I am thinking of enlisting. I was seriously thinking of it a couple years ago before my son was born but I had a decent job and wanted to be there for the beginning of his life. Now he is almost two and me and my fiancee have had to move in with my parents because I have been laid off from 4 different jobs in the last two years. I think enlisting now more than ever is the right path for me. I am not in the best shape but I believe I can fight through that but if for no other reason I want to be financially sound with my family. I know the base pay is a little under 1300 a month but with a wife(we will be married before I enlist) and one child, about what can I expect, while in basic and once I get out. Having my family with me is important but the 9 weeks and then whatever for the MOS I can do, but I only want to if it will be beneficial for my family. What can I expect?

Are you thinking about the Reserves or Regualr Army? It's not 9 weeks & you're out. It's 9 eeks for Basic Combat Trianing(BCT) & however long your MOS School (AIT) is plus the rest of your enlistment time.

I laud your decision to enlist in the Army! I was in the Army as a married man with 3 kids (2 when I joined) for 21 years. After I got some rank the money was not too bad but I know one thing - I never got laid off for the 21 years I was in & the 6 years I was in the Navy when I was much younger. An d now I get a nice retirement check deposited in my bank account eah & every month.

PM on the way.

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

The Army was one of the best things I ever did in my lifetime. There are many aspects of being in the army but one thing you need to understand that it is not just a job, it is a lifestyle change beyond anything you have ever known. Make sure that if you decide to go into the Army that you go in wanting to serve in the armed forces and not just for the steady paycheck.

As MSG Glen mentioned your basic will be 9 weeks and your MOS will be anywhere from 5 weeks to 25 weeks additional time. During Basic and AIT your communication with your wife and family will be for the most part severed with the exception of occasional phone calls and letters.

Once you are in the Army (if that is the route you choose) your will be stationed anywhere the Army currently needs you for around two to three year station assignments with your family in tow. The Army's school system for your kids are good schools. If you wish there are some really good opportunities for yourself to take additional schooling through on or off post colleges.

Just keep in mind that you may and will probably be deployed over seas during this time of conflict.

Good info from Michael.

No layoffs in the Army. Stay 20 years & you start drawing a pension

If it's just extra money you need you can join the Reserve or National Guard & serve one weekend a month & two weeks a year. You'll still have to be away for BCT & AIT which you'll get paid for as well. You'll still have a chance that your unit will get called up for active duty & deployed, however.

Good luck!

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

I realize that its not just Basic Training and then I'm out, but after basic I can atleast have some communication with my family. As far as where I am stationed, my fiancee looks forward to seeing other places than where we are currently at. Whatever time I am away from them I believe would be a good investment in our future, and lets face it, nothing looks better on a resume after you get out than being able to put "Army" on there. I have a friend who was in the army for 4 years and gets jobs because of that "prior employer". And although a steady paycheck is a definite plus, the training, discipline, and experience is what has me thinking about it. I am, understandably I think, a little hesitant because it is such a big decision.

Another question though, I know that in the Marines, (my brother is a Marine) that it is highly frowned upon for tattoo's below the elbow. Because I was not planning on joining any armed forces when I turned 18, I have 4 below my elbows as well as two on my biceps and a big one on my back. Will that cause any problems?

I also have a couple debts that I haven't been able to pay because of my layoffs, and I would ask my family for help but with the economy everybody is hurting. Will those affect me enlisting?

My son has a tattoo on his lower arm.
His recruiter told him no tattoos on the hands or face. I'm not sure if that info is correct, though.
For his sake, I hope it is. He's been going to drills and everything one weekend a month, you'd think if the lower-arm tattoo were going to be a problem, they'd have mentioned it.
If worse comes to worse, I suppose there's always laser tattoo removal. It's getting less expensive and more common, as Generation X enters their 30s and 40s and decides they don't want all these tattoos anymore.

After posting earlier I found a link to the actual "rule book" and it turns out that there can be no tattoo's anywhere on the body that are obscene or extremist(racist, anything of that nature). Other tattoo's cannot be on the hands, neck, or face. Prior tattoo's are accepted as long as they are not obscene if on the hand or neck(but I'm sure they give you some crap over that). I have four that are on my lower arm, three of which are on the middle of my arm, about equal distances from my wrist and elbow. One is on my wrist on the bottom side. Two are of the Comedy/Tragedy masks, one on each arm, but with a twist they are "skull masks" and say Laugh now, Die later. the one on my wrist is irish for Justice/Peace and has a clover. I don't believe any of them are really offensive to anyone but I will make sure to wear short sleeves when I talk to a recruiter. I'm really getting ramped up about joining, I think it will be very good for me and my family.

hello to everyone, i am very concerned and have some questions for anyone that could help me, My husband is his Mother's only child and he wants to enlist but what are the rules for that and will he be restricted from combat, please help me.(

That only applies if his mother or father served in the military and was killed in action; wounded and then died as a result of the injury; is captures and listed in an MIA status; or is 100% permanently disabled as deemed by the Veterans Adminstration or the branch of military they served in. They have to be 100% though.

You may also be exempt if you are an immediate family member of someone who has been killed in hostile action.

The thing to remember is that this is an all VOLUNTEER force. No one is being drafted so there won't be any Saving Private Ryan scenarios where brothers are being drafted. People who join do so willingly and do so knowing what the possibilities are. We are currently deploying troops to many different countries so when you join you need to know that there is a good chance that you are going to go. (I'm using the term you in a general sense).

__________________
Armygirl4ever,
Proud Army Veteran 1993-2004
Now Proudly Serving in the Silent (okay, maybe not always so silent) Ranks