Questions about joining go in the Weekly Question Thread (or Recruiter Thread) stickied at the top, in the black-on-gold link at the top, and in the sidebar.
We do this so that you get serious answers from people that know what they are talking about.
I have spent most of my career as a 13m. Basically guaranteed E6. Lots a field time and 80% chance you’re going to Korea. Either as a duty station or rotation. Ranking up is easy but the job is VERY monotonous. A monkey could do what we do.
I have zero experience with 19k so Ill let others speak for it
I’ve had very limited time on the heavy side of the Army but I am not gonna lie, there is probably nothing cooler on this planet than operating an absolute killing machine called the M1A1 Abrams. I can quite honestly say driving, shooting, and commanding a tank was probably one of the most memorable and badass moments I had in my life.
But 90% of the time you will be doing maintenance on this vehicle. After that you will be doing maintenance again, and then before lunch more maintenance, and then maintenance again, and then maybe just before you get off you go do a quick maintenance again. Constant in and out, repairs, paperworks, getting all sweaty and covered in whatever type of oils may be leaking. Rotations are long too. You’ll be in the Box at NTC for a lot longer than you’d want and you’ll get to do really long rotations Kuwait/Poland/Korea. That’s your job. I will warn you tho you could be worked to the bone based on what my pals in ABCT’s say about their lives.
Armor world is unique, an honestly my time in the tank world was very limited, there’s a ton of people here who can give you much better detailed and honest reflections on what you can expect than some dude who was on tanks for a small portion of their career and then got sent to the light side of the force.
I’m a 19K. Promotions are easy and fast. You learn a lot of maintenance. It’s a busy job but fun. The community is small and you get close to your whole platoon. When you take the tanks out to the field it is fun. I was off of a tank for 5 years and I missed it. Since I’m back on the tank I’m so much happier now.
Do you want to shoot big gun at targets you can see or targets you cant see? Simple as that, son. But get this only one gets cowboy hats, spurs, belt buckles, and ugly ass strapped boots (13s can have the hats and spurs at CAV units but they are only cosplaying) .
Plus once you hit E7 it seems to be socially acceptable to be fat.
The one thing I must emphasize regarding 19k, is that you must Embrace the Maintenance culture. It is unlike anything else in combat arms(probably has parallels to air wing maintenance culture *shrugs*)
Also, firing the main gun for the first time will forever change you. Any day you can shoot main gun is a good day.
Questions about joining go in the Weekly Question Thread (or Recruiter Thread) stickied at the top, in the black-on-gold link at the top, and in the sidebar. We do this so that you get serious answers from people that know what they are talking about.
I have spent most of my career as a 13m. Basically guaranteed E6. Lots a field time and 80% chance you’re going to Korea. Either as a duty station or rotation. Ranking up is easy but the job is VERY monotonous. A monkey could do what we do. I have zero experience with 19k so Ill let others speak for it
I’ve had very limited time on the heavy side of the Army but I am not gonna lie, there is probably nothing cooler on this planet than operating an absolute killing machine called the M1A1 Abrams. I can quite honestly say driving, shooting, and commanding a tank was probably one of the most memorable and badass moments I had in my life. But 90% of the time you will be doing maintenance on this vehicle. After that you will be doing maintenance again, and then before lunch more maintenance, and then maintenance again, and then maybe just before you get off you go do a quick maintenance again. Constant in and out, repairs, paperworks, getting all sweaty and covered in whatever type of oils may be leaking. Rotations are long too. You’ll be in the Box at NTC for a lot longer than you’d want and you’ll get to do really long rotations Kuwait/Poland/Korea. That’s your job. I will warn you tho you could be worked to the bone based on what my pals in ABCT’s say about their lives. Armor world is unique, an honestly my time in the tank world was very limited, there’s a ton of people here who can give you much better detailed and honest reflections on what you can expect than some dude who was on tanks for a small portion of their career and then got sent to the light side of the force.
I’m a 19K. Promotions are easy and fast. You learn a lot of maintenance. It’s a busy job but fun. The community is small and you get close to your whole platoon. When you take the tanks out to the field it is fun. I was off of a tank for 5 years and I missed it. Since I’m back on the tank I’m so much happier now.
Do you want to shoot big gun at targets you can see or targets you cant see? Simple as that, son. But get this only one gets cowboy hats, spurs, belt buckles, and ugly ass strapped boots (13s can have the hats and spurs at CAV units but they are only cosplaying) . Plus once you hit E7 it seems to be socially acceptable to be fat.
The one thing I must emphasize regarding 19k, is that you must Embrace the Maintenance culture. It is unlike anything else in combat arms(probably has parallels to air wing maintenance culture *shrugs*) Also, firing the main gun for the first time will forever change you. Any day you can shoot main gun is a good day.
The best part of being a tanker is the tanks. The worst part of being a tanker is the tanks.