Im concidering joining the National Guard, Dont know yet if I should go Army or Air Force.
But there are fw issues which may keep me from joining and I am wondering if I should join at all becaue of these.
Electric shavers: Are they allowed in bootcamp or will it be taken away?
Laundry: Do they use scented or UN scented detergents for laundry?
Foods: We have talked Kosher in here till my ears had a K on each one. But I have more specific Q’s about the issue:
1- If I wont be allowed to have Kosher MRE’s then will I be jailed for refusing to eat at all?
2- If I join can I tell the recruiter that I want the KOSHER FOODS mentioned in writing in the contract? And the same for electric shaver?
3- Taking AIT. Can it be in writing that wherever I may be traveling to, or based at, to be allowed and have ordered KOSHER MRE’s for me?
4- WHAT IF For whatever reasons I dont get KOSHER, does that void the contract on their part and gives me a free&clear;way out of the military?
You can reply to me here OR you may also write to me directly at
To be honest with you if you have an attitude of being completely unyielding and uncompromising then don’t bother with the military you wont last long with that attitude. If you possess a spirit of ‘willing to serve’ and no matter what you’ll do your best, then this is a more successful attitude to take.
Its never going to always be perfect, there will be times when you may not get kosher food or you may have a drill SGT or PL SGT who will insist that you don’t use an electric shaver and you must be prepared for this. If you can’t deal with a potential situation like this don’t bother joining. On a side note if you don’t get specifcally kosher food - adapt and overcome- eat fresh fruit, veges, bread and milk the things you can it. Are you there to serve in the military or is the military there to serve you?
I’m a ‘religious Jew’ and I’ve had to compromise on several fronts to remain where I am. Otherwise I would’ve been gonskys a long time ago. Thats the nature of service in the military.
I recommend to you the following:
1. Speak to a Jewish Chaplain
2. Consider the IDF - there you will always have kosher food and can even grow a beard
3. Read the article posted on this site August, 30 “Jewish life in the military” - read this article carefully !!
AZ, the Army (or Air Force) will do what they can to accommodate your religious needs, but you have to realize that the needs of the service come first. The “contract” everyone always talks about when you join the military isn’t like a Hollywood contract where you can have things added in to meet your needs. You can have a few things spelled out like MOS, duty station, and sometimes bonuses or educational benefits. However, there are no spots for electric razors, kosher food, or unscented laundry detergent.
To address some of your specific issues:
I know the Marine Corps did not allow electric shavers, but other services may be different. I don’t think anyone knows what kind of laundry detergent they use… are you allergic or something?
1. You won’t be jailed for not eating, but you will probably be hospitalized when you can’t continue training because of dehydration/malnutrition. Not eating is an extremely unwise decision. You should be able to get kosher MREs as long as you make you needs known ahead of time. There may be a time when, for whatever reason, you won’t, and you will have to make due. You need to make your own decisions, but you can usually get by with the food options that are available. We are supposed to live by the commandments, not die by them, so endangering your health doesn’t seem like a wise choice to me.
2. Nope. See above, but these aren’t options for the contract.
3. Not in writing, but with enough preparation (and advance notice) you should be able to arrange for kosher rations wherever you go. It’s hardest in boot camp and initial training, but gets easier as you get to the operating forces and begin to see how things work.
4. No.
Aussie said it best when he stated that you are there to serve the military and your country, not the other way around. As Jews, we have certain needs that the “average” soldier does not. The military will do what it can to meet our needs (just like they would for any of the troops), but we all have to make sacrifices from time to time. Military service teaches you many things, one of which is the value of working together as a team. If you go in with the attitude of insisting that you get everything you need, or nothing at all then you should probably reconsider your decision.
I joined the army in January 2007. I am a female ( and a some what religious Jew) and did not expect any special treatment when I arrived at Basic Combat Training. Yet, I was given vegatarian MRE’s in the field and Passover MRE’s for Passover. They included chicken and beef stew, matzo, gefilta fish and macaroon’s. As you can imagine, all my other battle buddies were in my room at night sneaking treats.
I was allowed to attend Friday night services as well as Sunday morning bible study. It all depends on your drill sargents attitudes on whether or not you will be allowed to observe your religious services etc… I never felt singled out and I had a wonderful DS who respected Judaism and Israel. But you must understand that when you are in Basic, you do not have any special rights and will not receive any special treatment. You joined the military to serve your country.
When you go to chow, you can choose eggs, hashbrowns, toast and even cereal. I never ate any meat in Basic. I lost a good ten pounds, but remember Basic only lasts 9 weeks. Once you reach AIT you will have more food choices.
I am now stationed in Germany and can cook whatever I choose. The only problem I have now is finding a synagogue, but I am in Germany after all :(
I’m also in that same boat- considering Army/Navy/Air Force, haven’t decided yet.
