I am thinking about joining the military

[Jmumbler]

So I am in an awkward situation at the moment. I went to school for game design in Florida (I am a Minnesotan) for game design, but for certain reason that failed and I had to slink back home. I didn't come back clean however, and not only I am a saddled with stupid amounts of student debt, I owe money to several housing agencies due to shady under dealings that I can't fight and stupid as hell roommates. I tried going back to school but I can't seem to focus in class and failed alot of them, not to mention that alot of those housing agencies are knocking at my door step demanding money. The only real skill I can fall on is cooking (I have been in one kind of kitchen or another sense I was 15 and I am 23 now) but its not paying enough to cover all my expenses. I could work multiple jobs, but I have seen people go down that road and most of them never come back.

The point being that I have considered joining the military for the security that comes with it.

Now I am under no illusions,I have friends in the military. I am aware of the shit you get, the inefficiency, the dick measuring contests. etc..

But what I do know is that in exchange for about 5 to 8 years of my life I could get all my debt wiped away (everything together it comes to about 40,000) and depending on what I do in the military I could continue it as a civilian.

Any thoughts?

 

[LetalisK]

But what I do know is that in exchange for about 5 to 8 years of my life I could get all my debt wiped away (everything together it comes to about 40,000) and depending on what I do in the military I could continue it as a civilian.

They're still doing loan repayment? I thought they ended recruitment incentives for the time being. And 5-8 years? Question, which country are you in? Because in the US the typical initial contract is for 4 years and should be sufficient to wipe out your debt assuming they offer it.

Also realize the only debt I'm aware of that the military will pay back are student loans. Not quite sure what "housing agencies" would fall under.

Your local recruiter would know the specifics of what's going on now with incentives(it changes on an almost monthly basis), but be careful, they're notorious for being used car salesmen and fucking people hard. I was just lucky and got a decent guy.

 

[Jacco]

The thing about the military is that it is essentially like any other job. You go to work at 8, come home at 5, do it five days a week and get a guaranteed paycheck (unless you're infantry or combat ops which I assume you are not going to be). The issue is that if you hate it, or you hate the people, you very rarely get a say. You can't just quit like you can a shitty civvie job.

If you feel you can handle that and want direction, good trade skills, and a decent post-service package, then the military would be the way to go.

But if you are even hesitant for a moment, really rethink that because it is a huge commitment. That's why we see so many suicides in the military. People don't think it completely through and then feel they have no way out.

You may also want to think about other alternatives like the Guard or Reserve. Or even police departments. They will all give you that discipline and have good benefits but you don't have to "live the life."

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

You may also want to think about other alternatives like the Guard or Reserve. Or even police departments. They will all give you that discipline and have good benefits but you don't have to "live the life."

As someone who is currently going through the hiring process at a police department I can tell you, going police really isn't a "fall back" if you don't want to commit to the military. Getting a job as a police officer is much MUCH harder than people think it is, especially if you're someone in the OP's position who is a college dropout with a bunch of debt.

There's a lot of hoops you have to jump through, lots of tests you have to take, it takes a ton of time, and if you end up failing at the very end you have to start all over again from the beginning with another police agency because nothing you did, none of the tests you took, your physicals, psych evals., nothing is transferable.

 

[Chemical Alia]

I've been in the military before, been saddled with a mountain of student loans as well, and I'm currently working in the game design field. Just wondering a few things before I suggest anything. What were you studying to do with games before you left school? Like, art, programming, etc. And is it something you're still interested in, or did you stop for other reasons?

 

[Frezzato]

You would be lucky to earn even $40,000 within 4 years after taxes, let alone pay that off. Unless you're an officer or an NCO with several years of service, you're not going to ever earn that amount annually. The dirty secret is that there are plenty of military families on food stamps [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/food-stamp-cuts-military-bases-commissary_n_1607249.html]. We're clearly not taking care of our soldiers.

Don't think of joining the military in order to make money. There is no money in being a low-ranking enlisted soldier, only a possible case of tinnitus, crabs, or alcoholism. Do so if you want to serve your country and don't mind sweating balls 12 hours a day or aren't shaken by the possibility of losing your life in the service of others.

