best military branch for engineering--military pays for college
 

wutsup guys.

some of you know that i am getting ready for my big college move and ive been thinking more and more about having to pay for my college and all that crap that comes with it.

couple weeks ago i thought about having some military branch pay for it.

i really dont know much about it except for they pay for the college then you are with them for 4-5 years after.

i dont think ill join the army or marines but possible the air force or navy.

honestly i do not want to be deployed. i have heard that certain branches, certain jobs will have a high % of not going out to fight.

i realize that with an engineering degree i wont be the front lines but i would still prefer not to have to leave. yes i am a pussy for thinking this but o well.

so wha do you guys think would be best for an engineer. computer or electrical probably.

anyone have any type of thoughts about this whole "pay for college" deal.?

any input would help out a lot!

thanks!

might have just pissed off some of the military guys. You want all the positives but none of the negatives. I understand what you're asking, but did you read what you wrote? I think you should just pay for college, and call it a life lesson.

As a former air force recruit I'd say air force but I think navy would be a good option too except for the possibility of serving months at a time on a ship or sub. Also, I believe all the services have research facilities. If you were able to get into one of those it'd be very unlikely you would be anywhere close to combat.

Some close family members of mine have been in the army for about three years(not exactally sure what branch) and have yet to be deployed. He is dealing with tanks and the computer systems on them. I write to him every now and then and he says he loves it and would reccomend it.

If I could go back and do it over again, I would go this route.

That being said, it is a commitment of the highest level. On one hand, I dont know if you have what it takes to make a commitment like this, but on the other hand, it may be the best thing that could happen to you. The military has made great men/leaders out of people who would otherwise have been some of societies lesser individuals.

From my understanding, if you go through college on a GI bill (ROTC), once you graduate you are put into the service as an officer, or at least into the officer training ranks. You do your grunt work on weekends/summers while you are in school. As far as being deployed, that is completely up to the military. You do not get a say in it one way or another. You do what is needed, no questions asked.

Get the specifics from one of your local recruiters.

Yeesh...I don't think I have ever seen anyone write something like that in public.:whip: You are dead right brother-no doubt it did piss off some of the former/current military guys. Somebody needs to study up on the Spartans or at least watch the movie 300. I spent six short years in the Marines and I did it because I wanted to serve...no other reason to join or even bothering to go to see a recruiter if you ask me. I will say this...I did also take advantage of the academic education benefits (I make a distinction by using "academic" because everyday in the service of the country was a practical learning experience). I ended up getting a BS and MA degree...I completed some academic classes while serving. The US Navy nuclear program probably has what he is looking for. Although...as others have already pointed out...it requires dedication and instant willingness to make the commitment.

IMO if your are questioning yourself (calling yourself a pussy) the military probubly isnt the right choice for you. If you have a problem with being told what to do and being organized you will have a problem, I do believe the military is good in teaching leadership and team work. I have seen different employers like to hire former military....

Man, where to start. The military is a great way to pay for college, and there is lots of money to be made there, believe it or not.

You have a couple options. First is ROTC, second is Student Loan Repayment option, and third is Green to Gold.

First option, ROTC. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is an entry level military program that will train you to lead soldiers on and off the field. As an officer you will learn to deal with things like logistics, personnel, and financial management, on top of the duties that you are trained it. You will spend 4 years in college as an ROTC student and when you graduate you are committed to four years in the military. As a 2LT (second lieutenant) you will be given control of a platoon, approximately 20-40 experienced soldiers who will work with you as you further your leadership abilities. You will also make about twice as much as them, and still get 100% health and dental along with $500K in life insurance. Many officers spend an long time in the service, and I will cover that at the end.

The second option is the Student Loan Repayment option. You enlist in the Military after you have completed college and you forgo an enlistment bonus to have the US Government pay off your student loans. You will again be obligated to four years of service, but after this you are free to leave.

Green to Gold is another option, however it will not cover your student loans. You will instead go from becoming an enlisted soldier to being an officer. You will have earned the respect of your fellow soldiers when you gain your commission. This will obligate you to at least an additional four years, after you have already served about four years. This doesn't really help cover your college costs, but you can use your GI bill to pay for your Green To Gold schooling.

If you are young, please listen to what I am about to say. I can make you rich by serving in the Army. I am 30 years old, and if someone had showed me this when I was your age, I would be a lot better off right now.

