Looking for advise regarding the armed forces

[ayo232]

I'm a recent college graduate and I've been looking into joining the armed forces for a bit. I have a full time job, but feel like I want to do something different for a few years of my life before pursuing a law degree. As I have a legal background, I was possibly looking into obtaining a legal position. However, I really don't know much about it. If anyone can help answer the questions below, or simply add some advice, it would be greatly appreciated!

Information about myself:
-22 years old; Bachelors degree with honors in legal studies; wife; worked within law firms for a little over two years; plan on attending law school, but want to wait a few years; wife is really into the idea

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
2.) How many years is a traditional session?
3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
8.) Great benefits?
9.) Any other perks?

:beer:

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

There is a section for this but ill answer:

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
Depending on what branch, space availability and needs, yes. To an extent. Its rare though and you will probably have to put in some time in service before you get where you want to go.

2.) How many years is a traditional session?
I know the Army was offering 2 year enlistments Its whatever you decide you want to do.

3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
Difficult to work with, MOS would probably be boring as hell as a newcomer with zero experience but since you have experience probably just another day

4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
With a BA you would probably come in as an E3 unless you coerced your recruiter into going to OCS. Your pay would probably not match what you are or could be making in the private sector. 2011 Military Pay Chart
How much

5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? ?
Army has them. You get it when you complete basic/ait and when you report to your unit. Be prepared, its taxed quite highly. And it MUST be in your contract or you wont get it.

6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
All preference and how much propaganda you want to believe in. The Marine Corps does a great job at that lol

7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
You could either enlist and drop a green to gold packet or you could go straight through to OCS.

8.) Great benefits?
Yes. Healthcare, shelter, food, all paid for. Camaraderie and lifelong experience.

9.) Any other perks?
Plenty. Its not a bad gig if you want to succeed at it.

 

[TrevorR90]

This is for Army.

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
Its needs of the Army now, you can't even reenlist for choice of duty station anymore.

2.) How many years is a traditional session?
Minimum is 2 1/2 years.

3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
Its boring

4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
You will come in as an E4 not an E3 like the guy above me said. E4 pay is 1914.00 per month. If I were you I would come in as an officer. O1 pay is 2874.00 a month.

5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
Army isn't doing much of bonuses these days.

6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
Anything but Army.

7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
Don't know I'm enlisted

8.) Great benefits?
Yep, especially if you are married.

9.) Any other perks?
Join as an officer and you won't get treated like crap for the first 2 years you are in.

 

[RDJ]

...

 

[Planter]

go in as an officer.

officer = better pay, better treatment, better opportunities, ,better chance for promotion.

Air Force or Navy.

 

[CobraBob]

go in as an officer.

officer = better pay, better treatment, better opportunities, ,better chance for promotion.

Air Force or Navy.

My comments as well. My first choice would be Navy (I'm a Navy vet) and my second choice would be Air Force. Definitely look into OCS. If you can get in that IS the way to go. As a vet, I went to college and had all of my tuition paid by the government. The education benefit has changed, but it's still a nice benefit.

 

[slow2002gt]

This is for the Marine Corps from what officers who I have worked under told me or personal experience

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
Nope its what the Corps decide on where your needed. Sometimes depending on your schoolhouse you can pick. You are given 4 choices and lets say you pick all East coast, youll probably wind up overseas.

2.) How many years is a traditional session?
4 years active and 4 years reserve if you go enlisted

If you go in as a officer they usually incur a service obligation at the time of their commission. The length of that obligation depends on whether they are on Active Duty or a Reservist, and whether they were commissioned through a service academy or OCS or ROTC. Once their service obligation has been met, they can leave at any time. They have to give due notice. If they do not resign their commission, they can be called back up into Active Service if needed.


3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
Nope sorry.

4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
If you come in as enlisted with a Bachelors Degree highest rank they would give you is E-2 making 1645.00 a month, on top of that if you are married add 1098.00 for BAH but only if you were married or had dependents

As an officer youd be making 2784.00 a month on top of that you would get BAH or Basic Allowance Housing pay so they pay for you to live out in town if your Married or since your an officer you could move out in town as single rate which is a little lower or you could stay in BOQ housing but you dont get extra pay there. So it would be like 2784.00 + 1065.00=3849.00 if your married you get a few Hundred dollars more on top of that.

5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
These days not that much depends on what you go into. But since the Corps is downsizing you might not see any.

6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
Ill tell you it this way. If you want to change the way you view life join the Marine Corps we will show you how different it can be and make you appreciate it all that much more.

If you want to feel like your still at college while getting paid go Air Force. Not to mention Air Force gets paid more when stationed with us :/

7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
Don't know I'm enlisted

8.) Great benefits?
Yep but since the military is providing it dont expect it to be top notch or first in line for anything.

9.) Any other perks?
Youll be proud to call yourself a Marine when your done.

 

[SteveG@Lethal]

I'm a recent college graduate and I've been looking into joining the armed forces for a bit. I have a full time job, but feel like I want to do something different for a few years of my life before pursuing a law degree. As I have a legal background, I was possibly looking into obtaining a legal position. However, I really don't know much about it. If anyone can help answer the questions below, or simply add some advice, it would be greatly appreciated!

