Banking to military

[Arachno-capitalist]

As some have read, I make a decent living in the finance sector. However, my family for forever has been a military family and I feel a natural pull for that service. I am considering contacting recruiters of all branches to see which would pay for my grad school. As friends, I just wonder what your thought is.

[littlefallsmets]

While we sometimes violently disagree, my spidery chum, I would definitely prefer that you were not working in a field where the competition was literally trying to kill you.

However necessary Service might sometimes be, the future is in building a world where it is no longer needed or... at least... needed less.

[theinevitable]

I know that my friend in the Air Force has the following deal:
upon graduation from the academy, he is applying to various grad schools... but if these schools do not offer him sufficient funding, he is not allowed to attend them, and must attend some sort of air force graduate engineering program in bumfuck. he is not allowed to finance his own grad school.

luckily he got into MIT because he is a smart motherfucker.

I guess your deal would be different, though, since you are going in with this plan.

I would keep in mind that there is always the possibility that once you get in, they decide that what they really want you to do with your skills is ______, where _____ is some horrible, boring/dangerous/menial task that you don't want to do but that needs to get done by someone who knows advanced math/economics/your fraternity's songbook.
although obviously you know that.

[lprkn]

#1 Rule: Before you ever commit to anything, get it in writing.

Unless I'm mistaken, I think that I'm the only regular poster with any military experience. I've been in the Marine Reserve for almost 6 years, and I've deployed (Iraq) once. I'm going full time in June as an officer. Feel free to pick my somewhat limited experiences for any insights.

That being said, I'm pretty useless when it comes to knowing anything about the military and its grad school programs.

[theinevitable]

#1 Rule: Before you ever commit to anything, get it in writing.

my high-school chemistry teacher also stressed this. spent quite a long time in the marines doing not at all what he thought he had been promised.

[wombat]

I have two thoughts. One is, there have to be ways to pay for grad school that don't involve people shooting at you. The other is, I think you need to think very hard about doing something that's that big a commitment, if you're only doing it in order to get something else out of it. If you want to go into the military because that experience will be valuable, great. But if there is a chance that your attitude is going to be anything like being in a hurry to get it over so you can go to grad school, bad idea.

I always liked the students who had been in the military, they called me Ma'am and had their act together. I have nothing against the military, well, except for the shooting part. But doing something that big when you're not doing it for its own sake - for most people I think that is a recipe for disaster.  And you would probably already call me Ma'am and have your act together so I don't feel like you need to join the army and get your ass some discipline before moving on.

[jay-ell]

I have two thoughts. One is, there have to be ways to pay for grad school that don't involve people shooting at you. The other is, I think you need to think very hard about doing something that's that big a commitment, if you're only doing it in order to get something else out of it. If you want to go into the military because that experience will be valuable, great. But if there is a chance that your attitude is going to be anything like being in a hurry to get it over so you can go to grad school, bad idea.

I always liked the students who had been in the military, they called me Ma'am and had their act together. I have nothing against the military, well, except for the shooting part. But doing something that big when you're not doing it for its own sake - for most people I think that is a recipe for disaster.  And you would probably already call me Ma'am and have your act together so I don't feel like you need to join the army and get your ass some discipline before moving on.

As usual, Wombles says everything I was going to say, and says it better.

[greenkoolayd]

my younger brother is in the army, and he does not get shot at.  he is a supply specialist below the mason-dixon line.  since he was still a minor when he was being recruited, my mom made him sign up for non-combat(or whatever).

[littlefallsmets]

Would that promise actually be binding if the shit hit the fan even a little bit more, though, gk?

[jaydub]

I'm also from a military family (USN, USA) and while my dad would have been proud had I gone in as an officer, no one thinks I've shirked duty by staying civilian.  My younger brother had all but signed with the USAF, with the idea that they would put him through PT grad school.  His recruiter couldn't lock down the guarantee that my brother wanted though, and he arranged annother source of funding. 
I do understand about the call to serve, though.  Had some things in my life gone differently I think I could have had a satisfying career in the military, despite continual exposure to, and enjoyment of M*A*S*H

[AugustWest]

The get it writing rule is a pretty good general rule for everything.

Another factor is what you want to go to grad school in.  Engineering probably won't be a problem.  13th century French literature might.  I know that if you want to go to law school they already have well established programs for that and it's not a bad way to go.

I'd suggest you talk to as many current officers as you can.  Perhaps your college could help you find some alumni to talk to.

[greenkoolayd]

Would that promise actually be binding if the shit hit the fan even a little bit more, though, gk?

yes.  he mightcould get deployed, but he would be in the way back because hes in supply.

[KeithHernandez]

Not to be a dick, but that is where the women come in if it is serious times.  I think that was what WWII was all about.

[lprkn]

The Army needs military psychologists so bad right now. And I know that they'll pay for your school, but you owe them like six years.

[theinevitable]

man, I just imagine this exchange like,
oh hey, you should go into the military, they really need psychologists right now!
yeah, no, I don't want to.
why not?
well, think about it, the military is in a state where they need a lot of psychologists.