripes! And just so you know, you could always go Green to Gold or OCS if you still want to be an officer 😉
I’m about to turn 26 and also with a bachelors degree. Thinking about enlisting though to 35P Cryptologic Linguistic. It gives me the benefit to learn a new language which is something I want to do and a top secret clearance which can be useful down the road with an agency. Just curious what was your experience.
I never was a commissioned officer. However, my opinion of the distinction between a commissioned officer and an enlisted person may be unique. I believe a commissioned officer makes sure plans are carried out. In contrast, non-comissioned officers/ petty officers execute plans using the help of junior enlisted.
Also, commissioned officers can only give indirect orders while Non comissioned/ petty officers give direct orders.
In addition Officers can be put in a situation where they have to make life and death decisions for civilians or people in the military.
1st point is correct. 2nd point is incorrect. As an officer in your chain of command (ie i was your PL or Commander), if I gave you a direct order, you are obligated to follow it. My orders override any NCOs. If I was not in your direct chain of command, if I were to give you an order, you would be obligated to follow it unless it was contrary to your current orders and mission were.
@@armynurseboy Usually orders are delighted through the NCOs.
Sir, but as a former E-7 with 10 years TIS already you should only need TIG at the O-4 and O-5 right ?
if you get commissioned as an o1 after attaining being an e7, did you take a pay cut as an o1?
No I actually got like a $200 raise 👍
You would be an O1E, and depending on how many years enlisted, may actually be maxed out at grade.
If you join through OCS you still have to go to Basic training right?
Officer Candidate School is the officers' version of basic training.
Is it worth it to be an officer in the guard? I hear its tons of work with no pay
BOOM!
I have 4 months and 26 days left in the irr.
How are new Lt's treated by enlisted soldiers in your opinion? Is it worth the grief waiting to pin on Captain? From everything I've seen the Army looks down on its junior officers. What's it like to be a new Lt?
When arriving to their first units, BOTH are treated like they know nothing, because frankly they don’t. Both E’s and O’s are expected to mostly shut up, listen and learn in the beginning. The difference is that LTs are still expected to lead, even though they havnt really learned how yet. This is their first test of leadership. PVTs just need to show up in the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform and at least pretend to be motivated. LTs are expected to do all that, PLUS be the one to do the motivating, while providing purpose and direction for the entire team.
Being an LT isn’t bad at all, as long as you accept the fact that you know nothing. But as long as you remain humble, can learn new things quickly, are a good motivator and can lead by example, you’re an asset to the team and you are doing your job. If you fall short on any of those things, it will be noticed (immediately) and your team won’t forget it.
LTs must go through the “butter bar” phase, because it is absolutely where they learn their first and most critical lessons on leadership (at the lowest levels), it’s where they can still afford to make mistakes, and it’s where their leader style style is born. Yeah, it’s worth it! 👍
@@GrittySoldier Thanks man, my son is on track to commission next year, we don't know a whole about the Army and his experience thus far has been less than motivating. You have very informative videos and we appreciate it. Good luck on your career path.
@@jeffk6941 he’ll do great if he just listens and STAYS MOTIVATED! Also, I would encourage him to seek the career path the really speaks to him personally, not the one that seems like a “smart plan.”
Currently serving as a 1LT in the NYARNG. I will say you need to stay humble, take the time to get to know your Soldiers and even more important, incorporating your NCOs on decision making, plans, and advice is what will set you apart from your peers.
Also dominate your PT and lead by example. Never ask your Soldiers to do something you wouldn’t do or haven’t done.
Finally, my NCOIC has close to 20 years in my section, I involve her in all decisions and we hold each other accountable to the mission at hand. It will be rough in the beginning and you’ll go through some growing pains but its worth it. Also, sleep out in the field with your Soldiers. Don’t sleep in barracks even if the other Officers are. 👍👍
LT's aren't really judged by enlisted soldiers by their expertise (at least not 2nd Lieutenants). A 1st Lieutenant has some time in his or her belt in a relative sense so there's a much better knowledge base. A brand new LT is genuinely judged by attitude and character -- which is how you want it. A seasoned Platoon Sergeant KNOWS they need to train up the LT, and they know their role. But they also know when they see an LT with shall we say a "self-limiting attitude" be it power issues or very obvious character flaws. Ask a lot of questions, and be the kind of change you want in an organization. I knew I was on the right path when I had enlisted men calling me at night asking me for advice about shit, such as whether or not they ought to re-enlist bc their wives weren't happy if they did, or if a spouse was cheating on them. Think about that for a minute. It's late at night, you're a Soldier with family all over the country, and you call your lieutenant. WTF. But I'll tell you what, those were great calls, and they humbled me a great deal. Tell your kid he's making the right choice. Just remember to be the change that he wants to see -- as long as he doesn't want bullshit. =)
Also, you basically just have to have a pulse and wait the clock to make Captain. As long as your dont' make any major mistakes and get kicked out, of course. HOWEVER the responsibilities increase EXPONENTIALLY, and you don't want to be "unsure" of who you are and your leadership style as a company commander. I'll say the best military jobs I ever had was as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer -- I got to lead and had half the administrative crap to deal with.
