I work for a state agency building web applications for public services. I am married and we have a toddler. Wife is a stay at home mom and my job pays well.
America has given me everything and I’ve always wanted and still want to join the Army and serve. It sounds selfish but I want to keep my current job to support my family but serve at the same time. I am 29 years old and would like to get some input from the Hide, before I talk to a recruiter. What can or should I do to stay with my family and continue my full time job and serve at the same time?
Not sure if this will help anything if I join the Army, but I have a master’s in computer science, bachelor’s in electronics and communication engineering. 7.5 years of experience in information technology.
Thanks
First of all, talk to Officer Recruiting. Don’t just walk in. You have degrees that allow you to become commissioned, IF THEY ARE LOOKING for that slot. Air Guard and Army Guard, will at least allow you to be at home except for commitments (1 weekend/mo, two weeks per year), and for the dreaded “deployment. Still less commitment that Reserve. Reserve seems to get activated a lot, depending on unit profile (SF goes a lot, but they want to, MP’s go a lot, they have to, etc.).
At least with NG, you have a a state mission, (disasters, riots, etc) so deployments can be fairly local. You’ll go to Officer Orientation, instead of Basic, although it includes fitness and shooting, and you may have to DRIVE a long way to drill if the only unit that can use you is in another city of your state (if you are rural, say, and have to go to the Capitol to do your weekend drill due to the level of technology you work in).
I surely would insist on only within your current experience. Don’t do this because you want adrenaline surges and the thrill of toe to toe combat…You have kids now.
You may find a broadening field of jobs in all phases and part of the entire realm of your current work.
AND: There are laws protecting your job at home, should you be activated. Usually an employer is held to that if you came to them, already in the Guard, before starting to work for them, but many employers will guarantee your job for regular drills, and for deployments (which can run a year or even multiples of years)
Finally, I have two grandsons currently serving active duty, one commissioned. It is a family tradition, Since before the Alamo (more on that another time). I don’t see how they can stand the absolute bullshit woke-ism, DEI, crapfest the military has become, but they are doing well and progressing. During my time, there was bullshit, but ALL of us shared in it, and all of us got through it. The current atmosphere, due to weeding out of real men, and gender-norming, trans, and faking passing scores for female Rangers, etc, is total unmitigated Force Depletion.
Talk to plenty of guys who are now serving, in Guard units near you. Not just recruiters, and talk to officers in the same field. You can check out your Linked In contacts, and survey who might be serving, and visit the NG office in your state capital.
Previously mentioned marriage issues are absolutely true. Good service wives are rare, and take a lot hardship, and worry. My wife, my mom, every mil wife I ever met, would testify about how hard it is.
Edited:
PS: Didn’t see you have a screwed up leg. Hard pass. You’ll be dealing with waivers, and bs, if you manage to get in. And it will be a bar to deployment. May DQ you.
Good luck.
