Military officers or LEO's I have a request.

[triceratops3]

Hi everyone,

I'm a sophomore in college right now and don't really know what I want to do with my life at this point. I'm looking for any current or former military officers or police officers who would be willing to email/pm with me to answer some questions and give me some insight into what it is to be a military officer or a law enforcement officer.

I suppose I more or less would just like to know more about becoming an officer and what your job is like.

If you are or were a military officer or an LEO and would like to help me out, could you either PM me here or shoot me an email at [email protected] ?


Thank you in advance,

-Thomas.

 

[JB02]

If you want to be a military officer, I recommend you get a technical degree (hard science or engineering is best) and stay in good physical shape. You will have many, many options from all service branches as long as you get good grades. If you choose to leave after your initial commitment, the combination of real world military experience and a technical education will set you up for success. A social science/humanities degree won't lock you out of everything, but it will narrow your options.

If you have any specific questions for me, send me a PM.

BTW, I'm not a recruiter.

 

[Zebra1]

PM sent, with another to follow.

Tony

 

[BGE541]

As a Military Officer plan on being flexible with your desires/outcomes. What I mean by that is we had a Nuclear officer as the OIC of our Mobile Sec. Unit. He never expected it and it was slightly out of place but at the end of the day we all signed the line and do what's needed, where needed. I would guess the the Civ side might have a more direct/consistent job requirement but cannot speak to that from experience.

Hope this helps in some way.

 

[kraigWY]

I was both, an Army Officer and I'm a retired LE officer. PM me with your questions.

 

[JesseSB]

Sent you an e-mail.

 

[WildBill3/75]

A cop really? Get your shit together and graduate with a 4 year technical degree such as was mentioned. If you are interested in becoming a Military officer join ROTC.

Edit---I see with your posted email you are attending Virginia Tech. I'd suggest attending another college if that ones burning you out. I have known some bright individuals while I was in the military that attended Virginia Tech and got burnt out and dropped out. One was a medic, who now since getting out of the military got a bachelors degree and is in a doctors program. I'm currently going the mechanical engineering route and being married there is no fucking way I'd go to Virginia Tech....there is a reason people go fucking psycho at that school.

 

[kraigWY]

If you are interested in becoming a Military officer join ROTC.

With the understanding that not many ROTC Graduates will get Active Army, most will get NG or Reserve. With the draw down there just isn't the need for junior officers.

My grandson graduates in May and already has bee assigned his branch (Infantry) and is one of the few being offered a chance to go Active Duty. Most of his classmates are being assigned to NG units.

If you're seeking a career, there is no guarantee you will be able to spend 20 years on active duty as a Military Officer. Just like after Vietnam and other wars, most junior officers were rifted. They either got out, went NG/Reserve or reverted to the enlisted ranks.


As a side note, I will get the pleasure of pinning my grandson with the same 2LT bar I got when I graduated from OCS.

 

[JeffLebowski]

American jobs are dying, best to go LE or mil.

 

[E. Bryant]

Edit---I see with your posted email you are attending Virginia Tech. I'd suggest attending another college if that ones burning you out. I have known some bright individuals while I was in the military that attended Virginia Tech and got burnt out and dropped out. One was a medic, who now since getting out of the military got a bachelors degree and is in a doctors program. I'm currently going the mechanical engineering route and being married there is no fucking way I'd go to Virginia Tech....there is a reason people go fucking psycho at that school.

If going to school for engineering causes burn-out - regardless of the school's reputation - then it is highly unlikely that the student would survive in a full-time position. I attended a relatively tough technical university, and that was a fuckin' cakewalk compared to the career that followed.

 

[Delta4-3]

The first thing you need to be able to do as a military officer is to ditch your common sense. Also important when planning missions is to completely ignore your NCO's with ample combat experience because you have the "textbook" knowledge of how it needs to be done. Also, since you won't actually be fighting, make sure you keep all the good gear from supply for yourself, because you're lowly enlisted guys who actually need it, aren't worth it. Officers who started out enlisted are a different story. Also, not all officers fit the afore mentioned profile, but most of them do. Be the exception.

