Would it be stupid to enlist at this point?

I have a little over 2 years left of school, but things are tough right now. Financially, enlisting seems like the best choice. I got married 3 months ago and my wife and I could probably use the security. She works full time, I go to school and work part time. We barely clear $600 every 2 weeks and live with her parents at the moment. She's 20, I'm 22, no kids, maybe 10k in debt total from school . 1 car between us.

I'm assuming that if I join the Air Force, depending on what I do, I might still have a chance to finish my degree while being somewhat stable financially. I hate the idea of my wife working full time and us still struggling, so this is what I have been considering for the past month now. Things just continuously get more stressful between my new wife and I over this as well. She wants to start up school, but we really can't afford for her to lose any hours. Especially since this quarter I'm retaking 3 classes for a higher grade, so I can only work weekends.

I have a few buddies in the Air Force and all of them seem to have the time to take classes, but that was never their thing so they tend to just fuck around. I'd go talk to the recruiter tomorrow, but I have to lose 45lbs before they talk to me. The way I see it, I have 3 more months at the very least before I can go talk to them. Unfortunate, but that's what I get for neglecting physical fitness. At least I have lost 25lbs towards it so far. I just hope I can continue assuming this is a good idea.

Think it's realistic to hope to finish up school while active duty? I'm thinking that I don't have a whole lot of options at this point, either way, it's not like it's something I haven't wanted to do for 3 years.

Fortunately, I have no arrests, moving violations, don't drink, smoke, partake in any nefarious activities. The only thing really holding me back is my weight and potentially age.

I was an MP in the Army. Worked horrible schedules - way worse than most of the other MOS did while in garrison - 12 hour shifts, 3 weeks on, 2 non-consecutive days off.

I had enough down time that I could have gotten my degree if I had applied myself. I drank instead.

You will have plenty of time if you apply yourself to it - alot of the work schedules could be altered around classes.

If you don't, you'll regret it the rest of your life.

IMHO there is no better jumpstart for a young man's life than serving in the military.

See, the commitment to class isn't my issue in the least bit. I never really went out and fucked around all that much with friends after I got out of HS, that and my wife takes a lot of my time as well.


If I'm looking at it correctly, I might be able to get into the Navy or Army if my BF% is under 25%? Does that sound right? I think I'm not all that far off from that honestly

I think its 24% for the army for your age group, but you must stay at 22% for weight and tape.

The military is one of the few things left that you can join that assures a retirement if you stick with it.


For that reason alone, JOIN IF YOU CAN. Even if you stay enlisted until retirement.


A paid retirement is a precious thing that is becoming more rare with every passing day.


CJ

Enlisting when you're already married?

So I'd need to be there, then get to 22% when I left for training?

Bad idea?

It's not like buying a goldfish. It's a life-changing commitment.

What degree are you working toward right now, and how's your GPA?

ETA: Jeez, you're retaking courses and the wife already wants to quit and go to school herself?

Dude, you have obligations, you can't be doing poorly at school as well. And if money's tight, how are you 40 pounds overweight?

I'd like to look in the crystall ball and give you an easy answer, but the crystal ball says you need a friend to kick your ass.

Unfortunately, enlistment is a gift of the magi situation for you. Odds are significant given your age and length of marriage that you will not be married when you leave the service. But enlisting may be the smartest path for now, if you can somehow cut your legs off to drop that weight fast.

A strong marriage might handle that stress alright, but you have not described one.

Here is my best advice to you: use birth control. Every. Fucking. Time. And keep it under your control at all other times, don't leave it where it might get damaged.

You can at least avoid that particular complication until the time is right.

Good luck, you can do well if you want to badly enough.

Go for it. Consider the Guard or Reserves to help pay for college - Guard has more money for college than Reserves, depending on state. Get fit, stay in shape, free trip to Afghanistan! The National Guard will start you in OCS once you have 60 hours of college, commission @ 90 hours. Reserves & Active you have to have the degree already, but they'll help you pay for it.

Gig 'em,

LT backbencher

ROTC is not a bad option, but it's highly dependent on their wanting you.

Amazingly enough, the only thing I am certain of is that she and I will be fine as a couple through it all. It's not so much that she wants to quit working and go to school i guess.. She's been looking at an online school that she can go to and still get decent hours. A lot of all this is I feel like shit that I don't support us in the least bit.

Everyone's downsizing now that everything's winding down, and they are booting out people that 5 years ago, thought they would have it made in the shade and retire out due to a lot of new standards.

Don't bank on the Military accepting you unless you have a lot to bring to the table.


The military is not always a last ditch effort for the down and out. For instance, when I joined the Marines, they took NO GED's, no bad credit, no felonies or convictions of any kind, they had just started the new tattoo policy, School grades had to be decent, they had raised the ASVAB minimums, no bonuses were offered. So on and so forth.


That of course changed over the next few years with OEF/OIF, but it's getting back to what it was pre-2001.

OP, should I post what it's really like, or what you want to hear? Sounds like you're looking more for a sounding board and less a reality check. I don't want to "harsh your mellow" so to speak.

Sent you an IM.

I don't mean to sound like this is a last ditch effort for me if it seems that way. I have wanted to do this for a long time, just have been focused on work, school, and my wife.

No worries. Aim high.

Join for 3 years, if u love it stay in. If you dont, get out, 36 months of paid school via post 9/11 gi bill plus monthly paycheck. No wrong way to go. As far as doing scool while in its possible, but you have to consider training time and deployments, for me school was definatly not possible but getting out and post 9/11 gi bill is taking care of that problem. Definatly join. DO IT!

