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Everyone wrote: » I put off finishing school because I had a kid on the way. Now after 8 years, a divorce, a 2nd wife, a 2nd child, and a 3rd child on the way, I'm still just 12 credits (4 classes) away from an Associates in Information Systems Technology. Every time I look into going back and finishing it up, something else comes up, and I end up not doing it. Do you have to pay for college out of your own pocket? If so, is going into debt (student loans) worth it while you're starting a new family? Why is the military service you were planning on out of the question? I'd suggest Air Force over Army/Navy. You and your child's medical expenses will be completely covered, you won't have to worry about housing, you'll make about the same, or a little more, than most entry level IT jobs. You'll get a lot of good experience, possibly a security clearance, and when you're ready to go back to school to finish your degree, it will be paid for. If you marry your girlfriend before the baby is born, her medical expenses will be taken care of too. Child birth is extremely expensive.
geeksquad09 wrote: » We were just talking about the Army/Navy situation. Im going to talk to a recruiter. What benefits does a Security Clearance include.
geeksquad09 wrote: » Ok lets say i talk to an air force recruiter and me a my girlfriend get married sometime before the ship me off to Basic training, what results does that yield. would she be able to assist me or would they not let her be with me.
contentpros wrote: » If you can stick it out and finish college (it will take sacrifice) but it is worth it and nobody can take away your education. With as competitive as the job market can be these days sometimes a degree (regardless of certs etc.) may be the only thing that either gets an employer to look at your resume. Like others on this thread I am 34 and looking at trying to get back to school to finish my degree and with a wife, 2 year old, a career and a mortgage its no easy task. I would agree with other posters in the respect that if I were to enlist today it would likely be in the Air Force. They are working hard to build up their "cyber" capabilities and it is the closest thing to "stable" employment these days. HTH ~CP
Everyone wrote: » No, she will not be with you during basic training no matter what branch you go with. You'll be in barracks with ~50 other guys for the duration. As soon as you move on to tech school, she can be with you there. Air Force used to be 6 weeks for basic... I think it may be 9 now. All other branches were something like 12 weeks. Air Force tech school, you'll live with her in an apartment type place, while the unmarried guys share a room with at least 1 other guy in big dorms on base. After tech school, you'll get the option of either a house on base at your first assignment, or a housing allowance to pay for rent/mortgage off base.
afcyung wrote: » If his tech school is less then 6 or 12 months cant remember which its a tdy on route to his first duty location and his wife will not be allowed to come live with him.
geeksquad09 wrote: » Yes the air force was my other option. i will look into what they have to offer. I really wanted to pursue " Cryptography" in the Navy but ill see what the navy as to offer as far as I.T wise.
geeksquad09 wrote: » Well after a hour long talk and brief consideration. My GF decides to stay behind and raise the baby as i decide to purse the Air Force/ Navy...(Havent made my mind yet). I plan on taking my ASVAB test after the baby is born and go from their. I plan on enlisting for 6 years in the Navy in the (Cryptography) program or in the Air force for their (Computer Science)
Everyone wrote: » I'm telling you, go talk to an Air Force recruiter. If you go Army, you will get deployed, a lot, for up to a year at a time. There's no maybe or might about it, it WILL happen, and it will happen frequently for extended periods of time. Even if you get into an IT related MOS, you are a soldier first. If you go Navy, you could end up on a ship, which could mean a lot of time at sea. You could also end up on land at a Naval base. Probably a better choice than Army, but 50/50. If you went Air Force, pick a 3D career field (for example, 3D0X2 for Systems Administration). You'll go to San Antonio TX for a few weeks (it was 6 when I enlisted, but I think it is a little longer now) for basic training, then Biloxi MS for a couple months for tech school. You'll finish tech school with your Security+ certification. Then you'll go on to your first assignment, which if you don't like the one you get, you have the possibility of trading with someone else in your graduating class. As a Comm troop, you won't deploy very much, if at all (unless you get assigned to a Combat Comm unit, then you'll deploy all the time, but there are very few of those). If you do deploy, chances are you'll be way in the back and nowhere near any actual combat. I deployed once my entire 4 years and 9 months in the Air Force enlisted career, and I volunteered for that deployment. It was a whole 90 days in Kuwait. What benefit does a Security Clearance have? Well it can help you find a job that pays very well when you get out of the Military, as a lot of government contracts require them. It's a very valuable thing to have. You can get jobs with companies like Lockheed, General Dynamics, Northrop, Raytheon, etc. pretty easily with one.
Everyone wrote: » You'll probably have more time to take the ASVAB BEFORE the baby is born, why wait until after? Your ASVAB scores are good for a few years IIRC. You can take the ASVAB without making any commitments.
afcyung wrote: » Cryptology in the military deals with linguistics. They send you to the Defense Language Institute in Monterrey CA and they teach you a language. Usually Arabic, Chinese and the like. It has nothing to do with computers.
instant000 wrote: » Just to be clear, I was in the Army, and I had the pleasure of interacting with Marines, Navy, and Air Force throughout my career. The Air Force might be slower to bring you in, or whatever, but it is definitely the one you want to get into. You will be with your family more, and, like the others mentioned, you basically have to volunteer for deployments, as they are so rare (usually). Also, one more point to make. I was at my Advanced Individual Training, at Fort Gordon, GA. There were also some Air Force people who came there for some training. The Air Force people got a little extra $$ kicker, as our living conditions were below their "standard." That alone told me that I had joined the wrong force. Ignore the other recruiters, and go Air Force. They will find a slot for you eventually, and go from there. If you want to prepare in the meantime, you should work on your physical training. I never actually "prepared" for the ASVAB, if you're worried about it. I scored pretty high on it in high school the first time I took it, but the test result expired. I had to go back and take it again when I decided to drop out of college, and I did OK. AFQT-99 and GT-129, for what's that's worth. I thought it was pointless, but the ID-TEN-T's in the Army would go around and denounce people, based on their GT scores alone, so frivolous and stupid, LOL. Seriously, you'd see guys thinking they're cool, ten or twelve years into their career, because they scored highly on an entry-level test that tested basic math and reading comprehension skills. Cool, you can add, subtract, and read, want a cookie bro? LOL. Also, I'm currently working with Air Force personnel, and they do Active Directory, Messaging, Storage, Networking, Vulnerability Assessments, etc. Except for the fact that they wear uniforms and do physical training in the morning, you'd think they were civilians. (I know it's weird to classify people, as servicemembers vs. civilians .... but it comes with the territory.)
afcyung wrote: » It's not unheard of to make that kind of money as a contractor but it usually involves deploying to the desert for a year.
geeksquad09 wrote: » Upon becoming a contractor and obtaining a security clearance to obtain a position like that requires at least 6-7 years experience in the Service correct. Id love to go in pursue the I.T field and become a contractor with those benefits..(Who Wouldn't). you guys make it seem so easy lol
geeksquad09 wrote: » There are a few Sr position jobs in my area that are offering 80k or more but are asking 7-8 yrs experience with a bachelors degree or a masters with multiple certs
Everyone wrote: » Sounds about right. Although with the right skills and experience, you can get around the degree and cert "requirements". [/QUOTE I look at that and the cost of living. I was reading in another thread that if your making somewhere shy of 80k after they deduct all taxes and what not your actually making high 50's low 60's a year. Location is everything
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