 

[triceratops3]

Thank you for the responses everyone. I will try to get back to everyone in a timely manner that has offered to help. Kraig, that is very cool you get to pin your grandson with the same 2LT bar you got.

ROTC was an option for me but now that I'm half-way through college it's not so much of an option anymore. I also would like to go active duty which is much more difficult to do as opposed to NG or Reserves in ROTC. And along those same lines, I'm majoring in either Accounting or Financial Planning so I can't really switch to a technical degree now. and besides I came into Virginia Tech to major in engineering but decided engineering wasn't for me: too much shit I didn't want to be doing for a job. Accounting is much easier for me.


Wildbill: The fuck is wrong with you and your post? It seems very condescending. What makes you think I don't have my shit together? Because I don't know exactly what I want to do once I graduate college? Also, what is wrong with being a law enforcement officer? Why do you pretty much infer Tech is burning me out and that I should go to a different school? I feel like you have something against Tech... granted it isn't for everyone. But is being married the only reason there is no fucking way you'd go to Tech? yes, mechanical engineering is a difficult program anywhere you go. (I have friends in it at about 7 different colleges, I know quite a few here, and I was in the program last year). But why is there no fucking way you'd go here? Also, why are you saying there's a reason people go fucking psycho here? I don't feel as if anything you've said has contributed much; it just seems you're trying to bash cops, myself and VT for no apparent reasons.

 

[kraigWY]

I'm majoring in either Accounting or Financial Planning

I was infantry, I don't know much about Army Finance. I'd advise contacting a recruiter who handles officers. I may be wrong, they may want finance officers, upon graduation you might arrange a direct commission.

Another option. The FBI is big on hiring accountants.

 

[Delta4-3]

BTW, you don't have to have a degree in anything specific to be a Military officer. You could be an infantry officer, EOD officer, pilot, etc. with an degree in accounting. You get the training you need for your field after you sign up. I don't think college's could offer a program to build effective infantry platoon leaders.

 

[Zebra1]

Another option. The FBI is big on hiring accountants.

Another plus is if he decides to do some type of military service first, his time will count towards retirement with the FBI, or most any other federal agency.

 

[WildBill3/75]

Thank you for the responses everyone. I will try to get back to everyone in a timely manner that has offered to help. Kraig, that is very cool you get to pin your grandson with the same 2LT bar you got.

ROTC was an option for me but now that I'm half-way through college it's not so much of an option anymore. I also would like to go active duty which is much more difficult to do as opposed to NG or Reserves in ROTC. And along those same lines, I'm majoring in either Accounting or Financial Planning so I can't really switch to a technical degree now. and besides I came into Virginia Tech to major in engineering but decided engineering wasn't for me: too much shit I didn't want to be doing for a job. Accounting is much easier for me.


Wildbill: The fuck is wrong with you and your post? It seems very condescending. What makes you think I don't have my shit together? Because I don't know exactly what I want to do once I graduate college? Also, what is wrong with being a law enforcement officer? Why do you pretty much infer Tech is burning me out and that I should go to a different school? I feel like you have something against Tech... granted it isn't for everyone. But is being married the only reason there is no fucking way you'd go to Tech? yes, mechanical engineering is a difficult program anywhere you go. (I have friends in it at about 7 different colleges, I know quite a few here, and I was in the program last year). But why is there no fucking way you'd go here? Also, why are you saying there's a reason people go fucking psycho here? I don't feel as if anything you've said has contributed much; it just seems you're trying to bash cops, myself and VT for no apparent reasons.

Obviously I struck a nerve as it sounds like you were majoring in engineering and dropped your major.

So to you,
You took my post way to personal, chill the fuck out, I was only relating to what I have witnessed.
VT is an extremely demanding school, meaning no free time and is inherently stressful...for someone your age(you sound 19-20ish) that equals a lack of fuck around party/chasing ass time, for me that equals quality time with my wife or the grades falter and you end up dropping your major or out of the school. I alone wouldn't go there for the lack of free time, as I like to spend time with my wife instead of all of my free time, or in the case of VT no free time, being consumed playing catch up on school work due to the nature of the school.