I was wondering, though, would it make a difference if you joined with a degree and as an officer? Would that make it any easier to get supplies, Kosher MRE’s, etc?
It does not matter what your rank or education is when you join the US military. You will train on Fridays and Saturdays and any holidays. You will be allowed to attend Jewish services if they are available. When you go to the field, you can choose vegetarian MRE’s which are not “kosher” but they have no meat products. Like I said in my earlier post, when you join the military, the military comes first. In addition, it all depends on your Drill Sgt’s whether or not you can attend any services. Remember, no one is special during Basic Combat Training. It is nine weeks of pure hell, but after you graduate you are very proud. Even in the Israeli army, you will have difficulty finding kosher food. Good Luck, and remember to stay Army Strong!!!
Agree with Rideout. In boot camp (or OCS for officers), you have a slim to zero say in what happens in your day to day life. I’ve been through both and “personal freedom” is not a word I was familiar with in either.
That being said, once you are in the operating forces, you will have a shorter route to your desired supplies. You don’t “rate” it any more than a private, but you often have less red tape and running around to go through in order to get what you want. However, with this perk, you also have added responsibility. As a Jewish leader, it is your responsibility to seek out fellow Jews in your command (and often neighboring commands) and assist them in getting the supplies they need.
That sounds ok… How about Anti-Semitism? Have any of you found that, either from your SO’s, or just comrades? Have you ever had the experience of being singled out but unable to prove it? I got an e-mail from a friend of mine who was in the Navy and Air Force, he’s not Jewish, but he was persecuted for following his religion (not Christianity or Islam), and he strongly cautioned me to this effect. So has anyone had any experiences?
As far as Jewish supplies go, we are the Jewish Ecclesiastical Prime Vendor. Maryann Bonk at the DLA has gone over and beyond her call of duty to ensure that the Jewish servicemember’s religious needs are met.
They have increased their selection of Jewish items available--everything from camouflage tallit and yarmulkes to Kosher for Passover Seder Kits, Sukkots, Menorahs, Bibles and lots more. All food items are 100% kosher, under Orthodox supervision.
Although the DLA might not have been the best place to obtain Jewish supplies, that is in the past. They have totally revamped their system and it’s working much better. Orders are received within 14 days. If anyone has any question about a product, PM me. In addition we have done custom items such as a chuppah, ark, sefer torah and more. You have to ask!!! If you don’t ask and use the system, they see no reason to upgrade it.
some advice that I have learned in dealing with the military as a vendor over the past 8 years:
1) don’t have an attitude problem. It won’t help you and will only antagonize that might have helped you.
2) be clear and precise as to what you requesting
3) PLAN IN ADVANCE! No holiday is a surprise!
4) work the chain of command--don’t go over anyone’s head
During Basic no one had the time to discriminate. The Drill Sgt’s were always on everyone about taking care of their battle buddies. Everyone was just trying to avoid being “smoked”. The best way to go thru Basic is to follow instructions and try not to stand out. I have not been discriminated against in any way since I joined the military. Of course, there are always some bad apples in the bunch, luckily I never met any. I never advertised my religion, expected special treatment etc… But in Ft. Leonardwood, MO, they try to accommodate every religion including Wiccans. I had a wonderful DS who respected Judaism and Israel. He had me talk to other incoming recruits who were Jewish and explain about Jewish services and Vegetarian MRE’s. Of course, you can run into a DS who will never let you attend any type of religious service, so just suck it up for 9 weeks. During AIT and after you will be allowed to.
I think it’s already been pretty clearly stated in this thread that good and bad experiences are dependent on the people involved.
My son, a Navy Ltjg, has had one bad experience where he wasn’t able to attend Yom Kippur services, but many really good experiences and support.
Right now he’s deployed and I’m waiting to hear what happens for Passover. His ship is part of a battle group of ten ships, so I would think that there would be a Sedar. But who knows. I asked him about the chaplain and turns out there’s 3, but all Christian.
Hey Chaim Shmuel, I’m about to finally enlist. (we’ve been talking via email) :)
But for the big question: I’m enlisting in the USAF, does anyone know if I’ll be able to get kosher food in Basic? I understand that’s the hardest time, and I’m fine with living off MREs (I happen to LIKE them), but I don’t want to eat non-kosher food during Basic. It’s one thing if I’m deployed and there’s absolutely nothing else, but Basic training in the US shouldn’t be a logistics problem…
The USAF has 5 Orthodox Chaplains.
Ch Oxman
Ch Narrowe
Ch Cohen
Ch Berdugo
Ch Bram
The USA and USN also have Orthodox Chaplains, but I don’t know all their names.
