Good afternoon all! Long day today. Had to be at work at 1 am. My workload got reduced by about 80 percent so it was worth it. Getting ready to fall asleep and wanted to see what everyone was up to.

Good luck with the Navy East. I worked with a lot of those guys down in Cuba and I have a lot of respect for them. What job series are you looking in to? Most of the MA's were pretty laid back but the BM's hated their job.

 

Afternoon all,

East, good luck with the Navy bro. Be prepared to be sleep deprived. Glad things are working out with your rides....

Miller, what's your MOS? I'm a medic out here at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. Getting out in 5 months tho. I've done 8 years, I'm over it.

 

I agree, it is quiet today. Where's teacher? Did they kidnp him and take him where space is?
Looks like were gonna have to go recon to save them both now.

Im having a good day today... gotta clean the apartment get ready to go out of town next week.

 

Thanks for the luck guys, definitely appreciated. I'm currently aiming for Air Traffic Control, but that's liable to change based on ASVAB scores and availability (the field is overmanned). There's a couple other professions depending on how I do on the test that I have in mind. I'm not too worried about the test as I have a couple years of college and have taken both my SAT and ACT and scored pretty well, but I'm touching up some on some math and I've been reading a lot on electronics. So we'll see I guess. I'd ideally like to join the Air Force (I have a couple of friends in who like their jobs, one is a load master the other a meteorologist), but the incentives outweigh that branch in comparison to the Navy due to government funding and I shouldn't have to wait as long to ship out to boot camp (In 07 the AF was cut on personnel funding.) Benefit programs for home loans and retirement (after 20 yrs) never hurts to have either.

CLRP (College Loan Repayment Program) will cover my entire college debt (assuming a 6/2 contract) in the Navy, but I will have to fore-go the post 9/11 GI bill. Incentive bonuses for the college credits I have exist in the Navy, while they are absent in the Air Force. If I score well and get into an advanced technical career field the bonus system is pretty generous, not to mention the training usually costs an arm and a leg in the civilian world and is pretty much free there.

With all that said, I've always wanted to serve my country and I definitely can't wait. I'm hoping everything works out at MEPS, I've been conditioning over the summer running about 6 miles a day during the week (I know I won't have to reach that physical standard in boot camp, but it doesn't hurt) and lifting, etc.

It's definitely good to see others here in the military, how has it been for you guys?

 

I don't know your personal situation, but if you can pay down your school loans yourself I would. The post 9-11 GI bill is awesome. It would be a shame to let that go. As far as the physical part, run, do push-ups and sit-ups. If you focus on those three things, everything else is gravy. Sounds like you're doing all the right things to prepare for the asvab though

 

How has the military been for you in retrospect? Just trying to get as much information as I can before I make the big decision.

I've finally got myself doing what I've got to do, but I still need someone who has military experience to critique my form (internet videos only do so much for learning..). The GI bill is nice, but from what I understand it mainly covers funding for college after service. I have the majority of my credits already established for a BA, so paying for college with some of the savings I will make might not be so bad. Is there other components/perks of the GI bill I'm missing? I've read some stuff on it and that's what I've disseminated so far, along with the kicker bills each branch offers to supplement the bill.

All in all (crossing my fingers) I'm hoping I can get into a job that will allow me to obtain enough experience to cross it into the civilian world with ease. ATC is a good example, as by default (along with other advanced career fields) associate degrees are obtained prior to actual work at military schooling. The experience itself along with the completion of the degree while in the military should provide good prospects for my crossover back into civilian life should I choose to take that route, or that's what I'm thinking anyway.

Also my debt is substantial, around 30 thousand dollars.

 

The military has for the most part been pretty good for me. The being gone a lot was very very difficult on my marriage and it almost ended on more than one occasion. Sailors are deployed the most out of anybody. They may not always necessarily be directly in harms way, but if you're on ship duty, know you're going to be underway quite a bit. The first four years I was in, I was separated from my wife and kid for a little over three of those. Don't let them put you in a job that you can't use when you get out. I won't say you will have wasted years of your life, but I will say transition back into the civilian world will be much more difficult.

30k worth of school loans, I was in the same boat when I joined. I took the repayment option myself and they paid off around 35k worth. However, I still shorted myself 30k more on the other end. The old GI bill paid up to 65k for school. I guess it worked out for me, because of my timing I served enough of my original contract to satisfy that obligation and I have enough time in service after my re-up to also qualify for the post 9/11 GI Bill. But everyone's situation is different. I gotta go for now. But if you have any more questions you can PM me. Also, I'm a grader for fitness tests, so I can evaluate your form for you.

 

Thanks each and all of you for your service.

Whats up everyone. Taught 8th grade special ed today and that was interesting. I am off tomorrow and the I am teaching 7th grade language arts on thursday. I am going to try and get a round of golf in tomorrow, have a gift certificate. It is supposed to be 74. Need to take some updated pics of the house as I have some more done, and I am finishing up plumbing and electrical. Out of money so we will se what gets done next.

 

Well got a few things done today, found a new set of rims for the monte, changed the oil & put new head gaskets on the camaro

how was everyones day?

 

2 of the 33 Chilean Miners are above ground!!!!