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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:22:18 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:What do I need to do, what do I need to know? Your attitude is everything. Join for the right reason - service to our nation. It's going to suck way more than you can possibly imagine at times ... and be more rewarding that you possibly can imagine at times ... but lots and lots of boredom. You'll see things, do things, meet people, and go places others only dream about. |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:22:27 PM EDT
[#2]
Go for it if the family is backing you. I would suggest you finish your degree so you can enter as officer. What are you majoring in?
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:26:24 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
Male 26 Husband Father (<1 year) Homeowner Fit, active, high degree of *comparable* skill with firearms. Love being outdoors. It's all I've been able to think about with seriousness for months. Wife and I just talked about it. She's on board. Wants me to finish fall semester of school since it's paid for. Makes sense. Gives me time to work out harder. What do I need to do, what do I need to know? Talk to a recruiter. Sign nothing. Research everything. Take ASVAB and determine what MOS/RATE/Jobs you qualify for. Pick one. Go to bootcamp. Prepare your family for a few months to years without you, depending on the length of your training. And, the likely outcome from everyone i've seen who comes in late in life: Go to your first duty station, move your family. Work hard, get mad that some 21-22 year old NCO is in charge of you, promote. Go to your next duty station, work hard, promote to NCO rank. Go to your next duty station. Don't promote due to politics, get divorced. Get frustrated. Get out. Go private contractor. Make money. Stack money up. Regret getting out. Enlist back again. Finish out your 20. Retire. Get another job for keeping yourself from boredom. Get old. |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:27:27 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Go for it if the family is backing you. I would suggest you finish your degree so you can enter as officer. What are you majoring in? |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:27:54 PM EDT
[#5]
For the love of God, go in as an officer. I couldn't even imagine going in at 26, prob 27 by the time you ship. Have you checked the pay scales? Maybe find a branch that will auto give you e3 for your college time if you're dead set on going enlisted.
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:30:03 PM EDT
[#6]
Well, what do you want to do?
Step one is take the ASVAB to ensure you're able to pick the job / service you want. Also, don't join the Army, Marines, or Navy. You'll thank me later. |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:33:31 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Male 26 Husband Father (<1 year) Homeowner Fit, active, high degree of *comparable* skill with firearms. Love being outdoors. It's all I've been able to think about with seriousness for months. Wife and I just talked about it. She's on board. Wants me to finish fall semester of school since it's paid for. Makes sense. Gives me time to work out harder. What do I need to do, what do I need to know? While I find it honorable to want to serve, with your situation as described I would not recommend it. Married- military is hard on marriages young child- you do not get that time back homeowner- stuff breaks, you will not be there to help My .02 good luck , whatever you choose |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:35:35 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
For the love of God, go in as an officer. I couldn't even imagine going in at 26, prob 27 by the time you ship. Have you checked the pay scales? Maybe find a branch that will auto give you e3 for your college time if you're dead set on going enlisted. |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:36:50 PM EDT
[#9]
Went in at 18 and out at 22. Got out had a family and all that jazz im 30 now. I couldn't imagine joining if I had kids I never knew how some of my buddies did it. It seemed like every time one of my buddies kids had a birthday or there was a wedding anniversary we were in the field or we were on deployment. That being said as a single soldier I had the best time of my life. I was a 63b and ending up working on strykers and doing a shit ton of recovery ops. Spent time in ft Lewis and in Germany then deployed. Since you have a family all I can suggest is research the shit out of everything and have your wife talk to military wife's to get an idea of what it's like. I don't think it was that bad for my buddies wife's when we were state side but once we got to Germany and then deployed I'm sure it sucked for them. I've been out since 2009 and out of the five guys in my platoon that I spent my four years with as of today only 1 of those five are still married. Take it with a grain of salt. If It were me at your age and family status I'd join the state police force or a local pd.
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:37:19 PM EDT
[#10]
Pick a job that will teach you a trade that is Employable once you get out.
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:38:45 PM EDT
[#11]
Gonna be rough on your marriage. Just part of the deal.
