Whats YOUR pro/cons of the armed forces?
deerslayer
Milforum Swamp Dweller
Hmmm...
Has a specific goal- to kill people and break things
does not live up to that goal- peacekeeping is the job of the UN.
(Ok, let's not get carried away)
Eats up a huge portion of the budget
Few of the projects on that budget are of definite use.
Highly politicall motivated in upper echelons
Pros-
Keeps me safe in my own bed
I have role models from past heroism
Idealistic at lower levels for most officers
Patriotic duty
Paid education
Hey, I get to use firearms, and that's a plus in my book ANY day
all I can think of at the moment
Has a specific goal- to kill people and break things
does not live up to that goal- peacekeeping is the job of the UN.
(Ok, let's not get carried away)Eats up a huge portion of the budget
Few of the projects on that budget are of definite use.
Highly politicall motivated in upper echelons
Pros-
Keeps me safe in my own bed
I have role models from past heroism
Idealistic at lower levels for most officers
Patriotic duty
Paid education
Hey, I get to use firearms, and that's a plus in my book ANY day
all I can think of at the moment
FO Seaman
Active member
deerslayer said:Hmmm...
Has a specific goal- to kill people and break things
does not live up to that goal- peacekeeping is the job of the UN.
Eats up a huge portion of the budget
Few of the projects on that budget are of definite use.
Highly politicall motivated in upper echelons
Pros-
Keeps me safe in my own bed
I have role models from past heroism
Idealistic at lower levels for most officers
Patriotic duty
Paid education
Hey, I get to use firearms, and that's a plus in my book ANY day
all I can think of at the moment
Seeing as how you can't produce something from nothing, I guess they need money.
Seeing as how the National Guard provides relief and aid in natural and manmade disasters, they keep the boogie man off the front steps and back porch, help in the development of new and old devices, and alot of the house hold things we take for granted everyday. Has helped keep our country to stay free of oppresion and tyranny.
Specific Goal: Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
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Chief Bones
Forums Grumpy Old Man
Personal observations.....
Army -trains you to be a Radio Repairman and then makes you a Radio Operator where the closest you come to repairing a radio is when you replace a battery. (6 years of Army service)
Navy - trains you to be a Hull Tech and then puts you on a ship where you spend at least half the year at sea. (15 years of Naval service)
Air Force - trains you to be an Engine Mechanic and then allows you to spend almost all of your 20 years of service at one base (sometimes). (was stationed at an Air Force base for 9 months)
Reserve Forces - train you to do a whole variety of jobs and then when a war is declared or a trouble spot is invaded, you are the one who is sent into harms way. (3 years on a Reserve ship - active duty training personnel)
Marines - trains you to be a Clerk Typist and then puts you in a forward unit where the main thing they train you to do is to take a beach (or) to act as the forward units for the Reserve Forces in a war zone.. (some of my best friends were Marines in Bermuda .. 3 years as Security Guard / Police/Range Master / Weapons Department)
Coast Guard - trains you to be a Diesel Mechanic and then assign you to various Coast Guard Cutters where the most exciting thing you do is to go on drug interdiction operations with Naval units. (almost 7 years stationed at the same docks as the Coast Guard)
Army -trains you to be a Radio Repairman and then makes you a Radio Operator where the closest you come to repairing a radio is when you replace a battery. (6 years of Army service)
Navy - trains you to be a Hull Tech and then puts you on a ship where you spend at least half the year at sea. (15 years of Naval service)
Air Force - trains you to be an Engine Mechanic and then allows you to spend almost all of your 20 years of service at one base (sometimes). (was stationed at an Air Force base for 9 months)
Reserve Forces - train you to do a whole variety of jobs and then when a war is declared or a trouble spot is invaded, you are the one who is sent into harms way. (3 years on a Reserve ship - active duty training personnel)
Marines - trains you to be a Clerk Typist and then puts you in a forward unit where the main thing they train you to do is to take a beach (or) to act as the forward units for the Reserve Forces in a war zone.. (some of my best friends were Marines in Bermuda .. 3 years as Security Guard / Police/Range Master / Weapons Department)
Coast Guard - trains you to be a Diesel Mechanic and then assign you to various Coast Guard Cutters where the most exciting thing you do is to go on drug interdiction operations with Naval units. (almost 7 years stationed at the same docks as the Coast Guard)
ASTRALdragon
Active member
Chief Bones said:
Chief Bones, forgive me for not knowing due to the fact that I'm a newb to these forums, but were you in ALL those armed organizations/agencies/branches/etc.?
