US Army n00b Questions

N.B. This is all based on the HUGE assumption that my currently pending application to Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine goes well and I get accepted into the class (I say "huge assumption" because with 1200+ applicants per year, and only 140 seats, 40 of which are reserved for out of state students, my chances of acceptance are low simply based on the volume, let alone GPA/MCAT scores/etc.). 

Either way, let's assume for a second that I do get accept (God I hope so...) and graduate (and I'll be damned if I get accepted but fail to graduate).  I am strongly considering joining the US Army as an active duty veterinarian (Army Veterinary Corps).

That being said I have read/spoken via email with a recruiter who has answered most of my  large questions, but I'm here to get a more inside view as opposed to what the recruiters are attempting to "sell" to me.

This is where things get fuzzy for me.  While being a veterinary student you are a 2nd Lieutenant, and when you graduate you are automatically promoted to Caption (and for the record I intend upon going the active duty route and not the reserves).  Which leads me to my two fundamental questions:

Would other enlisted men  be cynical of my direct placement at such a high rank without having to go through the same things they had to do?  Also, I was told by the recruiter that I would not have to go through basic training.  Here is the quote from the recruiter:

Because we do not commit our Medical Professionals into the thick of action, we do ensure that you'll be capable of defending yourself with and without a weapon, the "Basic" to which you'll attend is not the same that all enlisted Soldiers go through. Instead, you'll attend our Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC), which is more appropriately defined as a basic orientation course to the Army Health Care system and the Army way of life.

Any knowledge about how this BOLC is different from the "regular" Basic Training?  I will admit it right now, I really would prefer not t to spend 9 weeks getting yelled at, forced to eat my meals in only a few minutes, or any of the other unpleasant things that I've heard from friends who have joined the army.  Whether that will make or break the decision I don't know yet, but it is worthy of consideration. 

For students the army offers scholarships for tuition and a stipend, or "direct commission" to pay for some degree of the loans taken out for tuition.  So how does that work?  Do I have to do regular enlistment (therefore "regular" basic training) in order to be enlisted (while as a student) in order to receive these benefits?   Or, as I suspect it is, that once your out of school you have 3 years of required active duty and this is when you begin your enlisted career, so to speak.  Also while being a student you are required to spend "45 Days Active Duty for Training at an Army veterinary service facility."  Which seems to be more academic training than physical/combat training. 

His first few lines confused me, "...we do not commit our Medical Professionals into the thick of action, we do ensure that you'll be capable of defending yourself with and without a weapon.."
Sounds kinda similar to what I've heard/read about for "normal" basic training.  However, I do see the point (I think) he is making- even though I wouldn't be in on the front lines I would still need to know how to defend myself if a situation were to arise.


Ok I  think that's enough babbling from me for now.  Please do me a favor and  don't  use acronyms when responding.  I know virtually none of them.  And please feel free to toss in any other information that I should know/expect or would be helpful to know/expect.


And do me a favor and cross your fingers, wish on your lucky star or do whatever that I get accepted into vet school


Edited by Uncle Rudder - 26 June 2009 at 1:31pm

No doubt you have watched MASH, direct appointments to Captian in the services medical corps is not uncomman. Usually it is more of a pay grade and little or no command authority will go with it. You will recieve basic combat training of some sort, how to be an officer training of some sort, and hopefully you will have good NCO's when you get to your unit to hold your hand for a few years. Vetenary medicine usually entails going into third world enviornments and caring for the local populaces animals, and usually the guerilla group in the area do not take kindly to that fact. So you will need some sort of training, for there is a slight chance you could find yourself up to your armpits in alligators with a pocket full of raw meat. You probably would not make a good hostage, so you will learn the basics, I hope.

Or just go Infantry and be first string in the "game".

