3 answers
3 answers
Updated
Hilda’s Answer
My responses are from a retiree's perspective. I served 20 years in the Navy and retired.
Pros: medical and dental insurance; monthly retirement check; job experience; travel opportunities; professional connections; home loan; tuition assistance for college during active duty; GI Bill for college after separation; CLEP tests for free college credits; leadership experience.
Cons: sea/shore rotations for some ratings; limited choice of duty stations for some ratings; potential to be "stuck" in a job that you don't want to do; some areas are expensive to live in and your pay and allowances leave you with little money left over; child care facilities have limited space so child care can be hard to find; work schedules are not 9-5, Mon-Fri.
I'm sure I've overlooked several other things, but these are the big ideas that come to mind. I don't regret my service, but it does require a certain mind-set and attitude to be successful.
Pros: medical and dental insurance; monthly retirement check; job experience; travel opportunities; professional connections; home loan; tuition assistance for college during active duty; GI Bill for college after separation; CLEP tests for free college credits; leadership experience.
Cons: sea/shore rotations for some ratings; limited choice of duty stations for some ratings; potential to be "stuck" in a job that you don't want to do; some areas are expensive to live in and your pay and allowances leave you with little money left over; child care facilities have limited space so child care can be hard to find; work schedules are not 9-5, Mon-Fri.
I'm sure I've overlooked several other things, but these are the big ideas that come to mind. I don't regret my service, but it does require a certain mind-set and attitude to be successful.
Updated
ANDI’s Answer
PRO: Financial Stability.
CON: Life Instability.
Overall, I think it's a great choice for most people, and children are really resilient, but you have to be willing to uproot every few years, and go on deployments with sometimes little notice.
CON: Life Instability.
Overall, I think it's a great choice for most people, and children are really resilient, but you have to be willing to uproot every few years, and go on deployments with sometimes little notice.