Marinerhodes
Active member
Job Security
Retierment Benefits (50% at 20 years and 75% at 30 years)
Medical Benefits (yeah some of you old salts will laugh at it)
Education Benefits (I know some people who have gotten their masters at very little personal cost)
You get to travel on the government's dime (See new places, meet new people, kill them, etc)
Retierment Benefits (50% at 20 years and 75% at 30 years)
Medical Benefits (yeah some of you old salts will laugh at it)
Education Benefits (I know some people who have gotten their masters at very little personal cost)
You get to travel on the government's dime (See new places, meet new people, kill them, etc)
DefiantCdr
Active member
are those pros or cons? :sarc: some of them could go either way for me.
deerslayer
Milforum Swamp Dweller
Cadet Seaman said:
Sorry, the NG seems to have slipped my mind
Wow reading all these posts...makes me wonder if they are any TRUE benefits to joining any service. I am starting to get scared that my husbands LIFE changing decision might not be what our family needs or wants. He wants to serve and better our family. All the above posts (some of you with a LOT of time in) makes me think stayin at his job and where we are out ways anything any branch has to offer us!
what the heck does it mean only 50% pay at retirement after 20 yrs???
Coming down to draw...waiting on dependant wavier, going to MEPS for MOS search and meeting with conselor. I think I want to keep my man home now more than ever. Is any of the above worth him missing out time with us and seeing his children every night, reading to them and tucking them in??????????
~more confused than ever~
Nikki
what the heck does it mean only 50% pay at retirement after 20 yrs???
Coming down to draw...waiting on dependant wavier, going to MEPS for MOS search and meeting with conselor. I think I want to keep my man home now more than ever. Is any of the above worth him missing out time with us and seeing his children every night, reading to them and tucking them in??????????
~more confused than ever~
Nikki
FO Seaman
Active member
MommaGof4 said:
I'm meself am not serving yet and am probably not the best one to give advice, but my father is about to retire, he has 25 years in the guard and 21 Active Duty. I've discussed it with him, he says that inorder for you to get 50% for 20 years you've gotta be in the top three.
PJ24
Active member
MommaGof4 said:
Why do you say that? I'm not seeing what has been said that's so bad.
The military is what YOU make of it. If you have a negative attitude, you aren't going to walk away talking about all of your positive experiences.
Everyone has their own personal reasons for joining, and therefore, everyone is going to have their own personal perspectives of how life in the service is/was.
Um, that's more than almost any civilian job will give you at retirement. "Only" 50% is nothing to put your nose up at.
The benefits are good, could they be better? Sure, can't they always? But I don't complain. Education, retirement, medical, they're all better than many civilian jobs offer.
The pay isn't bad. It can be tough for an E-1/3 to raise a family on his salary, but most in those ranks are 18 / 19 without dependants, so that's how it is set up. Once you get up in rank some, it becomes a lot easier.
The lifestyle has its ups and downs, depending on your job and what's going on, you could be away from home a lot. I'm away from home 90% of the year, but that's my job, not all guys, most even, aren't. As a wife, you have to be independant. If your husband gets deployed, you have to be able to survive on your own and keep a positive attitude while you do it.
I, and probably most of the guys that are current or former military, have had to eat a lot of crap during my career. But again, what job don't you? It's how you do it that matters, do you chew it or just swallow it and get it over with?
The training is top notch, and depending on what job you do, it can throw you forward in the civilian world and get you a leg up when you get out.
I can say without a doubt that I do something that makes a difference, on individual and wide scale levels. The sacrifices I've had to make in my personal life have paid off in huge returns. I get to do something I'm not only proud of, but something I absolutely love doing, and I get paid to do it.