I have nothing against law enforcement as long as they don't feel like a higher class in society. My gripe with that job(law enforcement) depending on where you live is that you have to deal with people at their worst a lot of the time, the lack of pay depending on where you live, the corruption depending on where you live, and the overly high suicide rate...being a combat veteran my peer group suicide rate is already high enough!

Also it is my belief that YOU have the ability to get a 4 year degree. Some people do not get that privilege and with that privilege I think comes more rewarding opertunities in the long term of life depending on the chosen field. Engineers are ALWAYS in demand, I have no clue with the Accounting or Financial Planning field. My only advise now would be to do what you see yourself doing for a long period of time and set goals and work as hard as you can to achieve them. One thing about degrees is no one can take them away from you.

 

[triceratops3]

Obviously I struck a nerve as it sounds like you were majoring in engineering and dropped your major.

So to you,
You took my post way to personal, chill the fuck out, I was only relating to what I have witnessed.
VT is an extremely demanding school, meaning no free time and is inherently stressful...for someone your age(you sound 19-20ish) that equals a lack of fuck around party/chasing ass time, for me that equals quality time with my wife or the grades falter and you end up dropping your major or out of the school. I alone wouldn't go there for the lack of free time, as I like to spend time with my wife instead of all of my free time, or in the case of VT no free time, being consumed playing catch up on school work due to the nature of the school.

I have nothing against law enforcement as long as they don't feel like a higher class in society. My gripe with that job(law enforcement) depending on where you live is that you have to deal with people at their worst a lot of the time, the lack of pay depending on where you live, the corruption depending on where you live, and the overly high suicide rate...being a combat veteran my peer group suicide rate is already high enough!

Also it is my belief that YOU have the ability to get a 4 year degree. Some people do not get that privilege and with that privilege I think comes more rewarding opertunities in the long term of life depending on the chosen field. Engineers are ALWAYS in demand, I have no clue with the Accounting or Financial Planning field. My only advise now would be to do what you see yourself doing for a long period of time and set goals and work as hard as you can to achieve them. One thing about degrees is no one can take them away from you.

You did strike a nerve, just because of the way you came off, right off the bat. If it didn't come across in such a negative and ignorant way I wouldn't have responded in the manner that I did. yeah, I was majoring in engineering and changed it to something I liked better. I will say that the program at Tech is difficult, but I know plenty of people, myself included, that have ample free time to do what we wish.

Well thank you for the advice about going into what I see myself doing for a long time, that's why I changed from engineering to accounting.

 

[Victory]

I might have some insight, that you probably won't hear, but I'm not a fan of sugar coating stuff. My back ground, I've been in the Infantry for 14 years, enlisted, but did 2 years of ROTC during college and decided it wasn't for me; I liked kicking in doors and sitting in a hide site more than writing CON OPS. I have an accounting degree, but have never worked as an accountant. I am currently a Federal Police Officer at the moment. In my humble opinion, screw going military or being a cop. Use your degree to create a life that you want to live.

If horrible relationships, crappy work hours, devastating family sacrifice, low pay, and just a general disillusionment with your core beliefs are want you want out of life, then the military and LEO could be for you. Sure being in the military is sexy, but being 32 with no marketable skills, a broke ass body, and mental scars isn't. I'm sure some other military guys and cops on here will try to sing the praises of these jobs, but trust me; they wish they had other jobs making more money, and spending more time with their families. It's fun; don't get me wrong, but that fun is about 1% of the time. It's all about sacrifice... and they will take everything they can from you until you quit, break, or make it to retirement. Would I change my path? No, but most wouldn't. Would I want my son or daughter to take my path? Never in a million years. I haven’t spoken much about the LEO thing because I am fairly new to the job, but I can already see that it isn’t what I expected. The mistreatment, bullying and general trampling of citizens constitutional rights are sickening to me. It appears that it is all about “stats,” no matter how you get them. Officer discretion and fair treatment of the people we serve are replaced by the need for higher revenue, and “looking better than the other watches.”