Lets say you go to college for 4 years. You come out with $50k in student loans. You enlist into the Army and get no signing bonus, but since you went to college you are an officer. A first year officer makes $2600 a month, before additional allotments are added in. So per month, just out of college you are making around $3k, for a total of $36 a year. Not bad, not great either. Now in order for this to work you need to do twenty years of service. I know that's a lot but you will be 42 years old (18+4yrs college+20 years Army=42) An officer that has been in for 20 years should be a Lt. Col or above by that time. Base pay for a LTC with 20 years in is, $8000 a month, plus additional allotments and inflation, figure around $10k per month in twenty years.

That comes out to $120k a year at 42 years old. Ask around, that is really good money.

Now get out of the Army. After twenty years in you get to retire with half your pay for the rest of your life. That is $60k a year, guaranteed, for the rest of your life, and that's not even including any 401k that you may have setup. You are 42 years old. Get another job for 20 years. You'll be 62 this time. You will retire again, and get a second retirement package. Lets say you were getting $60k before, plus $40k a year from your retirement package. You are now making $100K a year, retired earlier than all your friends.

$100k a year, retired. That is fantastic money. I can go on and on about the Army, as I am serving right now, but if you join, you will see the other perks firsthand. People will respect you. Friends will always be there for you. You will be a member of a time honored corp. This things are priceless. People literally kill for them, and you get them for free. All you have to do is give a little time to the country.

As for getting deployed, there is another long and glorious speech that goes with that, but I am late for lunch and a movie.

Seriously, think about what I said. Older adults, look at these numbers and tell this kid that this is a lot of money.

that does sound good.....and I do agree if that was explained to me like that when I was 18 I would have served...my boss is a former Marine, he was a gunny sergearnt and was offered early retirement after 16 yrs of service, and he started getting his monthly reirement checks as soon as he retired ($1600 a month)

We should kick the crap out of you Ryan. Not because you don't want to die on a front line somewhere in this world. Nobody wants to die, but for calling yourself a pussy. If the time came and you refused to serve. Then you would be a pussy you communist pig! The majority of the men and women in the military were all feeling the same as you before they joined up. I don't know how many joined because they want to be on the front line and increase the odds of death. I don't think you pissed off the amount of military personel as some think. I didn't read anything in there that said you wouldn't serve if you had to be deployed. I also didn't get the impression that you were expecting a hand out from the military. As you know the military isn't going to pay for your college. You are going to earn it.




Fireware79 almost had me walking out the door to go sign up. A little old now and they didn't approve of my juvinelle record the first time I tried. Turned out fine and still got to serve my country outside of the Military. You are are on the right track everyone needs to research all their options. Military can be very rewarding and I can't add anything to the above. I can say I have respect for those that have served thier country. Some good money can be made and that is a good retirement plan set up. I don't think you ever have to worry about getting layed off either.


On the other hand if you are just a momma's boy. The military will fix that. I've seen a few kids go in with little confidence and pussy mentality. All have them came out as men.

Firewire seems to know the deal, but heres my experience... 2 of my friends went in to the military right out of high school. 1 went in the army for 2 years and learned GPS on tanks or something and got $25K from the GI bill and had to work a bit but Graduated from ASU. My other buddy went into the Marines for 4 years and spent his days drinking beer on a beach in the Phillipines, he got 50k from the GI bill and graduated from UCLA. Either way they came out better men and had college money. I almost think everyone should go into the miltary, I didnt because as you, I didnt want to get shot. But after living in Manhattan during 911 I have severly changed my mind about that. Now im too old and out of shape, but I still have 20/20 vision and can shoot a gnats wing off at 300 yards. Maybe someday they will need me lol

Good info Firewire - and I agree that being able to retire with military benefits at 42 would be a wonderful thing. I'm 42, and would be looking at that right now.....DAMN!

But..... your math tends to be "round up optomistic" - very similar to how my ex-wife miltary brat did her finances.......what are these magical "additional alotments"??

I had been in the Navy for almost 18 years. I did all the grunt work even with my engineering degree because I enlisted. I could not join as an officer due to not being a US citizen at the time. If I had to do it all again, I'll make sure I go through one of those officer programs.

Since you're a pussy, the Air Force is your best option :rofl:. You will not last long in the Navy with that kind of attitude or at least I'm hoping that the Navy will toughen you up after experiencing some deployments. You don't get to go on ships or subs with the Air Force. Deployments in the Navy are hard. Nonetheless, don't let those obstacles prevent you from achieving your goals.

Go officer through the ROTC program. You'll get to learn what you like and then serve after wards. Length of service after ROTC depends on the service you go into.

Edit - With this economy right now, more and more people are joining the military. In fact, in the Navy, the amount of enlistment bonuses had gone down for some skills.

