American Army

[johnnycupcakes]

Hi all,

Recently I’ve found myself in a position where I will have the opportunity to move to America in the near future and I haven’t signed off yet so it’s still a year plus away.

I will be applying for a green card shortly and as my other half is an American citizen and I have no criminal convictions other than a drunk and disorderly on the spot this should all be fine.

Luckily my other half is in a position where she can earn a very good income stateside so I’m in the position where I can pursue anything I wish ( I will be getting my CCNA quals shortly so I’ve got a back up and have experience in this field.) however I enjoy the army and I would like to see what at least four years in their army would be like with the benefits such as the GI bill etc and this would speed up the citizenship process etc.

Does anyone have any prior experience of this or know of anyone that has done it? How did it go for yourselves or them etc?

Thanks

 

[Sam The Bam]

Hi all,

Recently I’ve found myself in a position where I will have the opportunity to move to America in the near future and I haven’t signed off yet so it’s still a year plus away.

I will be applying for a green card shortly and as my other half is an American citizen and I have no criminal convictions other than a drunk and disorderly on the spot this should all be fine.

Luckily my other half is in a position where she can earn a very good income stateside so I’m in the position where I can pursue anything I wish ( I will be getting my CCNA quals shortly so I’ve got a back up and have experience in this field.) however I enjoy the army and I would like to see what at least four years in their army would be like with the benefits such as the GI bill etc and this would speed up the citizenship process etc.

Does anyone have any prior experience of this or know of anyone that has done it? How did it go for yourselves or them etc?

Thanks

How far into the immigration process are you and which visa will you be entering the US on?

 

[johnnycupcakes]

How far into the immigration process are you and which visa will you be entering the US on?

So we will be getting married shortly, then applying for a green card which can take up to a year maybe a bit longer from what im aware, this will coincide with signing off, the day I apply will be the day I sign off.

 

[Tappet]

So we will be getting married shortly, then applying for a green card which can take up to a year maybe a bit longer from what im aware, this will coincide with signing off, the day I apply will be the day I sign off.

Do you not have to have been a citizen for xx years first?

Is your other half's salary location dependant - remember that you could be posted anywhere in the US (or further afield), and it's a big country. Considered the national guard instead?

 

[johnnycupcakes]

Do you not have to have been a citizen for xx years first?

Is your other half's salary location dependant - remember that you could be posted anywhere in the US (or further afield), and it's a big country. Considered the national guard instead?

No you can do it on a green card and this has been confirmed however choices of job are limited due to clearances so I won’t be able to go and do what I do now , and here salary is pretty much dependent on being near major military instillations so it works on ( not a brass! ) haha

 

[Sam The Bam]

So we will be getting married shortly, then applying for a green card which can take up to a year maybe a bit longer from what im aware, this will coincide with signing off, the day I apply will be the day I sign off.

Do you not have to have been a citizen for xx years first?

Is your other half's salary location dependant - remember that you could be posted anywhere in the US (or further afield), and it's a big country. Considered the national guard instead?

Tappet, do you mean having to be a citizen for xx years first before getting a green card or before applying to join the US Army.?

If it's the former then the green card is issued to him first when he becomes a permanent resident. After three years of marriage he can then apply for citizenship if he so desires. When he gets his green card he can apply to join the US Army on the green card alone without citizenship.

However there will be jobs in the Army he won't be able to do that require security clearance. Federal Law prohibits granting a security clearance to non-citizens.

 

[Sam The Bam]

Beaten to reply by the OP. BTW Johhny, start saving your pennies mate. The cost of the immigration process isn't cheap these days.

 

[LJONESY]

If you don't need to, why?
It would depend on what MOS you could qualify for, but getting fucked around by the Green Weenie might not be conducive to family life. Do you have kids? Are you sure the wife can get a job anywhere in the States or Overseas?

 

[Ravers]

My mother has a US passport so I am entitled to a green card. Some years ago I was walking around LA trying to decide what to do with my life.

