Can you choose to go on more missions, or not go on leave while deployed in the military?

I am thinking about joining the Army and I was wondering if you could ask or choose to go on more missions or choose to go into combat instead of staying at the base. Also are you able to reject your leave and stay deployed overseas?
Additional Details
I am actually 15 years old, and I am positive that I will not change my mind on wanting to do the most fighting as possible.

Thanks for all the answers too they have been a great help.

Michael

This is kind of a two-part question. I'll try to answer both.

There is a set schedule for deployments (where units go to OIF/OEF) for about 12 months, then come back home.

Yes, you can volunteer to go with a unit that is deploying sooner than your current unit(which subsequently increases your chances to go on more missions).

Once deployed, Yes again, you can volunteer to go out on missions. Better than volunteering, is to just try to set an excellent example. If you always have your stuff straight, they will always want you out there with them. Although a perfect example of "volunteering" for a missions would be a QRF team. It is a team comprised of people who react to certain events (usually attacks against the base). You can be a part of a regular patrol and a QRF at the same time, which would be your best bet for seeing the most mission time.

And Yes, to the leave question. While deployed, you are authorized 15 days of mid-tour leave, which you can waive if you wish. Some units may pressure you hard to take the leave, being deployed is very stressful, but if you wish, you do not have to take it.

Oh, and I saw some other answers advising you to "sell your leave days." NEVER SELL YOUR LEAVE DAYS. It is absolutely a waste of money/free-time. It makes no sense to sell your leave days. The army will only pay you one day's base pay for every day. If you used the leave day, you would actually be making more money, or ATLEAST breaking even. No reason to sell leave, you will be required to be in garrison atleast 90 days between deployments, take a vacation or something.

majgross

You go where you are told and you do what you are told to do. While deployed if you choose to shorten your leave or not take your mid tour leave at all, it requires approval by the first MG in your chain of command. That isn't happening. Don't worry, you won't be so gung ho when you actually enlist, get to your unit, get deployed and realize just how boring a deployment can be.

Jack B

This guy has got to be 16, once you get down range i can gaurentee you wont be begging for more missions, and you sure as **** wouldnt sell your mid tour leave

Mathematical Duck

Once you're deployed, you ruck out when your platoon rucks out. Sometimes they ask for volunteers to form a quick response team, but other than that, you only go with your platoon goes. But if you want combat, no worries, if you pick infantry, you'll get to some FOB where you are bound to get into 6 gunfights a day.

Lastly, you can sell your leave time and it's tax free while deployed. Not sure how smart that is, but meh.

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