I may be a bit of an ass sometimes, but my statements always bring out great debate!

I'm a non-conformist, and knew the military would never be for me. I wish I would have just conformed, and served my country. I would have gained pride, a sense of self accomplishment, helped my fellow man and be better off financially.

tmaxxracer32- you read what everyone has to say, I say if you think you can hack it, you won't regret it.

Magical Allotments to include:
Basic Allowance for Substance (BAS): $300 a month for groceries
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): $900-1200 a month for rent/mortgage (varies w/ area)
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA): $200-400 a month cost of living adjustment for personnel living overseas (as things just cost more over there)
Specialty Pay: $50-100 a month for additional special training (Paratrooper, Drill Sergeant, Recruiter etc...)

There are more, but those are the most common.

Those allowances sure do add up real nice.

Since the dollar is so weak against the yen, my COLA had increased nicely. Free housing while renting out my house in Florida, $550 sea duty pay etc etc. too.

So everyone gets the first two? Assuming one is living stateside, and you've purchased your own house, you'd be getting a stipend of up to 1500 a month for housing and food? How about if you choose base provided housing? Just curious.......
I figured there would be something for the last line. Just didnt know about the first two. Is all of that taxed?

JT, yes you will get the housing and subsistence allowance while living in your own house depending on the cost of living in your stateside duty station . However, you'll lose the housing allowance if you live in a military housing facility but still keep the subsistence allowance.

Military allowances are not taxable, only the base pay.

Overseas is different.

I dont know the rules but mention the getting married part, My bro married a girl and they tossed him enough rent to live in a sick big house off base

Oh yeah, higher allowances money for people who have dependents compared to without. Payscale for allowances are divided in 2 categories; with dependents and without dependents.

reason for the whole "pussy" comment is because i figured some of you guys would say im a little sissy lala for caring so much about deployment. i was just saying that i realize im not being a man about it.

if i joined and they said i hadda be deployed of course i would go and serve.

firewire you would make a great recruiter.

i think i will attempt to talk to one in the next couple weeks.

also, i am hoping to be retired by 45 and stop working then. i may be too bored with that, but i wanna retire making around 40-50k and travel the world.

i appreciate everyone commenting on how they see the issue.

Sounds nice man, I retired at 32 from tech stocks and my mothers life insurance, but I think im going to have to get a job again or buy a trailer and a dirt lot LOL dont count on anything. You're no pussy I know what you meant. Get a college education only thing that has me a back up plan. A B.S. "BullS**t" in Marketing I can get a sales job anywhere. If i was say 19 again Id enlist in the marines. Option B. is you can start work now at a fortune 1000 company and get on ther Masters program. God knows if it will pan out in this enconomy though.

would did you make on the asvab? honestly i wouldnt really consider it for your purpose unless they WANT you because it sounds like you are going in on the wrong reasons, the navy, airforce, and marines absolutely drove me up the wall trying to recruit me i honestly considered what they had to say but it just wasnt for me, im not really a team player..... i made a 92 on my asvab btw sad thing is only 10 out of 90 that took it made above a 40 at my school, i think 33-35 is average ..... i dunno i thought it was common sense.

i was in the 90s if i recall.

i had so many dang recruiters up on me after the testing it was ridiculous.
never talked to any of them...

Some of the/if not the finest men/women to represnt America came out out of the Military. I wouldn't ever think because you are "smart" or got good scores you shouldn't join. Offer what you have or get your free ride to Harvard smarty pants and be a liberal whiner LOL JMO

Happy times.
 

Glad that I caught this thread. I just read through the whole thing and it looks like some of you guys have covered a lot of info for him. FIrewire seems to have done his homework and if you really want to go in I suggest that you do yours before you sign on the dotted line. George16 is still serving and can probably give you some first hand advice. The others seem to have your best interest in hand, but the bottom line is that you have to make decisions that will ultimately affect the rest of your life. If this is truly something that you think you might want to do, then talk with the recruiters and take in whatever information and advice they have to give you. It is free and most of the time from the heart. Please note that they are no different then you local car salemen and have one goal in mind. That is to close the deal and get you to sign on the dotted line.

Now that being said I can give you some real world advice. I joined the US Navy in Feb/77 when I turned 18. For me it was a life or death situation and I was heading down a road to self destruction. So joining the service was an easy choice for me, and I knew from day one that 20 years was my goal. Still I did my research and made the best choice for me. Going to college was not for me either, because I am a natural born craftsman andlove working with my hands. I retired in May/99 and have not looked back on any of it. I had a ball nearly every day of my career, and I do not regret one minute the decision that I made at 18. I see so many young men and women wasting their time trying to figure things out like they have a life time to decide. The more time you waste thinking about it, the more time you waste doing what you need to do. That is making your life the best that it can be.

