best military branch for engineering--military pays for college

[JThiessen]

Originally Posted by FireWire79

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.

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?

[George16]

Originally Posted by JThiessen

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.

[George16]

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.

[jayjay283]

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

[George16]

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.

[t-maxxracer32]

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.

[jayjay283]

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.

[rootar]

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.

[t-maxxracer32]

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...

[jayjay283]

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

[JERRY2KONE]

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.

[George16]

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 . 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.

[jayjay283]

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

[JERRY2KONE]

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.

[George16]

Originally Posted by JERRY2KONE

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.

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 .


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.