Currently a Blackhawk pilot serving in Iraq. I was a 15T as enlisted which meant i worked on blackhawks. Its rediculous to see how much these goverment contractors get paid for doing the same job PFC Smith does. I am coming up on a decision to either re-enlist or get out. I would have 9yrs in.

I have an A&P which is all this company that works here in Iraq requires. I have no complaints with the military. I enjoy it for the most part and have made friendships I know will last well into my senior years. But I could take a job doing what I did for the first 3years of my military service and work on helicopters for rougly 168k yr.

I would be in Iraq for aslong as I would want with vacations up to 2 weeks long every 3months.

Your always told to do what you enjoy doing and the money shouldnt matter. I'm married with a child. Who really follows this logic?? Right now im leaning towards staying in just curious what other people have done in situations like this.

-Nate

 

Never been in that situation but I would say the military is a steady job. But do what you love, money is not always the key to happiness.

 

A job you TRULY enjoy is worth A LOT OF MONEY. Don't trade quality of life for money. You have 11 more years until you have a guaranteed pension for life.

 

trust me that is a key factor right there. That check for the rest of your life and I'll only be 38.

 

stay in. If you like the military, the pension is worth its weight in gold. Good luck and thanks for serving our country!

 

I got out when my time came... Pulled in twice what I made in the military - and I get paid overtime and 3-4 days every week off. Plus, I get to choose what I wear to work every night.

But, that's me. And I know a lot of people that stay in the Military b/c it's the life they want. I didn't have a bad time in the Military, it just wasn't the life I wanted to live.

That's something you have to decide for yourself. Good luck with whatever decision you make

 

the pension is unparalleled in the corporate world. 168k is a ton of money, but it's good as long as the contract positions exist. ie its not a dependable, long term solution. if you were so-so with the military i'd say go for it, but if you really love your job, just finish the career and you'll probably be happier with your life--and being happy is much better than being wealthy.

at 40 with a successful military career behind you, you're the farthest thing from unemployable--just make sure you get some free college degrees before you get out. a business management degree is a great option for officers, but i don't know for enlisted. but with your education, you can go back to work at 40 as a 20 yr experienced guy with your health care paid through 90+ yrs old and pull two paychecks until you decide to quit working.

the army will pay your mortgage and health care until you die. that's worth a lot of money when you're old.

 

I just went over 20 years service..... stay in. Trust me.. it will be worth it. Pay your dues now and then do what you really want later in life.

Tim

 

Or...take the 168K/yr, live on the same 40k/yr the military paid you, and put the rest in the bank. Do that for 2 years and you'll have $250k in the bank gathering interest for the next 11 years till you retire, something tells me that if you work this other job long enough, you'd be far better off than with the military pension.

If I were to take my job, work it for the next 10 years, and live on only what I lived on in the military, I'd be putting away close to 40k/yr (plus raises/bonuses). Given 10yrs with interest and I'd have at least 10-11 years of living on the same amount I live now - not half. If I were to divide it in half (military pension), I'd have 20 years worth of "pension" coming to me (plus interest). And I'd still be able to work whatever job I wanted till I actually retired letting my savings accrue even MORE interest. Remember, I'm getting raises along the way so I can put even more money away at the end of the 11 years and keep working my job that I pretty much guarantee will have a higher salary than someone just leaving the military - even with 20yrs service.

In other words: $250k in the bank in 2 years gaining interest for the next 9 (no need to touch it, just live off what you make in a diff job, or keep the same lifestyle with the new job) or wait for 11 and then be able to start putting away your pension pay...

Just because it's a pension plan doesn't mean it automatically beats out the other option.

You can get far better health care than the VA system for the difference you'll be making in wages.


So...ultimately it comes down to what kind of life you want to lead. The Military life with all its trials and tribulations, or the Civilian life with its equivalent trials and tribulations.

If it's a money thing, go see a financial advisor and see what they say. If it's a quality of life thing, then you're the only one who can make that decision - just make sure it's the one you can sleep with every night. (and don't buy into that bull about staying in being the more 'honorable' thing to do - I did my time, I served my Country, there's nothing dishonorable about being a civilian afterwards - you're still a vet whether you do 2 years or 30+)

 

From what I've heard these private contracts are great for someone trying to make some money for the next 2-5yrs, but not for someone trying to secure a longterm career.