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:38:45 PM EDT
[#12]
If it's your calling, it's your calling. Good luck and enjoy the ride!
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:39:29 PM EDT
[#13]
I scored very high on the ASVAB in high school. For some reason we were required to take it.
I've wanted to be military since I was 6. No shit. 6. I've always put other things first that didn't belong there. I love this country and I wouldn't be able to live without a great deal of regret if I never served. |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:49:54 PM EDT
[#14]
How many hours you got OP? Army Guard commissions @ 90 hours. Finish your degree before you can make Captain.
I will miss my boy's birthday every year until I get out, b/c AT will always fall on his birthday. If you already have a house, Guard/Reserves may make your life much easier. There are 7 Reserve/Guard services to choose from, possibly more depending on how close you live to another state. How portable is your wife's profession? Do you like moving every 2-3 years? Probably not, as you've already bought a house... |
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Posted: 8/15/2017 11:57:44 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I scored very high on the ASVAB in high school. For some reason we were required to take it. I've wanted to be military since I was 6. No shit. 6. I've always put other things first that didn't belong there. I love this country and I wouldn't be able to live without a great deal of regret if I never served. Kid, wife, home responsibility means you will have to split your attention. If you enlist, prepare the family for section 8, welfare, and WIC. Low grade enlisted is for young single men without encumbrances. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:20:52 AM EDT
[#16]
Good on you for wanting to serve but just be aware of the pros/cons. With a family, it's a much bigger commitment than you might imagine.
First off, any ideas as to what you'd want to do in the military, or even a particular branch? That would likely have a huge difference in whether it was the best idea ever, or the worst I can only speak from the AF side. We tend to treat our E-nothings better than the other services (There's a few career fields that suck more than others of course). I have 3 troops who were in your boat ("older" and already with a good bit of life under their belt) To be fair, they're some of the best people I have though maybe I'm just lucky. Also, there's many jobs out there that you would probably hate given your situation, whether it's hours/shiftwork/ops tempo/etc. As others have said, E-nothings don't make too much. Just be prepared for that. I don't know if the wife works, or has a relatively transferable job but should you decide to go longer than 4 years, you will likely move at least once (notwithstanding deployment or OS short tour) so if she has a kick-ass job winning all the bread, got some bad news if the military still has time on you. As for the O-side, a lot of benefits there but some additional ass-pain and higher expectations as well. If you're only wanting a 4-yr and done stint, the O route may not be for you. (I know a couple O-2 types that are getting out the instant they can). It's more pay, but also a lot more BS to deal with. It also might be worth it more if it happens to align with what you want to do after your service commitment is up as employers might prefer bars over stripes. Good luck with however you decide. PM me if you have any AF-specific questions. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:29:16 AM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
Male 26 Husband Father (<1 year) Homeowner Fit, active, high degree of *comparable* skill with firearms. Love being outdoors. It's all I've been able to think about with seriousness for months. Wife and I just talked about it. She's on board. Wants me to finish fall semester of school since it's paid for. Makes sense. Gives me time to work out harder. What do I need to do, what do I need to know? Is she truly on board or is she just being supportive and telling you what makes the you happy? I can't imagine raising baby solo if I didn't absolutely have to. eta: keep in mind that she might feel a duty to support your dreams and a deep desire to make you happy and follow your lead. It's awesome if she adores you and wants to make you happy, but it might keep her from looking at the situation objectively and prevent her from admitting to herself how she actually feels. It would suck for her to sign up for this and then realize she can't hack it, no matter how bad she wishes she could. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:29:55 AM EDT
[#18]
One word.
INFANTRY |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:30:59 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I scored very high on the ASVAB in high school. For some reason we were required to take it. I've wanted to be military since I was 6. No shit. 6. I've always put other things first that didn't belong there. I love this country and I wouldn't be able to live without a great deal of regret if I never served. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:32:08 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
One word. INFANTRY I.E. Be looking at OTS, not an enlistment. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:39:17 AM EDT
[#21]
Same age but I have been out for a few years and was just a dumb grunt but...
