Military

What are the benefits of joining the military?

• Educational benefits: The military provides educational benefits not only for soldiers, but also for their spouses and children. Benefits last beyond military service and opportunities for veterans are many. There is a lot of money out there to help you and your family with education and nothing is entirely off the table. If you’re interested in being a pilot, the GI Bill will cover some of the cost of flight school; if you need to take an exam to be certified as a teacher, that is covered too. Learn more here.]

• Medical coverage: As a member of the armed forces you receive insurance through the TRICARE insurance program for as long as you remain in the service. If you visit an approved servicer who accepts TRICARE, you will not have to pay for anything. You will also receive dental and vision coverage, and anytime you need a vaccine, you’ll just get it done while you’re at work. The military also offers life insurance plans at a much lower cost than you might pay in the civilian world. TRICARE medical coverage extends to immediate family members as well.

• Stable paycheck: When you join the military, you are paid a salary based on your rank and your time in the service, thus you will get raises at predictable intervals. If you elect to live off-post, you will also receive a housing allowance. Barring extreme circumstances of government shutdowns, you will be paid twice a month, every month, for the duration of your time in the military. While the starting salary for enlisted personnel is low, promotions occur at predictable intervals and always come with a pay raise. Officers begin with a higher starting salary than enlisted service members. To learn more about potential salary, contact a recruiter.

• Job security: The United States will always have a military. While there have been some cutbacks recently, people are rarely fired. Once you are in the service, you will have a stable position unless you do something to warrant being kicked out (e.g., doing something illegal or ceasing to do your job).

• Vacation time: You earn two and a half days of paid leave for every month you work. You get four-day weekends for all federal holidays. You get free leave time when you or your spouse has a baby (less time for the father, more time for the mother). You are given free leave days to go house hunting and get your affairs in order when you change duty stations. This paid time off is significantly better than at jobs in the civilian world, where the average American takes only 16.8 days a year.

• Military discounts: Everybody loves getting freebies and discounts. It’s not going to account for much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s nice to get a little bit back from the movie theater or have access to a private airport lounge with couches, TVs, and free food when you’re on a layover. Not only that, but on military posts, shopping is tax-free.

• Living in new places: You could be stationed almost anywhere in the world: Korea, Japan, Italy, Australia, Germany, or in one of many cities in the United States. U.S. bases are usually within driving distance of a major city, so you can take fun weekend trips. You don’t get much say in where you will be going, but you will likely move frequently enough that even if one place isn’t up your alley, you won’t have to stay for more than a few years. Your next station could be incredible.

• Valuable work experience: If nothing else, military experience is an incredible résumé booster. You will learn leadership skills, discipline, and a host of other things that will impress the pants off of your next potential employer.

• Disability pay upon retirement: When you retire honorably from military service, you are subjected to a thorough medical examination. If you were injured or became sick as a result of your service, or if the doctors find any discrepancies in your medical record, you may be eligible for disability pay. The amount of pay depends on the severity of your disability and the number of dependents you are supporting (spouse and children). Once the amount has been calculated, you will receive payment from the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs once a month for the remainder of your life.

What are the downsides to joining the military?

It is important to remember that the military is a way of life. Before joining the military, you need to be sure that you are able to handle the military lifestyle and all of the moving, work, stress, and danger that comes with the job; you cannot be solely interested in the educational or monetary benefits, as that is a recipe for failure. The following lists, made in consultation with current members of the armed forces, may help you get a better idea of what you’re signing up for and what you can expect.

• Pulling rank: The military is built on a hierarchy, with commissioned officers on top and enlisted soldiers down below. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter if you are 10 years older than someone. If their rank is higher than yours, you have to do what they say and be polite about it, even if you disagree.

• Assimilation: The military has strict grooming and dress standards. It dictates what you wear and when you wear it (from your workout clothes to your standard uniform to your dress uniform), how you cut and style your hair, if and when you are allowed to wear makeup, and where you can have tattoos. When it comes to appearance, there is no place in the military for free spirits.

• Deployments: This has the potential to be a dangerous job. Some people fulfill their service commitment before ever being deployed, but the majority of soldiers deploy at least once. Humanitarian or training deployments are less dangerous and can even be fun, but combat deployments are very serious. They take you away from home for months at a time and potentially put your life in danger. If you are considering joining the military, you need to have the mental toughness, the discipline, and the physical stamina to endure dangerous and poor living conditions for long periods of time.

• Legal commitment: You cannot leave the military until your time is up. You sign a contract when you join and become legally responsible to fulfill the terms of the contract for the length of your service commitment. The consequences for desertion are severe. Not only that, but you cannot call in sick or skip a day of work if you feel ill. You must go to work all day, every day. If you are truly convinced you are sick, you can go to sick call, and if the nurse says you’re sick enough, you can go home for however long they say. Otherwise you go back to work.

• Nontraditional work hours: Most civilians work a nine-to-five schedule. It’s not the case for the military. Generally, you get up around 5:00 a.m. to exercise, and then you go work for a full day. Some full days will end around 5:00 p.m., but working late is a realistic possibility for which you should prepare.

• Military law: It’s different from civilian law. For example, there is a zero-tolerance drug policy, so you’ll get drug tested at random times. You will have to answer to the military if you fall behind on your bills. Marriage is considered sacred; infidelity on the part of a soldier can lead to being dishonorably discharged. Most incidents are cleared up in-house, but you are responsible for upholding both civilian and military law.

• Distance from family: You may get stationed across the world from your parents and your friends. Even if you’re not abroad, you could still be more than a few hours’ drive away, so weekend trips home are not usually an option. The good news is that you probably have a phone and the internet; now is the time to download WhatsApp and Skype!

• Paycheck discrepancy: Though the military offers job security and a steady paycheck, you could be making less money through the military than if you were doing the same job in the civilian sector (e.g., air traffic controllers or contractors).

• Trouble re-assimilating: After leaving the military (though it will do its best to support you), you may find that life isn’t what it used to be. The civilian world is different; people are rude, people don’t care that you were a sergeant, and discipline is practically nonexistent. Veterans have high rates of suicide and homelessness. Making sure that you have a job and a support system when you exit the military is the first step to re-assimilating into the civilian world.

(http://studentcaffe.com/apply/the-military/understanding)