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Forum » Military out of high school, serve for 20 years, then enter a trade
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Thread: Military out of high school, serve for 20 years, then enter a trade

post 1672905223 12-15-2022, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted By macrocrunch⏩
It's always 8 total years Active/IRR with your first enlistment. So it'd be 4+4 always.
Ah ok.
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post 1672905303 12-15-2022, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted By Bo_Flecks⏩
The problem with the plan of joining the military, serving a few years, getting out, going to college, and returning to the military, does not take into account what it feels like to get re-civilianized. It’s very powerful, and can derail the plan.
For real. Green to Gold is the safest solution for that. The Army sent me to grad school full time. it was weird acting like a civilian for a time, but i also knew I had an end date and then move again.
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post 1672906243 12-15-2022, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted By TXBuddy⏩
For real. Green to Gold is the safest solution for that. The Army sent me to grad school full time. it was weird acting like a civilian for a time, but i also knew I had an end date and then move again.
I got out in 1990, and used my VA benefits and Pell Grants to put myself through Southeast Missouri State, which had an army ROTC program. I was majoring in political science, which was the perfect degree to go back in as an officer. After two years of college debauchery, and a woman doing her best to talk me out of that plan, I lost my fire for it.

Life worked out well, though
post 1672906963 12-15-2022, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted By macrocrunch⏩
It's always 8 total years Active/IRR with your first enlistment. So it'd be 4+4 always.
ROTC offers 5 years after paying for 4 years of college. Does not sound bad honestly.
post 1672921083 12-15-2022, 05:49 PM
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#95
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Originally Posted By TXBuddy⏩
30-40k pension isn't always it though. If you are higher in rank or an officer at 20+ it is way more than that. Then factor in any VA benefits. That could be up to another 38k a year. Then free healthcare for life which is very expensive otherwise. But you are right with at least serving and gathering those benefits. There are a ton of Vet assistance groups out there that also offer pro bono mentorship for legal, financial, business start up, etc...
If you're an officer you're probably starting at 21/22 and so you'd be early 40's by the time you're out. As you know Officers also go through a lot of political BS and staying in for 20 years isn't a sure thing like it basically is for enlisted guys. Friend went to West Point with the plans to do a full career, got essentially booted out at the Captain bottleneck after essentially 10 years in.

A cop I work with was a First Sergeant in the Marines, retired, and now is obviously working as a cop, just started. Just turned 40 and he's a brand new cop starting at the bottom of the totem pole. A 27 year old cop at my department who got hired at 21 could be making more money than he is year 1, even if you include his pension. You can still get VA benefits/healthcare for life from one enlistment, depending.

The veterans who seem the best off are the ones who did one quick enlistment while fully taking advantage of all the military experiences and benefits to put themselves in the best position to succeed and be happy for the rest of their lives. Of course it's no guarantee, but neither is retirement.
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post 1672923233 12-15-2022, 06:36 PM
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Not direct out of high school. Took me a year into debt to realize there was a different path. Joined AF, agreed to GI bill, served first term plus a little stop/loss, realized military life wasn't for me but made the best of the situation/developed contacts, got a job as a contractor, turned into a job as a civilian, worked it, now just shy of senior civilian level. No complaints. Life is what you make of it.

Have friends that retired at the SNCO level, also attained GS13/14/15 equiv level, worked for them, but that was before clown world. No way would I serve in this military enlisted/officer today.
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post 1672923893 12-15-2022, 06:50 PM
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My friend did that. Aside from PTSD from being a marine deployed in 2 fuking tours, he is doing pretty well now. Even finished his PhD at a good school. It would be GOAT career path if America's foreign policy didn't suck ass.
post 1672924743 12-15-2022, 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted By TheFitLord⏩
Sounds great, but just remember you could get killed or maimed in war. I’m not trying to talk you out of joining, I just want you to be aware of the potential dangers.
You sound like a libtard cuck that wants someone else to do the work for your own comfort
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post 1672950503 12-16-2022, 06:24 AM
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Originally Posted By AgRyan⏩
If you're an officer you're probably starting at 21/22 and so you'd be early 40's by the time you're out. As you know Officers also go through a lot of political BS and staying in for 20 years isn't a sure thing like it basically is for enlisted guys. Friend went to West Point with the plans to do a full career, got essentially booted out at the Captain bottleneck after essentially 10 years in.

A cop I work with was a First Sergeant in the Marines, retired, and now is obviously working as a cop, just started. Just turned 40 and he's a brand new cop starting at the bottom of the totem pole. A 27 year old cop at my department who got hired at 21 could be making more money than he is year 1, even if you include his pension. You can still get VA benefits/healthcare for life from one enlistment, depending.

The veterans who seem the best off are the ones who did one quick enlistment while fully taking advantage of all the military experiences and benefits to put themselves in the best position to succeed and be happy for the rest of their lives. Of course it's no guarantee, but neither is retirement.
There are tons of individual examples. I guarantee if a guy didn't make it past CPT, then he is a chitbag. I only know 2 and they were both chitbags and prior enlisted. to the Army, it wasn't worth the 65% promotion rate for them to retire in 5 years or less. There is no bottleneck for officer like enlisted have with promotion points.

