Speaking as an Air Force vet: If enlisting is something you want to do for its own sake, go right ahead. But if you're doing it for the money or the job training, bash your skull into a brick wall until that idea bleeds out of your head.

Here's why: The military's needs do not reflect the private sector's need or capacity. For example: The number of helo mechanics being discharged by the US military every year is well more than enough to maintain every private sector helicopter on Earth. It's a high paying field but you cannot get into it. Same goes for air traffic control. Commercial airline pilots used to be among the highest paid, but now most of them are making under $30k/year and many are working two jobs just to get by. And so on. My boy, scheduled to take a lovely Afghanistan vacation in January, was trained in water purification -- but he cannot land a job in that field here in the desert southwest because the military has increased the labor pool dramatically beyond civilian society's need. He might as well have no training at all for the good it's doing him.

The vet who aligned the front end of my truck last month with his killer diller military training and experience was making $8/hour. He found something better, not great but better, and I got to hear about his frustration while he helped me out with my headache rack installation as his last task for the tire shop. (I can't even drill a hole on my truck here in our "resort living" apartment complex, so I went over there to get him to drill a few holes for me.)

I was trained in electronics (missile warning/space systems, precisely) by the USAF. Today, electronics technicians who can find those jobs that haven't been offshored to Asia are making about what I started at with my brand new honorable discharge in hand 26 years ago, or even less.

Enlistment and reenlistment bonuses look like a lot of money, but you actually get only 3/4 or so of the big number thanks to taxes and you don't get it all at once. The most common case, now as when I was in uniform 30 years ago, is that the recipient of Uncle's largesse looks around a few months later wondering where the money went, with nothing or precious little to show for it other than some paid off bills or a used car.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not trying to talk anyone out of enlisting unless he or she is enlisting for the wrong reasons. If you want to do it because you believe it is the right thing to do, get your *** to a recruiter. But if you're doing it for economic reasons, you're almost certainly making a tremendous mistake. Make your own decision, but do yourself a favor and make sure it's an informed decision.

 

The military gives you:
1. Housing
2. Utilities
3. Food

THen you get a low paycheck, but you already had them foot the bill on your 3 bedroom house water/gas/elec and 330 per month for groceries.

So if your paycheck is only 800 every two weeks...factor in what they already pay for...and the fact you have free health/dental care/marriage counseling/shrink....

 

Yeah, but you have to be Married for your SO to receive any of those benefits, or, unless they changed the rules for Enlisted folk, you don't get housing paid for until you are married. Can't very well have your wife shacking up with you in the barracks, now can you. You osifers may have it different, I don't know. And unless you are planning on making it a life time career you still better learn to f'ing budget cause that 3/4/5 year commitment will go by pretty dang quick and you won't have housing, utilities and food taken care of anymore.

 

Only if you're a barracks rat.

If you have a family, you get allowances for quarters and rations that are not nearly enough to cover those expenses. Forget about base housing if you're a first-term enlisted member because you'll never get into it.

 

Barracks is still housing. The only thing an enlisted soldier has as bills is:
Cable
Phone
Car insurance (and payment, unless they have the same car that they had from HS)

if you take home 1400 per month as an E-1 private and only have to pay those items. YOu are living pretty well.

 

I had privates in base housing with their family members. If they cannot do that, they do off base housing through government lease.

EIther way, the government pays rent/utilities. THe enlisted BAS (food allownace) is 333 per month. That is pretty good for groceries. I know I only pay about 450 per month in gorceries and diapers. I have 2 kids.

 

I don't think 95RAM360 will be well served by your recruiting pitch, Cap, or by my waving my arms about my opinion that it's dishonorable to use his financial stress as an opening for a recruiting pitch. So let's just let that one go, huh?

 

Why is it dishonorable. I just put out there something that can be helpful. Heck I only recommended the Army Reserves. That way he can get a job skill and a job interview with a civilian employer through the Army Pays program.

I don't think it is dishonorable. Mainly because if someone in stress was offered a job that would better suit someone's situation, that is never dishonorable. So I take no offense.

What if I was the CEO of Autozone and I offered him a job as a store manager and how it would benefit his situation. I would be a savior.

Calling someone dishonorable is not a very fine thing to say.

 

my fiancees sister is married and her husband is in the air force....they had to get married so she can be on base with him...

He has been in the air force for 2 years, they have bought there own house (in germany where they are stationed)new car, bike, and have over 30K in the bank....and they just took a week vacation to Italy....

so obviously the military is treating them right. the thought has crossed my mind many times, but i dont think i could pull myself away from my daughter and fiancee for the 2 months of boot camp....this is the main thing that concerns me.

And by the way CPTA, i DONT think its dishonerable, i see that you are trying to guide me out of my rut...thats how i see it.

 

THanks,

I just put some info out there for you, and have been spending the last couple pages defending my profession. I have not been directing those responses at you.

Like all jobs there are horror stories. But I was just putting out some info on some of the good things. ANd people are entitled to their opinion. I just have to draw the line at the "dishonorable" thing.

Apologies for thread hijack.