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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm not "career military", but served time in the military and am a mom (now, not then).

Quick reactions:

-it's great that you're planning as such, but don't kid yourselves, there's a good chance it won't be a "career".

-the recruiter likely doesn't give a shit why you're joining. They need to make numbers, the rest of the discussion is the just sales.

-it's odd that you guys are having a hard time deciding which one of you wants to serve. It's totally smart and realistic for it to just be one of you, and you're being realistic that it (seems to be) mainly a financial choice, but this choice, and ESP. since it's whether to try and get a commission, should be also based on who wants to lead young people through deadly circumstances, and who wants to SERVE. It really should be a calling.

This sounds altruistic and dramatic, but the person that should join should be: willing to die or be badly hurt during service, willing to deploy across the globe to shitty places for several months at a time, willing to forgo being at home with the family if work calls, and generally be willing to place service ahead of family.

It's the AF, so there's also a chance that you might end up a desk jockey somewhere, but I think the above factors need to be at the top line of your decisionmaking. People that aren't aware of these factors are miserable in the service, and/or there for the wrong reasons and a drag on operational readiness. It's like someone becoming a fireman, and not taking planning on fighting fires.[/quote]

I almost said something along the same lines pp did.

But then thought about it.  And honestly the majority of people I knew that joined the military did to improve their life, job training, money for college, etc.  You did have a couple here and there that actually wanted to serve their country.  This is more enlisted and maybe different than officers.  I might also be from a different generation before too.  Where in the past the GI Bill and things like that were major selling points by recruiters.  Not sure how it is now.

So can't really fault the reasons on why OP would be considering it.

The big thing that I don't think a lot of people realize is how big of a commitment and sacrifice it is for everyone involved.

Is the spouse willing to raise two kids on their own, both of which are probably not even potty trained?  Not just during basic training.  But you don't know what kind of duty the military spouse will get including the shifts, deployments, and any training that requires them to be away.

For the spouse in the military or away, don't be surprised if your kids don't respond to you and that the daily activities in the household works fine without you.

If this is something that you or your spouse will definitely do, I'd lean towards the OP being the one to go.  The reason being is that the spouse can probably get a decent paying job where ever they go to help improve the quality of life that they're seeking.  Hopefully after some time in the military the OP can be set in a career, where they can easily find a career if they choose to get out later.  Such as working for a government contractor.  I could argue it the other way around too.  But just my current train of thought.

Are you aware of the pay in the military OP?
https://www.airforce.com/careers/pay-and-benefits

And then I think you'll probably get BAH and BAS because you have a family.

The military is great and I give a lot of respect to those that served.  But there's other ways to improve your quality of life that wouldn't require as much of a commitment and sacrifice that comes with being in the military.  For example you can pursue a second Bachelors degree, most of the adult education places, maybe even traditional schools, only require you to earn 30 credits to get a second degree that would make it easier to find a job.

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