Information about myself:
-22 years old; Bachelors degree with honors in legal studies; wife; worked within law firms for a little over two years; plan on attending law school, but want to wait a few years; wife is really into the idea

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
2.) How many years is a traditional session?
3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
8.) Great benefits?
9.) Any other perks?

:beer:

Been in for 10 years. I was Marines active first then went National Guard.

1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
You don't really get to pick. It's where your job is needed.

2.) How many years is a traditional session?
A traditional session? You mean enlistment. Active: 4 years, Reserve/Guard: 6 years

3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
Yes, I did admin in the Marines and worked close with the legal side. Unless someone screws up. Well..... its just like a normal lawfirm put it that way just you follow the UCMJ.

4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
They will give you programs but will not pay you back for school. The G.I. BILL will allow you to go back to school after your enlistment (you pay into it as well) While your in, you can take classes and have them paid for but to pay for the schooling you have already done. Deploy and you will make that money.

5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
Each branch will offer some but with today's crap, hardly anyone offers one now. And if they do, you will see the first half after you graduate boot camp and the other half after 3 years.

6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
It's up to you and how you are as a person. You want to be handed life, stay away from all of them. You want to earn a title, then Marines or Army.

7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
DON'T!! YOU WILL NOT BE RESPECTED PLUS YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE LEADING MARINES OR SOLDIERS! Go enlisted and learn and deploy. Your degree means nothing when you are in a firefight. And if go officer, your in it for awhile.

8.) Great benefits?
Benefits are amazing! I never paid for college and received my Associates Degree in Business Management. Collecting 20% disability for the rest of my life which I use for medical and dental so its pretty much free for me. The biggest benefit you will get is serving your country and meaning some of the best people you will ever meet. You will learn about a feeling only military men and women and understand. You will also learn about honor.

9.) Any other perks?
You grow up and learn about the real world

This is all just my 2cents. I'm honest.:beer:

Make the right decision for you. And know you will deploy, you will be away from home, you will work long hours, and you will love it!

 

[Fuerza]

Regular recruiting station talk going on in here. lol

With that degree you could easily apply for an OCS recruitment with the Army. That is what I did about 3 years ago. I was prior service, with a break in service. I left the Army to go to school full time. After I graduated I went to a recruiter and told them I want back in the Army as on Officer Candidate. Honestly it was a very easy process, and if you find a recruiter that doesn't know how to do it, find another. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Just FYI Army OCS commitment is 3 years. I have OCS classmates that I keep in contact with via Facebook and some are leaving the Army and applying to graduate school, ect.

 

[OU812]

I've known a few idiots that have came in with BA's or BS's and somehow ended up enlisted, don't waste your time. I worked with a guy at my last base that came in with a masters and was an E-3, he made the mistake of talking to an enlisted recruiter that somehow sold him on the "come in enlisted now and you can apply for OTS later" speech they all seem to preach. He ended up not like the military at all, did his 4 years and got out. If you have a degree don't even talk to an enlisted recruiter, look for an officer recruiter. I know the Air Force has separate recruiters, not sure about the other branches though.


1.) Do I get to choose where I will be located?
I've been in the Air Force for almost 11 years now and I've been stationed at 4 different bases, so far, I've got my first choice every time. I've learned that the more people you know in the right places can help you out big time. I've met very few people that didn't get a base that was in their top 5 choices.

2.) How many years is a traditional session?
For an officer it's a commission, most of the non-rated jobs are a 4 year commitment and the rated jobs are 6-8 years depending on the job. Enlisted guys get either a 4 or 6 year enlistment.

3.) Does anyone have any knowledge about the legal positions?
Can't really help you on this one, I've only been there to do my will and get POA's done.

4.) How would the pay be for a college graduate like myself?
If you come in enlisted in the AF with a degree you'll be an E-3. Base pay is $1729.80 and base pay for an O-1 is $2784

5.) I've heard of sign on bonuses... truth? How much?
It really depends on what job you decide to take, I came in with a $15K bonus and got a $30K reenlistment bonus back in 2006. My job isn't critically manned anymore so as of right now we no longer have bonuses.

6.) What's the best overall branch to join?
I honestly say talk to them all and see what they have to offer and pick the one that best suits you. I had originally planned on going Army, even signed a contract to be a 19D. I ended up talking to an AF recruiter and here I am.

7.) How does this officer program work since I have a degree?
Talk to an officer recruiter and get specifics, you'll have to go to OTS for the AF since you didn't do any kind of ROTC program.

8.) Great benefits?
I say the best benefit is the school, I've earned another associates and a bachelors since I've been in and it hasn't cost me anything. I did the post-911 GI bill and I'm passing it on to my daughter so basically her first 3 years of college will be paid for.

9.) Any other perks?
You'll get different perks with different locations, I did a flying special duty at my last base and with all the extra pay I was clearing $70K a year as an E-5. Getting stationed overseas is always a plus, I did Germany and now I'm in Japan.