Nephew wants to join Army

[C-dub]

Good morning everyone.

Talk went okay. He tends to clam up around family anyway, so any two way conversation is good.

Turns out he took a practice test in the recruiters office and scored 46, but then the recruiter took him to the MEPS in Dallas to take it for them and he got a 35.

Nephew still doesn't have any idea what type of job he wants to do in the Army. He agreed to wait until after the election. I, jokingly, told him if the recruiter pressed him and he told him he was going to wait until after the election the might just add 5 points to his score.

[WildBill]

Good morning everyone.

Talk went okay. He tends to clam up around family anyway, so any two way conversation is good.

Turns out he took a practice test in the recruiters office and scored 46, but then the recruiter took him to the MEPS in Dallas to take it for them and he got a 35.

Nephew still doesn't have any idea what type of job he wants to do in the Army. He agreed to wait until after the election. I, jokingly, told him if the recruiter pressed him and he told him he was going to wait until after the election the might just add 5 points to his score.

Thanks for the update C-dub.

I hope he understands that his "choice" of jobs is not guaranteed any more than the promises a politician makes during his campaign speeches.

[E.Marquez]

I hope he understands that his "choice" of jobs is not guaranteed any more than the promises a politician makes during his campaign speeches.

Well no,. not really, at least for the army, can’t speak to the other services.

But for the Army, the enlistee will sign a contract for an enlistment term and a enlistment choice.

The choice may be a military occupational specialty, and if so, he if guaranteed that job.. If they army decides to do away with it before he get though AIT, or he does not complete the course standard (not including pre contract conditions) He will have a choice, take a different MOS offering, or be released from the contract.
Same with duty station of choice, if it becomes unavailable before he can be sent there, he is offered other choices, if he stick to it..if he refuses the other choices he can be let out of the contract.
Now the rest of the story.. once he has completed the AIT, and assigned as a widget repairmen... if the Army later changes , consolidates or otherwise removes his MOS,, he will be given a few choices to reclass,,, but will not be separated early from his contract.

Same with duty station of choice... the contract guaranties stabilization for 18 months,,,,,,, after that, you can be moved..

There are other gotchas, but the bottom line, is, the Army enlistee does have some initial control over getting the promised enlistment choice.. As always, if it’s not in writing, its not real…..
“You can change your job if you don’t like it” is not a lie, but not like it sounds.. yes at the end of your enlistment, if the Army needs body’s in a different MOS, you may be allowed to change MOS.
“You can be a Special Forces Soldier if you want” is not a lie…., but it’s more like, you can volunteer to go to assessment, if you are selected, you may be offered a shot at the qualification course, if you pass, you MAY be offered a chance to reenlist as an 18 something MOS. .
Program 9A - U.S. Army Training Enlistment Program
Program 9B - Station/Unit/Command/Area Enlistment Program
Program 9C - Enlistment Bonus/Army College Fund/Loan Repayment Program
Program 9D - Officer/Warrant Officer Enlistment Program

[C-dub]

My next question is if he can retake the test to get a better score or not? He doesn't seem to remember much of what the recruiter told him. He does remember that he said it can be retaken if you fail, but doesn't know or remember if it can be retaken if passed, but with a low score.

[E.Marquez]

My next question is if he can retake the test to get a better score or not? He doesn't seem to remember much of what the recruiter told him. He does remember that he said it can be retaken if you fail, but doesn't know or remember if it can be retaken if passed, but with a low score.

Last I asked
ASVAB retest requires a one-month wait between administration of the initial ASVAB and a retest. To retake the ASVAB a second time, another one-month wait is required. For any additional retests, a six-month wait is required between retests.

[steve817]

I'm not entirely up to speed on current stuff, i've been out for a little over 2 years now.

I can tell you that it's getting more difficult to get into the military these days. Unless I am mistaken, all the branches are downsizing (I know Marine & Navy are for sure). An occasional joint wouldn't get you DQ'd, but a history plagued by consistent drug use will. As far as the tattoo--it can be hidden, so I'm betting it will be at the discretion of a MEPS officer. With drug/drug paraphernalia on the tattoo, they will not be happy with it.

31 on the ASVAB is pretty low. Any techie jobs are going to be a no-go with that score. I could tell you more if I were to have his entire score. Here is a link you can follow to see what minimum scores are for a particular job in a particular branch of service.

http://www.military.com/ASVAB/0,,ASVAB_MOS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
.

I wonder if they changed their method of scoring since I looked into it. I mentioned and interest in Hawk missile systems and went down to MEPS to take the test. They were foaming at the mouth trying to get me to sign up but I don't remember my score being as high as this sheet mentioned.

[Purplehood]

Deleted.

[C-dub]

I'm not entirely up to speed on current stuff, i've been out for a little over 2 years now.

I can tell you that it's getting more difficult to get into the military these days. Unless I am mistaken, all the branches are downsizing (I know Marine & Navy are for sure). An occasional joint wouldn't get you DQ'd, but a history plagued by consistent drug use will. As far as the tattoo--it can be hidden, so I'm betting it will be at the discretion of a MEPS officer. With drug/drug paraphernalia on the tattoo, they will not be happy with it.

31 on the ASVAB is pretty low. Any techie jobs are going to be a no-go with that score. I could tell you more if I were to have his entire score. Here is a link you can follow to see what minimum scores are for a particular job in a particular branch of service.

http://www.military.com/ASVAB/0,,ASVAB_MOS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
.