Folks like to bring up more politics with Officers. I say there is politics everywhere and you grow into your job. As an officer, if you keep your nose clean and get decent ratings, getting to 20 is super easy. You can get a retirement/VA package of over 100K and then a job for 150+. srs.
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post 1672951673 12-16-2022, 06:52 AM
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Always regret not joining the air force and trying out for PJ or SERE. You can only be young, strong, and fast once...
post 1672952573 12-16-2022, 07:15 AM
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Joining the Army has been the best decision of my life.

- have been around the world/USA and have met so many people.

- so many experiences

- free gyms and surrounded by culture of fitness and masculinity in the Infantry. ( for now atleast)

- having the opportunity to mentor and mold younger recruits just starting out in life.

- i get paid enough and have enough benefits to live comfortably for myself. Always know that I’ll be taken care of as long as i’m in. If i did decide to get out there are many benefits to make use of.

Granted I’ve never had to experience losing limbs, seeing my buddies die/get hurt, or anything like that yet at this point. I personally think men who serve in the military can use the experience to put themselves ahead of their peers IF they have the right mindset.
post 1672953023 12-16-2022, 07:24 AM
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I got lucky across the board. Army National Guard. Deployed two years after joining. Got legit blown up, PH recipient. Came back and eventually got 100% P&T. Free car tag, one super reduced car tag, no land taxes, Tricare Select (or whatever it's called now) for my family with no deductible, Ch.35 DEA benefits for my kids, got my BA and MA with my GI Bill, a small CRSC payment too. All told, over 4k a month coming to me AND the other benefits.
post 1672955193 12-16-2022, 07:59 AM
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Knowing what I know now, I would have done ROTC at a top (expensive) university to pay for it. Better than dealing with the difficult parts of life with fewer resources. Access is still mostly available after.

not like I care about muh career. I just want to live in nice environments and deal with everything with an acceptable work environment.
post 1672956243 12-16-2022, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted By hendrixfreak70⏩
I got lucky across the board. Army National Guard. Deployed two years after joining. Got legit blown up, PH recipient. Came back and eventually got 100% P&T. Free car tag, one super reduced car tag, no land taxes, Tricare Select (or whatever it's called now) for my family with no deductible, Ch.35 DEA benefits for my kids, got my BA and MA with my GI Bill, a small CRSC payment too. All told, over 4k a month coming to me AND the other benefits.
Never heard somebody say they were lucky to get blown TF up before, lol. What kind of lasting effects do you deal with from your injuries?
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post 1672956313 12-16-2022, 08:18 AM
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My friend was in the military, got injured, and he's now retired at 34. Is he Bsing or telling the truth that the military pays you money for life if you get injured?
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post 1672958183 12-16-2022, 08:43 AM
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I retired as an E8 back in 2021 with 23 years active and 6 on the IRR. 26 military pay years and over is where you see big jumps for monthly pay. With my retirement and some disability I bring home about $5500 a month. Now I just dabble and volunteer at animal shelters. Its a long road and not great for everyone but I enjoyed Army Aviation quite a bit.
post 1672959183 12-16-2022, 08:59 AM
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My neighbor retired military then held another gov job for 20 years. He gets 2 retirement checks now until he dies.

Not a bad plan, he lives pretty comfortable.
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post 1672960633 12-16-2022, 09:20 AM
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#108
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Originally Posted By Fang2⏩
My friend was in the military, got injured, and he's now retired at 34. Is he Bsing or telling the truth that the military pays you money for life if you get injured?
Yes it’s disability. You get that as well. So those who finish their 20 years get 2 checks for life.
post 1672976413 12-16-2022, 01:20 PM
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Originally Posted By 78novacaine⏩
Never heard somebody say they were lucky to get blown TF up before, lol. What kind of lasting effects do you deal with from your injuries?
I often go back and forth on the luck part, but one thing is for sure. I'm financially secure for life. That's the first lucky part. The second lucky part is I didn't die, so I get to enjoy it if that makes sense.

The residuals are a lifetime of pain, physical mostly. There isn't a day that goes by I don't have neck pain. I had shrapnel in the hand and my neck is essentially there for looks. It doesn't hold up my head it feels like. Sometimes I brush my teeth while propping my head up with a palm. I have a headache every day too, which I assume stems from my neck. People always ask me what the spot is on the back of my head. I actually dug out an ingrown hair from my head and had a ringworm in the same area. I used fingernail clippers to get it out lol. Still scarred after 17 years, bald spot there. I tell people I had a head injury (concussion) and shrapnel in the hand but then have to clarify the spot on my head isn't from an IED lol.

There's also not an hour that goes by that I don't think about my year in Iraq. It's not always bad, necessarily, but most of the time it is. Carrying dead bodies literally from the battlefield (if you could call it a battlefield, more like a street). Seeing friends also get blown up and seeing their mangled bodies. Knowing that I could've died there too. Knowing that I could've accidentally shot someone and also knowing I had to shoot at people can be tough. Those are the mental wounds.
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