OP-
I stand by my previous comments but let me approach this a different way... if you do end up talking to a recruiter (at your age & credentials)
(1) If the recruiter brings up the concept of 'honor', ask them about the bronze star award specifically. Ask them why officers at a certain level automatically are 'awarded' one for being there and then ask what lower enlisted have to do to get "their" bronze star. The recruiter might mention something about a "V" device and that standing for Valor. You'd do well to understand what "valor" equates to in earning that medal.
(2) Regardless of what MOS you're looking at- I'd suggest you ask what the divorce rate is for that job. If the recruiter tells you they don't know, they're either misinformed or lying to you. The data is there, ask for it.
(3) You might hear something about a "wish list" of where you'll end up being stationed, I won't even share my experience here, ask anyone else how much weight that list holds
(4) Understand that you might be trained in a particular MOS/job but that doesn't mean your experience will remotely mirror that training. Ask your recruiter how many tankers were deployed without a tank and spent their deployment pulling guard duty.
(5) You might hear the expression "three hots & a cot" implying you'll be fed well and have a place to sleep. Others may have different experiences but I can't even count the number of times I was thrown an MRE (and often times something godawful like the 'veggie omelette') and that's all I saw for food. Never came across a moment to canabalize that MRE and eat what little was edible. And a 'cot' equated to a helmet as a pillow to keep my head out of the mud. And no- this wasn't exclusive to being in a combat environment, this was during training but a result of poor leadership factoring in basics like their soldiers needed to eat or a place to crash. Going full circle now- they also were 'awarded' bronze stars and I can only assure you that in my personal experience, it only got worse outside of a training environment.
I'll stop there- you do you by all means but ask your recruiter these kind of questions and place them here. At least you'll get honest commentary on the topic from those that have "been there, done that".
As for me- I was "smart" enough to enlist not once but twice. So I may have a slight bias/be slightly disgruntled (and I'll own that), but I've at least been where you're at twice before so there's still likely a small amount of merit in what I'm trying to share with you.
But man- 29 with a BS, MS, almost 8 years of career experience, AND a wife & toddler? Sure you can look into the guard but...frankly I just think you can do better.
-LD
