u/Sensitive_Peak_7242

Hello!

I ship out to Army Basic Training, but have had a change of heart towards Islam after years of fighting it, I finally want to take Shahada and officially revert! I’ve met many Muslims in my RSP (pre-training drill), and they’ve definitely aided my journey!

I won’t be able to visit the Masjid near me, and the only time I’ll have in the next 6-months will be during Basic Training and AIT (OSUT).

I want to learn how to pray ASAP, and understand the basics of Islam ASAP as well. I’m unsure of the days of Muslim worship during Basic (Sunday? Friday? Non-Muslims and those interested allowed?).

I’ll be at Ft Sill (Oklahoma), if anyone has experience going through this any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Good Afternoon!

I’ve been in the Arkansas NG for a bit now, and still have about half a contract to go. I’m interested in an IST to Alaska (for college and family), but am unsure of the benefits.

In Arkansas we have 100% tuition waiver at public schools/technical education (and some private)- on top of FTA.

So let’s say I am approved for the move, I move, and it’s day one of my new Alaskan adventure, what is the process of receiving Alaskan Guard tuition benefits? (Reimbursement, tuition cap, etc.) Would I have to be a resident to receive the states benefits? Would I have to first submit an Alaskan Address or live in-state for a set number of time? Or would simply being in the Alaskan National Guard be enough to receive the states benefits?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hello! Please forgive me if this isn’t allowed, but I’m having trouble making sense of pay during OSUT. I’m about to graduate high school, so I need to start budgeting for housing once I get back.

Everyone says to check the tables, but it always seems to contradict what others experienced. Could any math whiz’ help me calculate my pay?

I’ll be leaving June 17th and returning October 15th. I know the pay cycles are set, which is probably what messes with my calculations. I’m an E3!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I’m expecting $1500-$2000 a month, but I just need a second opinion!

Hello, this is basically just me venting about my diocese and the way they handle reconciliation.

I’m 18, and have been “Catholic” for about 3 years now, but was only baptized and confirmed this past Easter Vigil.

I love the faith and every element, but I am seriously fed up with the mismanagement of it (possibly just in my diocese). I’ve driven to multiple parishes in my County, and attended 7 confession periods in the last two weeks, all of which ended with me waiting in line for over an hour, and the priests ending confessions with half of the participants being unable to confess.

The times for confession are also ridiculous, with times often being one day a week for only an hour at the most inconvenient hours.

I’ve tried scheduling a confession, as I’ve been in a state of mortal sin and unable to receive communion for weeks now. All parishes in my area say they aren’t able to hear confessions outside of normal hours, including the typical “30 minutes before daily mass” most parishes have.

I’m actually so sick of waiting for confession, just to never get the chance, and then only receiving a blessing at mass. I’m seriously upset about the state of our faith, the priesthood is such a crucial and important task, but the priests in my area seem to not care at all about the parishioners and their reconciliation.

Every single time, spanning days and hours, spanning parishes, the priests give the same old “we’re done, sorry” and then just lock up and leave on the dot. I’ve asked priests as well, and they always say they are heading home (not an event or meeting). There HAS to be some vindication in the priesthood, enough to hear every last confession regardless of business. Our priests have been martyred just for doing their jobs in the past, but now they don’t even offer confessions to those asking, and rather choose comfort.

Is there anything I can do to fix these problems as a layman? It seems unless some priest is willing to sacrifice his entire life just to hearing confessions (something they all signed up for but whatever) it doesn’t seem like my diocese can be spiritually renewed.

It almost feels as though Catholicism is a placeholder in my community, not the heart of it fully representing the faith, it’s just a bunch of buildings that do the “typical Catholic things”, as opposed to communities building Saints through sacrifice and brotherhood.

It makes it difficult to even share Catholicism with friends and family, because it’s as if I’m telling them how crucial confession is, and then even someone so willing of attending as me isn’t even able to go.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Hello!

I’ve been in the DEP/RSP program for almost 10 months now for the Army National Guard, and would like to switch to the Marine Corps (Active-Duty).

Background:

I fell victim to the classic Guard “One Weekend a month… two weeks in the summer” trick while in High School (I graduate in May), as well as the old “the guard is the only way to serve and earn a college degree”. So I signed as a 13J in the states field artillery unit, with a 20k bonus (for something ASVAB I believe), as well as the little ASVAB stipend that adds onto the student stipend.

I had wanted to go active-duty Marines (even talked to a recruiter), but my Army Guard recruiter convinced me it was impossible to pursue education at the same time, obviously to get me to sign.

I’ve been to MEPS, perfect bill of health, no waivers, 76 ASVAB, passed every medical assessment with no further questioning. Great physical fitness: 18yo, 6’0” tall, 165LBS, 12:45 2-mile time, 80 push-ups (2 Minutes), 100 Sit-ups (2 Minutes).

My reasoning for wanting to become a Marine isn’t about the hardcore nature, or ego, I just legitimately feel it is the Active-Duty branch I belong in, and I believe in its unique mission.

Is it too late to cancel my contract, and enlist into the Marine Corps? I ship June 17th, but for the Marine Corps- I could literally ship 20 days from now, or 6-months from now, with no issues. I am also waiting on a reply back from a Marine recruiter in my area.

Please let me know if you have any experience in this, and any guidance would be greatly appreciated!