Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
I have always mentioned here that if a guy were to skip college and flight training and simply join the military they would be much better off.
Not only do military personnel receive awesome benefits but it is often overlooked that almost every other expense is covered as well. Military people receive housing, food and some form of clothing allowance. In contrast a new regional pilot earns a similar wage but has the added burden of living expenses and often a huge student loan as well.
A soldier can save almost every dime of their wages plus can expect to retire in 20 years. Good luck coming even close as a pilot. By the time a military enlisted person is ready to retire the pilot hasn't even reached a major yet and still had many years left to pay on loans.
SkyHigh
Yep, and the only thing you have to give is back to back 18 month deployments to the desert, leaving family and friends behind. Or better yet, a 4 year sea duty rotation, followed by what is supposed to be your 3 year shore rotation just to have them pull you to the desert again as an individual augmentee for another branch of the service. Then, if you are one of the people to get hurt on AD, you get to come back to an incompetent VA program, where they don't treat you, and give out your personal information because they "accidentally" let someone take a laptop home, so now you can't even apply for credit unless it's in person because you have a warning on your credit reports... (ie: no pre-approval for mortgage or vehicle loans, etc)
Better yet, you wait 2 years on an on-base housing list just to get into some rat-infested firetrap (no they're not all like that) while your housing allowance doesn't cover the amount you have to pay in rent / commute costs.
Yeah, military is freaking sunshine and rainbows...