Time to give up the dream, you have a family now. Your chances of getting a combat deployment are miniscule compared to the odds of you getting a divorce. To put it nicely your timing is fucked. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:46:06 AM EDT
[#22]
My advice is to be sure of what you want and don't compromise on that. Not every person with a degree should be commissioned, and not everyone wants the officer life. There is nothing wrong with enlisting with a commission.
I'd ask yourself what you want to do while you're in, and what you want to have on your resume when you get out. Enlisted is a good choice if you want a guaranteed job description and to be a person who "does" the job. You can walk into a recruiter's office and sign the line for a specific MOS. The job you'll be doing will be operator level at first, and work into leadership roles. You can do a 20 year career on the enlisted side at the platoon level, doing the job you signed up for. On the officer side you won't get 100% control in your MOS and your job will be much more generalized. The Army (or whichever branch) may decide your job for you. You will learn branch/MOS tasks as a Lieutenant, but at the end of the day you are an administrator. At best you'll get about 4 years at the platoon level doing the job, after that will be mostly staff work. Officer work is extremely rewarding, generally has a higher quality of life, but comes at the cost of longer hours and tedious office work. I know several people who would have been very happy being enlisted in the Army but were pushed towards the commissioned side because they were in college. I know a couple who dropped their ROTC contract and enlisted. For me, commissioning was the right choice, but it isn't for everyone. Short answer, if you want to be the cool guy and do cool guy stuff, enlist. If you want to lead soldiers and learn a thing or two about management, and collect a bigger paycheck, seek a commission. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 12:48:18 AM EDT
[#23]
IMHO your child should be the most important thing to you. What does it say about you as a father if you are choosing to possibly be gone from that child for year/s long deployment.. Let the single without children 18 year olds enlist. Stay home and love your kid. We have Nukes, and an unchecked naval superiority. Noone presents a danger to the homeland.
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Posted: 8/16/2017 1:29:23 AM EDT
[#24]
This thread is completely full of bad advice.
"Join the Air Force." Then they list all the things that are just like civilian life. If you want to be a civilian, why the fuck would you enlist? "Pick an MOS that converts to a civilian job." If you want to learn a trade, look at trade schools or the union hall. If your goal is good money for honest work, that apprenticeship is a better deal than the state university or the recruiters office. "Be an officer." I hope you like being a staff officer and doing Power Point and bullshit 12 or 14 hours a day, because your command time is gonna be limited and the cool guy shit ain't your job... "But, but, but the pension is bigger." Guess what, the 20 year pension is gone now. The reason to join the military is because you want to be cool, do cool guy shit, go cool guy places and coolly kick ass as a cool guy. That means infantry. Some of the jobs that support the infantry, like armor or the Special Forces are semi-cool, so maybe. So... If you're doing this, do it, be at the tip of the spear, or just be a civilian. If that ain't what you want, you don't need the military. You can solder widgets or push papers in the regular world without 1/10 the hassles. Be a grunt or stay home. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:02:44 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This thread is completely full of bad advice. "Join the Air Force." Then they list all the things that are just like civilian life. If you want to be a civilian, why the fuck would you enlist? "Pick an MOS that converts to a civilian job." If you want to learn a trade, look at trade schools or the union hall. If your goal is good money for honest work, that apprenticeship is a better deal than the state university or the recruiters office. "Be an officer." I hope you like being a staff officer and doing Power Point and bullshit 12 or 14 hours a day, because your command time is gonna be limited and the cool guy shit ain't your job... "But, but, but the pension is bigger." Guess what, the 20 year pension is gone now. The reason to join the military is because you want to be cool, do cool guy shit, go cool guy places and coolly kick ass as a cool guy. That means infantry. Some of the jobs that support the infantry, like armor or the Special Forces are semi-cool, so maybe. So... If you're doing this, do it, be at the tip of the spear, or just be a civilian. If that ain't what you want, you don't need the military. You can solder widgets or push papers in the regular world without 1/10 the hassles. Be a grunt or stay home. I'll follow that up by saying there's no way I'd go into it married with kids unless WW3 kicked off and bodies were needed bigly. It was cool as a young single guy though. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:08:13 AM EDT
[#26]
How much school do you have left?
