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What do you guys think?
I've been in the Army 13 years and will finish my BS this March. I am also getting promoted to E-8 Master Sergeant in the next couple of months.
I have been debating whether or not to apply for Officer Candidate School and get my butter bar. I can apply now and go Officer in the next few months I think, or finish my Masters in Public Health and get a direct commission in a about 1 1/2 years.
What to do, what to do?
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="3"][SIZE="2"]Excelsior College - DONE[/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]AAS-[SIZE="1"]2009[/SIZE], BSLS-[SIZE="1"]2010[/SIZE] [/SIZE]
[COLOR="DarkRed"][B][SIZE="2"]Thomas Edison State College - DONE[/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]BA in History[/SIZE]-[SIZE="1"]2011[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[SIZE="2"]Texas A&M University Central Texas[/SIZE]
Master of Arts in History - 18/36 SH
CLEPs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Spanish, Freshman Comp, English Comp w/ Essay, Social Science & Hist, Info Sys & Comp App, Intro Sociology, Prin of Mngmt, American Gov , US History I, US History II, Western Civ I, Western Civ II[/SIZE][/SIZE]
DSSTs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Civil War & Reconstruction, Rise & Fall of Soviet Union, History of Vietnam War, Intro Modern Middle East, Western Europe Since 1945, Drug and Alcohol, Here's to Your Hlth, Intro To Comp, Prin of Sup, Technical Writing, Prin of Physical Science I[/SIZE][/SIZE]
Quote: There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. "Mr. Garrison"[/SIZE]
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clep101 Wrote:What do you guys think?
I've been in the Army 13 years and will finish my BS this March. I am also getting promoted to E-8 Master Sergeant in the next couple of months.
I have been debating whether or not to apply for Officer Candidate School and get my butter bar. I can apply now and go Officer in the next few months I think, or finish my Masters in Public Health and get a direct commission in a about 1 1/2 years.
What to do, what to do?
Direct Commision... less work...
if you don't make it thru OCS i don't think you can go thru again. what would u get your direct commision thru? for which branch of the army??
DSST Environment & Race to Save Humanity * 51/80 Clep CIS 63/80
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Intro to Computers 426 -Current System - p/f = pass * Intro to Modern Middle East Studies - 61/80
Human Cultural Geography - 61/80 * US History I - A -61/80
US History II - A 68/80 * Civil War - A 57/80
Intro to World Religions - A 68/80 * Intro to Bus Law - 64/80 A
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Man.. I am not sure normally I say go for it but your an E-8. Your gonna get more pay more then likely. But your going to lose a bit of respect. In 7 years as an officer you will be lucky to be an O-4. I personally would say stay enlisted
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notaseal Wrote:Man.. I am not sure normally I say go for it but your an E-8. Your gonna get more pay more then likely. But your going to lose a bit of respect. In 7 years as an officer you will be lucky to be an O-4. I personally would say stay enlisted
how would u lose respect?
DSST Environment & Race to Save Humanity * 51/80 Clep CIS 63/80
College Math 66/80 * DSST Business Law II - No Pass
Principles of Mgmt 61/80 * A/I Lit 51/80 retest 61/80
Social Sciences and History - 66/80 - A * Freshman Composition - 60/80
Intro to Computers 426 -Current System - p/f = pass * Intro to Modern Middle East Studies - 61/80
Human Cultural Geography - 61/80 * US History I - A -61/80
US History II - A 68/80 * Civil War - A 57/80
Intro to World Religions - A 68/80 * Intro to Bus Law - 64/80 A
Public Speaking 55/80 A * MIS 429/500 * Statistics 459/500 * MacroEconomics 57/80
MicroEconomics 53/80 (ran out no money in meter) * Criminal Justice 418/500
English Comp with Essay 58/80 * Personal Finance 406/500 (Ran thru IC once & test once... 40 minutes/98 questions.. close call)
Principle of Supervision - 436/500 * Clep American Government 67/80
FEMA's Completed - 49 (sorry i'm addicted to them).
BA - Criminal Justice - Central State University
AAS - Computer Science - TESU
AAS - BOG - Info Tech - Pierpont
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creationstory Wrote:how would u lose respect? a butter will not get near as much respect as an E-8 would. Atleast not from me, as well as others I know.
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clep101 Wrote:What do you guys think?
I've been in the Army 13 years and will finish my BS this March. I am also getting promoted to E-8 Master Sergeant in the next couple of months.
I have been debating whether or not to apply for Officer Candidate School and get my butter bar. I can apply now and go Officer in the next few months I think, or finish my Masters in Public Health and get a direct commission in a about 1 1/2 years.
What to do, what to do?
Every thought about going Warrant? Still a pay raise, and maybe you'd get to stay in your specialty. I know you don't need a degree for Warrant Officer, but it helps in getting selected. Of course, at E-8, staying enlisted isn't such a bad deal, either. Good luck in whatever you choose!
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creationstory Wrote:how would u lose respect?
Because butter bars suck!!!