Unless you have had the desire to do either of those jobs your whole life, look at something else. Going into either of them with a, “maybe I will like it” view, usually ends up with you being somewhere in life you didn’t want to be. Really look at your future; do you want kids, a wife? If you have questions or want to discuss what I have written, just ask. For all the people that will probably PM me or bash what I said all butt hurt, save your breath. This is just my opinion; you don’t have to agree with it.

 

[bogeybrown]

The Marine Corps may have some workable commissioning options for you while you're in college, and unlike the Army which tends to push guys over to the NG/reserve side, all Marine Corps officers are required to serve I believe it's 2 yrs of active duty (more for certain fields) before going Reserve.

I'm from a similar background as [MENTION=6431]Victory[/MENTION], where I declined multiple opportunities for a commission because being an Infantry Plt Sgt in the Marines was just way too much fun, and I left 13yrs of LE to be a contractor. For long-term stability and satisfaction in LE I'd say Federal is a better bet. There isn't as much fun on the street, but the pay is lightyears ahead of civ LE, better benefits, and you're not in the gutters all day dealing with shit that the sheeple refuse to believe actually happens.

Don't get me wrong, LE can be an insanely fun and stimulating job, but to me, if you're doing it right then it takes a huge toll on you and your family. I never thought I'd be happy doing anything else, but after being away from it I can see the type of person it made me, and I don't foresee ever going back to it, at least in a big city.

 

[Va_Gentleman]

Wildbill: The fuck is wrong with you and your post? It seems very condescending. What makes you think I don't have my shit together? Because I don't know exactly what I want to do once I graduate college? Also, what is wrong with being a law enforcement officer? Why do you pretty much infer Tech is burning me out and that I should go to a different school? I feel like you have something against Tech... granted it isn't for everyone. But is being married the only reason there is no fucking way you'd go to Tech? yes, mechanical engineering is a difficult program anywhere you go. (I have friends in it at about 7 different colleges, I know quite a few here, and I was in the program last year). But why is there no fucking way you'd go here? Also, why are you saying there's a reason people go fucking psycho here? I don't feel as if anything you've said has contributed much; it just seems you're trying to bash cops, myself and VT for no apparent reasons.

As a Hokie, I took it the same way.... VT is an awesome place and the people and community is one of the best. We Hokies always perform at a high level, Ut Prosim, That I May Serve is instilled in us from Day 1. What better way to serve than Military or LEO?

Tops... you just follow you course of study, you would be surprised where Accounting or any other degree from Tech will take you.

 

[George Az]

A job is a job. I don't care really. I have spent most of my life in the military, L/E on both federal and state sides. I never got rich, won't really have much of a retirement and probably have to keep working into my 60's. All that aside, I have had a blast. I learn something everyday. Sure, I guess with any job there is burnout and I had to leave one service because it really was starting to mess with any kind of personal life, but I let it. 60 hour weeks are tough on a marriage. I never had any children.

My thoughts would be in todays world, secret service, FBI, maybe Marshalls. They have some potential for growth. There are always going to be new bad guys, new crimes, new drugs, yada yada. The military right now is going to be highly competetive with decorated combat vets, very similar to the late 70's after Vietnam. As an officer it will be tough to survive the cuts. I loved some of my captains, only two went past major in the 80's. and one of those was married to a generals daughter - he was not a good person either.

First you have to graduate. But I think you are doing the right thing, taking a look around, asking questions. I have known some really good federal agents, some are not the monsters we make them out to be. It is your own inner compass which does that anyway, in any field.

good luck

 

[earthquake]

Have you considered enlisting first, then becoming an officer? Enlist, get the MOS you want, get some experience in the job and military, with enlisted men, then seek a commission. Some of the best officers in the Corps, from my experience, were prior enlisted. I have several friends I served with while enlisted who are now officers. Two transferred to another branch to become officers, so there's a lot of opportunity for that.

What branch of the military are you considering?