Will you have to make sacrifices? Yes. Will it always be easy? No. Is it worth it to you and your husband? Well, that's a question only you can ask yourselves.
Just remember that not much worth doing is ever easy.
pro and cons
Everyone has their own personal reasons for joining, and therefore, everyone is going to have their own personal perspectives of how life in the service is/was.
Yes, very true...I was just having a down moment and reading everyones post seemed like they havent been happy.
Um, that's more than almost any civilian job will give you at retirement. "Only" 50% is nothing to put your nose up at.
I am in no way putting my nose up I was simply asking what it meant?
The benefits are good, could they be better? Sure, can't they always? But I don't complain. Education, retirement, medical, they're all better than many civilian jobs offer.
The pay isn't bad. It can be tough for an E-1/3 to raise a family on his salary, but most in those ranks are 18 / 19 without dependants, so that's how it is set up. Once you get up in rank some, it becomes a lot easier.
This is probably my biggest concern with starting out as a E-3 and having a large family. However I am thinking positive and I am supporting my husband! I want him happy and I want him to follow his dreams. Serving is his passion and I am not going to stand in his way.
The lifestyle has its ups and downs, depending on your job and what's going on, you could be away from home a lot. I'm away from home 90% of the year, but that's my job, not all guys, most even, aren't. As a wife, you have to be independant. If your husband gets deployed, you have to be able to survive on your own and keep a positive attitude while you do it.
I, and probably most of the guys that are current or former military, have had to eat a lot of crap during my career. But again, what job don't you? It's how you do it that matters, do you chew it or just swallow it and get it over with?
The training is top notch, and depending on what job you do, it can throw you forward in the civilian world and get you a leg up when you get out.
I can say without a doubt that I do something that makes a difference, on individual and wide scale levels. The sacrifices I've had to make in my personal life have paid off in huge returns. I get to do something I'm not only proud of, but something I absolutely love doing, and I get paid to do it.
Will you have to make sacrifices? Yes. Will it always be easy? No. Is it worth it to you and your husband? Well, that's a question only you can ask yourselves.
Just remember that not much worth doing is ever easy.
Thank you so much for your respones and info, sorry if a offended anyone.
Everyone has their own personal reasons for joining, and therefore, everyone is going to have their own personal perspectives of how life in the service is/was.
Yes, very true...I was just having a down moment and reading everyones post seemed like they havent been happy.
Um, that's more than almost any civilian job will give you at retirement. "Only" 50% is nothing to put your nose up at.
I am in no way putting my nose up I was simply asking what it meant?
The benefits are good, could they be better? Sure, can't they always? But I don't complain. Education, retirement, medical, they're all better than many civilian jobs offer.
The pay isn't bad. It can be tough for an E-1/3 to raise a family on his salary, but most in those ranks are 18 / 19 without dependants, so that's how it is set up. Once you get up in rank some, it becomes a lot easier.
This is probably my biggest concern with starting out as a E-3 and having a large family. However I am thinking positive and I am supporting my husband! I want him happy and I want him to follow his dreams. Serving is his passion and I am not going to stand in his way.
The lifestyle has its ups and downs, depending on your job and what's going on, you could be away from home a lot. I'm away from home 90% of the year, but that's my job, not all guys, most even, aren't. As a wife, you have to be independant. If your husband gets deployed, you have to be able to survive on your own and keep a positive attitude while you do it.
I, and probably most of the guys that are current or former military, have had to eat a lot of crap during my career. But again, what job don't you? It's how you do it that matters, do you chew it or just swallow it and get it over with?
The training is top notch, and depending on what job you do, it can throw you forward in the civilian world and get you a leg up when you get out.
I can say without a doubt that I do something that makes a difference, on individual and wide scale levels. The sacrifices I've had to make in my personal life have paid off in huge returns. I get to do something I'm not only proud of, but something I absolutely love doing, and I get paid to do it.
Will you have to make sacrifices? Yes. Will it always be easy? No. Is it worth it to you and your husband? Well, that's a question only you can ask yourselves.
Just remember that not much worth doing is ever easy.
Thank you so much for your respones and info, sorry if a offended anyone.
