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Hey guys,
One of my professors had mentioned that he joined the military after he graduated from college. He said it was a great experience and would suggest anyone to do so. I'm currently a Junior in college and am beginning to think about my future. My major is Corporate Finance and Accounting. I figure after I graduate from college instead of going to work in the business world, I instead join the finance corps. I would of course prefer to be an officer. I would then go back to school for my masters, hopefully being able to get into a really good graduate program and maybe have an edge because of the military background. Has anyone else done this? And if so what advice can you give me? Thanks

Congrats to you. It sounds lke your are giving solid thought to your future. It's also refreshing to hear that a college professor recommended the experience.

Our family is very close to quite a few (now captains) who graduated from the USAF Academy. Our daughter also graduated from USAFA. One of her classmates decided to take advantage of the educational opportunities. He just completed his MBA and will now pursue his Phd. He's 27. He enjoys what he is doing and is preparing for the future. Good luck to you.

Well I am one that joined the Army and I am still in. I am a Major....on the promotion list for Lieutenant Colonel......and it has been a great life. Knowing up front that I will be deployed and may have to fight a war….which I have done both…..I joined anyway. The Army paid for my Degree and my Graduate Degree. Which is not bad for an Infantryman and Ranger who most think we are just knuckle dragging, bad guy shooting, un-thinking, lugs (which can be true) but we kill really well. That is a whole big world out there in the Military. So pick what you want to do. I was into the Adventure part which is why I chose to be an Infantryman in the Army. What I did not know at the time was as an officer I was going to lead men and that was my real job.

Some don’t like that….some like the technical end of the military. Either way if you decide to do it and become an officer (a college degree is the first step in becoming an officer) just remember that you will be a leader and being a leader will be the most important job you will ever have.

Man..this could take an hour... but suffice it to say...
1- that's a given with a degree....
2- that's a must if you want to make it a career.. get passed over too many times...bye-bye
I know a man...retired from active duty w/ 35 years... went from rank of E-1 to O-6... had 3 Masters' degrees' working on the 4th when he retired from Gov't work, making his total 50 years service. Graduated Fla.State,(after a tour as an enlisted man) went up from there. you have exactly what this country needs... don't allow a disgraceful media turn you from an honorable and necessary career...
I'm a vet.... I've worked for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs for 20 years....
I also have cousins' that graduated Naval Academy...Air Force Academy, and are doing just fine ....

I joined the military right out of high school, worked a couple of years and then went to college. Joining the military was one of the best decisions I made in my life. I just learned so much about working as team, discipline, and taking responsibility and being accountable for my actions that has carried over to rest of my life. On top of that I met people from all over the country and it broadened my horizions.

I will NEVER be closer to a bunch of guys than I was with my military buddies. Think about it you are wearing the same uniform, eating the same food, dealing with the same ****etc, If you every get in a war zone and bullets start flying YOUR LIVES DEPEND ON EACH OTHER. It makes for a great bonding experience.

And I know this may some hokie to some but there is a great deal of pride in putting on that uniform and serving your country.

For me it's not so much a career descision it a life decision.

PingPlayr I too retired from the Air Force after 22 years. Personally I loved every minute and miss it more each day. One thing you must ask yourself is why am I joining the military. If you are joining for educational benefits that's fine, but if you are sent to war or deployed to a remote location don't be the one who complains and brings down morale. We all took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Sometimes you may be on a beach in Hawaii, but other times you may be on a beach in Iraq (with no water). The military has a community that few who have not served can understand. You will look at the flag, your family, childhood friends and your local community in a whole new light. It will not take you long to understand why veterans wear their VFW caps with pride and take the time to shake your hand and thank you for your service when they see you in public. Good luck with the decision you make but make sure you know why you are joining and the responsibilities you inherit as an officer in the worlds greatest military.

Don't most military bases in the US have decent golf courses on them? That alone should be enough to want to join!

Almost every military installation of any significant size has a golf course on it. For the most part most military golf courses are well maintained. Most are not quite tot he country club level but better than your average muni. In addition to the golf course we also have gyms, movie theaters, auto shops, clubs, libraries, craft shops, tennis courts, shooting ranges, bowling centers, recreation centers, and some have marinas. Man this is getting me depressed.

Be careful what you sign up for. Four years does not mean four years anymore.

I received my degree in Accounting. Got a entry-level accounting position and sat behind a desk for 8 months, absolutely going insane, losing my mind, sitting in a chair for 8 hours every day doing journal entries and reconciliations. With an accounting degree I didn't know what other kind of work I could do. So, my parents brought up the idea of joining the military. 3 months later I was in the US Army. Because of my degree I started off as an E-4 (Specialist). That's 3 paygrades higher than most of the basic trainees. You'll be older and more mature than the recent high school grads. With that maturity, you should be able to handle the "mind games" that drill sergeants play to make you a better soldier.