I wonder if they changed their method of scoring since I looked into it. I mentioned and interest in Hawk missile systems and went down to MEPS to take the test. They were foaming at the mouth trying to get me to sign up but I don't remember my score being as high as this sheet mentioned.

You may not have had a high general score but you might have had a really good EL or whatever score...
Bronco78, not sure if it still applies but as I understand it, the ASVAB retest is every six months. I don't think they let you do it after 30 days.

We'll have to check on that. The 30 day wait may be if the score was less than 31 and a 6 month wait might be after passing the test, but wanting to take it again to try and get a better score.

[Purplehood]

Deleted.

[E.Marquez]

I'm not entirely up to speed on current stuff, i've been out for a little over 2 years now.

I can tell you that it's getting more difficult to get into the military these days. Unless I am mistaken, all the branches are downsizing (I know Marine & Navy are for sure). An occasional joint wouldn't get you DQ'd, but a history plagued by consistent drug use will. As far as the tattoo--it can be hidden, so I'm betting it will be at the discretion of a MEPS officer. With drug/drug paraphernalia on the tattoo, they will not be happy with it.

31 on the ASVAB is pretty low. Any techie jobs are going to be a no-go with that score. I could tell you more if I were to have his entire score. Here is a link you can follow to see what minimum scores are for a particular job in a particular branch of service.

http://www.military.com/ASVAB/0,,ASVAB_MOS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
.

I wonder if they changed their method of scoring since I looked into it. I mentioned and interest in Hawk missile systems and went down to MEPS to take the test. They were foaming at the mouth trying to get me to sign up but I don't remember my score being as high as this sheet mentioned.

You may not have had a high general score but you might have had a really good EL or whatever score...
Bronco78, not sure if it still applies but as I understand it, the ASVAB retest is every six months. I don't think they let you do it after 30 days.

You may be right.. There were some "If's, and's, or's and only if" stipulations attached to the test retake, and likely those change as do the entrance standards quarterly or so, my info may be dated… what matters is what the recruiter says, and just as important what they do not say. Most will never lie to get a recruit qualified and enlisted.. but many will tell the potential recruit only what they want to hear, need to know and or not correct them when they share a want or need that is just not supportable or reality in the service or job they are choosing.

[WildBill]

Unless your nephew was really under the weather or off his game, a retest will give him approximately the same score. This isn't a test that you can study for like a history test. I guess it couldn't hurt, but don't count on it being high enough to make a difference.

[steve817]

I'm not entirely up to speed on current stuff, i've been out for a little over 2 years now.

I can tell you that it's getting more difficult to get into the military these days. Unless I am mistaken, all the branches are downsizing (I know Marine & Navy are for sure). An occasional joint wouldn't get you DQ'd, but a history plagued by consistent drug use will. As far as the tattoo--it can be hidden, so I'm betting it will be at the discretion of a MEPS officer. With drug/drug paraphernalia on the tattoo, they will not be happy with it.

31 on the ASVAB is pretty low. Any techie jobs are going to be a no-go with that score. I could tell you more if I were to have his entire score. Here is a link you can follow to see what minimum scores are for a particular job in a particular branch of service.

http://www.military.com/ASVAB/0,,ASVAB_MOS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
.

I wonder if they changed their method of scoring since I looked into it. I mentioned and interest in Hawk missile systems and went down to MEPS to take the test. They were foaming at the mouth trying to get me to sign up but I don't remember my score being as high as this sheet mentioned.

You may not have had a high general score but you might have had a really good EL or whatever score...
Bronco78, not sure if it still applies but as I understand it, the ASVAB retest is every six months. I don't think they let you do it after 30 days.

All I remember is being ashamed when they told me what it was (I'm thinking 68). I still had that high school mentality going on and 68 didn't sound too wonderful to me.

[Purplehood]

Deleted.

[E.Marquez]

Unless your nephew was really under the weather or off his game, a retest will give him approximately the same score. This isn't a test that you can study for like a history test. I guess it couldn't hurt, but don't count on it being high enough to make a difference.

I respectfully disagree.

In most all cases, and that would be literally hundreds of my soldiers over the years... my Soldiers scores improved after some focused skills practice, ether using a course at our on post ED center, or using one of the self-help study guides. http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keyword ... y%20guides" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The self-help study guides worked when the person is educated and understood the meterial when taught and just needs refresher. The class room worked better when the Soldier never did understand the material.

[WildBill]

Unless your nephew was really under the weather or off his game, a retest will give him approximately the same score. This isn't a test that you can study for like a history test. I guess it couldn't hurt, but don't count on it being high enough to make a difference.

I respectfully disagree.

In most all cases, and that would be literally hundreds of my soldiers over the years... my Soldiers scores improved after some focused skills practice, ether using a course at our on post ED center, or using one of the self-help study guides. http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keyword ... y%20guides" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The self-help study guides worked when the person is educated and understood the meterial when taught and just needs refresher. The class room worked better when the Soldier never did understand the material.

Bronco78 - Thanks for your input and I appreciate your disagreement. In your experience how much did they increase in test scores?

As much as the uncle wants his nephew to do do better, either method requires a great deal of motivation from the prospective test taker. In this case, C-dub seems to be leading the charge so it remains to be seen if his nephew will rise to the challenge.