Matt's been really thinking about joining the Air Force(not combat, like radio technician or computer due of some kind). We went over to his aunt and uncle's earlier today and he talked with his uncle who's in the Army and he was giving him the pros and cons about it all. He's really serious. I think he's going to go through with it. He's done some serious thinking and planning and he knows there are some loose ends he has to take care of before he ever made a step like that. He said if he does, it'll be within 6 months to a year and we want to get married before basic training so if he has to be relocated, I can for sure go with him. We were planning on getting married in a few years but if getting married means I will be able to be with him, I'll do it anytime if it's best. His uncle said it'd be best to get married before hand. We won't be having children while this is going on unless we have a whoops, we'dlike to travel, etc without being tied down. I'd also be getting better benefits. I still live at home, bill free and I just have medical insurance because my dads wouldn't cover me after I turned 19, and my job offers health, dental and eye insurance after you've been there for a year. Pretty gay I know. I'm turning 20 on Thursday (woohoo) and my dad's always dropping hints I can live at home forever, ha. This is definitely something I'm not againist, I just don't feel secure with the future for us (financially) and I think it'll help us alot. We'll have no bills while living on a base so we can really save alot of money. I work at a vet clinic, I love my job but if it's a choice between him and the job, it's him.
We went to see his mom today and he told her about it. She is worried about him but she said it's very admirable and she definitely wants him to be successful. I expected the opposite from her. She's always been worried about a draft and everything. I think when I tell my parents, they'll have the same reaction as Gina. Matt's dad says he'd never join the military, he doesn't want to be told when to get up, go to sleep, etc. But he contradicted himself because he used to say he wishes he had joined. It's his fatherly way of telling his son he doesn't want him to go.
You're taking a bigger risk in driving to work everyday. You just do it all the time and you don't think of danger like you do with the military, that isn't an everyday thing.
The armed forces, after 911, became the best jobs on the planet. The benefits, and breaks given to vets as homebuyers, are way better than slave wages like I get. He would be doing real well to continue education that way, also. If he is an A student in a fancy college already, it would not be a better option. But for the most part, this gov't, intent on it's own design, is at least paying well to it's inner circle...which includes the military.
My husband was in the AF for many years...college at the Academy, went on to be a pilot. We were very lucky to have a great run in the military. We had awesome assignments and the opportunity to get out at the perfect time for a civilian pilot career.
Not everyone is so lucky...the military can send you to some pretty crappy places, but the peace of mind of knowing that you have job security, insurance, housing...that's not easy to come by in the civilian world.
I wish you guys all the best no matter what you choose to do. Puttin is right..it's the marriage part that's tough
Ya, marriage is a big thing but we were going to do it anyway. I know that's what I want and I know I will get. I'm not letting him getting sent off to some strange place without me, there's no way I'd stay back so I'd definitely marry him.
He's thought about the Navy as well. It'll be good for us. He's working a dead end job that will take him nowhere so this will help him get a "swift kick in the ass" as he said. ha....his parents have already opened up to it and say it's very admirable. My mom says it's not a bad life and she thinks it'd be good for us. She probably told my dad, or will sometime.(He's in AL for work)
Nathan was in basic when we decided we wanted to get married. We knew after his training was finished he was going to Korea for a year...1 year hardship duty tour, no option of me being able to go with him regardless if we were married or not. We got married 5 days before he left and that year of him being gone was rough, basic wasn't so bad because I kept saying we weren't official, then i finally listened to my heart. Nathan's work schedule is 3 on 3 off, meaning he works 12 hours a day for 3 days then has 3 off. HOWEVER that doesn't include the hour and a half he has to go in early for PT. Every 3 months they switch from nights to days, so basically his shift is either 5:15 am-7 pm or 4pm-6:30 am roughly. when he works night I don't see him. We are getting ready to buy a house and the VA wouldn't even help us as we have no money to put down. The VA requires 3% down minimum. Even then they require mortgage insurance which adds to your monthly payment. We still had to go through a lender non VA associated. The pay isn't the greatest, we have money to play with honestly because I'm working. The experience that he getting right now pretty much guarantees a 60,000 a year job once he's out. Right now I think it's maybe 20000 that he's making. Depending on where you live you get BAH to cover rent, utilities, etc but definately around here the BAH isn't enough to cover everything its supposed to cover. I do like the little perks that we have...health insurance course, we have to go to whatever doctor is available on post (I don't like) but we dont pay anything for prescriptions. My husband gets more of the benefits than I do because he's the actual Soldier. It's definately an experience being a military wife, we've been here since July and I'm still trying to find friends that i honestly like and trust, makes for a lonely life when hubby works nights. I'm glad we've had this experience if it weren't for the military we would have never made it to the east coast. (Never mind the fact it made us talk again and realize the love was still there)
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm trying not to throw out only the negatives, as there are some perks. IE, we just got a 2nd car, have to get it tagged back home as we are still residents there and won't have to pay property taxes. But we have to worry about hurrying and getting the info mailed out yadda yadda yadda.
