Benefits of enlisting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

This is not typical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

A guy who works in the mail room of my company was in the military (Navy?). He was taught something about telephone wires in there, and when he got out he thought he'd get a job doing the same thing as a civilian and found out the military was over a decade behind the technology. So he worked private Security at a club for a couple of years before switching to mail rooms.

They are not a decade behind the problem is the jobs don’t translate.

[Anonymous]

Our current president is a sociopath who could give orders to deploy to attack law abiding American citizens because he has no respect for the rule of law or normal values. And as an member of the military you will be required to follow his orders - there is no room for questioning.

It is a very scary time right now. I would not want to be in the military and at his beck and call to fulfill his childish mafioso fantasies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

A guy who works in the mail room of my company was in the military (Navy?). He was taught something about telephone wires in there, and when he got out he thought he'd get a job doing the same thing as a civilian and found out the military was over a decade behind the technology. So he worked private Security at a club for a couple of years before switching to mail rooms.

They are not a decade behind the problem is the jobs don’t translate.

Maybe he learned his trade just before voip took over and that's what people wanted. When I was in, electronics technicians and data systems technicians etc. were doing pretty well in the civilian job market. A quartermaster, signalman or storekeeper would need to figure things out a little more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

A guy who works in the mail room of my company was in the military (Navy?). He was taught something about telephone wires in there, and when he got out he thought he'd get a job doing the same thing as a civilian and found out the military was over a decade behind the technology. So he worked private Security at a club for a couple of years before switching to mail rooms.

They are not a decade behind the problem is the jobs don’t translate.

Maybe he learned his trade just before voip took over and that's what people wanted. When I was in, electronics technicians and data systems technicians etc. were doing pretty well in the civilian job market. A quartermaster, signalman or storekeeper would need to figure things out a little more.

They’d do ok not great but most enlisted have cummy jobs that aren’t that.

[Anonymous]

Unless the enlistment contract specifies a particular job/rating, one can be assigned anything. Recruiters will deny it, but they do have leeway to negotiate on things like that. Better success if recruiter is at end of a measurement period and s/he is below quota. Getting Navy training as an IT rate or ET rate can be a good start to being a technician in civilian life.

Mind, ROTC is a much better path because one becomes an officer. The college degree often also helps with post military career options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ahead of what?

Ahead in life (career, savings, happiness, opportunities for success, family etc.)

This is hard to answer. Many military enlistees fall prey to payday lenders and other abuses. There is a reason that every street leading up to a military base is littered with liquor stores, payday lenders, etc.

Now, if your kid is disciplined and saves their $$$s and uses the military to gain useful skills, takes advantage of the GI Bill for college, etc., it can work out.

Other approach is to have the military pay for your college and then serve as an officer.

Yes, can come out ahead this way.

[Anonymous]

I would not let my daughter enlist. There is zero ways for women to get ahead in the military with this administration. They don’t want women to do anything but have children.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what kind of person you are. I had more focus and academic success after I grew up a bit and after I got out of the military. Friend of mine went from enlisted to Officer through a program that put him through school. He just got out and has a job at MBB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

This, especially last sentence!

[Anonymous]

None unless you are poor, stupid or going to a service academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not let my daughter enlist. There is zero ways for women to get ahead in the military with this administration. They don’t want women to do anything but have children.

They will hopefully begone in 4 years. Know plenty of women enlisted who have done well. But, I would not want any child to go enlisted as the jobs suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None unless you are poor, stupid or going to a service academy.

You must be one of those as a service academy is not enlisting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the main benefits of enlisting in the army/navy etc? Can one come out ahead with this trajectory?

I enlisted, traveled the world, learned a technical job, was supervising and being held accountable for other people's work by the time I was 20, lived abroad, and got four years of college tuition free. I got experience and an education I could never get at a university.

But I think the military services and world situation has changed since I was in. I would go in with eyes open, and be sure you have guaranteed training in the field you want.

This, especially last sentence!

Nothing is ever truly guaranteed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ahead of what?

Ahead in life (career, savings, happiness, opportunities for success, family etc.)

This is hard to answer. Many military enlistees fall prey to payday lenders and other abuses. There is a reason that every street leading up to a military base is littered with liquor stores, payday lenders, etc.

Now, if your kid is disciplined and saves their $$$s and uses the military to gain useful skills, takes advantage of the GI Bill for college, etc., it can work out.

Other approach is to have the military pay for your college and then serve as an officer.

This is blunt truth. It’s a fantastic way to gain skills (even if you don’t aim for NCO+) and change your life, but you have to handle it the right away.