anthony240

i've hit a bump in the road of life. after working 4 years in retail I don't want to be doing this for the rest of my life. i just got laid off from my last cell phone retail job and it's been troubling to find a decent one. i got me an electronic engineering degree about 6 years back, but didn't really do anything with it. i don't wanna bum around malls no more!

so i thought about joining the military. specifically the air force. i would like to go to college and major in communications but I can't afford it and don't wanna take a loan out, I'm still paying for my last one! and i'm supporting my parents right now because they foreclosed on their house. so I want to earn some education, gain experience, and make a living at the same time.

what i'd like to hear from you, since a lot of people here seem to be in the military, is what made you decide to enlist? any positive/negative experiences? and would you or would you not recommend this for someone in my position? i know in the end it will be my decision, i would like to hear other people opinions.

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fliprayzin240sx

PM me when you get a chance on AIM Anthony...you know me, I've been in 8 yrs and counting atleast another 2 years till my enlistments up. Im looking at the potential AF Lifer mentality right now.

But honestly, bring a copy of your school records and degree, see a recruiter if you can go in as an Officer. If you have a degree, I'd try that first. Even as a butter bar (2nd LT) you make as much money as me (E-5 8 yrs in), roughly $2500 a month before benefits (housing, uniform and food allowance).

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ESmorz

I thought about it because I hate College and right now it seems I'm just working towards joining a job market that I will be overqualified and underpaid for if I can even get a job.

Then I realized that day 1 of boot camp someone would scream in my ear and tell me what to do and I can't be that subservient.

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unlegendary

get your parents to agree to be your dependents and you'll get more money for housing, lol. any type of engineering firm from computers to aerospace put military experience on top of their priority list first, same should apply with any other job market out there.

the most important thing is the job you pick, it's not the money because you can get money easily but getting a job that transfers to the civilian world is important.

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whyrun?

I am in the same boat as you. I feel like I am floating around and put some serious thought into joining either the AF or the Army. Would like to do some sort of software engineering or something dealing with computers.

HyperTek

similar situation, just turned 25 things havent worked out for me.. My pops was in the airforce, he told me it was the best time of his life. I have another friend considering joing the navy. I got a temp job right now so its helping me out some, getting some cash in my pocket to go do things.

I used to look down on the military, cuz it looked like only guys who fail at life where joining, but lookin at those dudes who are same age and been in awhile are in better situations.

So your not the only one, sucks we are mid 20s and things havent gone our way. Just keep your head up man.

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whyrun?

I am looking at a short term thing. Get I'm and use it to my advantage (school/buy house) and then get out with a pretty decent civilian job.

Anyone gone that route?

beeracing s14

i joined because of the GI bill and thats how i got my s14 and 180sx and the rest to savings. Joining now is not bad its 38k for college has been incresed and available for ya.

cc4usmc

That's not very nice lol.

Short term? Explain yourself. The only short term thing I know if is in the Navy.

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whyrun?

I meant not putting in 20years. Joining for the GI bill and get my degree. Buy a house do my term(s) and get out and acquire a civilian job. My uncle did this and wound up as a civilian contractor for Lockheed Martin. I think he put in 5-6 years in the army and was stationed in Germany.

cc4usmc

Ok, I thought you were talking about doing shorter then the normal 4 min contract. The GI Bill is getting better as of August this year, for anyone else looking to join.

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TravisSW

I wish I joined the Marines outta high school.

Would of been a better person I'm sure of it. Well, disciplined at least and not so lazy. Probably would of had my career in law enforcement by now if so.

But I feel mid-20s it's too late.

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ronmcdon

the guys who fail at life are those go to private colleges to get a liberal arts paper degree,
80k in tuition debt, & no more qualified for a job than someone with a hs degree.
i know, b/c i speak from experience (well I don't have any debt b/c i went to a UC, but it still sucks).

wish i joined the air-force when i had the chance.

cc4usmc

Are you kidding me? I went to boot camp with a 29 year old, and I was in the same squad as a 31 year old Cpl who had been in around 2 years. The only way you're too late is if you're too old physically, and I doubt that's your case.

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fliprayzin240sx

Aint cut off 28 to get in enlisted?!?!

