GIS/GPS in the Military

[guncrasher]

UPDATE:

I graduated back in May with a B.S. in Forestry with a minor in the Geospatial Information System (GIS) field and am now working on a two year MBA program. Still single and no dependencies.

I took a big step the other day by going to see an officer recruiter for the Arkansas National Guard. He was very unbiased and I felt he laid out the pros/cons very well. I told him about my education background and how I wanted to get more advanced "hands on" training with any GIS/satelite imagery/mapping positions in the ANG. As an officer, he told me that the job would be much more generalized compared to an enlisted position and I'd have to be prepared to lead a platoon of men at whatever calling was needed. As an enlistee, the job would be much more specific compared to the officer position and I'd get the advanced "hands on" training that I wanted. He told me going "enlisted" I'd get the best of both worlds as I could get the 15 week advanced training after basic and if I ever decided to I could apply for OCS later. I really like this route as I would get to learn and apply something to the military as well as my day job. As I sit right now, I don't plan on making a full-time career out of the military and I'm not looking to build my resume for the job hunt. I understand that at any time I could get deployed, but hopefully I can get into a job field that uses this GIS mapping technology and does not serve a front-line combat role. I'm going to keep an eye on the possibility of the Air National Guard as well since they have jobs in this field and are less likely to get put in a hot zone. Next thing to do is to go talk to an "enlistment" recruiter.

The one potential health issue I've had that could derail everything is that I was diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome back in 2010 (where the Iliac artery overlaps and compresses the Iliac vein causing blood flow from the legs to be restricted. The build up in pressure developed vascular ulcers on my ankles that turned into a 6 year nightmare). I have two stints in the vein at the compression site in my abdomen and now the vascular ulcers are healed but still vulnerable. The officer recruiter I met is further looking into this and will email me later with a verdict.

first day i got to boot camp they told us that whatever the recruiting officer told us was a lie and he did it to make us enlist.  that was a weight off my shoulders but some others got dissapoint4ed.

semp

[eagl]

first day i got to boot camp they told us that whatever the recruiting officer told us was a lie and he did it to make us enlist.  that was a weight off my shoulders but some others got dissapoint4ed.

semp

QFT.  Lots of "specialized" enlisted USAF troops I know trained in one field, deployed to combat as rent-a-cops or convoy duty as army augmentees, then after they returned they were told that their original training field was overmanned and they could re-train all over again or get out.  Of course they have PTSD or brain or other major injuries, but their enlistment expired before their diagnosis and disability determination comes through so they got discharged and now have to fight the VA for 2 years to get any sort of compensation for the brain injuries they suffered when their convoys got repeatedly blown up during their year playing Army.