I was smashing a very tidy yank girl at the time and seriously thinking about moving there.

Out of random curiosity I ended up in the US Navy careers office.

Got chatting to a recruiter, explained I was currently serving in the Royal Navy and that I’d be out soon. Told him that I was a Phalanx maintainer and qualified on a lot of US kit.

Basically the bloke was ******* clueless, didn’t even know what the Royal Navy was. Didn’t even know what a Phalanx was (it’s a gun fitted to pretty much every ship in the USN). Didn’t have a clue what the process was for a foreign national to join even if they had a green card. In fact he barely even spoke English, he might’ve been Mexican.

It never went any further than that.

However I have since worked a fair bit with the US Forces and on US bases. I also have a distant cousin in the USMC.

It’s a completely different world out there. The military is not a job out there like it is here. It becomes your (and your family’s) life. The money is by all accounts not very good, you also get very little leave.

But on the flip side, you get decent food, a house, schooling for your kids, amazing sports and leisure facilities. Basically everything you need is provided and you are not expected to deviate from the life given to you by the military.

You are expected to fully integrate into military life. You live on base, all your friends are your work colleagues, your missus is friends with their missus, your kids play little league together, when they become teenagers they are given jobs on the base, you spend your weekends at eachothers married quarters having BBQs, you live on the same street. Basically you do not leave the base, because you don’t really need to.

Great life if that’s what you fancy but a big change from how we do things over here.

 

[Harry Clampers]

Join a gun club, shoot lots, reminisce about the days when all you could do was shout "BANG!"

Drink beer, talk shite. It'll be like you've never moved-on.

 

[johnnycupcakes]

If you don't need to, why?
It would depend on what MOS you could qualify for, but getting fucked around by the Green Weenie might not be conducive to family life. Do you have kids? Are you sure the wife can get a job anywhere in the States or Overseas?

She wants to go home, I like the army and don’t really want to leave, we’re both still early/mid twenties , no children, i have my qualifications and experience so I’ve always got a fall back if we’re going to do it now is the time. She’ll be contracting and would need to be near a military establishment so it works out, I just wondered if anyone has any experience of doing this kind of thing and how it went for them personally. And I’ve always kinda wanted to move to America so it’s worked out.

 

[LJONESY]

My mother has a US passport so I am entitled to a green card. Some years ago I was walking around LA trying to decide what to do with my life.

I was smashing a very tidy yank girl at the time and seriously thinking about moving there.

Out of random curiosity I ended up in the US Navy careers office.

Got chatting to a recruiter, explained I was currently serving in the Royal Navy and that I’d be out soon. Told him that I was a Phalanx maintainer and qualified on a lot of US kit.

Basically the bloke was ******* clueless, didn’t even know what the Royal Navy was. Didn’t even know what a Phalanx was (it’s a gun fitted to pretty much every ship in the USN). Didn’t have a clue what the process was for a foreign national to join even if they had a green card. In fact he barely even spoke English, he might’ve been Mexican.

It never went any further than that.

However I have since worked a fair bit with the US Forces and on US bases. I also have a distant cousin in the USMC.

It’s a completely different world out there. The military is not a job out there like it is here. It becomes your (and your family’s) life. The money is by all accounts not very good, you also get very little leave.

But on the flip side, you get decent food, a house, schooling for your kids, amazing sports and leisure facilities. Basically everything you need is provided and you are not expected to deviate from the life given to you by the military.

You are expected to fully integrate into military life. You live on base, all your friends are your work colleagues, your missus is friends with their missus, your kids play little league together, when they become teenagers they are given jobs on the base, you spend your weekends at eachothers married quarters having BBQs, you live on the same street. Basically you do not leave the base, because you don’t really need to.

Great life if that’s what you fancy but a big change from how we do things over here.

I will say this though.

The money to be made in the Forces here is great compared to the Civ world. But starting out as a married private is going to be "fun".

 

[johnnycupcakes]

I will say this though.