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:11:30 AM EDT
[#27]
I wouldn't go back in unless and until they de-Obama the military.
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:12:41 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You are gonna be done with school? Should be two words - Infantry Officer I.E. Be looking at OTS, not an enlistment. 
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:33:27 AM EDT
[#29]
 The Ballad of Rodger Young |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:37:44 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Go guard. Kid, wife, home responsibility means you will have to split your attention. If you enlist, prepare the family for section 8, welfare, and WIC. Low grade enlisted is for young single men without encumbrances. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I scored very high on the ASVAB in high school. For some reason we were required to take it. I've wanted to be military since I was 6. No shit. 6. I've always put other things first that didn't belong there. I love this country and I wouldn't be able to live without a great deal of regret if I never served. Kid, wife, home responsibility means you will have to split your attention. If you enlist, prepare the family for section 8, welfare, and WIC. Low grade enlisted is for young single men without encumbrances. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:40:35 AM EDT
[#31]
What Branch of our fine services would you like to join???????????????????
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:45:12 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This thread is completely full of bad advice. "Join the Air Force." Then they list all the things that are just like civilian life. If you want to be a civilian, why the fuck would you enlist? "Pick an MOS that converts to a civilian job." If you want to learn a trade, look at trade schools or the union hall. If your goal is good money for honest work, that apprenticeship is a better deal than the state university or the recruiters office. "Be an officer." I hope you like being a staff officer and doing Power Point and bullshit 12 or 14 hours a day, because your command time is gonna be limited and the cool guy shit ain't your job... "But, but, but the pension is bigger." Guess what, the 20 year pension is gone now. The reason to join the military is because you want to be cool, do cool guy shit, go cool guy places and coolly kick ass as a cool guy. That means infantry. Some of the jobs that support the infantry, like armor or the Special Forces are semi-cool, so maybe. So... If you're doing this, do it, be at the tip of the spear, or just be a civilian. If that ain't what you want, you don't need the military. You can solder widgets or push papers in the regular world without 1/10 the hassles. Be a grunt or stay home. 
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Posted: 8/16/2017 2:51:01 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
While I find it honorable to want to serve, with your situation as described I would not recommend it. Married- military is hard on marriages young child- you do not get that time back homeowner- stuff breaks, you will not be there to help My .02 good luck , whatever you choose Quote HistoryQuoted:
While I find it honorable to want to serve, with your situation as described I would not recommend it. Married- military is hard on marriages young child- you do not get that time back homeowner- stuff breaks, you will not be there to help My .02 good luck , whatever you choose But if you must.. Quoted:
Pick a job that will teach you a trade that is Employable once you get out. ETA: Also take a long hard look at the Reserves. Best of both worlds |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 3:07:11 AM EDT
[#34]
OP wanna fly helicopters as a warrant officer? are you non-retarded when it comes to basic physics & meteorology?
