Comments | nollimetangere: I almost can't believe this

nollimetangere

I almost can't believe this

Apr 10, 2009 11:44

Ven and I are having soul searching conversations the past few days. He is seriously considering enlisting. This might seem hilarious to some who know my husband is incredibly lazy, but it' actually not that bizarre to me. He has mentioned it many times in the past. Some of the reasons are ( Read more... )

army

Comments 5

ladyynara April 10 2009, 17:43:03 UTC

Everyone's experience with the military is different. My hubby was in the Air Force for 4 years. He had the highest score on the tests the recruiter had ever seen. He is extremely smart, extremely good with computers. He got lumbered with "supply". He basically pushed boxes around for 4 years. He did not get separation pay, they paid us $98 each (enough for a bus ticket) when he separated to get from Utah to SC where he signed up. We had a car which they wouldn't ship, so we spent way more than $98 making the 5 day trip to SC from Utah. He had a GI bill, but because of us being the UK for so long by the time we came back it expired (although I think they changed that now), as it wasn't explained that he would have to completely use it within the 10 years. We didn't get free housing, we got zero support, the only thing we got was a donation of food from his squadron for christmas because they felt sorry for us.

nollimetangere April 10 2009, 17:47:05 UTC

When was he in the army? I think things have changed a lot the past couple of years and hopefully will get even better with Obama in charge. I talked to my friend who's husband is in his 2nd bout of training right now and she does get all those things. Her husband got to choose out of 8 jobs which one he wanted. I guess he'll have to talk to a recruiter and see whether these are all guaranteed things or not.

pinkfroggrrl April 10 2009, 17:48:32 UTC

I'm not saying it's a bad idea or knocking the military at all but some of the promises they make don't pull through.

My cousin thought he'd have his college education paid for, and it would've been if he just wanted to go to a community college. Since he went to a university, they barely paid anything towards it. My cousin was in the Marines, not sure if that makes a difference.

Also, a friend of ours was in the Army and was a paratrooper. He messed up his back jumping out of planes for the Army. He had to have back surgery and then they paid him for disability. Unfortunately, the disability pay is a total joke and he couldn't even think about living on it at all.

My cousin, whose husband was a Marine, was promised health care coverage and for some reason that was taken away from them while she was pregnant :/

But, I've also heard a lot of good stories...

goaskyourmother April 10 2009, 19:09:55 UTC

Someone on my flist's DH is in the US airforce, they are posted over here and they get £1000 a month to rent a house.

(The comment has been removed)

nollimetangere April 12 2009, 00:42:50 UTC

Anyone who signs up to the military and doesn't expect to see combat is an idiot. I mean, that's what you're there for right?

Statistically the chances of getting killed are low, but even so, he would go for a job that most likely wouldn't involve combat.

To be fair, whenever he goes out to work, I always worry he's going to get killed because he's very intolerant of other people and their stupidity so when he doesn't come home till late and doesn't call I start to worry he's punched someone for something stupid and they've stabbed him.