Edit : I just want to thank everyone who has shared their experience and advice. I was honestly thinking that I would receive a lot of negative feedback/no don’t do this which to my surprise, has not been the case. I cannot wait to start this new chapter in my life and see where this adventure takes me! Wish me luck while I take the Picat this week and start seeing what jobs I qualify for/want with the moral waiver !
Hello everyone,
I was recently laid off from a $64k job, and honestly, I'm not too upset. I was already feeling burnt out and unhappy, staying primarily for the promised educational benefits to facilitate a career change, which obviously fell through with the job loss. Now, I'm considering my options and the military as a new path has been sounding appealing to an extent. The VA loan and GI Bill are particularly enticing because they would help me pursue a degree without getting into debt, and enabling the career change I've been considering. And the thought of being able to buy a house at this age/economy seems awesome.
At 28, I'm weighing the implications of joining now, especially considering the pay cut and spending four years AD without the guarantee of going overseas which for me would make it much more worthwhile. Also, I'd likely be one of the older members among younger peers, which is another factor to consider. My entry rank would be E3 due to my associate degree told by the Air force recruiter I met, but I'll need a moral waiver for a misdemeanor I had at 18, which might limit my job options not to mention she told me I would have to be at the disposal of whatever the Air Force wanted me to do? Which I am assuming means that I could enlist for one thing that they tell me nope get your doing this.The Air Force recruiter told me that I would be just fine and I would be able to get in as long as my ASVAB score is high enough.
I'm torn about whether to commit to AD and save myself or a longer term in the military via reserves but still stuck in the same loop of feeling in fulfilled, unable to afford university and in a place I would rather leave. Insights from anyone who joined the military later or faced similar decisions would be incredibly helpful.
Thanks for any advice!
P.S I am also ok with the idea of the military as a career as I would still be able to retire earlier than many of my peers if I pursue the 20 year route..
28 Y/O thinking about joining the military (air force or army)
byu/Fickle-Ad1846 inMilitaryFinance
Posted by Fickle-Ad1846
13 Comments
Thought about the Air Guard? I left a six figure sales job, the pay cut for sure sucks.
You can get a high paying job, take deployments as they are offered and your civilian jobs have to retain you.
But just like the reserves the Guard alone will not pay your bills and is a different pay at retirement.
Your state may have a benefit for college as well.
Some states have at home missions (full time) as well. But these are rare and usually a lot of people put in for openings. (I’m an AGR) which is same pay and benefits as active duty I just do it for the Guard. I don’t move, I’m not “Active duty”
But your state may have temp orders, people I work with will take these as a break from their civilian jobs and get military benefits and pay for a stretch then go back. Again full time I’m the reserves or Guard is not something to be relied on and or guaranteed
Also I thought I needed a moral waiver, I found out at MEPS I did not.
I too have a misdemeanor, just depends on what it is for.
And the Guard (Reserves maybe too idk) you can pick your job, from what’s available at your base. Unlike active who picks 10
I didn’t serve in the Army or Air Force, but I did serve in the Marines. I can’t give you advice, but maybe I can share a bit of my perspective and that can help you decide.
Without a doubt joining the military was the best decision I ever made when I look back at my career. I’ve been pretty successful, and many of my initial opportunities were likely afforded to me because I was a veteran. The GI Bill also paid for college, although you need to consider that if you serve in the reserves you won’t get the full GI Bill.
While I loved my time in the military, being an E3 at 28 would have been super tough. When I was in Iraq we called a guy in my squad grandpa. He was 24 at the time… The level of immaturity of junior enlisted, and the degree to which you will be treated like a child by people who are younger than you but outrank you is going to be tough.
If it were me, I would see if I was eligible for a commissioning program to become an officer. When I was in the Marines (early 2000s), there was a program called MECEP, where you would basically enlist, serve on active duty for some time, then apply to have the Marines send you to college and pay you your full time active duty salary. You would commission and serve as an officer after you graduate. I imagine the Air Force and Army have similar programs although your conviction could be a challenge there. I don’t have a lot of regrets, but if I had to do it all over again I would have done this.
I would question everything any recruiter says to you. They are liars and have no incentives other than getting you to enlist. It’s hard to get real information, but I would do my best. Don’t get pressured to sign up at the will of the Air Force. Do what you can to select your jobs. I was a grunt but there are a lot of super interesting jobs out there and if you enlist undesignated you will almost certainly get one of the worst, most thankless jobs with little post-service skills.
Talk to a guard recruiter and see about an active guard position. You’re guard but full time acting as active duty, get the benefits of guard and active duty.
Post this at r/Army and r/airforce there are actual recruiters on that page and they will be able to tell you if the “limitations” your recruiter is putting on you are warranted or just a scheme because she needs a certain “recruit code” to make their requirements.
Go active army if you want a career and to do military shit
Active duty has better benefits.
Army can give you a contract with guaranteed duty station – Air Force is a better quality of life, but some people want to feel like we’re in the military, not a corporation.
Army also guarantees your duty station of choice as an enlistment option. Either way, I’d stay active duty and not follow any advice to go guard or reserve. You’ll just end up back at home in the same position you are now, with a little more savings and no job. You can’t use your GI Bill or VA loan immediately like you could on active duty either.
Go Coast Guard.
Already lots of decent info and insights in here, I’ll just add that I joined as a 28yo PFC. 12 years later I’m 40, on track to retire in less than 8 if I want, with zero regrets. I started in signal and later reclassed into Intel, never had any issues with age so long as you’re humble enough to realize (especially early) that the 20 year old does in fact probably know more than you. Just make sure you’re taking advantage of all the things you have available to you (keep pursuing school, invest in yourself via TSP etc). Your age isn’t a factor here, it’s about your goals (short and long).
You would also be e3 in the Army. Commit. Sounds like active duty better option for you.
Enlist for 4 years with Active Duty
When your contract is done. Get out and join the Air Guard. But in a different job
Get all of the training, experience, Federal, State and VA benefits as well as the cash
Look into the Air National Guard.
It’s like the reserves but more laid back.
Many states offer special benefits that will allow you to go to school full time for free. My state and the state next to mine will let you go to their state schools for free while you’re serving.
Lots of people join the Air Guard when they’re older so you wouldn’t be out of place in that regard. A big benefit to the Air Guard is there is a lot of networking opportunities and lots of potential for full time work through your unit. I have a few friends who either lost their jobs and picked up work at the unit to hold them over or were just tired of their day jobs and took some orders. I also know a few times where Air Guard members had really good civilian jobs and hooked up other members in the unit with jobs.
Something really nice about the Air Guard that active duty Air Force doesn’t get is you have more control over what job you do. For active duty you submit 10 jobs and you’ll get something on that list. For Air Guard they will tell you what’s open, give you a tour, let you meet your coworkers, if you end up hating the job they will let you choose a new one later down the line. They want to keep you, because they have money invested in you. I’ve meet people who have changed jobs 3-4 times in the Air Guard. Each time learning new skills. Meanwhile on active duty you’d be lucky to get a single crosstrain to a new job. This really benefited me because I was able to crosstrain once already and the experience helped me get my non-DoD federal job. I’m considering crosstraining again for more skills. However the job I have in the Air Guard has a lot of opportunities for orders to other states, and I’m not sure I’m ready to give that up just yet.
I recommend picking your job and not be at whim of service.
Also look at duty stations and see whats more interesting possible life for you.
Both army and AF have plenty of overseas like germany and italy.
First few years will suck because your age. I’d recommend looking into officer a little more because you and your peers will be so far apart in where they are in life.
Or I believe you could become an army warrant officer aviator right out of civilian.