Every guy in the Army says that his MOS (job) pays the best. Cooks say it, drivers say it, tankers and gun bunnies think it as well, and they're all wrong. Listen, the military runs on rumors. Also, nothing is free in the military. Nothing. Not the meals, not the haircuts, not the uniforms (you get a stipend for that later on). In the end, there is a price for everything.

There are also very few MOS' that have civilian applications. I can think of only three offhand: pilot (not going to happen), surveyor, and MP.

Find a job, stick with it, and then get another job if you really need the money. Then go back and finish school. Two jobs as a civilian is nothing compared to a life in the military. Unfortunately, that's the sort of lesson you can't learn unless you've done it. And I understand just how little weight an anonymous message on the internet carries, but believe me, I've done it. Be thankful for your freedom.

snip

As for you, you sound like a man who knows what the hell he's talking about because he went there and has the T-shirt to prove it. Thank you.

 

[3aqua]

Don't do it.
Being a member of the military, at any level (including non-combat) is a immoral action as you voluntarily are joining, aiding and assisting a institution that is responsible for thousands of deaths of innocent civilians in the middle east.
My advice has nothing to do with the economics of the situation, I am just pointing out the moral implications of joining the army.

 

[SwagLordYoloson]

Also, a white house guard makes $50k a year and just requires the standard secufity guard license and perfect vision (as well as moving to washington dc lol)

Wait what? Your white house guards only get paid $50k a year? Is that a lot in America? A recruit in the Australian Federal Police earns more than that, but that may be due to the standard of living in Australia costing more. I just thought that guards protecting your president would be paid at least twice that..

 

[tippy2k2]

!

Hello fellow Minnesotan! How 'bout them Vikings, eh? Gonna have some hot dish out at the lake don'cha know!

Minnesota humor aside, If you're looking to join the military due to the excessive amount of cash money you'll be raking in...don't.

Even the high skilled jobs really don't pay you all that much (it's not a bad pay but you'll be looking to make a lot more money in the private sector). Besides, to my knowledge, they do not pay for student loans after the fact.

If you want to join for national pride, a way to build up discipline, or whatever other reason you would have, it's worth checking out. I attempted to join the military but unfortunately, a number of physical issues derailed that plan. Frankly, going into a recruiters office would be your best bet. I have a buddy who's training to be a flight engineer in the air force (basically he gets to play with the big-ass planes) and he absolutely loves what he does.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

A new soldier in the military doesn't bring in much cash. The army pays for health insurance and schooling, but they barely pay you anything else. You'd be looking at (assuming you're American) around $30,000 a year, plus taxes -- nothing to base a family on, maybe enough for living on your own (depending on local rent prices), and probably not going to dig you out of debt holes for a good amount of years. You won't get offered a picayune promotion until your first term is up, and even then, that promotion comes at the cost of another four to five years of service.

And the implications of being in the army still apply. Psychological tearing down and rebuilding, the loss of personal humanity, being unable to change anything in the military, the horrible things that happen after the military detains you. I've seen a lot of veterans suffering with alcoholism or PTSD or both, I've seen more veterans who have no direction after Uncle Sam let them go. These are people in their twenties and thirties who have always had the military telling them where to work, where to sleep, what to do, and what not to do: it's a great shock to them that there isn't the military with them telling them how to live their lives. Some of those veterans can't function the same as they would've if they had stayed out of the military. Sometimes, those veterans remember the military's offer of taking their paltry promotion and get back into that cycle. And what comes after that?

My half-brother's been in this slue of military entrapment for almost ten years. He doesn't want anyone to get stuck as he is.

 

[rasputin0009]

Don't do military for money reasons. If you really want to fix a money issue, get a job doing anything in the oilfield. Go work on a drilling rig as a rig hand for 2 months, boom, 10 grand minimum in your pocket. If you're smart, and have thick enough skin to work with assholes, then you can move up the ranks pretty fast. I got promoted within my first 2 months. I quit about two days after that because I got a better opportunity at an engineering firm, though.

 

[Destal]

I served the military, it isn't a bad gig. If you can try to get a clearance along the way and you can have a ton of job opportunities when you get out. I was army, but I strongly recommend going Air Force.