We are getting ready to buy a house and the VA wouldn't even help us as we have no money to put down. The VA requires 3% down minimum. Even then they require mortgage insurance which adds to your monthly payment. We still had to go through a lender non VA associated. The pay isn't the greatest, we have money to play with honestly because I'm working. The experience that he getting right now pretty much guarantees a 60,000 a year job once he's out. Right now I think it's maybe 20000 that he's making. Depending on where you live you get BAH to cover rent, utilities, etc but definately around here the BAH isn't enough to cover everything its supposed to cover.
It's definately an experience being a military wife, we've been here since July and I'm still trying to find friends that i honestly like and trust, makes for a lonely life when hubby works nights.
I am in the Navy, have been for six years. I'm a linguist, in a shore billet, so I've never deployed to another country, never been on a six month ship deployment, etc. I have loved my time in service. Absolutely loved it. They Navy pays 100pct for college classes I want to take, I have earned over fifty credits just in the education/training I've received from the military, and have another 35k or so waiting for me when I get out, to finish my BA, or to even get my master's.
I think the military is a wonderful idea. I can't imagine it's easy for military wives, though. I see my male co-workers have to struggle to explain why they cant be home, why they have to go in at midnight, why they have to do pt, etc, etc, and a lot of them get frustrated at trying to balance the two, home life, and military life. I have seen a lot of very understanding, proud wives, and I have seen a lot of disgruntled, angry and dissatisfied wives. Just know going into this that it's not all glamour and glory. A lot of the work your soon to be hubby will be doing is behind the scenes, tedious, and tiring, and he will not ever be appreciated for it the way he should be. You then, will be there to make up for that for him. You can appreciate him, and be patient and understanding with what he will be dealing with on a regular basis.
Make SURE that he finds a reliable recruiter, and as you said, he's researching everything, but certain jobs = certain duty stations, period. And if you have a preference on where you guys would like to be stationed, I'd suggest looking at those career fields.
I have to cut this shorter than I wanted it to be, but I'l pop back in a bit later.. the reason I quoted the above, is because I have used the VA to purchase two homes now, and they require 0pct down, and there is no PMI attached, as long as your credit is within the limits that they set.
And I quoted the second part, because I personally thank you for your sacrifices to this country, through you husband's serving it. I applaud you.
Thanks DooknDokkermom. :) When we went over to his uncles place this weekend (he's in the army) his wife told him to make sure he told Matt to tell him not all positive things, but the negative as well. I've thought about those too so I know it won't always be great but I just think the benefits he can get will help us alot. Neither of us feel too secure about the future right now because he's working a dead end job and I'm just part-time at an animal clinic. I know if we needed the money I'd definitely get a 2nd job or get a better full time job. I still live at home so I'm getting the chance to save alot up. My mom and dad drop hints that I can stay as long as I want, ha.
His uncle and friend have told him to avoid the Army for very good reasons so that's a no no for him. He'll work hard to try and get into the Air Force. They're all talk right now about the education requirements because everyone's desperate for people at this time, so his uncle told him not to worry(He knows since he's been in the Army for 4 years). All of the info's written at a 6th grade level, so education doesn't need to matter that much. If you pass the aptitude test with a good score, that shows you're intelligent and if you make it through basic, it shows you have discipline.
We applied to the VA and they didn't even get back to us :( *shrug* Did I come off sounding horribly negative...darnit...I was trying not to. I hate it when I re-read my stuff and I sound like such a snot. There are definately some perks...I'm glad my husband will be able to finish the schooling that he's so long wanted to finish once he's out of the military. If we had been able or thought about it sooner we would have tried to put him through now since the military will pay it if he passes (if i remember right) and then I would be able to use the GI bill, but I'm glad that its still there for him to use. I am glad I got to spend some time down in Georgia, so I could see how hot it really was and that when people around here say "Dam it's hot and it's only 75 degrees, i can say go to Georgia in April or May, walk outside and be covered in sweat" I do have troubles with our housing (living on post right now) and the attitudes of people there....for granted its through a contractor not military anymore. But thats another gripe
Dook a lot of info we found said it required a 3% down, but I knew there was talk about changing it. (guess we didn't qualify, big surpise trying to get hubby's credit fixed from way back when) You reminded me that I was wrong, that was the benefit of VA they didn't require PMI. DUH ME! Thanks for reminding me on that.
It is hard work being a military wife, but I think of every day that I get to see my hubby sleeping or passing through and then think of me back in KS without him....I'd rather the hectic schedules occasional banter/bickering with him then having him overseas or not together at all.
Guess I can thank the military for even bringing us back together, huh?
lol, I dont think you sounded like a snot at all.. though I was sitting here giggling when I read that sentence. I still thank you and your husband for the sacrifices :) That was the important point in quoting what you wrote, and to thank Heff for even considering it.
where'd you come off as being a snot? I didn't see it at all! :) The negatives are a good thing to know about, I know it won't all be positive but I know they're will be some perks. I can't wait for our lives to change. His job will take him nowhere so I'm glad to see a change. He said for some reason, he's very serious this time about the military.