I could fill volumes telling you stories good and bad about my experiences, and I do share that with my kids and friends alike. I retired at 38 collecting nearly $2000 a month every month since that day for doing absolutely nothing. This of course is not enough to live the kind of life that I want so I tried working in the civilian sector for a while, but private companies have no respect or interest in taking care of thier people no matter what they tell you. And 3rd shift just sucks if you have a family or want a life outside of work. If you really want further advice I would be happy to talk with you about your options. Life is too short to sit around figuring it out. Get off of your butt and get moving. The train is moving. Are you going to get onboard and enjoy the ride or sit by watching everyone else do it for you?

Sincerely Jerry Hill US Navy(retired) US Embassy Seoul, Korea.

Glad you chimed in here Jerry.

For the record, recruiters are not 100% truthful. They will fill you in with sweet talk and exxagerate the positives but don't even tell you about the negatives. That's how I end up with so many frustrated sailors in the ship once they get shipped out after completing their boot camp. Firewire can be a good recruiter just by reading his post. All positive and no negatives. I just can't do that :angel::angel:. I had talked to many sailors working for me and just get dumbfounded of the misinformation they receive during the recruitment process.

Anyway, talk to one of the recruiters. Contact a ROTC liaison officer in the school of your choice, talk to them, and go from there. Put down in writing all the things they'll tell you and post it here or send me a pm. I'll be more than willing to help you. In the Navy, Chiefs(E-7 to E9s) are the backbone. We train junior officers and enlisted sailors while giving advise to senior officers.

yeah 50k for college $5g to sign up enough beer money to keep you tilted 14 sheets to the wind, sunshine and roses, hell week and getting 30 mile grunt humps.. In the end you as a 18 year old retard as the 2 I live with will come out understanding what the hell I meant when I say things like watch your brothers back hes the only one who loves you. I dont man Im old and have a pistol


that makes no sense as usual, I have 2 nephews living with m,e not my kids, but they are now, and 1 is very interested in the Army, 1 is so dumb (but pretty) you could cut logs on his head and they fight constantly and have alot or bb guns, air softs chinese swords and crap, I have so many cuts on me and BB holes from stopping their tiff fights

Even more so.
 

Most young kids have no idea what they want or what to expect from something like the military. Sit down and really think about what it is you hope to accomplish during your lifetime and how you can go about getting yourself there. Wirte down some notes for you to feed off of during your conversations with recruiters or whoever. The military in general can be a very good stepping stone for anyone who wants to get moving into any field. You can do 4 years and get some good training and also work on advanced educational areas at the same time. Plus acquire the opportunity to earn money for follow on education. It is the only place left in the working community where you can get full pay while you are going to school, plus free food and a roof over your head. Like it was stated earlier it is not for everybody, but I can garuntee you that teh military can help anyone become something to be proud of. I was a boot camp drill instructor for 5 1/2 years at the Orlando Naval training center right up until it was closed in the mid 90's. I have seen people of all ages from all over the world trying to make their lives better by entering the military, and it is not always what people expect it to be. The bottom line is that you have to decide wheather or not to make the sacrifices needed and make it work for you. There are no refunds, no returns, and getting out is not as easy as some people think until you complete your obligation. So think carefully about what you want from it and do your best no matter what it is that you end up doing. Go Navy. Oh and not all recruiters are honest. Not everyone will be as up front as you were Lito. Omission is a lie no matter how you explain it.

most young kids these days have the mentality of a 12 year old when they graduate at 18 or 19. I wont even start whining about the crap thats being petitioned at the schools these kids go to about weird hippy teachers telling them "fooked" up stuff. Makes me puke... whats your high score on world of warcraft cretins

That's the main reason I can't be a Navy recruiter. I was told I was too honest and upfront that the Navy might run out of money for the sign-up bonuses, schools, and advance training my recruits will get :lol::intello::lol:.


I joined the Navy in the Philippines when the Navy base was still open. It was a hard process compared to what recruiting is in the US. Out of the 1500 who took the initial exam, only 18 of us made it to San Diego for bootcamp. I was already in college at the time so the ASVAB was a joke. It was for high school kids. Nonetheless, I scored a 98 but can't go into Nuclear school, officer programs or advanced technical fields because I was not a US citizen.