DEGREES EARNED: [SIZE="1"]
BA, History, TESC '10
AAS, Mechanics and Maintenance, TESC '10
[/size]
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CLEP Social Sciences & History - 70/50
CLEP American Government - 65/50
CLEP English Composition General - 68/50
CLEP A & I Literature 70/50
CLEP Sociology 73/50
CLEP College Math 74/50
CLEP Intro Psychology 72/50
CLEP College Algebra 65/50
CLEP Macroeconomics 73/50
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CLEP Western Civ. I 79/50
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CLEP US History II 78/50
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DSST Intro to Computing 463/400
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DSST A History of the Vietnam War 78/44
DSST An Introduction to the Modern Middle East 80/47
DSST Western Europe since 1945 71/47
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A B.E. or an MBA
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11-26-2009, 11:22 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-26-2009, 11:26 PM by Basket Weaver.)
Well you asked for it so here's my two cents worth...
I personally would recommend going officer now, get paid as an officer to get your masters. I was career enlisted and was constantly amazed at how much less work the O's did but made so much more money. Unfortunately I realized this after the age cutoff (sat on my comfortable butt and didn't finish my degree in time) so I was SOL; hopefully someone will learn from my mistake.
Yes, you would be a butter bar...for a short while. But being prior enlisted, you'll have age/experience on your side so you'll bring a lot more to the table and will be treated differently than a wet behind the ears 21 year old twit who thinks they know it all because they have a phys ed degree...seen it too many times and I bet most of the enlisted, including yourself, have too.
Besides what you bring to the table, think about the difference you can make in how your troops will be treated. Having been on the short end of the stick, you could make a real difference and be a leader the troops would respect more because of your background. Some of the best O's I've had the pleasure of working with were prior enlisted...they got it and served their troops well.
Here's the flip side...enlisted guys who cross over are either the way previously described, or they fall into the love of power being an officer and look down on those who didn't cross over...seen that many times too...basically it comes down to you and what your made up of.
Check out the pay charts and see for yourself...a Capt with your years makes much more than an E-9...and that's just base pay; O's get paid more for about everything else (BAQ BAS COLA etc) too which will certainly add up over the rest of your career...not to mention your retirement pay.
2009 Military Pay Chart
As for OCS, its a joke, and you'll sail through...they often have the prior enlisted lead and help the newbies through the course; you already know what they're going to teach you. Depending on your career choice, it is possible to advance higher than mentioned here...again, it depends on you, the choices you make, and how well you are perceived. My last Group Commander was prior enlisted and was a full bird Colonel so don't let anyone tell you you can't advance...its all what you do with your career. Judging by your drive, I think you'll do just fine...just don't forget where you came from and treat your troops the way you wish your officers would have taken care of you.
Good luck with your decision, whatever you choose.
[SIZE="2"]Associates Degree, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force[/SIZE]
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11-27-2009, 12:04 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-27-2009, 07:51 AM by CLEP101.)
Thanks guys for all the feedback, and yes "butter bars do suck" 94steve. Its not their fault, they can't help it. hilarious
Quick story : we (E7s and above) had to dress up in our Blues and As yesterday for Thanksgiving and serve the rest of the troops their meals. While I was conducting the uniform inspection on everyone including the officers, in walks my favorite butter bar 5 minutes late. I put him in line and quickly noticed that his four ribbons were crooked and out of order. I told the E7 the Lt worked with to take him away and fix him. The full bird Colonel had a good laugh and just said, "I remember those days".
Well, as I was reading the OCS application, I discovered that I qualify in everything except in one area. I have to be able to run, and not have a permanent profile. As I have a busted lower back and a permanent profile, I cannot do that. So now, I think I will go Direct Commission route. I have to bust my butt to finish my Masters in Public Health so I can go into the Preventive Medicine field. I talked to the Officers in the field and said that a Masters in Public Health will get me picked up. I'll be doing Occupational Health and Safety type work. We'll see how it goes.
Thanks again for the feed back.
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="3"][SIZE="2"]Excelsior College - DONE[/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]AAS-[SIZE="1"]2009[/SIZE], BSLS-[SIZE="1"]2010[/SIZE] [/SIZE]
[COLOR="DarkRed"][B][SIZE="2"]Thomas Edison State College - DONE[/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]BA in History[/SIZE]-[SIZE="1"]2011[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[SIZE="2"]Texas A&M University Central Texas[/SIZE]
Master of Arts in History - 18/36 SH
CLEPs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Spanish, Freshman Comp, English Comp w/ Essay, Social Science & Hist, Info Sys & Comp App, Intro Sociology, Prin of Mngmt, American Gov , US History I, US History II, Western Civ I, Western Civ II[/SIZE][/SIZE]
DSSTs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Civil War & Reconstruction, Rise & Fall of Soviet Union, History of Vietnam War, Intro Modern Middle East, Western Europe Since 1945, Drug and Alcohol, Here's to Your Hlth, Intro To Comp, Prin of Sup, Technical Writing, Prin of Physical Science I[/SIZE][/SIZE]
Quote: There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. "Mr. Garrison"[/SIZE]
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Clep101,
If you do not mind answering these questions.
Did you break your back prior to enlisting or was it after enlisting.
What is a permanent record ?
My youngest son age 15 wants to be in the military, but I have always believed due to the rods in his back he would not be eligible.
Peace123
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