I'm a new guy (20) and I'm extremely interested in making my career in the the CG. Ever since I was in elementary school, I always wanted to be in law enforcement and help people, but as I got older I fell victim to the persuasive ways of parents (which isn't always a bad thing) so I let that dream go. Since then, I work in an ER and have been attending community college for a year now but I have just been feeling like I'm not going anywhere because deep down, I know it's not what I want to do. So after a long talk with my uncle who is actually a PO1 in the CG, I'm going to enlist and finally do what I want to do with MY life. I'm very interested in signing up for the long haul and pursuing ME so I can do my part in protecting the country! 

Welcome!  This is a great place for information, and several recruiters are here regularly....I am sure one will be along soon with official information!

That said, if you are interested, I would get the ball rolling. Recruiters are swamped and target numbers are low right now, so even your first contact may take a little while. Five months from recruiter contact to ship date would be warp speed
Read through the other threads to familiarize yourself, and you may find answers to some of your questions posted here already.

CG recruiting is in a unique position that the other services don't have... There are only a certain number of spots to fill every year and there are more applicants than there are spots. That means a CG recruiter can be totally honest with you. If you don't like what you are hearing, there are 10 others that do like it and want the spot. I wouldn't wait to gt in contact with a recruiter. Like KD said, you're going to have a wait, start the ball rolling and you can always keep communication open with your uncle. Best of luck!

In the mean time, if your uncle is hard to get a hold of and you have questions... Ask away. We are here to supplement and help.

Five months from recruiter contact to ship date would be warp speed

+1 KD

Definitely get started now. Your Uncle is going to be an excellent resource for info. Keep in mind as far as recruiting, the process he went through is likely going to be different from your process with the exception of the test and physical. I'm pretty sure the same ASVAB and DRs have been used by MEPS since the Civil War.

Thanks guys, & I know it'll probably take longer, I was just using 5 months as the quickest time frame. I'm going to get in contact with the recruiter tomorrow to get things moving

Welcome and enjoy your journey...thank your uncle for his service to this great country!

Thanks, I have another question, I've been browsing the "A" School forum, and I've noticed the term 'striking' a lot. What does this mean exactly?

Striking is another way to become rated. When you strike, your learning on the job training at your unit. You will be working to obtain qualification sign offs in order to advance to E4. Not every rating can be struck however....

Welcome aboard and good luck

Hey! Welcome! I just got swon into the DEP and I leave for basic end of july. I've been in the process for over a year now so i would definately get started. It helps though if you live close to the recruiter. i live 5 hours from my closest one but good luck on everything!

I'm waiting on an email back from the recruiter now on when to schedule a meeting. & thanks Browns!

One last question, I'm getting married toward the end of the year, so after basic (which might be early 2013 *eek*) do they give you time to find a place with BAH, or are you just given a few days and your expected to report to your assigned station? What I mean is, from the time of your boot camp graduation, how long do you have to say good bye to everyone and find a place to rent and report to your duty

Close but off by just a hair... After boot camp you get 5 days of leave. If you are driving to your station you MIGHT get additional travel time. Remember travel time is calculated from Cape May to duty station. So if you assigned to Cape May, you get ZERO days. But if you get Seattle, I think it figures to 9 days travel, if driving. When you report to your unit you are generally given 10 days for house hunting. That is not leave time, it is just given. Of course that is at command discretion so it is not guaranteed but it is more likely than not. I know 10 days sounds like a silly amount of time to be able to find a place to live... that is plenty of time. I have flown to locations and bought a house in 4 days.

Oh cool. So if I were to be assigned to Cape May, how do I get my car and where will my wife go? lol

You can go home and drive your car back to Cape May. Your wife will move to Cape May with you. There is base housing.

When your on leave, thats your time. You can travel to your home residence, grab your car and drive back.

Awesome branj. I know I doesn't really mean anything, but we're the same age, lol. And I'm also in the process of going through all the requirements to get into bootcamp. Only I guess I'm a bit further ahead of you. Trying to get a date set for Meps! I was so relieved to get through the ASVAB. It wasn't hard to get in touch with a recruiter and such, but I guess I have it easier because I was told they're being pressured on filling spots with women/minority.

Not much of an update as I'm still waiting for August. I'm going to start getting all of my medical records and letters of recommendation (most likely not needed but oh well) together in July. For right now I'm just studying for the ASVAB and beginning to work out. So the last time I spoke with the recruiter was when I posted in here. As I said, he had told me to wait until August because of the enlistment freeze. I'm doing that but call me crazy, I feel like I should be doing something!! Is there ANYTHING the recruiter/I could be doing in the mean time??

Also, I have a feeling that come August, my application will basically be pushed on the back burner so to speak or it will just be difficult to get him to focus on MY application because of the sheer volume of the others. I doubt my uncle could really do anything for that but he said when he comes up in July that he'll go to the recruiters office with me just to talk to him, face to face. I'm hoping *fingers crossed* that doing that will maybe keep me in the recruiters mind come enlistment time. I'm not trying to have my uncle 'get me in' because I think that would be unfair to the others applying but anything to increase my odds of being enlisted would be amazing!

Also also, my aunt (his wife) is actually a Pharmacy Specialist in the Airforce and she highly recommends the USAF. They do have a ton of awesome jobs so I'm looking into that as well, however I am almost 95% set on the CG. My only dilemma is picking a rate. My interests are law enforcement (ever since I was in elementary school), weaponry, engine work (I have been a massive gear head my entire life), medical (my current job, I already possess a lot of knowledge), and marine science. So basically EVERYTHING the CG has! I'm so confused!

Also also also, following up on my BAH question,

Shorthand:

1. Is there anything I/recruiter should be doing until August creeps around?
2. With my interests all over the place, which rate should I go with?
3. Will my wife be able to use BAH while I'm away at basic or will we have to wait until I graduate and have my assignment?

Don't worry about picking a rating right now. You won't be able to put your name on a list until you're at your first unit anyways.

As for waiting to get your medical records, I would start now if I were you. It's taken me months to track down everything I need. At least get in touch with any of the offices you know you'll need to contact. This includes anyone you visited for broken bones or surgeries.

Hey about the BAH question, as long as you have a joint bank account, she'll have access to BAH while you are at basic. They will base how much you get on where your wife will be living while you are at basic. And as far as choosing a rate, wait til you get in. Cuz unlilke any of the other services, you get a chance to experience and shadow most of the rates before you have to sign up for A-School. Hope everything is going well!

Ok, one last question regarding medical records, do I have to include all records including really minor things from the ER like sprains, upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, cuts, bumps, bruises, etc. ?? and how far back should I go?

Yes, any and all records pertaining to:

Surgeries
ER visits
Broken bones
Diagnoses
Prescriptions

...all the way back to birth.

For the minor illnesses, only if you went to the ER.

My recruiter had me fill out a medical pre-screening form (it's identical to the one they use at MEPS) and I was advised that if I had to check YES for any question then the medical records for that specific issue would have to be provided.

If you check yes...you will need the medical documents to go with it and any other information the sub directions ask for. But please only check yes on officially documented stuff that was diagnosed by a medical professional...Do not check yes on I think I have, mom and dad think I have, my friends think I have, the internet says I have, or even if a doctor might have commented it might be this or that but they want to see and check back later...that is not officially documented...only documented stuff should be marked as yes.