 

[deerhunter9790]

Interesting to see many of these responses. There are many advantages to going in the military as an officer. I have had friends go in and serve 3 years and get out and it has helped them immensely finding a job in the civilian sector. You will get a Secret Security clearance at a minimum as an officer. Don't fell like you have to be an Infantry Officer, while that is great and kicking in doors is awesome, it is not very marketable after you get out. There are many support branches that translate very well into the civilian market (Finance, Quartermaster, Transportation, Medical, Engineers, etc) just to name a few. As far as going in the Army and worrying about getting the NG or Reserves, I would say if you have decent grades and are in good physical shape you won't have a problem getting active duty. 90% of the people I knew who didn't get Active Duty did not deserve to get it. It is a stressful job, but it pays the bills and has good benefits. Most of my friends I graduated with don't have a job (or anything that pays more than 9 dollars an hour) right now. Those people all have 4 year degrees in varying fields so its tough right now. The military in general will help you get into federal LE and your time in service counts toward that federal position.

Its not glamorous for sure, but it will give you a good start in life with a steady paycheck and it can help you find a better job later in life. I would not recommend doing though if you are not committed to it. Keep your grades up and make sure you are working out regularly. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[deerhunter9790]

With the understanding that not many ROTC Graduates will get Active Army, most will get NG or Reserve. With the draw down there just isn't the need for junior officers.

My grandson graduates in May and already has bee assigned his branch (Infantry) and is one of the few being offered a chance to go Active Duty. Most of his classmates are being assigned to NG units.

If you're seeking a career, there is no guarantee you will be able to spend 20 years on active duty as a Military Officer. Just like after Vietnam and other wars, most junior officers were rifted. They either got out, went NG/Reserve or reverted to the enlisted ranks.


As a side note, I will get the pleasure of pinning my grandson with the same 2LT bar I got when I graduated from OCS.

Congrats to your grandson Btw. Im sure you are proud! hope he knows FT Benning is a fun place

 

[Former0302]

I would say that to be happy long term in either career, you have to think of it as a calling more than a job. Both are very demanding and jealous mistresses, so having a life outside of your career is difficult. Both are pretty much all consuming...and not just for you, but for your family as well. You and your family will sacrifice.

You're young though, and I'm guessing single. That makes it easier to give the kind of dedication those jobs demand and deserve.

Despite all the doom and gloom about sacrifice and demands, both careers can be very rewarding as well.

 

[chris26]

The first thing you need to be able to do as a military officer is to ditch your common sense. Also important when planning missions is to completely ignore your NCO's with ample combat experience because you have the "textbook" knowledge of how it needs to be done. Also, since you won't actually be fighting, make sure you keep all the good gear from supply for yourself, because you're lowly enlisted guys who actually need it, aren't worth it. Officers who started out enlisted are a different story. Also, not all officers fit the afore mentioned profile, but most of them do. Be the exception.

Sweet! A well thought out post backed by what is apparently an in depth base of experience and knowledge of both the Officer and Enlisted ranks. Allow me to retort, as I have served in both strata of the mentioned rank structures.....what you have attributed to Officers only is actually found throughout all strata of ranks within the US Army (be it Enlisted, Warrant or Officer). You will always find those who will not only abuse their position of authority but also utilize it to ostracize those who will not do the same. For every story of an Officer that is abusive, ignorant and/or outright incompetent, I can provide you with one of an NCO, senior or otherwise. Usually these stories are propagated by lower Enlisted, whom always have the answer (I have also had these men as peers as well). Their depth of experience is usually prefaced by "When I was at Basic......" or some other some such nonsense. Truth be told, there are schmucks at every level. This is life. Always has been, always will be. If you believe that arrogance, selfishness and outright negligence of duty is found only in the ranks of Officers, you are either incredibly ignorant or blinded by the arrogance found only within those who only seek to degrade those of higher rank (usually indicative of those Soldiers who have been reprimanded by Senior NCOs or Officers). This is not an unusual occurrence. History has always shown this to be the case. There will always be detractors of those in leadership positions ( whether it be Alexander, Patton, Rommel, etc.) I am sure that at some point in their military careers, their subordinates thought they knew better than they did. Then again, if they did, we would be reading about them and not the historical legends aforementioned.