PJ24
Active member
Cadet Seaman said:
You are confusing the "Top 3" for High 3. There is no requirement of "top 3" for retirement. Everyone gets 50% of their final basic pay after 20 years, period.
MommaGof4, this link should help you understand how retirement pay works in the military.
http://www.defenselink.mil/militarypay/retirement/ad/01_whichsystem.html
AussieArmyWife
Active member
I am always surprised at the different answers you get when asking the question pro's and con's to military life. And before I get carried away in reply to some of the posts I will give you my pro's and con's on Army spouses life here in Aus.
Pro
Being part of something far bigger than ourselves!
Housing for our family.
Constant income. (you never have to worry about "shifts" ect)
Training and courses he would never get to do normally.
Hubbies health is always taken care of.
Get to move around the country and see places we may never have had the opportunity to see.
Knowing your looked after, and having a sense of security in life.
My husband has a job that he knows makes a difference. (Although, he is currently a pay clerk and may never see active combat, he knows that by making sure that the guys who are, get there money and entitlements and looks after the guys families, will give those guys a better chance to do their jobs as they dont have anything to worry about!)
cons
Spending so much time apart
Being uplifted from your families ect
Getting injured
(but you get over these thing pretty quickly!)
I think I have to agree with much of what PJ24 had to say...........
The lifestyle has its ups and downs, depending on your job and what's going on, you could be away from home a lot. I'm away from home 90% of the year, but that's my job, not all guys, most even, aren't. As a wife, you have to be independant. If your husband gets deployed, you have to be able to survive on your own and keep a positive attitude while you do it.
Your right, but I also understand where MommaGov4 is coming from too! As miltary spouses we too have a tough job. And for the majority of us, we knew and understood what roles we have to play when our men signed up! But in saying that, it dosnt make our job any easier. I think all military spouses who stick with there "serving" partners thoughout the thick and thin of their careers are commendable! As a spouse and on the behalf of others ive spoken to on this issue, we all love, admire and are very proud of what our partners do. You cant not! But the wories we have are not trivial. Most spouses go through a lot and i feel that we are all very stong! Not only are we the wives, girlfriends and husbands too, but we keep the "home fires" burning so to speak.
I know in my house, when my husband goes away on training ops or bush exercises, I have to put my feelings aside and asure him im going to miss him, but I know I cant cry and carry on. I have to go on, managing the household while he is away, bills, family, cleaning, cooking, raising a baby ect. And the added duties when they return, you still have to carry on the daily duties as well as taking care of my husband, extra work hassles, and then there is "holding your nose and trying not to gag" when he brings out all his dirty washing from his recent bush trip!! Hehehe
A lot of spouses are really tough! Many here in Aus have had their men go overseas while they were pregnant, and had to go through that experience alone. Its hard on everyone, but we all get through it! It dosnt mean that MommaGov4 wont either. I think it must be far harder on those spouses overseas where you guys are, where you or your spouses are going into REAL combat! Those spouses have to go on with their lives for sure, but they live with that constant fear that something terrible will happen to their loved ones.
I think the view from the serving member, to the spouse is very different. I almost had the opportunity to see both sides, as I had already begun my training to join the Aus Army as well. I too was looking forward to a life like my husband, but had to give up that dream when i found out i was pregnant. So my role has begun as someone who has to love and support her husband...and in a way lives through him...and has to do all that stuff in the background that keeps life running! So if and when the day comes my hubby will be deployed, he knows that life will on behind and dosnt have to worry about us.
Pro
Being part of something far bigger than ourselves!
Housing for our family.
Constant income. (you never have to worry about "shifts" ect)
Training and courses he would never get to do normally.
Hubbies health is always taken care of.
Get to move around the country and see places we may never have had the opportunity to see.
Knowing your looked after, and having a sense of security in life.
My husband has a job that he knows makes a difference. (Although, he is currently a pay clerk and may never see active combat, he knows that by making sure that the guys who are, get there money and entitlements and looks after the guys families, will give those guys a better chance to do their jobs as they dont have anything to worry about!)
cons
Spending so much time apart
Being uplifted from your families ect
Getting injured
(but you get over these thing pretty quickly!)
