Future MA hopes to have a pup

[Toxickiba]

Hi! Im a future MA, I ship 16DEC2014 and I get to enjoy RTC as an E3 (4 years NJROTC)

Im so excited to go, I've been bouncing off the walls for months now. My end goal for going MA is to be a dog handler, which my recruiter said was totally feasible. I know those are E4 positions(according to the packet I was given at MEPS) so I'll have to wait at least 6 months but I was wondering if it was especially hard to get that?

Does anyone have experience being a handler or any tips on getting the job?

[Spook]

I'm friends with an MA who also wanted to handle dogs. It is definitely more difficult to get that specific duty. During A-School, get the highest GPA possible so you can get a good set of orders.

[KI4LMW]

During A-School, towards the end, you will be given the chance to pick orders, also interview for k-9, if you want it. Yes it is good to have high scores, but it is more than that. You'll have a panel of 3 maybe four people you'll interview with.
After A-school, if you can't get k-9 during, when you get to your command and finish your basic qualifications, head over to the kennels and start leaning. They a pqs you'll need to start the process to switch to k-9. After that. Recommendations and another shot for orders/school.

Hope that helps.
MA3

[Toxickiba]

During A-School, towards the end, you will be given the chance to pick orders, also interview for k-9, if you want it. Yes it is good to have high scores, but it is more than that. You'll have a panel of 3 maybe four people you'll interview with.
After A-school, if you can't get k-9 during, when you get to your command and finish your basic qualifications, head over to the kennels and start leaning. They a pqs you'll need to start the process to switch to k-9. After that. Recommendations and another shot for orders/school.

Hope that helps.
MA3

Thank you so much!! I didnt realized I'd get the chance to actually pick and interview for it. the most my recruiter could give me was "Don't F- up" haha

[Squid350]

IF you don't get K9 out of "A" school (and don't feel bad if you don't - it's a rare event) it's very possible to get K9 at your first command, if they have a kennel. Get all your patrol quals first, then see about doing kennel support in your off time. If you prove that you want it, they'll often send you back to K9 school and bring you back as a K9 Patrolman.

EDIT - and if I'd read a bit better I'd have seen that MA3 already said that.