Quote:
Originally Posted by larryh31
Chris,
Stay in and do your 20 years. If you still want to drive a truck, you can do that later on. This way you will have your full retirement check from Uncle Sam and health care benefits PLUS the money you make driving a truck. If your truck breaks down or you run into bad weather, no big deal, you still have money coming in.
I am 38 y/o, I went into the Air Force right after high school with a good friend of mine. I got out after 4 years. He stayed in and did his 20 years.
Now he has his retirement check Plus he has found an 80K a year job working for a defense contractor. Me, I am driving a school bus and going to college part time to finish off my degree. Guess which one of us has the bigger house and nicer cars? Don't mess up like me. :shock:
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Good point about the medical Larry. My family medical is $480 a year and is very good. I had to go to the emergency room in Charlotte and paid $30 for it. Had test done that cost thousands paid $30. Everyone I know that is not in the military or retired pays anywhere from $125 a month to $200 or more. The civilian world can not touch the benefits unless you’re a CEO. You get the picture. All your benefits com out of your pay. Look at you dental and medical in the military you pay what $20 each. Take $200 plus off your trucking pay each month plus after 8 years in trucking if you do get out before retirement subtract that retirement check as well. :lol:
God forbid if you die before you retire in the military look what your wife and kids get in benefits as well. That $250g life insurance policy will cost you about at age 45 like my wife with no medical problems a under $100 a month. For me it is like $150 a month. Civilian death $100g might pay off the house and bills and that is it. OK so $150 for health, $50 for dental, $100 for life insurance your paying out of pocket $300 a month for the 8 years you left the service that is $28,800 you at least will pay versus the service $10,500. You just gave someone $18,300.
Just read on here if you can't put up with the bull in the military and get what you’re going to receive at retirement what makes you think you can put up with trucking. You can your cake and eat it to if you stay in Chris.
I'm telling you this from someone on both sides of the fence as well as Larry. There is not a day that goes by I don't thank God for letting me tough it out and stay the last 10 years.
Like Larry said do 20 and get out and look at it this way you're working for 1/2 pay in the military after 20 because you will get it when you're retired. I stayed the last year because I ended up liking my last 2 or 3 years. Man that 1 year I had them, what were they going to do make me retire. :lol: No they told me to PCS to Minot, ND. There are people that like to live their or would like to live there I'm sure, but not this guy.
Oh Chris one more thing how much will you make next month? Ask a trucker the same thing. I'm sure most will say depends on the miles I can get.
If I haven't wanted to drive a truck back in the mid 70's I would not be doing it I don't think. If I didn't join the service my other job was welding or trucking. I did welding/machining on F-15A thru E's now its time for my second thing I've wanted to do in my life.