I didn't want to go straight to OCS because that required a 6 year commitment. I went enlisted for 4, then discussed OCS with my various Commanders. I chose to stay enlisted as I preferre to "get in the mud" more often than officers do. (No disrespect to you officers who have replied to this post)

Due to family/schooling reasons, I chose to leave after 4 years. If I would've stayed, I would have submitted the OCS application or possibly Warrant Officer application. It was the greatest 4 years of my life. I was jumping out of planes every month and seeing the world. I spent 2 years in Italy and 2 years at the Jump School in Fort Benning.

By the way, Fort Benning has 2 great 18-hole courses.

Good luck on whatever you decide. AIRBORNE!
Tell the Army recruiter you want to be in Finanace and be Airborne. Then, get a map and look for Fort Bragg, NC.

Pistol-

Isn't it well known that the USAF has THE best golf courses?!

Generally speaking I would say yes. I have played alot more Air Force courses than Army, Navy and Marine. I am currently a member of Fort Gordon and they have made some significant improvements in the past few years and it is getting back to the reputation it once had. The best AF course I have played is Luke AFB in Phoenix AZ. Vandenburg AFB in Santa Maria CA is very nice also.

I would encourage anyone with an inclination to join the military to do so. I was 20 when I went in the Air Force (enlisted), and really enjoyed the experience overall. I was in 10 years, 3 months, and only got out because they paid me to during the mid-90s drawdown. In my opinion, some of the finest officers I served with were prior enlisted - they had a better understanding of how things work, and overall tended to appreciate their enlisted folks. On the other hand, 2 of the WORST officers I ever knew were also prior enlisted. They acted like they were too good to be enlisted, and couldn't stand to be reminded of how they got their military start. Funny how even the other officers, especially the pilots and maintenance officers, couldn't stand them!

My son is 16 and my daughter is 17. If either of them choose to serve their country they have my blessing and my support.

As for Air Force golf courses, while I was stationed at Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle, we used to get a LOT of Army and Navy brass flying in to play the course. I played it once in a scramble tourney, and it was a nice course, but nothing exceptional. The courses that used to be on Clark Air Base in the Phillipines were very lush and beautiful. Too bad the volcano ruined that base!

Something that I found interesting. I know a few AF Captains who graduated from USAFA in '01. They expected a certain commitment...depending upon a few factors...whether they went on to flight school, etc. The AF is already making it very easy for many of these people to get out. Apparently, they've got an excess of 7,000 junior officers. I know one who is getting out next month. Her husband, also a Capt, is remaining.

I joined the USMC right out of high school, and spent 3 years at Camp Lejeune, and then a year in Okinawa. Came home and got my degree and never looked back. My experience with the USMC was more negative then positive. Firstly, I was in a unit that even in our present circumstances does not see any action. I sat behind a desk and pushed paper for 4 years. I was always lonely, because there is a ratio of 60 men for every 1 woman. So if you are looking to improve your love life I would say don't join. However, I don't know your personal situation, so you'll have to figure that out for yourself.

Chances are, that if you have a girlfriend when you join the military you probably won't shortly after you sign up. She'll find some other guy who is at home to satisfy her needs. I speak from personal experience when I say that there were 4 or 5 married guys who came to Japan with a wedding ring on, and left a year later divorced from a wife who either cheated on him, or just flat out left him out of lonliness and the seperation.

So, if you are single and are not committed to anyone, and are not interested in committing to a relationship, then join the military. Some would say you marry the Marine Corps when you sign up. That can generally be true. Poor pay, poor experiences, working for people who generally wouldn't be in a position of authority in the "real world".

And the military isn't like any other job. If you don't like your boss you can't quit. If he's an idiot, you have to get along with him no matter what. And the military gets involved in every aspect of your life 24/7/365. You don't just go to work during the day and then punch out and go home. You are the property of the United States Government, and they can do with you as they desire.

I've seen some psychotic behavior from Marines as well. Deserters who shave their heads and pee in their canteens and then drink it. Guys on drugs who want to intentionally fail a **** test just to get out of doing certain duties. Guys with bad attitudes that ruin the experiences of everyone around them. Guys that join the service thinking it's gonna be a grand experience and then get hit with a dose of reality once they figure out there is no sugar coating the truth of daily life in the service.

One thing to consider strongly is what exactly you want to get out of the military. The military does one thing, and one thing only - kill. If you like to shoot guns, and like to play soldier, then join. But if you are going in thinking it's some sort of career advancement thing, where you'll learn a valuable skill, remember - the ultimate end all be all of the military is to kill the enemy. And last I checked, we are at war. Be prepared for long deployments to far off foreign lands where everyone you run into will hate your guts and want you dead - literally.

Sorry if I sound so negative, but it is what it is. Would I go back in the military again straight out of high school? Only if the commitment was for only 2 or 3 years. 4 years is too long. If you join when you are 22, and commit to 4 years, just know that you'll be 26 when you get out, and probably put on IRR for another 4 years after that, which makes you 32. Last I checked they were using guys who were on IRR for active duty.

Bottom line, do your research, and read everything you can on what you are getting into. Don't take some recruiters word for anything, and get everything they promise in writing, and get all the specifics BEFORE you sign any papers.

You will get out of the military what you put into it, and it requires a BIG commitment of your life. And unlike other jobs, you can lose your life. Something to think about.

Good luck in whatever you decide.