The money to be made in the Forces here is great compared to the Civ world. But starting out as a married private is going to be "fun".

That’s kind of the thing, I can afford to start again, my misses will be well paid (job offers rolling through the door from all over stateside) and I have my quals and my house back home with a cheap mortgage I’m kind of in a place where it is feasible.

 

[LJONESY]

She wants to go home, I like the army and don’t really want to leave, we’re both still early/mid twenties , no children, i have my qualifications and experience so I’ve always got a fall back if we’re going to do it now is the time. She’ll be contracting and would need to be near a military establishment so it works out, I just wondered if anyone has any experience of doing this kind of thing and how it went for them personally. And I’ve always kinda wanted to move to America so it’s worked out.

The Guard might be a bit better, if you can find a unit you can join. It helps with family stability. Mind if I ask what States you are looking at?

National Guard Jobs: home

You can look state by state to see what MOS you might like to try out.


But as Ravers mentioned it ain't just a job, it is a lifestyle. Esp if you go active.

You might also consider the USAF, not trying to be a dick but they are treated way better. Esp if you are not trying to get into a teeth arms MOS.

 

[johnnycupcakes]

The Guard might be a bit better, if you can find a unit you can join. It helps with family stability. Mind if I ask what States you are looking at?

National Guard Jobs: home

You can look state by state to see what MOS you might like to try out.


But as Ravers mentioned it ain't just a job, it is a lifestyle. Esp if you go active.

You might also consider the USAF, not trying to be a dick but they are treated way better. Esp if you are not trying to get into a teeth arms MOS.

Sorry for the disjointed replies,

She’s from San Diego and active navy at the moment but getting out shortly, however she’s fine with pretty much anywhere in the US, I’ve spoken to an airforce recruiter already as she begged me basically as the life is better but they said non citizens have like 7 jobs open to them.

 

[LJONESY]

That’s kind of the thing, I can afford to start again, my misses will be well paid (job offers rolling through the door from all over stateside) and I have my quals and my house back home with a cheap mortgage I’m kind of in a place where it is feasible.

All the power to you, just prepare the spouse as best you can.

 

[LJONESY]

Sorry for the disjointed replies,

She’s from San Diego and active navy at the moment but getting out shortly, however she’s fine with pretty much anywhere in the US, I’ve spoken to an airforce recruiter already as she begged me basically as the life is better but they said non citizens have like 7 jobs open to them.

Well what career fields are open to you in the Air Force or Air Guard?

 

[Roadster280]

I may be wrong on this, it’s been a while, but I don’t think you actually need a GC to join up. You just have to be physically present, and legal. In other words, some classes of non-immigrant visas work.

You do have to be physically present in the US to apply. I looked into it for the Guard years ago and the recruiters would not talk to me unless I was feet on the ground in the US.

+1 on the other points re the military owning your life and those of your family. My BIL retired last year, I’ve seen firsthand how the US military works. No complaints, “fit in or fûck off”.

Best of luck!

 

[johnnycupcakes]

Well what career fields are open to you in the Air Force or Air Guard?

Well what career fields are open to you in the Air Force or Air Guard?

The guy basically said admin roles would be open to me which, with no disrespect to anyone that does do that, not for me.

On that does anyone have any info on how the contract process works etc? All I know is you can ask for things in your contract etc but does anyone have any experience of what they’re asking for etc ?

 

[LJONESY]

The guy basically said admin roles would be open to me which, with no disrespect to anyone that does do that, not for me.

On that does anyone have any info on how the contract process works etc? All I know is you can ask for things in your contract etc but does anyone have any experience of what they’re asking for etc ?

You discuss with the recruiter what you would like to do, and select your MOS. If you go active you will have more fields open to you. If you go Guard you will get to pick an MOS that is specific to the unit you are joining and what they need.

What in the devil would you be asking for?

But you will always be subject to the needs of whatever Branch you join. You might even qualify for a "bonus" depending on what is needed at the time.

This is of course pending you get through MEPS, which you should.