Need some outside opinionsShould my husband leave the military and all the benefits and not worry about going?

Question

back on deployments? Or stay and we will be financially safe-but he may have to be gone? We have $10,000 in debt and a 1 year old. Hes been in 9 years. No idea where we would live/work if we get out. What would you do? He's a tank mechanic also..and I have no prior experience anywhere( except also being a tank mechanic in the army-but i dont want to do anything like that again!lol) Less than a year from getting out. And still not sure what to do

Answer 1

To start with...your husband is 'protecting' All of Us here in the US and he signed up for the job. If he didn't think he could handle it, he wouldn't be there and/they could've discharged him. The military trains All thier men and women and being a Tank mechanic in the Army won't prevent him from getting a different job when he gets out. He can become a Sheriff, work on the Police Force, work for our inland security......etc. You said you were a Tank Mechanic as well. You have Options!!! If you don't like those, got back to school and learn another trade. You can get a Pale Grant, the military will assist with your training costs....check into it. I'm 5th generation military myself. You can even take classes online if you don't have the funds for a babysitter but you guys do get allotments from him being in the Armed Forces. Check the Military Resource Guides. That will help you out. Good Luck

Answer 2

Being in the Army there is always the chance of being Killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, or somewhere else in the World. Soldiers are trained to kill People and sometimes they are Killed Horribly, and worse Tortured first and then killed perhaps have his Head Cut off by a big Knife. Can he not become a Motor Mechanic working on Cars and Trucks, with his Experience on Tank Engines he should be able to make the Transition to Cars and Trucks. Does the American Army not have a training Programme for Civilian Life.He will have to leave Eventually some time why not now. Why dont you go back to College I believe the American Army helps its Veterans in this way .Whatever you do Good Luck to you.

Answer 3

9 years in the army it's just starting to be paying off for him. I'd say depends on the man. I was married with a military for 15 years and it was his life. That was a big part of who he was as a human being and it's also where he was getting his pride as a man. I would of never ask him to get out cause of my fear. My ex also was a tank mechanical and thanks to the air force he got a free education and became a aero engineer. Use the army to the fullest, if you don't want to be a tank mechanical you can become anything you want and you get out after with a better trade. My ex did 25 years and today he works for an airport as a civilian for 3 times what the army was paying him. You have to plan for your future.

Answer 4

Surely the military can help him find a job! They won't just let him flounder around out there in the real world.

Maybe one of the two of you could consider going to college, if you haven't done that already. Military benefits are incredible nowadays...no reason to NOT take advantage of it.

As for the job issue...talk to someone on post. There is bound to be an office or person who helps with placement into a job.

Ultimately it depends upon where you want to live. That is something that will seriously impact the job and the job market you choose. You probably need to decide that first.

Good luck...and stop worrying about $10K in debt. That can be overcome in a year at a part time job....just be good to that one year old!

Answer 5

At 9 years he really needs to figure it out and soon. He needs to go talk to the ACAP people and see what his job prospects are for getting out. I know you are probably not a big fan of the deployment rate right now and with a 1 y/o who can blame you.

Staying in another 10 years is possible and getting a retirement is nice but if it is going to break up your marriage and he is going to have to pay child support for another 20 years then he needs to make some hard decisions.

If I was you I would start looking at cities with cheap costs of living. I live in Huntsville Alabama and the cost of living here is very cheap compared with other parts of the country. Prior service people are treated great and we have a ton of programs to help vets get into decent jobs. We have a program called "still serving vets" which helps employ and train vets who got out or are disabled. Has he thought about working for the people who build the tanks in the first place?

Ultimately, getting out the Army is difficult, but flexibility is key. He needs to pay off the debt and save as much as possible over the next few months and save up his terminal leave. Move to a cheap part of the country. Get a VA loan and buy a house (which requires no money down) and get a job. If he wants to take night classes at the local community college he can do it on the GIBill for extra tax-free income!! I know a few guys who do it and they pocket like an extra $500 a month just for taking two classes!

I got out of the Army and now I make more money going to school on the GIBill than I did when I was in! Feel free to contact me if you need more info. Huntsville is awesome for vets!!!! Plus lots of jobs on post. Plus BRAC is moving 4000 families to northern alabama over the next 5 years.

Answer 6

I'm the wife of a retired Marine and I truly don't understand why people on active duty seem to think they have such great benefits? Besides being able to see a doctor on base, what else is there? Yes you can go to the commissary, but that's just a drop in the bucket. The real benefit is when you retire and get that monthly check. My husband's retirement pay pays for our house. If you get out, what do you have? Nothing. If you live on base housing, it really isn't free because they take away your housing allowance. Dependants had to go out in town for dental work because the base dentists were too busy with the active duty. If he has a year left, then he has time to weigh his options and start applying for jobs in an area where you'd want to live. The Army Times or Marine Times has ads in the back of their magazine looking for servicemen to hire. My opinion is that unless you have something lined up (jobs for both of you) then you need to stay in. You knew about the deployments when you married him. And if you're not working, then get a job to help pay off that debt. There is daycare on base and the rates usually go by rank. Another option on staying in if he's tired of deployments.. has he ever thought about going on recruiting duty? It's long hours, but you're home every night and get a chance to live out in the civillian world. My husband did two tours on recruiting duty. You do get extra pay for this which would help your finances. Yes you have to go to recruiters school, but it's something to think about. So from what I'm reading, you don't have any reason to get out other than the deployments, so my opinion is to just stay in.

Answer 7

Your question is not an easy one to answer. First, don't stay for the money. The fact is that the benefits in the military are not that great as compared to good companies. For example, Microsoft has benefits for employees including tuition reimbursement and incredible health insurance. Paccar has complete tuition reimbursement and of course engines similar to tanks. The fact is that you are in a precarious situation because you did not plan. If you make a change without planning, including another committment, you will simply be in the same place. Figure out which of you will go back to school. Education is the key to everything. If you want to change your life - CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

Answer 8

Get out now!
I got out at 9 years and it was great!

There is nothing like working your butt off and actually getting overtime and promotions from it. He will also have the time to use his GI Bill for education like I did.

My brother just retired from the Navy this year and gets a measly check that won't even cover his house payment.

You and your family are more important than that line of work.
Good luck.

Answer 9

This is coming from a military wife.Stay and retire for the military. They give you great health care plan for you, husband and your child. They give you housing. You could get out of debt. It's not like your husband is on the front line. He'll be safe if he's deployed. Someone has to fight for our country you should be proud.

Answer 10

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