1. i think you feel that once you sign up your heading out to bootcamp the next week. try like 9-12 months. your not going to get the quick results you desire.

2. it pisses me off every time someone makes a thread along the lines of "oh shit, im in a tight spot, i know, ill just join the military" IMO takes alot away from the the people who do it regardless of other opportunities that had in the civilian world.


good luck.

My wife worked while I finished school for the first two years of our marriage. We didn't make much and it was tough, but now we are making more than we ever dreamed of because she let me finish school and she has been quite successful as well. We have been married 6.5 years now so it doesn't come quick. Keep focused on your goals and keep trying to better yourselves.

I was married when I enlisted in the Air Force, that was a long time ago. The AF is the most like a 9 to 5 job (in general) of all the services and being married wasn't a problem at all.

While I admire a notion to serve, I don't appreciate the notion of the military as a last resort. Our military is not the French Foreign Legion. Our military is a profession of arms that is a calling. Not one for someone to seek refuge. I would rather see someone want to join who has a desire to serve their country and make a difference rather than serve their self interests. All too often in my career I see people who only joined for the college money, or because they needed a job. I rarely saw anyone who joined out of patriotism.

I'm not implying that a prospective recruit should be a crusader who wraps themself in an American flag and champions the American way, but a recruit who understands they are making a huge life changing decision and who knows how much sacrifice they have to endure. The military will feed and water you but they expect the utmost in loyalty, reliability, and above all, effort.

I am tired of people who only joined for the college money or better insurance. While I understand these are important things, the most important thing is, what did I do to contribute to my nations defense?

Edvvard, make sure this is what you want. Research this issue carefully. Ask yourself why you want to join, and what you have to offer. Also realize once you sign up, it's not about you anymore. Good luck.

Patriots join the Marines or Army, not the AF, and especially not Security Forces.

Please

Yes, please. Lets not derail this thread with some stupid crap like that. Thank you.

It is what I want. I just might join at a different time than i planned. I originally wanted to get through school first, but I think it won't be a bad idea to look into it sooner if i get the chance to finish up my last 2 years of school.

Some folks have already said it. Ive had a lot of troops join for no other reason than just because. This choice is a life changing decision. I joined to serve my country. Educateion was just a benefit. You need to sit down with your wife and discuss this long and thuroughly. Once you join. the military comes first. Its taken my wife almost three years to learn this. I married after joining and she didnt have any prior experience. It is a life changing event. And dont expect pay and glory right away. You wont be able to take classes your first year in simply due to the training requirements. I would suggest going guard. After you finish your classes apply for and AGR (Active Guard and Reserve) slot. It come with all the benefits of active duty with a smaller chance of a deployment interrupting your life. Just my opinion so take it for what its worth. If you have any questions please feel free to IM me.

Stoner

I finished my entire bachelor's on active duty. Your first year or so, you won't be able to go to school. BMT, Tech School, CDC's, etc. will keep you from taking classes. You will get some credits from all that training though. Whether or not it will count toward your degree depends on the school and what credits you already have.

I remember you. You've been asking about joining the military for at least a year now.

Depending on your career field, completing a degree in the AF is trying at best. Or it could be a walk in the park. Ops tempo isn't what it was a couple years ago and is on the downhill but like JoshAston said, don't count on completing any college your first year at least.

Service before self. One of our core values. It's great if you want to go to college and most leaders will do what they can to facilitate that but you are still expected to learn your job and become an expert. That's first and foremost.

The rest is on you. I know folks who will work a 14hr day and then go home and take classes at night. And then they get up the next day and do it all over again. It just all depends what you're made of. Look into tuition assistance. They used to pay 100% of classes taken up to a certain amount, but I heard they were throttling back and would cover a bit less.

Pretty sure it's still 100%, but I don't think that's going to last much longer. GI Bill can be used while you're in, but you have to serve for 2 years I believe before you can start using it.

Suck it up for two years, finish your degree. Once you go active the wife can do her thing. As long as she is on board with it. Try the Guard or reserves for a bit. Do basic during the summer then you have that out of the way. Do a three year deal.

For initial enlistment into the Army, you have to be under 26% BF. Once you get into basic and AIT, then you will be required to either make our height/weight standards or be under 22%. You should have until after your job qualified before you have to worry about that and at that point, you will be under the BF%.

As for the marraige, congratulations. I was married when I first joined, now, I am divorced from her and remarried. It happens. People blame the military for that, but I blame weak marraiges, not the military.

If you want active duty, you can not go to basic one summer and ait the next. you will go immediately from basic to AIT. If you are interested in the reserves, you are pretty close to being out of time to go to basic this summer and AIT next summer. Active duty future soldiers (DEP) are shipping june,july, and august time frame, depending on mos and training seats.

Have you taken the ASVAB? if not, then what did you get on the ACT? Do yourself a favor and go talk to all the branchs, but remember that they don't owe you shit. your the one looking for a job. Job choices can suck right now due to downsizing. Enlistment bonuses are nonexistant because of budget cuts and the economy. Keep an open mind, be respectful and if you are not interested in what they are saying then say so and tell them you are going to pass.

Some recruiters do the whole used car salesman thing, if you encounter that find a different recruiter. I work with a guy that is fast talking and says the exact same thing to every person that comes into our office. That is not how it is supposed to happen. The recruiter is supposed to ask a few questions, find out who you are, why you are interested, and explain how the military can help you achieve your individual goals.


This was not meant to sound harsh, hopefully it helps you. if not, then atleast it was free.

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