If you join the .mil with a bachelor's, do you get any additional incentives?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - If you join the .mil with a bachelor's, do you get any additional incentives?

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:01:47 PM EDT

I would presume that it depends on what the degree is - engineering for the combat engineers, RN for the medics.

But, does simply the fact of having a four-year degree give you an "edge"? (i.e., if an individual with a finance degree wanted to join the infantry)

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:02:39 PM EDT

[#1]

PFC out of boot camp... You might get some consideration but that'd also bank on your ASVAB

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:07:42 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I would presume that it depends on what the degree is - engineering for the combat engineers, RN for the medics.

But, does simply the fact of having a four-year degree give you an "edge"? (i.e., if an individual with a finance degree wanted to join the infantry)

A 4 year degree would open the doors up for ya to go to OCS. Also, I think you be an E3 in bootcamp.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:07:45 PM EDT

[#3]

Yup...maybe one bump in rank out of basic training.

Why not consider a commission?

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:10:43 PM EDT

[#4]

tag

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:11:23 PM EDT

[#5]

In the USMC it will get you E2 payrate while you are in basic. There might be some financial bonuses and such that you could get put in your contract though.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:12:24 PM EDT

[#6]

Do they offer any help for re-payment of student loans?

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:14:01 PM EDT

[#7]

In the Army you get E4 in Basic with a degree. Other than that . . . you can go OCS.

And no college loan repayment if you go OCS, BTW.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:16:41 PM EDT

[#8]

I had a degree before I enlisted in the Marines. I got PFC E-2 out of bootcamp. Army will give you E-4 out of basic. I was a Combat Engineer, and it has nothing to do with college type engineering.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:17:27 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Do they offer any help for re-payment of student loans?

Pretty sure they do. I know my brother-in-law (army) did that instead of the GIMB. I'd guess that is still in effect.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:17:36 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
In the Army you get E4 in Basic with a degree. Other than that . . . you can go OCS.

And no college loan repayment if you go OCS, BTW.

I thought it was E4 but I didn't wanna speak out of my ass if I was wrong.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:19:42 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I would presume that it depends on what the degree is - engineering for the combat engineers, RN for the medics.

But, does simply the fact of having a four-year degree give you an "edge"? (i.e., if an individual with a finance degree wanted to join the infantry)

A four-year degree, depending on the field and your GPA, would allow you to skip the enlisted ranks altogether and go straight to OCS...or you can participate in ROTC at the university (provided your school has one). Enlistment is NOT a pre-requisite for an officer commission.

The best you'll be able to do out of basic is probably E3, but, hell, participating in HS ROTC will get you that!

If I had it to do over again I would have gotten a degree right out of HS and went for a commission...it's night vs day the difference between officer and enlisted, plus the pay is WAAAAY better for officers. Skip "basic" and go straight for OCS/ROTC...

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:30:01 PM EDT

[#12]

USAF gives E3 for a 4 year BA. I ship in 60 days exactly.

Better chance of OCS...which is to say, a chance of OCS at some point.

Loan repayments: it's called a paycheck. ;)
Actually, USAF does have a program to pay back up to US$10K of loans over three yeras, but if you do that you can't do the GI Bill during that enlistment. So, US$10K v. ~$36K. Read all the fine print on that one. ;)
You can also defer your payments while you're in...

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:33:08 PM EDT

[#13]

The Combat Engineers arent exactly like engineering classes taught in most universities around the country. They basically do earth-moving, mine clearing, bridge erecting, etc.

Kharn

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:34:25 PM EDT

[#14]

Everyone I knew that was ARMY , went to Basic as an E-4.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:37:28 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
In the Army you get E4 in Basic with a degree. Other than that . . . you can go OCS.

Yep. That's how my wife started out.

That never quite sat well with me when I was outranked by a college kid even though I had been in for a couple years. But it really doesn't make a difference now.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:47:11 PM EDT

[#16]

I'll echo all those who say the Army is giving E-4 for a Bachelor's...not a bad deal.

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:51:35 PM EDT

[#17]

Army gives E-4 for associats or above if you insist upon going enlisted
Or a Gold Bar +OCS if you want officer and have a BA or BS

Posted: 9/15/2005 12:55:19 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
USAF gives E3 for a 4 year BA. I ship in 60 days exactly.

Better chance of OCS...which is to say, a chance of OCS at some point.

Loan repayments: it's called a paycheck. ;)
Actually, USAF does have a program to pay back up to US$10K of loans over three yeras, but if you do that you can't do the GI Bill during that enlistment. So, US$10K v. ~$36K. Read all the fine print on that one. ;)
You can also defer your payments while you're in...

the USAF also use to give you E3 with only 2 years college credits

Posted: 9/15/2005 1:58:05 PM EDT

[#19]

.

Posted: 9/15/2005 2:02:42 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Army gives E-4 for associats or above if you insist upon going enlisted
Or a Gold Bar +OCS if you want officer and have a BA or BS

They must have changed it since I was in. The only way you could get your e-4 was a bachelor's degree.

And you are still eligible for your GI bill if the Army pays for student loans

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - If you join the .mil with a bachelor's, do you get any additional incentives?

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