You can swing it with a mere HS diploma (in the Army atleast), though college credits will help you immensely. Then again, pilot jobs pay SHIT in the real world back home. 1/87 might pay 50k a year if you're in the cool kids club. That bullshit marketing propaganda on "we need pilots, everyone else is now 85 years old and retired!" is exactly BS per experience. I look at the military as a sort of late teens / early 20s MEANING/EXISTENTIAL pursuit to enhance yourself at a foundational level (i.e. values, permanent purpose, etc) for decades to come. I would not re-enlist unless i were 19 again with fantastic knees & shins and wanted to go blow shit up for a few years. As a career for 8-20 years? Not intellectually stimulating enough if you ask me personally. It may be your thing though. I did infantry in 2010. My entire lower body is permanently fucked up to this day (have to wear custom orthotics, gel soles, cannot run on concrete, cannot physically walk without stretching) after a mere 11 weeks of basic. If your lower body, especially your calves, are not up to snuff then you will gain nothing financially or spiritually. Prey for your knees if you enlist in a combat mos as a 26 year old. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 3:15:05 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
One word. INFANTRY 
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Posted: 8/16/2017 3:26:46 AM EDT
[#36]
Options I see working for you:
National Guard College Option OCS if you finish school ROTC if your school has it an you aren't too far along. Army Aviation street to seat (AKA...high school to flight school) if you can pass the flight physical and flight altitude skills test. IM me if you have any questions. Not a recruiter and will gove you my no BS opinion. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 3:49:30 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Options I see working for you: National Guard College Option OCS if you finish school ROTC if your school has it an you aren't too far along. Army Aviation street to seat (AKA...high school to flight school) if you can pass the flight physical and flight altitude skills test. IM me if you have any questions. Not a recruiter and will gove you my no BS opinion. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 3:59:57 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Pick a job that will teach you a trade that is Employable once you get out. I was a Grunt and not many people were looking for people that were really good at killing other people. 
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Posted: 8/16/2017 5:09:30 AM EDT
[#39]
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Posted: 8/16/2017 5:17:02 AM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:
Male 26 Husband Father (<1 year) Homeowner Fit, active, high degree of *comparable* skill with firearms. Love being outdoors. It's all I've been able to think about with seriousness for months. Wife and I just talked about it. She's on board. Wants me to finish fall semester of school since it's paid for. Makes sense. Gives me time to work out harder. What do I need to do, what do I need to know? lol Pass If you're wanting to join to escape/change your situation, it's a good choice. You'll probably windup divorced and have 0 time for school while in. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 5:30:34 AM EDT
[#41]
I wouldn't do it.
My family comes first... |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 5:38:22 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Options I see working for you: National Guard College Option OCS if you finish school ROTC if your school has it an you aren't too far along. Army Aviation street to seat (AKA...high school to flight school) if you can pass the flight physical and flight altitude skills test. IM me if you have any questions. Not a recruiter and will gove you my no BS opinion. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 5:57:30 AM EDT
[#43]
I joined at 28, the stupid hurts sometimes.
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:03:57 AM EDT
[#44]
No offense to cms81586, but fuck being an officer unless it's a career field that requires a graduate degree. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being enlisted. If you want combat arms, and your body can handle the abuse, do it.
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:06:25 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I joined at 28, the stupid hurts sometimes. So did my brother, but he is an aircraft mechanic like me. He has more herniated disks and worse knees, but it's a close contest. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:14:07 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Times have changed, "low grade enlisted" make $45k/yr now. The only reason they qualify for WIC is they don't include housing allowance or BAS in the calculation. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I scored very high on the ASVAB in high school. For some reason we were required to take it. I've wanted to be military since I was 6. No shit. 6. I've always put other things first that didn't belong there. I love this country and I wouldn't be able to live without a great deal of regret if I never served. Kid, wife, home responsibility means you will have to split your attention. If you enlist, prepare the family for section 8, welfare, and WIC. Low grade enlisted is for young single men without encumbrances. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:16:14 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This is what I came to post. I was a Grunt and not many people were looking for people that were really good at killing other people. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Pick a job that will teach you a trade that is Employable once you get out. I was a Grunt and not many people were looking for people that were really good at killing other people. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:23:26 AM EDT
[#48]
Sorry OP but I'm going to be honest.
Your 26. I went to boot camp with a 30 year old and served with guys who enlisted around your age. Nothing wrong with it at face value. It was also at the start of the gwot. Why enlist now? You've had the last 8 years to enlist during a time of war that we needed bodies. Now that you have a wife and a kid you want to join. I really don't get it. If you wanted to enlist since you were 6 than you would have signed paperwork on your 18th birthday like the rest of us. If you do enlist I wish your marriage luck. What do you do now and what are you going to school for? |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:45:19 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Are you a recruiter because that's an out right lie. |
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Posted: 8/16/2017 6:47:12 AM EDT
[#50]
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