Well Sabine I do have a good wife at home so I'm good to go there and was it worth it, all the moving etc...

 

No,
....if you drive a truck, then you won't get to blow up things....

......HOWEVER!!!

....If you drive for SWIFT, you WILL get to back into things AND roll over things!!

 

I have done both. 8 years in the Army, 14 in trucking. I would go for the Army. If I had to do over again I would have finished up 20 years. I would have retired last year. Even if you only stay 3 or 4, what do you have ? Free medical for you and your family, pay far beyond what I ever made even accounting for the time I've been out, you will definitely be in better physical shape, you may qualify for an enlistment bonus, and assuming an honorable discharge you will have all the benefits that come with being a veteran. Like GI Bill education benefits, home loan guarantees if you qualify, use of veterans health system, and numerous others. And at the end of the day you can say you paid your dues serving your country. When I hear about another guy dying in Iraq or Afghanistan I can sleep a lot better at night knowing I put my time in.

Things to think about: Unless it has changed, you will probably have to serve 8 years total. Active duty time, then the rest in the Guard or Reserves. I did all mine on active duty, by choice.

Make no mistake about it, it would not just be you signing up. Your family will be buying into it. Seperations can be long, marital stress can be very high. Particularly if you are stationed in a foreign country. If your family is with you and you go on deployment or for long training exercises, what then ? In a foreign country and away from family, for military families it can be a recipe for disaster. I spent a lot of time helping some of my guys sort out some of their family problems. I saw it all; wife beating, child abuse, cheating, drinking, drugs, desertion, even a husband beating once. Some people just couldn't handle the Army life.

If you choose to do it make sure everybody important is behind you.

Another thing, military recruiters can be BS'ers. Not anywhere near what truck driver recruiters are, but still BS'ers. Believe nothing from either type til you see it in writing. That goes ten times over on the trucking side.

Basic training is just as much mental as it is physical. If you are afraid what they are going to do to you, you're in trouble. Its a bit of a head game. It is not in anyone's interest for someone to fail. One thing I know for sure: Those who prepare ahead of time, and get themselves into better physical shape before they show up for basic, will do far better. Guys in bad shape drew a hell of a lot of attention from the drill sergeants, and they suffered a little more.

Just a few thoughts here. And I do speak from experience. Take care.

 

Unless you plan on going in the reserves, which has not so hot pay, then you will be home with your family a lot more as an OTR trucker. Active duty is better pay but I hope you like not seeing your family for 1+ year.

If you want a career, Army is great but it will wreck havoc on your family life. I've seen high school sweethearts married for 4 years get divorced. It's a tough life, feel free to PM me if you want any more info.

Can't tell you much about the my life as a truck driver b/c I am just looking to get inot it, but my father was an OTR driver for 15 years and he was home a lot more then I ever was in the Army.

 

Fozzy;

Before I begin, I want to make something VERY clear to you, Bunny, and everyone following this thread.

I am posting a reply to your comments, but NOT with the intention of fostering argument. I certainly understand your position, and I'm not about to suggest that you are wrong.

I'm sure that there will be those who disagree with what I am about to suggest, and that's okay. I will ask that we not drag it into this discussion. Fozzy and his son have both served this country with honor and dignity. Fozzy's son paid the ultimate price. Fozzy and Bunny have every reason to be proud of him.

Now, speaking as a father, I will suggest that a man who is the father to young children and who is looking for a career change consider one other option.

My thoughts would be to consider joining The U.S. Coast Guard. It would offer the chance to train for a new career, and it would also be a service to our country as well; at the same time, it would not mean being exposed to the ever-present dangers of combat.

I am fully aware of the fact that there are many fathers and "daddys" who are currently deployed, and are having to face those dangers, as well as time away from their children and families, I respect them for their choices.

I am simply offering my opinion, and trying to present another option to consider. I am not wanting to turn this into a political debate.

 

useless, that was a good idea/post. I also have a great amount of respect for any and all vets, I served in the 70s, 7yrs all together. I remember very well the hardships, I remember one month after paying all the bills(I was married & 1 son) we were very happy we had $50 left for the month!
I'm sure the pay has gone up alot since then but so has everything else and remember that you will be starting at the bottom!
Last I heard alot of the young enlisted men and there familys get food stamps, so they don't all make $60,000 and don't count on makeing E6 in a year either! :roll: ( I call BS on that)

 

Young service families have the same problems that the rest of America has.. they are offered credit for everything and they get in WAY over their heads. I grew up in a service family and can tell you that when my dad was in, they were making hardly anything. We never went hungry, but we never had two cars or even live off base anywhere that I can remember. The military gets paid a ton more than when even I was in.. You're not going to get rich in the military, but you don't join the military to GET rich.

 

Fozzy;

Perhaps you might have caught the movie "Private Benjamin"

He could always join "The Army With The Condo's"!!

:mrgreen:

 

Well Repete call BS all you want, check out the pay scales online, Call a Navy recruiter and find out for yourself, If you dont want to believe them then talk to people that are active duty. That Nuclear program has the fastest garanteed promotion and the reenlistment is unreal. Dont take my word for it do the research.

They pay has been changed a bit since I retire....they dont have VHS anymore. I recieved almost 1200 a month between VHS and BAQ now its combined and less money.

Maybe the reason you didnt get some of the extra pay was because you didnt want to Recruit or push Boots or work for the State Department. If I hadnt volunteered to do all those things I would be just plain ol Joe Smuck Bitching about how awful the pay is just like you.

The Military is a job like any other, if you want to get ahead you need to set goals and achieve them. I started out as a mortorman and when I retired I was a Combat Motion Picture Photographer.

And just to add to the pot....all that extra pay was non taxable. The only thing taxable was Base pay and Pro Pay. You dont realize how good the pay is until you retire and the paycheck drops to between a 1/4 and 1/3 of what you was recieving.

So if you want to say I am BSing, go ahead Dont bother me a bit. I will tell you that knowledge is a terrible thing to waste, exercise your brain cells and research.

To the original poster, if combat scares you, look at the Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard. Check out the programs that will net you the most out of the time you have to commit to. Weather forecasting is another mos that has pretty good reenlistment bonusus.

Dont expect anything fast from the Coast Guard. When I was a recruiter in Indiana, they had a year waiting list to just get an appointment with them but then again that was in the early 80's and they also serve in the Gulf region as well.

 

Would LOVE to comment MORE on this thread, but don't have time tonight. Leaving out in the morning for a SOLO run to the West coast and back! YAY!!!!

Ex-Swifty co-driver shot himself in the foot, and I'm FREE of him!!! YAY!!!!

Like I've always said, trucking is NOT for wusses, OR those who can't find their way out of a box without a GPS to give them directions! :shock:

Let's go TRUCKIN' Boys!!! Hobo is SOLO again!!! If I see ya on the road..... you better LEAD, FOLLOW, or GET OUT OF MY WAY! :lol: :lol:

the LEFT lane if for PASSING...... you SLOW trucks need to STAY in the granny lane! :wink: