Todd, yes there are ALOT of benefits.. And thank god my small legal problems over the years are non-issues since I have never had a felony. The benefits are tremendous, and yeah I would be in Iraq in 6 months from my signing date.. no if's, and's, or but's... I would be doing 2 one year tours if I sign on as it would be for four years... The more I look at it signing up as a reserve and full time are no different except the benefits my family and I would recieve far outweigh what I would get as a reservist.
4 Years of paid education at any state college when my four years are up, on top of the 'on the job training' I recieve while serving, plus they pay me $1500 a month while I go to school for up to four years. Which means I would be able to go to school without school loans, be able to have a part time job to make it by with the $1500 a month being tax free... And I would have the equity I have in my house now to put away while I am serving and hopefully get a nice return from it.
There's alot to think about though... my daughter is just getting ready to turn two
Knowing I will basically be going over half of her life the next four years without seeing her at all is really messing with me more than anything else right now.. That would be the most difficult part of all of this.
No signup bonus was mentioned, but free education at any state college... Western, ISU, BRADLEY is even paid for if I choose to go there (15 minutes from my house now). On top of them paying for me to go I get $1500 a month every month as long as I am getting 12 semester hours in.. Equals out to about 70K of tax free money. If they offer a sign-on bonus on top of this I am amazed more young men aren't joining the forces especially when they don't have families to worry about.
Anthony, special forces are a good bit away (although that would be an incredible life)but I thought the recruiter was joking when he asked me if I could do 27 pushups in two minutes, LMFAO !!! I'm so out of shape it isn't funny and I just did 27 in what was seemingly 45 seconds or so... Then again, I didn't clock it...