I am thinking of joining the military at age 39. Is that wise? Are the benefits worth it?

Answer 1

No.
Maybe.

Good luck.

Answer 2

First, the people that are telling you that you are too old are wrong. That USED TO BE the case, but the Army just upped the maximum age for joining.

As for benefits, what are your other options? NOT being sarcastic, it is just that everything is relative. If you are working on Wall Street and making $500,000 a year you are in for a heck of a pay cut. If you are from a working class area and not making a lot, you are in for a pretty sweet set up. How good anything is depends on what you are used to.

The best benefit is the college fund. The G.I. Bill is really good right now.

Your biggest challenge will probably be the physical training. If you can hack that you will be ok.

The discipline you get will help you out in the rest of your life. More importantly you will get to tell yourself that you are a soldier. You will have done something that most of your peers didn't and/or couldn't. That counts for something.

The training varies by what you get trained in. There aren't a whole lot of civilian jobs that involve shooting down airplanes or killing people in hand to hand combat. There are however a lot of Army careers that will give you training you can use on the outside.

Answer 3

Well. The Army takes people up to 42 years old. The health benefits are very good - pay ZIP for surgeries, ER visits, etc. 99% of the time prescriptions are free....(except here - where they don't hardly carry anything but motrin).

Housing is OK now also - they built a bunch of new stuff. You don't pay for electricity or water.

PX "benefit" isn't too great. It's about the same as shopping at Penneys....

Commissary - sometimes stuff is cheaper - some stuff is the same.

Pay - that's a whole different ball game.

http://www.dod.mil/dfas/militarypay/2006militarypaytables/2007_JAN-UNCAP-26YOS_PayTable_Dist.pdf

You'd come out of basic maybe as an E-2 or 3....your basic pay would be...$1458. You'd also get separate rats - at 279.88 a month. If you live on post they keep your BAH. Depending on your family size, it most likely will be cheaper for you to live on post. BAH is based on zip code - and rank. An E1 at Fort Huachuca gets 857 a month, and at Fort Bragg, it's 876.

Good luck with your decision.

Answer 4

I would have to honestly say, unless your patriotism is overwhelming (and I'm not faulting that), 39 is 'WAY too old to start in the military, particularly if you are thinking of just joining and taking whatever you get in terms of career fields. If, on the other hand, you have some unique knowledge that the military is desperate for (such as Middle-East language translation), why not give it a go. However, normally, starting at your age would be a huge disadvantage; lousy pay and you would be 60 before you would qualify for even basic 20-tear retirement. I would think it over REAL hard before deciding to join. (from a 6-year AF vet)

Answer 5

All things are relative. The benefits can be pretty good, compared to some other options. I think the biggest problem is that at your age, you've pretty much made up your mind who you are and what you can/will do. It'll be tough both physically and mentally to adjust to a military environment. It's very different from being an independent civilian. Think long and hard on this before you give yourself over. Other than that, it can be good, it can be rewarding.

Answer 6

If you want to serve there's lots of options the reserves might be a good fit if you have another job and just want to serve. a bonus is that most people in the reserves are older and more mature.
If you need the job? the family support, or the full health Insurance active duty may still be for you. don't join if you don't like to, or think you would have problems with being told what to do by some one 12 years younger then you or more

Answer 7

I wanted to join my self so at any age is good for one 39 you know a lot about life now you just have to change to military style how about family is that something you have to walk away from? theres alot you have to concider before you jump into something like that you are going to help serve your country so you need respect for your self before you take on that responsibility.

Answer 8

Approaching middle age is no time to be thinking about joining the military.The risks to your health outweighs the benefits.

Answer 9

I think its always worth it!! As far as benefits my understanding is is that you are right at cut off for retirement benefits so I would talk to a recruiter right away and get some info. Word of advice go to a office or call and don't give them your contact info till you have gotten answers you are needing, they can be like sales men at times.

Answer 10

I am in the same situation as yourself. I went to my first base at 17 and I fell in love with it. However, my parents wouldn't let me join. I went on to college and became a software engineer. Then my hubby who is also an engineer decided to go into the Army. I have been a military wife for 3 years and everyday I wish I was the one doing his job. So recently I contacted the recruiter and decided to go for it. I'm 35 and I'm not very scared of going. I feel that my maturity will help me in basic. Physically, I need to prepare beforehand, but that is even for someone 19.

As for the benefits. That depends on your situation. If you are currently working making an excellent salary with a secured pension then probably not. however, as we know from united, enron and a host of other companies pensions are not all that secure. at our age we have to work till 70 before we can retire. you can retire at 59 with the army. yeah its 20 more years of working, but its still better than being the greeter at wal-mart at 69.

Army pay sounds really really low (and it is for what they do), but its not as bad as i thought it would be. coming from my white collar world my husbands new salary scared me. but we get housing pay, food pay, uniform money and a raise every year. also, reduced insurance, banking, excellent health care for your family (the soldiers care is ok...but its perfect for the family).

there is also the sign on bonus. almost anyone should get this who passes the asvab with a decent score and picks a job the army needs u in. hubby got 20k to be truck driver (of course that's cause its so dangerous in iraq), but it helped.

i have decided NOT to do software engineering when i go in. I am also choosing not to go in as an officer. my benefits will be a sign on bonus, they are paying off my student loan, and i'll be stationed near hubby.

what is a real possibilty is iraq.nearly everyone goes now. its not nice... but its doable. the perks for iraq are the savings.. all your salary is tax free and they let you save as much money as you can and then they match it 10%. that is better than any bank i know of. hubby just got back in nov and we saved quite a bit this tour.

be prepared to be a bit isolated at first till you meet people. my husbands problem is that people his age are higher rank and those younger are immature. but we've met a few couples who are pretty close in age and are good friends. we also have more money and live better because we are older and wiser so sometimes this drives people to jealousy. however they don't realize that i can stretch a dollar a whole lot more than that a 17yr old who has never balanced a check book.

finally, this has been a great help to those who joined later. soldiers and sailors relief act. this benefit is well worth it plus the student loan factor for me. whatever you buy before joining the army is subject to this act. if your mortage is 13% then it must be lowered to 6%. reason being is that your joining the army has changed your lifestyle and is a bit of a hardship. this will change your credit cards, car, mortgage, etc.

i would suggest that if you want to buy a piece of property (perhaps a nice rental) then do so BEFORE you sign your paperwork. don't worry if the bank asks for a huge interest rate. once you fax your docs then they have to lower it.

i am not talking from some article i saw, but because i've lived it this past 3years. our car was on 1.9% interest and the other 2 paid off so we didn't benefit with that.. but did with our 2nd mortgage and some of our credit cards.

now that i am going in.. we are about to buy another property in my name so that we can do the same.

good luck in your decision...and get everything in writing. btw the army is looked as as not as prestigious, but they offer the best incentives, the air force is listed as the best and they don't offer nearly as much bonus (although their bases are better)... i don't know much about the navy, and the marines (well i think they are the better trained of them all...but also a bit crazy), so i never considered that.

Answer 11

The benefits are the worst possible reason to join.