I think I have to agree with much of what PJ24 had to say...........
The lifestyle has its ups and downs, depending on your job and what's going on, you could be away from home a lot. I'm away from home 90% of the year, but that's my job, not all guys, most even, aren't. As a wife, you have to be independant. If your husband gets deployed, you have to be able to survive on your own and keep a positive attitude while you do it.
Your right, but I also understand where MommaGov4 is coming from too! As miltary spouses we too have a tough job. And for the majority of us, we knew and understood what roles we have to play when our men signed up! But in saying that, it dosnt make our job any easier. I think all military spouses who stick with there "serving" partners thoughout the thick and thin of their careers are commendable! As a spouse and on the behalf of others ive spoken to on this issue, we all love, admire and are very proud of what our partners do. You cant not! But the wories we have are not trivial. Most spouses go through a lot and i feel that we are all very stong! Not only are we the wives, girlfriends and husbands too, but we keep the "home fires" burning so to speak.
I know in my house, when my husband goes away on training ops or bush exercises, I have to put my feelings aside and asure him im going to miss him, but I know I cant cry and carry on. I have to go on, managing the household while he is away, bills, family, cleaning, cooking, raising a baby ect. And the added duties when they return, you still have to carry on the daily duties as well as taking care of my husband, extra work hassles, and then there is "holding your nose and trying not to gag" when he brings out all his dirty washing from his recent bush trip!! Hehehe
A lot of spouses are really tough! Many here in Aus have had their men go overseas while they were pregnant, and had to go through that experience alone. Its hard on everyone, but we all get through it! It dosnt mean that MommaGov4 wont either. I think it must be far harder on those spouses overseas where you guys are, where you or your spouses are going into REAL combat! Those spouses have to go on with their lives for sure, but they live with that constant fear that something terrible will happen to their loved ones.
I think the view from the serving member, to the spouse is very different. I almost had the opportunity to see both sides, as I had already begun my training to join the Aus Army as well. I too was looking forward to a life like my husband, but had to give up that dream when i found out i was pregnant. So my role has begun as someone who has to love and support her husband...and in a way lives through him...and has to do all that stuff in the background that keeps life running! So if and when the day comes my hubby will be deployed, he knows that life will on behind and dosnt have to worry about us.
Marinerhodes
Active member
- Job Security
- Free Life Insurance
- Free Retierment Benefits (50% at 20 years and 75% at 30 years, not to mention you can still set money aside in a 401k type plan and use it in addition to the retirement)http://www.defenselink.mil/militarypay/retirement/ad/03_highthree.html
- Free Medical
- Free or relatively free Education Benefits (I know some people who have gotten their masters at very little personal cost)
- You get to travel on the government's dime (See new places, meet new people, kill them, etc)
- Guaranteed 2.5 days paid vacation per month of active duty service starting from day one.
- More holidays off (paid) than you can shake a stick at. Put it this way, if the bank is closed then generally you are off work. In some cases even if the bank is not closed. (if you are stateside at least).
- Free Base housing. It has it's ups and downs but all in all is an ok thing I think. I just suggest you keep to yourself or keep friends in town rather than get involved in the day to day affairs of your neighbors. Sometimes it can be like Jerry Springer: The Trailer Park Episodes
- After the first term enlistment (In the Marine Corps at least) you are given your choice of duty station.
- If you get deployed to a combat zone you get extra monies and more leave time aside from your normal leave.
- If you get deployed to a non combat zone overseas you get extra pay for being seperated from your family.
There are many good things about the military. The one thing I like best is that I know I will have a job until I die or I get out. Either way my family will be taken care of.
Plus as others have said a sense of being part of something bigger. I know the Marine Corps has done me no bad turns. My wife has commented on the changes in me. Compared to when we first met and now I am almost a whole new person. I have a sense of purpose about me that was not there before.
I was divorced and apart from my children before I joined so that part is a bit hard as I can not just pack up to go see them.
I have yet to be deployed due to a PT injury. I have yet to decide if I am lucky or if I got the shaft.
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