Here’s where I’m at, I figure a bullet point format will be an easier read.
- bachelors degree in accounting
- MBA
- current income : 86,000 a year(1,100 a month goes to student loans, leaving me around $4,000 a month after taxes and paying student loans)
- no health insurance (too expensive)
- married, 2 kids
I’m considering joining, unsure if I want to do reserves or active duty. I seriously want to join but it needs to make sense financially.
Spoke to 2 recruiters. – I asked them both if we could get me up to MEPS before I even know if this is a viable option. I have scoliosis and semi bad eyesight, need to make sure any of this is even possible before I waste anybody’s time
-
spoke to an air national guard recruiter and he told me I essentially have no chance of becoming an officer because they don’t really need accountants and I’m going against people already in uniform, but we can get me up to MEPS to see what happens with no commitment and if I decide it’s not worth it all I did was waste a day of my time.
-
navy officer recruiter just stopped responding to me when I asked him if we could get me to MEPS before we put a 90 page package together to apply for an officer position
So the question is, with my current income and how much I pay in student loans, does it make sense for me to go enlisted if I get denied as an officer? I’m going to try anyway because regardless of what the recruiter said I feel I have something to offer and from what I hear the military isn’t recruiting well these days. (Could be BS?). If I do enlisted and can get my student loans repaid by uncle
Sam,between the pay and the housing allowance I’d be taking a slight pay cut (I live in a high cost of living area they’re giving me $2,200 a month in housing allowance). I’m thinking between the loans off my plate and the healthcare which I desperately need for the kids I’d probably be better off joining even if I go enlisted. Any and all advice is appreciated as my brain is spinning trying to make a decision.
Sorry for the book.
Thinking about joining the Air national guard or Navy.. need advice
byu/WhereAreEggs inMilitaryFinance
Posted by WhereAreEggs
8 Comments
Active duty navy? Navy reserve? You realize it’s only a full time job for a few months while you’re in training? Your plans don’t make much sense.
How much do you have in loans? Did you sign up for SAVE? Are your loans federal or private? Will either branch actually pay off your student loans? Will they pay off private loans? Will they pay off enough of your loans to make the pay cut worth it? Does your spouse work?
ANG
Why not Army?
Definitely go ARNG.
Can’t speak for ANG, but Navy Reserve has opportunities. And for the love of god, find an OFFICER recruiter.. If you go enlisted, you’ll be surrounded by 18 year olds at boot camp. Then you’ll take orders from 22 year olds for years. You could apply to be an intel officer. Plenty of business majors there. Intellectual/academically, I think intel is a good fit for you.
And for the sake of your family, don’t go active duty. My first 5 years on active duty I PCSed 4 times. That’s typical. Plus, you’ll take a pay cut. Reserves gives decent benefits for the work.
It’s hard to imagine a situation where the military is really going to benefit you. I understand your situation with wanting cheaper healthcare and some student loan help, but the added stress on you and your family for the benefit of some extra cash each month is probably not worth it.
Initially, you will be away from your family for upwards of 20 weeks completing training, and you will be immersed into a group of people who are younger and dumber and far more immature than you.
If you go active, you face *major* lifestyle changes (very stressful) and you’ll take a considerable pay cut in doing so.
If you go National guard, you pick up more responsibility that takes you away from your family for a few days per month.
I’m a huge fan of recommending joining the service to young men/women who need to get a foot under themselves financially and/or find direction in life, but you are already doing quite well compared to most; you have a masters degree and are making good income with a lot of career progression opportunities.
I make about the same as you, and I’m currently working on my MBA as an Army National Guard officer. Drill weekends are not particularly enjoyable with how stressful they can be combined with low pay.
Just my two cents.
Take a look at Coast Guard Reserves
Marine Reserves turned ANG full-time to ANG part-time.
If those are your absolute options, go ANG. I feel like you should push to go officer more than anything though, even making that extra pay and rank for many more years snowballs in comparison to enlisted pay.
Have you looked into other branches and their loan incentives? Coast Guard is definitely overlooked option, I was greatly impressed and humbled at their training and what they do operationally. Other branches like to make fun of them but they have a purposeful mission that so many people don’t know about. They have a lot of different commissioning routes as well.