I don't regret anything though. I'm happy that I reached my goals while in the Navy. Free education and the ability to have my kids use my G.I. Bill entitlements is a very big plus. Besides, the Navy gave me the opportunity to get another college degree for the cost of my books.

My two cents.. :whistle:

There was article I was reading a few days ago about recruiters, it involves extremely long hours (10-15hrs a day), you get beat up by the parents and have your boss's yell at you for not be able to recruit / meat your quota when we are in what 2-3 wars now:neutral:

It’s a HIGH suicide rate job :surprised:(PLEASE DONT DO IT)... :no: in the last few months more than (5) recruiters took their own life!???

AGAIN DONT DO IT!..

I need to read everything here and I know Jerry wrote somthing up, I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say!.. he's the MAN, He's been in for the last 25+ years (i think).. ASK HIM!!! he'll tell you the truth (good or BAD)..

just admit it Shaun youre scared to get a cap in the belly. Its cool I admitted it lol I see one homie drop and its on though

Go navy
 

Yea there have been a lot of laws and rules that prevented people from doing what they wanted to do in teh military. When I joined in 1977 there was a federal law in place that stated juvenile court records had to be destroyed in order to protect their adult future and give them a second chance so to speak. That was the only reason that I was able to get in. Now with kids doing things like murder, and armed robbery they have to keep those records open for gaging future career criminal behavior. Some of the rules protecting military entrance seem foolish, but most are there to protect our nations security.

Yea they wanted me to be a recruiter as well, but I can not tell people lies just to sell them on a life altering decision because of reaching quotas. I believe in Americans supporting our country by serving in some sort of goverment service as a stepping stone. Here in Korea it was manditory when you turned 18 to serve in either one of the military srevices or the police force for two years as a means of proving your allegence to the country. It helps the young people appreciate the law from the perspective that they are there to protect not only their country's interests, but their families well being. This in turn keeps families less likely to engage in criminal activities,because everyones child must serve. That is why Korea has one of the lowest crime rates in the world considering the size of it's population and space available. The compulary laws have been suspended for now due to governmental changes.

I know hearing some of the crapp kids are doing these days that I believe in everyone serving at age 18 or enrolling in college. Either way they will be doing something productive while trying to figure out what to do with their lives.

Here you GO.. Bottom lined from JERRY for you!.. :whistle:

Best of luck in what ever you decide sir!..

P.s.
Jay, you can shoot a nat ass at 300 yards haaa..:whistle::lol:


That's impressive!.. :intello: I'm your freind rite :rofl::rofl:

I can tell BS from a mile away man thats why I was in sales, can't sell a seller. After 911 though I was like what can I do. Im in Manhattan getting possibly murdered and they told me im too old and fat LOL ...SO I moved to long Island

Id never shoot any of you....unless the money was right

Noooo I'm 41 years old now :gasp: :lol:, my glory days are all far behind me :yes:.. but I'll back anyone who stands for the (truth, justice and the American way) :angel:

:na::na: :rofl::rofl::rofl:

lol mee too I can sit infront of a soldier and probably take 45 rounds as a death dummy while they do their job, guess me and my beer did theirs

You guys crack me up. Shoot the wings of a nat's ass at 300m, sounds about right. As for me being a recruiter, never, I learned the facts because I am still in. If I had known before I got in, I would have made a different choice and gone to college, then the Army.

Such is life.

I am currently serving stateside, Army, that's why I know so much now. I tell all my little soldiers to go OCS or Green to Gold, or Warrant. I want to help these young kids succeed like crazy. Some of them are dumb as rocks and they love the Army for it. They don't need to think. Do what someone else tells you all day long and your fine. (The funny part is, that's the gist of real life to, just we do it in uniform.)

I still know the bad side of Military service, the stuff that no one talks about, I just haven't had to deal with it, yet. Deployment, not that bad. Having your wife cheat on you while you are 12k miles away, bad. Getting moved every couple of years, not that bad. Watching your kids lose all their friends every couple of years because you are changing duty stations, bad. Getting killed while fighting for your country's freedom, not that bad, kinda good actually. Getting killed in a training accident because some dumb 22 year old officer thought he knew better than you and you've been in for 10 years, bad.

For the most part the military is not that bad, not that much different than real life, just a little harder. But you get what you put in, and what ever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Just remember that real life is hard, no matter what job you have, Army, Navy, Mechanic, Doctor, Lawyer, Account. You just get one big perk in the military, the people you work with will die for you. Do you think the guy at Arby's will take a bullet for you? Well? Do ya?