To the OP.....if you wish to PM me, please feel free to do so. I started off as an Officer, was privileged and blessed to lead this Nation's Sons in combat. I am currently Enlisted and chasing my own dreams. I would not trade a minute of it for anything. The ride has cost me, my family and loved ones. This is a reality. But the men in my family have answered the call for every war this Nation has fought since it's birth. I could not imagine being the generation that failed to answer. If you believe you are called to serve, do so. If not, don't. In the end, every one of us who has served has done so for their own reason(s). You must have your own. Again, please feel free to PM me. If I can shed any light or offer any guidance, I am happy to do so.

ETA: I commissioned out of ROTC. I am sure that the procedures and selection processes have changed (I came on Active Duty immediately, as 9/11 had occurred while I was in IOBC) but I will attempt to help in any way possible.

 

[Delta4-3]

Sweet! A well thought out post backed by what is apparently an in depth base of experience and knowledge of both the Officer and Enlisted ranks. Allow me to retort, as I have served in both strata of the mentioned rank structures.....what you have attributed to Officers only is actually found throughout all strata of ranks within the US Army (be it Enlisted, Warrant or Officer). You will always find those who will not only abuse their position of authority but also utilize it to ostracize those who will not do the same. For every story of an Officer that is abusive, ignorant and/or outright incompetent, I can provide you with one of an NCO, senior or otherwise. Usually these stories are propagated by lower Enlisted, whom always have the answer (I have also had these men as peers as well). Their depth of experience is usually prefaced by "When I was at Basic......" or some other some such nonsense. Truth be told, there are schmucks at every level. This is life. Always has been, always will be. If you believe that arrogance, selfishness and outright negligence of duty is found only in the ranks of Officers, you are either incredibly ignorant or blinded by the arrogance found only within those who only seek to degrade those of higher rank (usually indicative of those Soldiers who have been reprimanded by Senior NCOs or Officers). This is not an unusual occurrence. History has always shown this to be the case. There will always be detractors of those in leadership positions ( whether it be Alexander, Patton, Rommel, etc.) I am sure that at some point in their military careers, their subordinates thought they knew better than they did. Then again, if they did, we would be reading about them and not the historical legends aforementioned.

To the OP.....if you wish to PM me, please feel free to do so. I started off as an Officer, was privileged and blessed to lead this Nation's Sons in combat. I am currently Enlisted and chasing my own dreams. I would not trade a minute of it for anything. The ride has cost me, my family and loved ones. This is a reality. But the men in my family have answered the call for every war this Nation has fought since it's birth. I could not imagine being the generation that failed to answer. If you believe you are called to serve, do so. If not, don't. In the end, every one of us who has served has done so for their own reason(s). You must have your own. Again, please feel free to PM me. If I can shed any light or offer any guidance, I am happy to do so.

ETA: I commissioned out of ROTC. I am sure that the procedures and selection processes have changed (I came on Active Duty immediately, as 9/11 had occurred while I was in IOBC) but I will attempt to help in any way possible.

Chris,
two points....
First, I clarified that not all officers are that way.
Second, You've never had any of the officer/enlisted ribbing?

I was just a lowly buck sgt, medically retired after 3-1/2 years of faithful service. I don't have a lot of experience, but a am missing some good friends based on decisions made by people who were informed not to make said decision by NCO's and did anyways. I have also had 3 officers in my COC that I love and respect for all that they stand for and for their amazing leadership skills.

 

[MCSO1357]

I have 8 years experience in a very large sheriff's department, and loved most days. I am second generation in this particular agency, so I had the opportunity to see first hand the family side (while growing up) and then the actual serving as a deputy. I've experienced much and have many scars (visible and not so much). PM if you'd like to know about the LE option.

