I am an E-4 promotable in the reserves, I am set to go to psu in the fall as a contracted cadet however I just ran into an unexpected financial burdon of between $3,000-5,000 !!! I do not have the means to pay for this, some students have run into the same issue and had to go bankrupt! I think the only way to pay is to volunteer for a tour to iraq. I have no family, friends, or any means what so ever in any way shape or form to cover this cost so I think a deployment is the only way. Which also means bye bye psu...

I need to know what options I have as a volunteer soldier, I have 2 MOS's so I don't know which one I would go as, or if I could ask to go as another MOS. I know that they have crash course trained soldiers as MP's over there, and civil affairs etc. I just do not know how it works, or if I should take that route as a sollution. I don't know what to do or how to go about this. What my options are or what they are not.

I also wondered if certain gear I should buy myself. Such as an ACH, I cannot STAND the old style kevlars, but didn't know if I would be getting new gear when in theater or if I would be using stuff from my unit (crap gear). I would rather buy an ACH on my own as well as my own IBA instead of going there and having to deal with crap gear for 12 months.

you dont have money, moreover you need money, and you are talking about putting an outlay out for combat gear (likely expensive)? I don't know how much sense that makes, why not get a loan since you're gonna be a student.

RFI gets you all the gear you need for deployment. If you are going as an individual augmentee and not with your unit; you will serve the MOS they need the most (assuming you have more than one which you said you do).

If you volunteer to deploy you are not subject to a lot of the dwell time protections the Army has; so if your reserve unit deploys the day after you get back.... you are going again.

Inform your chain of command so they can help you setup an appointment with somebody. There may be programs available to help you.

^^ Always good advice.

The First Sergeant is always your best friend

Dude. deployments suck! hahaha although if your a 46Q like me with a 5x (army historian) deployments rock. I am a pr guy so deployments acually help my career. before you get deployed make sure you have pldc under your belt as wells as several online courses ... leadership, multimedia presentation specialist, various other nco courses.... like land nav... crap like that ... they give you promotion points... dont be a spc 4 and get deployed... life will be bad and youll be filing sandbags ... doing kp ... and having lots of fun on pointless patrolls and weopons cleaning.

as a sgt ... you are responsible for peoples lives. remember that. and the only extra equipment you need is a voice recorder, 7-0, and lots of baby wipes. baby wipes are great for getting the sand out of places it shouldnt be.

The First Sergeant is always your best friend

Agreed. Take is up your Change of Command. I know the USAF has a fund for Airmen & then you pay it back over the course of a year. Talk to family also? Either way, bring it up, so you don't blind side your supervision.

Also, DONT USE YOUR GOV CARD..

infantry all the way!!

infantry all the way!!

Sure am glad we got rid of that "dumb grunt" stereotype:icon_no2: ....

c'mon dude, All my buddys are in the infanrty..so pretty much I gotta do the same..

You are not helping yourself out here War Crunk.

when do i ever help myself out man? just trying to get involved thats all...

Sure am glad we got rid of that "dumb grunt" stereotype:icon_no2: ....

You guys are killin' me :yelrotflm

when do i ever help myself out man? just trying to get involved thats all...

touche....

ha thanks man^

hahahaha grunts are people to and they do serve a purpose. what that is I will never know... heres to the MPs who do all the work!!

3000-5000 is not a lot of money, you cant take a student loan?