Advice needed for a husband wanting to enlist or become an officer

moonbeam314 · August 2011

Hello Ladies,

My husband is interested in joining the armed forces and has started to meet with recruiters. I want to support him in his decision but don't exactly know what to do. Would you mind telling me what you would do differently or whatever advice you have for someone who's husband is wanting to join. I would really appreciate your help and words of wisdom. Thank you in advance for your help.

-Jennifer

NSL · August 2011

Go to the recruiter meetings with him. Don't be afraid to ask the recruiter questions. Joining the military is more of a lifestyle choice than a simple job choice, so you need to be on board and comfortable with the process.

SoftSpot · August 2011

NSL:
Go to the recruiter meetings with him. Don't be afraid to ask the recruiter questions. Joining the military is more of a lifestyle choice than a simple job choice, so you need to be on board and comfortable with the process.

I agree with everything that NSL said plus be prepared (and tell your H) to wait a while. It may not be a quick enlistment process and I'm sure frustrating at times.

Also, my H's recruiter had his wife come in and talk to me while J took his ASVAB and that was nice to hear things from her perspective. You might ask if this is an option for you if you are interested.

iluvmytxrgr · August 2011

I agree with the other ladies. Go to the mettings. Ask questions. Lurk around this board. You can learn a lot from these ladies. Also, there is a button in my siggy that will link you to the MN FAQ page. Go check it out. There is a ton of info there.

moonbeam314 · August 2011

Thank you so much ladies. I really appreciate it, I am about to go check out that link

MrsAggie · August 2011

My advice would be to go the officer route vs enlisted. Besides the obvious higher pay, college would create more opportunities for him if he chose to not be a career guy in whatever branch he's interested in. Also, know that the recruiters will usually tell you what you want to hear...while they are helpful, just keep that in mind.

Brandienee85 · August 2011

MrsAggie:
My advice would be to go the officer route vs enlisted. Besides the obvious higher pay, college would create more opportunities for him if he chose to not be a career guy in whatever branch he's interested in..

As an O Wife, I disagree wth this. If your H really wants to serve, it shouldnt matter if he goes Officer or Enlisted. His degree will still hold up in the private sector anyway, and if you add any kind of Military service to that it is just icing on the cake. Do what is right for you and your family, if that is an Officer track then great, but don't just go for the higher pay. You want to find the right career track, and sometimes there arent the O jobs out there that would work for your family. Go to the meetings, and check out the MN FAQ page. Good Luck, OP. Keep us updated.

NSL · August 2011

Brandienee85:
MrsAggie:
My advice would be to go the officer route vs enlisted. Besides the obvious higher pay, college would create more opportunities for him if he chose to not be a career guy in whatever branch he's interested in..
As an O Wife, I disagree wth this. If your H really wants to serve, it shouldnt matter if he goes Officer or Enlisted. His degree will still hold up in the private sector anyway, and if you add any kind of Military service to that it is just icing on the cake. Do what is right for you and your family, if that is an Officer track then great, but don't just go for the higher pay. You want to find the right career track, and sometimes there arent the O jobs out there that would work for your family. Go to the meetings, and check out the MN FAQ page. Good Luck, OP. Keep us updated.

I think the first poster was assuming that the OP's husband doesn't already have a college degree.

katiebabie8686 · August 2011

NSL:
Brandienee85:
MrsAggie:
My advice would be to go the officer route vs enlisted. Besides the obvious higher pay, college would create more opportunities for him if he chose to not be a career guy in whatever branch he's interested in..
As an O Wife, I disagree wth this. If your H really wants to serve, it shouldnt matter if he goes Officer or Enlisted. His degree will still hold up in the private sector anyway, and if you add any kind of Military service to that it is just icing on the cake. Do what is right for you and your family, if that is an Officer track then great, but don't just go for the higher pay. You want to find the right career track, and sometimes there arent the O jobs out there that would work for your family. Go to the meetings, and check out the MN FAQ page. Good Luck, OP. Keep us updated.
I think the first poster was assuming that the OP's husband doesn't already have a college degree.

I disagree. My husband is a submarine officer. His job opportunities will be wonderful when he gets out. As far as some of the jobs for the enlisted, they are having a harder time. I know it all depends on what he does, but that is just my input.

moonbeam314 · August 2011

Thank you so much for the input. I really want to support my husband but don't quite know what to do. I have a few friends who are military wives but they all got married after their spouses were already in and weren't consulted.

Currently, we are waiting to hear back from the air force. The navy officer program told my husband they are only accepting officers with law or medical degrees so we will see what happens. I feel bad and am trying to be supportive, he really thought his bachelors in political science and masters in public policy would give him an edge. I hope it still does and will inspire some interest with either an officer or enlisted recruiter.

Than ks again Ladies and I will keep you posted as I would be proud to be military wife.

Advice needed for a husband wanting to enlist or become an officer

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