The only advice I'll offer here is that no 2 agencies are the same. Size, budget and policies all differ. Also consider geographical location. Law enforcement is slightly different in attitude in the western US than in the eastern part of the country, especially with sheriff's departments. This is just my experience and opinion, so everybody don't get all butt-hurt!

 

[HawkDriver]

I've been in the army 10 years and counting. I was enlisted for the first 7 and now I am a Chief Warrant Officer and an Aviator. It is by far the best career choice that I could have made and I don't regret one bit of it. Being a pilot is the best job in the army in my opinion. I'm still a relatively new officer so PM me if you have any questions about Warrant Officers or getting into flight school.

 

[Jcgodfrey]

No military experience here. I have a bachelors. I had applied and been hired by Geico, Waddell & Reed, and several other places. Several GOOD PAYING jobs wanted to hire me right out of college. I came into the market at a good time.

Anyhow, I skipped all of that and became a cop. Been doing it for 7+ years now. Now I'm on one of our tac squads on my department. It has its good times, it has its bad times. If you go to any sort of larger city, you will see everything. You will learn and see new stuff every day, which is more than you can say about most office jobs. Blood, guts, car chases, etc etc etc etc. Work hard and do the RIGHT thing, live below your means and it's a blast to be in this job. I love it, but you have to remember it's not about you or your 'perceived power'. This job isn't for everyone. You deal in dangerous situations, you deal with the worst in society. Get used to arresting people only to see them get out of jail the next day. It's the best job in the world though.

I love the job. PM me if you want specifics. I would be happy to answer questions.

Hi everyone,

I'm a sophomore in college right now and don't really know what I want to do with my life at this point. I'm looking for any current or former military officers or police officers who would be willing to email/pm with me to answer some questions and give me some insight into what it is to be a military officer or a law enforcement officer.

I suppose I more or less would just like to know more about becoming an officer and what your job is like.

If you are or were a military officer or an LEO and would like to help me out, could you either PM me here or shoot me an email at [email protected] ?


Thank you in advance,

-Thomas.

 

[Zebra644]

I was enlisted and flip a coin on your officers and yes, enlisted to. I had one officer who was previously enlisted and was great then he was replaced by ROTC Nazi from OSU that was so fucking stupid and dangerous, I made sure the grievance made it though before I discharged. I also had an XO that was previously enlisted, " ass hat " that got his ass chewed by an Academy Graduate aka Ring Knocker that knew what he was doing. It was funny as hell seeing a lower ranking offficer telling the XO to walk back to him becasue he wasn't finished chewing his ass yet, and the Xo did true story. What ever you do finish college, I am trying to go back and finish my degree in Criminal Justice while working. As far as the Law Enforcement thing, feel free to p.m. me but I will say this. This country, and blame it on who you want is in a world of shit. You have people that live in a dream world that make up a jury and will complain when you do your job or when you don't becasue you can't but somehow they know more about your job than you, mostlikely becasue of thier favorite TV show. No matter how right you are your are wrong depending on who you talk to. The younger generation is lazier and more violent than that last, at least in my area and drugs are way more prevelant. Different regions of the country do things differently because district supreme courts rule different on case laws. Things that may fly and are acceptible in the 12th district may not in the 9th. This being said I always wanted to be policeman I have a majority of good days and some that are bad. I have also had some that were so bad it will remain with me. This job isn't for everyone some people will love you and thank you for what you do, others will be leary of you and think you are apart of the facist regime because you are an authority figure wearing an uniform and its your fault they are getting a speeding ticket when they themselves complain about others. So if you have time get to your local P.D. see if you can do a ride along it might help. I am a Field Training Offficer so as I reviously mentioned if you want p.m. me

 

[jameslee]

I know and have worked with many VT graduates, mostly engineers. Most have been very competent given their respective experience levels.
I am also former military. I have seen varying levels of competence within the officer corps and the enlisted ranks.
Rather than criticize, members of both groups should accept the challenge of doing their individual duty in raising the level of competence and performance across the organization. Many won't. Those that do will distinguish themselves as real leaders, whether officer or enlisted.
The fact that you came on here looking for advice is a credit to you.