Below are my thoughts on joining the Army, I've just been adding bits here and there and I haven't looked over it, so it may not be 100% coherent.
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Ok, so I'm thinking about joining the military full time. Yeah, full time Active duty Army. I was initial considering the Reserve or the National Guard.
I've changed my mind, well, exploring all options because the main thing that kept me from signing up right away for the Reserve or ANG was the possibility of losing my job. My work said they would hold it, but I really don't know if that's 100% true. There are only two of us that truly know how to run the website and if one's gone, then it makes things very very hard. They would have to at least find a temporary replacement, if I were even that lucky.
So I though, why risk my job (and decent pay) for only a few extra hundred a month? Ok, I'm not comparing job coolness factors or the fact that I would be making a difference (in one way or another). But just on the level of money, there would be a difference. If I'm going to join, I might as well get all I can.
That said, the differences are like this, in the Reserve, you get up to $20,000 signing bonus and up to $24,000 student loan repayment. Full time you get up to $40,000 signing bonus and up to $65,000 student loan repayment. There are other benefits but those are the main ones that apply to me.
Also, I would be coming in at an E4, Specialist. That's not too bad. Thanks to my degree. I should become an Officer though, I would make almost $10,000 more in my base pay if I do that.
I don't know how this whole thing about the military even started. My wife and I have been trying to remember and I just can't. I think what made it real for me was when my old roommate came to visit after getting out of Office Candidate School in the Air Force. But that's all I can remember that set me off, more or less.
I don't know... I just see it as a way to get a cool and different job, learn some new skills and pay off some student loans!
I don't think that that anyone has done as much research as I have. I've been reading over EVERYTHING!
By the way, I keep coming back to this so I may be saying the same thing over and over and I apologize.
Like I said in the beginning, I wanted to find a way and serve but I didn't want it to interfere with my job. I wanted to keep my job but still serve and the problem is that they would have to hire at least someone while I was gone because one person can not do it by themselves. It really takes two people to do it all, unless its for a few days, but then things do end up lacking due to being spread too thin.
The other thing is, I was trying to hard to keep my job when I don't even know if I really like it in the first place. Well that's not true. I do like my job I just don't love it. Co-workers are all normal, no one gets on my nerves and things work out. But there just isn't anything that really is keeping me there. I also don't feel like I'm learning anything new that I can bring to a new job, though I am learning some new things and a little bit about content managing, but that's about it.
Also, the company is fine, no major managing issues but at times there is a lot of unnecessary stress. I don't mind stressful situations and I handle them extremely well I believe but it's just not cool when it not necessary.
So why protect this job that I don't like very much? Yeah, that's what I started thinking too! Look, I'm 23, I have a lot of life ahead of me, so what if I take a break and change directions for 2, 4, or even 6 years? That still gives me a lot of time to do what I want. Oh, that's also my other reason for wanting to join... I don't know what I want to do!
I used to want to do just video editing and video production, but then I've moved into more of an internet environment. I also thought it would be fun to be a producer for a video game company or work on a web apps in New York City or San Francisco. As you can see, I'm not really decided on anything.
What I'm worried about is that if I don't join, I'm going to regret this the rest of my life. I'm going to working at corporation after corporation just chugging away, then coming home and eating junk food and watching TV when I could have been making a difference as a soldier in the Army.
My policy on the military is that anyone who signs up, anyone with any job in the military is serving their country. So no matter what I would do it would give me a sense of accomplishment and I get excited just thinking about that!
That brings me to all the homework and research I've been doing. Oh my gosh, I think I'm doing more than anyone has ever done! But I like to be prepared, and especially don't like being ripped off. I want all the bonuses, all the student loan repayment, I want to work out so that Basic Training is a breeze (as much of a breeze as possible!), I want to move up the ranks as fast as possible... I want to show the Army that I care and I am excited and I am an outstanding soldier.
My plan of attack?
- Practice, practice, practice my ASVAB
- Exercise: run/pushups/situps so that I can maximum points on my PT test
- Meet with an old friend who has an AR15 and become proficient enough to get "Expert" during M16 qualifying.
- Attend Officer Candidate School (let that degree work for me!)
Sound good?
I've already started working out, and I got a book on how to prepare me for basic training, The Ultimate Basic Training guide, and I took one sample ASVAB and got a 77, so I'm feeling semi prepared already.
The only thing I'm torn with is leaving my job in the professional world to join the Army. Doesn't it sound strange? Don't worry, that's not really holding me back but that's one of the last things that I'm thinking about. Not many people leave a job where they make X amount of money and join the Army full time, or do they? I guess that's what the Reserves are for but I want it full time.
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I'm going to make a decision soon, and I don't see why I shouldn't do it. I know that the second I do it though, I'll say "What am I doing!?" but I know that I really won't mean it. It's like the butterflies you get before a race but just a few seconds into the race you feel fine.
It's really just the nervousness of a career change. But I can always go back into my past line of work if I want to, I'm just trying out a different path and seeing if I enjoy it.
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Ok, I'm getting a lot closer now. I've slowed down on research because I think I may have done all I that I could for now. I need to take the ASVAB and get a medical physical next.
My recruiter says those are the next steps so I may do that in a few weeks. I'm currently taking the practice ASVAB's on Military.com so I can get some practice and an feel for what my score may be.
Also, I know that the physical is just a medical one and not a PT test, but I am doing tons of pushups and starting to run a lot too, because I want to make sure I am really ready.
I guess that's all for now.
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