GUN With this economic crisis growing more and more out of control...

[LaFinduMonde]

Do you guys (and the occasional women) believe that the military will see an increase in people joining?

Do you personally think it is as good a time as any to join, considering civilian jobs are becoming less and less stable?



I'm asking these questions partly because I'm about to graduate with a Bachelors degree, and I have two options: go to grad school for ~8 years (and pay for it), or join a branch of the armed forces and have college paid for after three (or twenty) years of service. Frankly, I don't want to be stuck behind a desk doing secretary type work, so I'm hesitant to try and become an officer...

 

[EYOB]

New World Order, son. You're getting drafted.

 

[EYOB]

It's honestly kinda hard to say. A lot of people are hesitant about getting deployed, let alone signing their life away to a government contract. Yeah, there are some great benefits and the Military takes care of you. With a Depression, I say yes. Recession, not so sure. Maybe a little bit.

Fear of Service vs Fear of Economy

 

[burn__]

a lot of my friends would never even think about joining either because they're "anti-war", are scared of guns, or dont want to get deployed.

 

[widds2v]

I'd say go to grad school. It is a recession, not a permanent economic shift. It will be over in a few years, and then you will wish you had gotten your degree. You can get degrees in the military, but I call them fake degrees... they'll fill the role for any job that just requires a generic degree to show you've done some college classes, but you wont get a job based off of them. No one cares about a masters in "International Military Politics of Modern Warfare"...

 

[FalconXtreme]

i dont think so bc with the down turn of the economy the services will be getting cuts. so that means less recruiting numbers needed.

 

[LaFinduMonde]

I'd say go to grad school. It is a recession, not a permanent economic shift. It will be over in a few years, and then you will wish you had gotten your degree. You can get degrees in the military, but I call them fake degrees... they'll fill the role for any job that just requires a generic degree to show you've done some college classes, but you wont get a job based off of them. No one cares about a masters in "International Military Politics of Modern Warfare"...

I was thinking more of doing my service (whether it turns out to be 3 years minimum to receive the GI Bill benefits, or ends up being 20 years of service and "retirement") and then getting an advanced degree at a "real" college.

 

[EYOB]

i dont think so bc with the down turn of the economy the services will be getting cuts. so that means less recruiting numbers needed.

I thought about that. I think it means slowing down the level of advancement, like new weapons systems. I always hear about how the Military is in need of more personel, so I don't think they'll be cutting down on recruitment as a whole. Maybe yes, with the non-combat branches/Jobs, but for men on the front lines and their logistics, I think we will continually recruit, especially until these wars are done with.

 

[jokka]

Wirelessly posted via wap.offtopic.com (BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

When do you guys this economy will be returning to the norm. There was a news article about how the economy is increasing the enlistment numbers

 

[widds2v]

I was thinking more of doing my service (whether it turns out to be 3 years minimum to receive the GI Bill benefits, or ends up being 20 years of service and "retirement") and then getting an advanced degree at a "real" college.

You can always do that, I recommend however if you are only joining for the education to go air force. You have the highest % chance of getting stateside orders, get a lot of lower level classes knocked out, then transfer into a real school when you get out. It is 1) easier to transfer into schools as long as you did good in the classes, and 2) less time to get your 4 year or graduate degree. Not saying you cant take college classes in the other branches, it is just easier if you are actually in the states. Navy would be alright, but good luck swinging shore duty orders your first time up.

 

[FalconXtreme]

depending on where u get stationed there might be real colleges near by that u can get a real graduate degree from. i have a few LT friends that area getting real masters in engineering and comp sci.

 

[LaFinduMonde]

You can always do that, I recommend however if you are only joining for the education to go air force. You have the highest % chance of getting stateside orders, get a lot of lower level classes knocked out, then transfer into a real school when you get out. It is 1) easier to transfer into schools as long as you did good in the classes, and 2) less time to get your 4 year or graduate degree. Not saying you cant take college classes in the other branches, it is just easier if you are actually in the states. Navy would be alright, but good luck swinging shore duty orders your first time up.

I think you missed the fact that I already have a Bachelors degree. I'm 22, graduating in about 4 weeks, but going back for another semester (I originally planned to go straight to grad school in the Fall of 2009, but now I'm having second thoughts).

If I joined the military, I think I'd prefer an MOS that requires me to have a weapon in my possession most of the time- that's why I'm hesitant to become an officer. However, it seems somewhat foolish to enlist in the Marines after getting this degree

 

[burn__]

i graduated with my BA in 2006 and have been debating going in as an enlist, WO, or officer. talking with my relatives that served careers as enlist they pretty much told me to go officer since i already have a degree and ill be happy about it later. with that said im starting my masters in january and doing air force ROTC (2 year program). yeah ill be paying for the master's, but its a small price to pay to have an actual career for the next 20+ years.

 

[LaFinduMonde]

i graduated with my BA in 2006 and have been debating going in as an enlist, WO, or officer. talking with my relatives that served careers as enlist they pretty much told me to go officer since i already have a degree and ill be happy about it later. with that said im starting my masters in january and doing air force ROTC (2 year program). yeah ill be paying for the master's, but its a small price to pay to have an actual career for the next 20+ years.

I did not know that you could do ROTC as a college grad...

 

[burn__]

I did not know that you could do ROTC as a college grad...

most ROTC detachments offer a 2-year program as well for people who either decided to join before their junior year or people getting a grad degree.

 

[LaFinduMonde]

most ROTC detachments offer a 2-year program as well for people who either decided to join before their junior year or people getting a grad degree.

I'll have to look into that... though, I'm not sure how it would work if you are going to get a PhD that will take 8+ years to complete. After 6 years of sitting on your ass, you'd have probably forgotten all the stuff that you were taught in ROTC...

 

[burn__]

I'll have to look into that... though, I'm not sure how it would work if you are going to get a PhD that will take 8+ years to complete. After 6 years of sitting on your ass, you'd have probably forgotten all the stuff that you were taught in ROTC...

to be able to do ROTC you have to be enrolled full time at the college and either graduate at the end of the 2 or 4 year cycle, so you wouldnt be able to do it with a PhD. but you could go for your masters right now and be eligible for the 2-year program (if your school has one) and worry about the PhD later.

 

[mtnbike4522]

if shtf i think ill re join

 

[LaFinduMonde]

to be able to do ROTC you have to be enrolled full time at the college and either graduate at the end of the 2 or 4 year cycle, so you wouldnt be able to do it with a PhD. but you could go for your masters right now and be eligible for the 2-year program (if your school has one) and worry about the PhD later.

hmmm... getting my Masters would be pretty much worthless (considering my degree)

 

[burn__]

hmmm... getting my Masters would be pretty much worthless (considering my degree)

i have a bachelor of arts in multimedia...and im getting a masters of public administration. lol. makes my undergrad completely worthless. i really dont want the degree but its the only way i can get into the ROTC program and i figure why not go for something that will help me out with leadership and admin stuff. and if you plan on staying in the military as an officer, youll need to have a masters around Major anyways (from what ive been told).

 

[LaFinduMonde]

I'm always a woman, (born that way), but even so, I know that currently, the military doesn't have a favorable opinion toward "occasional women".
Of course, come January, there'll be a new sheriff in town, and since he supports gay rights, (to a point), he may work to change the old rules regarding gays, transsexuals, and transgender, people in the military.
Who knows... in the future, "occasional women", (like Clinger from MASH), may enjoy a more visible military role under the new administration.