Edited by oldsoldier - 26 June 2009 at 2:13pm

oldsoldier wrote: No doubt you have watched MASH, direct appointments to Captian in the services medical corps is not uncomman. Usually it is more of a pay grade and little or no command authority will go with it. You will recieve basic combat training of some sort, how to be an officer training of some sort, and hopefully you will have good NCO's when you get to your unit to hold your hand for a few years. Vetenary medicine usually entails going into third world enviornments and caring for the local populaces animals, and usually the guerilla group in the area do not take kindly to that fact. So you will need some sort of training, for there is a slight chance you could find yourself up to your armpits in alligators with a pocket full of raw meat. You probably would not make a good hostage, so you will learn the basics, I hope. Or just go Infantry and be first string in the "game".

Unfortunately I have never watched a full episode of MASH, only caught small pieces at random times.  So any analogy/fact you are attempting to point out has gone completely over my head (other than the fact that it is common for people to enter the army as a Caption). 

Furthermore, I have no desire to be the "first string" in "the game."  Rather, I desire to practice veterinary medicine.  If I can both practice veterinary medicine as well as serve my country at the same time, then that is possibly the most meaningful, enjoyable, and worthwhile job I can think of (even though I can make WELL over double the yearly salary in private practice).   I've spent the last 4+ years of hard work to one day hopefully become a DVM, and I am not about to forget that dream and join the infantry instead.

Also, I am well aware that you spent a considerable amount of time serving in the armed forces.  However, I have no knowledge of if during your that time you had any contact with a DVM that was part of the US Army Veterinary Corps.  Your desciption of what the duties of a DVM stands in stark contrast to what the US Army  Veterinary Corps says their duties involve.  Now I want to make it clear that I am not saying you are wrong and they are right, because they could easily be fudging the truth with what they put on their website and what they have told me when I have spoken with them via email and telephone. 

Either way, I have little to no desire for any kind of power or leading a unit.  I simply want to practice veterinary medicine.  I don't have a good idea of what kind of unit I would be leading, a group of vet techs or a team that preforms inspections of food processing?  I am clearly early in my research phase and won't be making any decisions until I have these, and many, many other facts straight and clear.
 

Being retired Army. I know that we have officers from W.P. come in and try to go by the book. It didn't work.

Edited by ^Madman^ - 27 June 2009 at 7:58am

oldsoldier wrote: Bubble Bursting- There are Active Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard DVM troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are not Special Forces. Regualr Army DVM's are attached to the SF Detachments there is no specific 18 Series MOS for Vetenary Medicine. The DVM ensures proper herd health and other VM needs (ie MP dog care)for the services as well as the people in this part of the world as well as other Third World Areas.

From what I've been told by active duty members of the military on other forums, these guys aren't attached to SF units, but most SF units deployed in A-stan have at least one member trained in veterinary medicine.  You may be right, I don't know, I can only tell you what I hear second hand.  There is no 18-series MOS for veterinary medicine though, that is true.

I wouldn't be surprised to see you deployed as a DVM, but at the same time, there is a low likelihood you will have to fire a weapon in anger given your MOS.

And, frankly, DVMs are first string in the hearts and minds campaigns.  In terms of helping 3rd-world countries, that's at least as important as guns on the ground.

I was an active duty medic for 4 years.
We worked with vet techs, and veterinarians on several deployments.
South America, Central America, and disaster relief here in the US.
Never saw one of the officers carry a weapon other than a sidearm.
<probably for shooting horses> <---my attempt at vet humor (sorry).

As for what the recruiter tells you.
I can only say this.

I signed my contract in 1984. For the most part it was followed.
I signed up to be a combat medic, airborne school, and ranger school.
I also requested a west coast assignment.
The second battalion, 75th Rangers is in Washington State.
The only part the Army got wrong was I was assigned to 1st battalion in Georgia, because they needed medics, and 2nd did not.
They do try and give you what you ask for as far as MOS, but they could give a crap about your station request.


Edited by Ken Majors - 28 June 2009 at 7:30pm