When I was doing my papers, etc, and waiting to get in I changed my mind so many times on my trade it'd make you sick, but idle minds tend to wander.
I had the chance to have a solid view of the trade I had signed up for in the Air Force and BOY, I am GLAD I changed it! I then switched it up a few times and had to change it due to no openings, but landed on Combat Eng. as my 1st choice and SigOp as my 2nd (Im amazing with computers, all self taught to the point I was the chief PC tech at a local PC repair center and I've worked various places in telecommunications, etc).
Either way I KNOW I'll enjoy the trade I'm in, and I'm just waiting for my call to Basic now (woohoo!). Just have to exercise a bit more
Anyways, what I think should be done is a program to give enlistees a chance to see the trade they are applying for.
- 2 weeks paid to spend time with 2-3 separate units of X, Y and maybe Z trade. Do this directly after Basic and make it mandatory because someone who enjoys what they do usually do it with more care and precision. Call it "Occupational Orientation and Testing" so it sounds official ;D
- Alone time without the fear of rank with several tradesman to get a view of what they do and their personal thoughts on it (pick a random grouping who encompasses the lower ranks but not higher than a Master Corporal)
- Have some basic hands-on experience and a intro to the tools of the trade, and if possible have them be part of an exercise that involves that trade in a combat / emergency situation
- Show them the crap side of each trade. Because the crappy work is always there.
- Give the enlistee 48 hours to make a final decision. Once made they are locked out of doing a occupational transfer for at least 1 year.
- Compulsory occupational transfer if someone is seen as being incapable of X trade, make them take a mandatory component transfer to another trade of their choice.
Well those are my thoughts on it, ye-haw.