Duty Station

[Bunny]

The question is, does the Army take into consideration my duty station request? Everyone says don’t join the Army you will get deployed to Iraq, which is fine with me, if it’s what my country wants me to do. But I don’t want to get stuck away from home for years at a time. I would like to get stationed close to home, is this a reality or am I chasing a dream? Oh, and what is option 19, and who qualifies?

[übergrunt]

The Army is going to send you where you where they need you regardless of what you want.

[Ram0528]

At meps you can try to request your first duty station, but it depends on whether or not there is an open slot for your MOS.. I've known a couple of people that went in w/ duty station requests & got them. Its all up to Army need & how you fit into it.

[RR691983]

But I don’t want to get stuck away from home for years at a time

Maybe you should rethink joining, given our Nation's current situation and the level our forces are deployed you can almost be guaranteed to be away from home for quite a bit.

The Army is going to send you where you where they need you regardless of what you want.

This isn't exactly a true statement. You CAN still get a duty station of choice, while they will push for you to go to the new brigades that need joes. However, you can still pick a duty assignment.

Just make sure you get what you want in your contract and you'll be good to go. If it's not in your contract you only have yourself to blame.

RIP, Airborne, etc. If you get it in your contract and you don't fulfill your end of the bargain guess what? Needs of the Army...

[RR691983]

If you're referring to the "dream sheets" that everyone talks about... Well, they're called dream sheets for a reason.

if you arent ready for an "extended vacation" to one of the lovely spots that we are now sending people then as the other guys have said you may want to reconsider. when you go to MEPS, they will let you pick out what they want you to be. do some looking around and ask a lot of questions. know what you want when you go in there. remember - everything in the army can be waived. most of the time even if they tell you it cant be done, they either dont know how, or they just dont want to go to the trouble (remember that is only most of the time). all in all, if they dont give you the bonus, assignment, MOS, or training you want, walk away. you cant have everything, but they can bargain with you a bit. it is your life and the army will get their time from you, be sure you get what you want from it. if you decide it is for you good luck, you will be changed for life.

[333MP]

Option 19 is somehting you get when you sign your contract. It allows you to pick your first duty satation. If you can get option 19 do it, you will get put where you want there is no garuntee however that you will stay there

Regardless of duty stations aren't deployments 18 months long now? With some units coming home for a few months and then going back?