What are the specific benefits of joining the U.S. military?

a-mazed

Afforded a provisional security blanket (like mom and dad's) -
Increased possibility of exiting life, before experiencing old age -
Becoming a decorated hero is a good possibility -
Opportunity to live life handicapped -
Opportunity to learn and play war, pain, killing, death -
Guaranteed real estate plot in National cemetery -

Specifically, there are a lot of benefits of joining the military. The big questions are, where are you looking to be in life, and what are you looking from the military?

As for me, I joined because I was headed nowhere in life. I was 18, living with my parents, not going to school, and there just wasnt anything keeping me back from a great professional opportunity.

So, specific benefits, eh? Well here are just a few:

Education
You will learn a specific trade that will not only be valuable when youre in the military, but long after you've explored a career outside of it as well. Add on the Montgomery GI Bill and (for me) the Navy College fund, and you have an ADDITIONAL 30K to further your education and complete a degree.

Travel
In the 8 years I was in the Navy, I have been all over the world. England, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Dubai, Bahrain, Canada, Key West, and the Virgin Islands. It was a life experience and I wouldnt trade it for anything in the world.

Pay
Though the pay isnt the best, it is getting better from what I hear. The military was losing too many people due to outside companies offering a lot more money for the same jobs. I was an Infomation Systems Technician. When I got out, I immediately got a job paying over 70K a year (as apposed to the 30K or so I was making with the Navy).

Medical/Health
It's free! All around. You need lasik eye surgery? Sign up, its yours to take advantage of. Need to quit smoking? They will gladly help. Have a family (wife, children)? They're covered too!

Housing
You and your immediate family are going to have a roof over your head(s). You can even choose what would be best for you. There is base housing, which are similar to condos. Usually pretty nice. Or, you can opt to get a place outside of base, and the military even pays you a Housing Allowance to help pay the rent (sometimes it pays a huge portion of the rent, and sometimes it may pay it all and then some). Housing allowance is determined by your pay grade, whether youre single or have a familiy, and the area of the country in which you are stationed.

Work Ethic
And last but not least, you get a very valuable work ethic. Companies usually love hiring Veterans because more times that not, the will dress nicer, respect their boss more, be ontime...all the time, and make sure the job is done right.

Hope that helps you a little. I loved my time in the service even though I was only in for 8 years. 20 full years of service just wasnt for me, and may or may not be for you. If you have no other direction in life, though (scholarship, great job out of high school,...) then you may want to consider it. Im certainly glad I did.

P.S. Stay away from the Admirals daughter. I know she's hot, but seriously, its not worth it. Trust me on this one...

JistheRealDeal

Mongomery GI Bill which will help pay over $900 dollars a month towards college as long as one is enrolled full time.

Decent pay with FREE housing, dental, medical, gym membership. Extremely cheap life insurance.

Grocery store and PX privelages which offer much cheaper prices than typical commercial outlets.

No sales tax on military bases.

Ability to save alot of money since most everything is paid for.

Free job speciality training and many other training opportunities learning many new valuable skills.

Serving the country

Learning discipline, respect for authority, leadership, and team work.

Working with a highly diverse group of people from all walks of life, races, and ethnicities.

Opportunity to travel and live in many exotic places on the government's money

30 days of paid vacation each year! Totally unheard of in any other job market.

Retirement after 20 years earning monthly paychecks of
1/2 your final monthly salary.

crude_oil

You may get the chance to kill some Muslim extremists.

The GI bill will get you some money for college. You can go to college cheaper while you are serving. You can get a zero down VA loan to buy a house. You can retire after 20 years. You will learn how to fire an M-16. You can learn a trade. You learn discipline, responsibility, and meet some interesting folks.

johnson4730

The Montgomery GI Bill, its free money for college.

Navy college fund or other armed forces college fund, provides more education money.

Choice of job specialty, gives youngers a boost and a trade.

Instills values and maturity in youth.

mediocre pay, but everything is provided the government will hold your hand.

choice of great travel locations, I saw Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle east in 5 years. I even got to live in Italy for 2 years.

oldhippypaul

I joined the Army when I was 17. I got my high school diploma while I was in. I was in Nam but was not hurt. Most people who go into combat are not. The training as a medic that I was given allowed me to go on into nursing when I got out and end up with a degree as an RN. The military was a very positive experience for me even during a time when we were fighting a war that I disagreed with. I have also found that people with military experience do better in the workforce.

Erin P

none. they throw money in your face when you sign up, but they treat you like f*ing crap. my brother was in the army, and went to iraq for 16 months. he had to pay a monthly fee for food at the barracks even while he was overseas. he had to pay for his own health insurance, 100%, just because he wasnt married.

the army is crap. whenever bush is thrown out of office, it hopefully gets better.

bhcky79

You may have the opportunity to go to war.

mayday003

You get free health benefits all of them even the small stuff like dermatology. It is a great stepping stone for when you go back to the civilian world if you decide to. (Depending on what job you choose within the military) also a lot of companies will hire a veteran a lot faster than they will other possible candidates. You can get very valuable training that you can use to make money, and that costs a lot outside. And you can go to college for free if you don't already have a degree or you can go for a fraction of the cost to get a masters. There are a lot of perks.

iknowtruthismine

Great lay-away plan after fighting to line the pockets of corporate America.

thy1

You get to learn how to fight and drive a car and shot a gun.

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mike b

they will pay you to kill people sounds good to me

paxman

tons of money, u get to travel and u can retire after 20 years! if u survive that long.

Hando C

everyone gets their own benefits out of a military service. for myself I got to see the world and got my hands into good technology that I used in civilian life. I'm not going to stand here like a military tv commercial..but its what you make of it.

proud mom of 2 girls

30 days vacation a year paid (with exceptions), education benefits that are next to none, training in the field of your choice, medical benefits that cost you nothing, free housing, the list goes on and on. College credits for military service, etc. etc. etc.
Most importantly, the feeling you get when you say, "I was in the military. I defended my country without expecting anything in return". That is a great feeling.
If you are up to a challenge and have the intestinal fortitude, go for it!! I loved the military, and encourage anyone who has guts or who wants to gain some self discipline to join the military.

gregory_dittman

Regular pay
free housing
free clothes
free food
retirement pay
free medical
free training
money for college
free air travel wherever a military aircraft goes
some free entertainment
free gym (people pay a lot of money to exercise)

dahfna

Nothing that compensate rinsking your life for politics in an unjust war.

Vosot

You can protect your country, pay for college and retire in 20 years with half your pay for life. Full pay if you stay in 30. Good luck!

loreric

You don't have to worry about the draft.

W0LF

You can travel the world and shoot interresting people. Other than that all other benifits are dubious. Even your pay seems to be uncertain from what Army families tell me. The traing in the army is typically on technology that's 5 years old or highly specialized non-civilian hardware and software. I don't know anyone who's ever gotten GI bill grants for college successfully. I do know that most vetrans own homes and get favorable financing through the government.

Ex Air Force/Navy

It makes you happy when you get out.

sam

no idea...sorry

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