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240SXsaint

i was in the AF. i went straight in after high school literally after graduation day i was off to boot camp. became security forces got deployed twice got out and am fucking glad im out the biggest weight has been lifted off my shoulder. Of course the job market sucks right now but i honestly glad i did the military first but i hated it the whole way through, but i made some cool friends along the way

ThatGuy

Personal Opinion:

Joining the Military for the GI Bill, is like getting married for the free rice they throw outside the Church. There are alot of responsibilities you need to consider. Especially during a time of war.

You should join the Military becasue you wish to serve, or wish to learn discipline, or just wish to belong to something that is greater than yourself. What good is a GI Bill going to do you when you're sitting in the sandbox, trying not to "absorb bullets".

I'm not saying that the GI BIll isn't a good thing. I just think it's stupid to sign up for the Military SOLELY for that reason.

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SimpleS14

You make a very good point.

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TravisSW

What is the GI Bill up to? 38k?

When do you actually get it? When you're enlistment is up?

But yeah, it isn't worth it to enlist for JUST the GI Bill. Military can give you a lot more than 38k.

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Walperstyle

Remember, in the military you are a soldier first. No matter what education you have.

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ThatGuy

Actually, I've never been a "Soldier". Neither have any of the Sailors, Airman, or Guardsman I have worked with. I am a Marine. "Soldiers" only work for the Army.

[\Pet Peeve]

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at23

well said good sir...well said..



Also idk about the other services,but the Marine Corps gives me 4500 with a program called tuition assistance.

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WanganRunner

Military.com has an excellent comprehensive walkthrough of what to expect when meeting with a recruiter and how the enlistment process works.

I am not in the military and I never have been, but that said, I wish I'd done NROTC during undergrad. My career has worked out very well, I make a lot more than I would in the service, but I still wish I'd had some of the experiences that come from a Navy stint.

I had a friend who did Naval Intelligence and now has an analyst job with CIA (lots of really nice exit ops to the GovCon world), which is probably what I'd have wanted to do, although he did OCS instead of NROTC.

Don't do it for the GI Bill though, do it because you want to serve and because you want the life experiences. Honestly, this goes for anything. Do a thing because you want to do the thing, not because of the benefits that may come with the thing. You'll be a much happier person in the end.

ThatGuy

I have no idea what you are trying to say.

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WanganRunner

CONN! SONAR! CRAZY IVAN!

cisco240

I'm a Soldier
I've been in for 8 yrs now & love it (I just re-inlisted last Feb). The reason I enlisted was originally for the college money, but I've gained so much more than that in my time in the Army. As with any profession, you will meet & work w/ D-bags, but those are few & far between. Most of the peeps I've worked w/ have all been cool & of course you will travel and meet people from all over the country.
Whatever you do, make sure that you pick a job that you really want and can convert the skills into a civilian job. If you want any more info, PM me.

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cc4usmc

New GI Bill Overview - Education - Military.com
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You can start going to school as soon as you join. I know guys who were starting online college 8 months into the Corps.

OP-Regardless of what you're in it for, you're going to have a lot of great experiences. If I could go back and do it all over again, I'd do it JUST for the experiences. But there is so much more then that too. You can really become a better/different person if you apply yourself.

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Grip

USN gives you the most free time over any other branch.. also the only branch where you can pick a specific job like mechanic or nurse.. not infantry.. if you are looking for alot of down time for school become an MA (cop) like me.. any other rate either deploy way too much or are 'ship' only rates.. G/L

ericcastro

The Military isnt gonna answer your question about what you should do with your life and give you direction.
They will keep you busy, just like your mall jobs. But in the end, you need to be responsable for your own direction in life.
If you think you can handle possably being killed, or loosing a leg, or coming back with some sort of brain problem and being confined to a bed due to injuries. Then hey, roll the dice with joining up right now.
If you think you are the type of person that can see death on a daily basis and move on through life after wards, then hey, join up right now.
Those things may not happen to you, but your rolling the dice in joining the military. Especially right now, when the military is asking for those that have used it, to give back.


Basically, it sounds like you need direction. After 3 years at a mall job, you didnt know that it was a waste of life?? you didnt notice there is no one retireing from cell phone stores and mall kiosk??
Find what you wanna do and enjoy in life and go make that work.
If you still dont know, get a better job.
If your working a 9-5 job, just because you need to work, then get a better 9-5. Go work at a refinery building scaffolding, work at coke/pepsi/budwieser in the warehouse (real easy to move to driver, then to salesman there.)

get off your but.
dont make the military do your footwork.

IMO.

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