Questions about joining the Marines.

[Direckshun]

I have a whole lot of debt from graduate school and due to a bunch of career reversals on my part, I'm still two years away from a masters degree. I know what I want it in (let's hope it stays that way), and I'm holding down a job at the moment that, while very rewarding, doesn't pay well and barely covers for school.

So I hear about a coworker's son re-upping to the Marines for a signing bonus of $41K.

If I were to sign on, it might not be that much (I assume it's higher for guys re-upping than it is for newcomers such as I would be), but it'd be a significant amount that would forever relieve me of the tens of thousands I've built up through school loans over the years and can barely manage to pay off.

Here are my questions, please only answer if you're 90% sure:

1. How much is initial signing bonus for a newcomer, if there is one?

2. Do they allow for people to pursue masters degrees while serving, and would it be insanely difficult to try?

3. What requirements would I have to meet for them to cover much/all of my grad school?

4. Should I temporarily abandon my current job to become a Marine, totally pay off my student loans while pursuing a master's degree?

This is more of a trial balloon than anything, so thanks to anybody who may help.

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Honestly, your signing bonus would totally depend on your ASVAB scores and the field you choose/qualify for. The only person that knows those answers is a recruiter.

I would play every branch against every other one and I would make sure you know EXACTLY what you qualify for. I showed up at my computer school and many of my peers were a rank higher than me and were walking around with anywhere from $5-20k in their pockets.

How much did you get?

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

How much did you get?

I got $811 a month.

[MIAdragon]

Do yourself a favor and look no further than the Air Force, hands down the best service in the quality of life arena. I loved the Navy but the AF is where its at

[Simplex3]

I worked with a Marine that lived in some ex-Air Force barracks after the Air Force condemned them. He said it was the nicest place he lived during his four years in the corp.

On the other side my uncle was a life-long Air Force guy. When leaving HS I was considering the military and he told me the Air Force has two types: Pilots and people scraping bird crap off of runways.

If you ever do go to war I'm thinking I'd rather be in the Marines. At least you know everyone on base has qualified with their rifle.

[tmax63]

I am prior Army (12 years) and have worked for the Army at the Air Force Academy for the last 3.5 years in the medical field. When I was active the Army had better guarantees but the AF (from personal observation) has better schooling opportunities because they don't move as much. The Army paid off all my student loans but it was a challenge. I got stationed in Germany 1st time and after being in 2 yrs (half my enlistment) I got a letter saying I had to have all my student loan stuff submitted for payment by the school within less than a month. I spent a ton on overnight international postage but did get it done in time. As many others have stated - read the fine print and know exactly what your getting and when. If it isn't in the actual enlistment contract it don't exist. And take your time, they will try to rush you and not give you time to digest it fully before you make your decision. What's available can change from month to month (at least when I was a recruiter) but bonus amounts and incentives are not set by the recruiter and they only offer what's there so you have to switch branches or wait to the new month to see what's being offered if you don't like it.

[Fairplay]

I am 90% sure i would not join the marines.

[dtebbe]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I showed up at my computer school and many of my peers were a rank higher than me and were walking around with anywhere from $5-20k in their pockets.

This happened to me too, but I laughed my ass off when they all got sent to Fort Irwin and I got a nice assignment to an AFB in Greece, me and about 4 other Army guys on the entire base.

Between my tech shcool (51 semester hours) and classes I took while in the service I came out with 3 years exp in broadcast engineering and about 80 semester hours of college - zero debt. The funny thing was everywhere I was hired it was the experience, not the college that got me hired.

I also would not join the marines. You are not going to get any kind of enlistment bonus with the Air Force, but I think you have a good chance with the Army to get a bonus and a half way decent job. If you have a bachelor's you can often enter as an E-3 and get your E-4 no more than you have enough time in grade as an E-3. A bunch of guys that were in school with me had that in thier enlistment contract. It took me about 2.5 years to make E-4 (although I worked much harder on school than I did playing soldier).

DT

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by Fairplay

I am 90% sure i would not join the marines.

I'm 100% sure.

[RP_McMurphy]

Well I don't fault people for joining the Marines as they have excellent esprit de corps. However if you joined the Navy you could get the GI Bill at the rate of 1,100 a month for 36 months after 24 months or so. The Navy also pays tution assitance to help with degrees. Here's the kicker with that TA is the Navy will only pay TA to a job field that is commiserate with your active duty job. IE if you were a Aerographers Mate you would only get TA help to get a Meterology degree but not if you wanted to get a Engineering degree. So there is a catch there. As far as sign on bonus's in the Navy certain rates are still getting them but they going down as the Navy is in a drawdown mode right now. Navy is losing 25K over the next few years.

[patteeu]

Being a Marine JAG would be an interesting mix of brain and brawn.

I don't know the answers to any of your questions Direckshun, but if you decide to spend some time in the military, I have no doubt that it will be a big plus for you for the rest of your life (unless you get killed, maimed, or mentally crippled as a result of course).

Originally Posted by patteeu

or mentally crippled as a result of course).

thanks a lot, jerk

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Phobia

thanks a lot, jerk

You're the only ex-marine I have much exposure to that I know of.

[AndChiefs]

I got a 99 on the ASVAB...what should that get me?