Pros and cons of joining the Military?

E

Ems

New member
My boyfriend joined the Marines when he was 18 and served 4 years active duty... (we got together the last two years of his service and it was long distance) Fast forward 6 years and he wishes he hadn't gotten out. Right now he is an electrician for the union, and has two years left (3 years into his apprenticeshipprogram) until he becomes a journeyman. He was laid off 6 months last year and now has steady work, but who knows how long that will last. He has been thinking about going back in for a long time, we even talked to a recruiter... However things would be different now as we would get married and we are going to start a family and such. I am wondering what the pros and cons to military life are... the only cons i think of are deployments which was very hard for me when he was In Iraq, but the long-term pros seem pretty good... great benefits and such. I am looking for a non-biased opinion because we are having a really hard time deciding what would be best for us, and of course no one can tell the future... but ultimately it will be up to him because he will be the one going back in. His reasons is he liked his job and was happy there... he got out cause of me... i know i know. we were young what can i say. now he feels like his electrician job is going pretty well now and is wondering if he should stick it out for 2 more years to finish his schooling... but then it's like, you'll be too old to join... and i know he has really wanted to. ugh we are just at a loss. i think we are having our mid-mid life crises :)
 
there definitely are lots of pros and cons to this life choice. if he was to join up again, you gain amazing medical insurance, which is really good if you plan on starting a family soon, because babies cost alot of money and the military would cover all of it. you would probably get a cut in pay but benefits such as housing allowances and things like that make up for it.

but if he does, it will be hard to be married and in the military. military couples have a much higher divorce rate than civilians. and of course he will have to be deployed, which will also suck. the decision is up to both of you, its the life you share, not just his.
 
the pay sucks... but he knows that...

he will be away for a long time

the pros are that if you stay in for 20 you can retire and get the benefits from that.
 
I'd tell him to stick it out for 2 more years. I'm in the military and my brother is in an apprenticeship as well. As a journeyman, he'll make much more than I do and he's not getting shot at or blown up in the Middle East. I'd say stick it out and if he does get laid off again, the military will always be there waiting for him.
 
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