 

[BeeGeenie]

Great grandpa said to grandpa "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" He did, and he did.
Grandpa told dad "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" He did, and he did.
Dad told me "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" I said "Yeah, not going to happen."

Spoiler: Although if you did, you could play this song! :D

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Also, a white house guard makes $50k a year and just requires the standard secufity guard license and perfect vision (as well as moving to washington dc lol)

Wait what? Your white house guards only get paid $50k a year? Is that a lot in America? A recruit in the Australian Federal Police earns more than that, but that may be due to the standard of living in Australia costing more. I just thought that guards protecting your president would be paid at least twice that..

White house guards don't protect the president, they're essentially just really intimidating doormen. Secret Service agents protect the president, and the ones who protect the president earn about $100,000 a year from what I hear.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

Don't do it. Not in America anyway. The government treats vets like shit, and there wont be much human left in you after the training.
Don't know about you guys, but over here you get a nice fat retirement fund and shot ton of money while employed to boot.
You also learn some really good skills that you can put to use as a civvie, and we never really fully commit to modern confilcts.
Hell, we're only in the middle-east because America dragged us in there. We should be out in a few years though, if all goes according to plan and Tony Abbott isn't elected.

In short, try to work your way out. If that doesn't work, declare bankruptcy.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

I was in the Army for 8.5 years, did combat tours, overseas duty stations, the whole 9 yards.

The thing about the Military is that it's difficult to 100% say "this is what it will be like", because not only are the Marines wildly different than the Air Force who are wildly different from the Army, but your experience will be wildly different depending on what your job is.

A couple of things:
-Military pay actually isn't that bad IF you can manage your finances well. Assuming you're single, your rent is paid for (living in the barracks), you get a food stipend (your meal card), you don't have to worry about health insurance (medical care is free) and lots of little things are free or discounted as well (you can use the on-post gyms for free, shopping at the PX or Commissary is tax-free and cheaper than average, etc.). Additionally, you can join USAA for insurance and banking purposes and their rates are way better than average. Finally, if you deploy, you can make bank, as all your earning are tax-free, you get added bonuses, and you're not spending nearly as much money as you do on average.
Tragically, what I saw often in the service is that many of the Soldiers who were on food stamps or in debt got that way because they blew their money on worthless crap they didn't need (cars that were way out of their price range, rims, nice clothes, jewelry, etc.) or they married parasitic women who sucked them dry.

-The Military is not like other jobs: you aren't paid by the hour, so it doesn't matter if you're at work from 0900 to 1300 or from 0500 to 2100, you're getting paid the same amount. Obviously this can be good or bad.

-Remember that you can't "quit" the Military, and if you tell your boss to go fuck him or her self you can actually be prosecuted for it under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

-If you're sensitive, stay the hell away. We used to joke that the Military is the only place where you can call someone a fat worthless piece of shit to their face and it's perfectly acceptable.

-As far as I know, the Military will not pay off your loans.

-Also, bear in mind that right now the Military is going through massive downsizing, and when that happens the recruitment standards get much stricter, so make sure to actually see if you can get in or not.

Anyhoo, shoot me a message if you have more questions.

 

[Shock and Awe]

If you are willing to put in the effort and do your best to complete the mission then go for it. There are a lot of people that go in from your position and are real shitbags because they are just trying to do their time and get out. Don't be one of those people. Also,

What branches are you looking at?
Have you taken the ASVAB?
Whats your PT(Physical Training) looking like?
What fields are you looking into?

Also, I suppose I need to mention that I have not been in the military. I am going into a military college and ROTC soon, have known a lot of members, and live in a military town.

 

[psijac]

Great grandpa said to grandpa "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" He did, and he did.
Grandpa told dad "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" He did, and he did.
Dad told me "Don't join the Military, you'll regret it!" I said "Yeah, not going to happen."

Spoiler: Although if you did, you could play this song! :D

<youtube=d1R64-ZWVoM>

get a job in oil or overseas. Contractor Jobs over seas are tax free for the first $70,000. No one joins the military for money. Have you looked into declaring bankrupcy>