A brand new officer is not considered a boot but a brand new enlisted is.
How hard would I be to get branched into infantry in ocs
Great video! Gritty I'm a programmer/coder. What mos's are good for people in the IT and coding field? Also if I join one of these mos's will I still be able to go down the route of 75th regiment and green beret's?
Dude, go cyber. That’s the hotness right now and there are tons of “secret squirrel” ops being run through cyber right now.
@@GrittySoldier ty so much!!
Did you go through ranger school as enlisted or officer?
Officer
The best way to join the Army??? Don't! Go blue (Air Force) or don't go at all ....
😃😁😮😂......OK.....had to throw that in there..... I grew up around Army as my dad was an 11Bravo through and through. I made frequent trips on base with him growing up and so I got to see Army life up close. I trained with the Army and the Marines off and on for years. Never got to do anything with the Navy. But had two siblings in the Navy. I was given the opportunity to go through the bootstrap program, but declined. It was a great decision. So happy I joined the Air Force and stayed enlisted for my full 20.
What’s the mandatory time you have to do as an officer before they’ll let you get out?
If you commission, your obligated time starts over. So 8 years total.
Any info on rasp 2 ?
th-cam.com/video/YaogkfNi3qc/w-d-xo.html
Joining the 75th Ranger Regiment | Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 2 (RASP2)
No love for the warrant officer?
Warrants are a totally different ball of wax. But generally, they're treated like mustangs.
@@armynurseboy if someone wanted to be a mythical creature, I heard warrant is the way to go.
Please give us a room tour
Should I re-enlist?
Overall good video, but you definitely didn't talk about how things are affected unofficially or play out.
I know you are trying to be black & white on these descriptions, but you definitely didn't explain how the difference truly add up off the record items. Example, how a single NCO with 5-7 years of experience already in charge of 10 other soldiers and signed for millions of dollars equipment, their living conditions subpar compared to a fresh out of college officer on day 1. You can actually use the same example for people with families. NCO gets, for example, a thousand dollars less for housing allowance. Even if that NCO has a degree. Yes, they don't get as much food allowance, but it's enough of a difference that I have never met an officer who would swap. Just because you have a college degree doesn't make you an officer. I had a college degree and had a couple of friends with masters degrees but were enlisted. I think how the Army would not promote me to LT because i did not go to Green to Gold was another crap. There is no way you can convince me any ROTC program or Basic officer Leader course is harder than any combat arms Basic training. Plus, I am older (1990 12B Basic & AIT) when there were unofficially 2 basic training courses.
Plus, now I am getting on my soap box, but military officers who brag about having a masters degree piss me off. Because unlike an officer, when I got my degree, I had to do it around the Army training youdid say how great it is that enlisted having the opportunity but you did not truly share how that is easier said than done. There is no garentee that you will get the opportunityto even attend the class on any Tuesday night. I had to drop & retake so many classes because of a 3 week field exercises was decided at last minute by senior staff that was not on the long range training calendar. So you sign up for a 8 week course but in wk 5 your going to the field for 3 weeks. So i had to drop, and start over. There is no, next term i will just come for last 3 weeks. BUT !!!! officer's don't have that problem. So any civilian education or college opertunities, for example go get their masters degree yes they may have to extend their military obligations an additional 4 years, but 2 of that is going back to college. College is their job for that 2 years. They don't have to run a military company / wing, etc. and study around military training like every enlisted person does. So let's say they have been in military for 6-8 years, and are extending their contract for 4 years to get that masters degree. So 2 years is being a college kid again, so by time that extention is over. They are a Major (O4), with 10-12 years total service. So at this point they are 8 years from retirement, making 100k a year. Plus their retirement is going to be around 40-50 % of their income. But that information does change often.
😎👍
No Infantry slots? 🤔 As my old Drill Instructor use to say, are you high? 😆
Is this a trick question? The clear answer is to be a Warrant Officer. 😂
You are providing a dis-service of information when talking about military pay. As a civilian You have an overhead of liabilities that you must pay. I have to pay for a portion of medical, dental, eye insurance; Rent/Mortgage, utilities, high speed internet, Food and so much more. As an enlisted soldier living on base all that is provided to you and your pay all goes straight to your pocket. Civilians are living pay check to pay check just to cover living expenses. A soldier has it far better, their paycheck is all disposable income, until they get stupid and rack up unnecessary debt. I've seen an Army SPC buy a brand new corvette with only an LES statement, after making the monthly payment he didn't have any money for gas, damn thing sat in the soldiers parking area covered with a tarp, but hey he had a cool car. I bought a Honda Civic with no job by just flashing my order to report to active duty. Corporate America targets soldiers income, your not really getting a military discount for that new 4x4 your getting 5 years of high interest rate debt. This applies to NCO and Officers as well.
I have 4 months and 26 days left in the irr.