So I talked to an US Army Reserve Sargent...

[Carsten2012b]

Brandon, age 19. Army Reserves Engineer who recently helped with the Hurricane Sandy disaster in New York. He was at our local church earlier today and while mom went to bible study, we talked for about an hour on various topics. He's pretty good at recruiting persuasion as he told me the benefits of joining the reserves (especially the pay, even though base pay is (if I remember right) $1,400 a month, which isn't that good TBH, though he says its better than working at a Burger King or something. I just did research on the minimum wage in Indiana being $7.25 per hour with an average of 40 working hours a month and an average of 4 weeks in a month, which amounts to about $1,160 a month. Even after our talk, I still had to decline an interest in the military, though my brother might be interested in such a job. Brandon is still a good person nonetheless and actually is a libertarian (though Ron Paul didn't come up in our talk surprisingly). He said that if the U.S. ever comes into a civil war again, that "I'd be proud to wear the uniform of the Confederates." and shares with being anti-government. Really great guy. If you have any questions for him, he'll be at the church again next Sunday if you all have any questions that I can give him.

[GunnyFreedom]

I am decidedly NOT encouraging you to do it, but the military paycheck is only half the story. Free housing, half-priced meals, 25% off alcohol, 30% off groceries. Free health care, free dental, free vision. All the ancillary benefits total up to way more than the paycheck itself.

[Bruno]

Paycheck 1/3
Above post 1/3
Disability or death 1/3

[AFPVet]

Don't join the reserves... either go all in (active duty) or guard. Reserves screw you. Granted, you make rank like guard, but it's different. Active reserve and guard are better, but you might as well go full active then. You also won't be eligible for the GI Bill and other benefits unless you serve three years active duty either. I don't think you want to serve three aggregate years overseas....

Also, there are ways that you can serve in the military without being deployed. I served over three years stateside and never saw sand.

[Dr.3D]

I am decidedly NOT encouraging you to do it, but the military paycheck is only half the story. Free housing, half-priced meals, 25% off alcohol, 30% off groceries. Free health care, free dental, free vision. All the ancillary benefits total up to way more than the paycheck itself.
When I was in, back in the '60s, I never paid of a meal. Perhaps you are talking about food from the PX that you take home to cook?

[AFPVet]

When I was in, back in the '60s, I never paid for a meal. Perhaps you are talking about food from the PX that you take home to cook?

It's still that way in the chow hall if you're on meal card. He might be talking about BAS. When I got my apartment off base and BAS, I had to pay for my food in the chow hall, but it wasn't much.

[Carsten2012b]

I am decidedly NOT encouraging you to do it, but the military paycheck is only half the story. Free housing, half-priced meals, 25% off alcohol, 30% off groceries. Free health care, free dental, free vision. All the ancillary benefits total up to way more than the paycheck itself.
Ah yes, he also mentioned stuff like that as well, but I didn't remember much of it until your post, so thanks for that. And I have no interest in joining. I'm sticking with politics and music composing.

[ShaneEnochs]

If I was fitter, and I could figure out a sure-fire way never to be deployed outside of the US, I'd probably join for the benefits.

[GunnyFreedom]

When I was in, back in the '60s, I never paid of a meal. Perhaps you are talking about food from the PX that you take home to cook?

No, they charged money at the chow hall. Granted, it's pennies on the dollar. I mean literally 75 cents to a dollar for a $10 meal, but it wasn't dead free. 1992-1996

[John F Kennedy III]

Ah yes, he also mentioned stuff like that as well, but I didn't remember much of it until your post, so thanks for that. And I have no interest in joining. I'm sticking with politics and music composing.

Good.

[Dr.3D]

No, they charged money at the chow hall. Granted, it's pennies on the dollar. I mean literally 75 cents to a dollar for a $10 meal, but it wasn't dead free. 1992-1996
Wow, that really sucks. I'm glad when I was in, we didn't have to pay for anything except replacing worn out uniform items and boots. I could go to virtually any mess hall and eat. I especially enjoyed the soda fountain. Guess they are getting cheap now days.

[John F Kennedy III]

No, they charged money at the chow hall. Granted, it's pennies on the dollar. I mean literally 75 cents to a dollar for a $10 meal, but it wasn't dead free. 1992-1996

Just a random thought:

Anywhere from the 80s until 9/11 I probably would've joined the military for 4-8 years. But we are in way too much crap now for me to even consider it.

[GunnyFreedom]

Wow, that really sucks. I'm glad when I was in, we didn't have to pay for anything except replacing worn out uniform items and boots. I could go to virtually any mess hall and eat. I especially enjoyed the soda fountain. Guess they are getting cheap now days.

To be fair, it could have just been a Hawaii thing.

[Dr.3D]

To be fair, it could have just been a Hawaii thing.
Humm... I was in the transient barracks there (Pearl) waiting for my ship to come in, and didn't pay at the mess hall. On Guam I didn't have to pay either. Hummm... strange. I always figured the food was free and I was glad of that. On any Naval base, I never had to show any card or anything to eat at the mess hall. As long as I was wearing the uniform of the day, I was able to eat all I wanted.

Edit:
Never had to pay on Treasure Island either. Was there in transient as well, of course waiting for my ship to come in. I did however enjoy the beer machines in the barracks. That was special to me. Of course we had to pay to use the machines.

[alucard13mmfmj]

Seems with Obama at the helm.. I don't know about joining the military as a backup for a job/benefit.

Probably airforce... although, the enemy will probably nuke and destroy US air bases first. Don't particularly want to risk my life for Obama. I'd probably want to work in the states or asia. =)

[Dr.3D]

I guess this explains it.

If you are enlisted and reside in the dormitory (or barracks, or whatever you want to call it), in most cases, you will be given your meals for free.
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/recruiter7.htm

[AFPVet]

In the Air Force, it depended on whether or not you were on meal card or BAS. When I was on meal card, the chow hall was free, but when I got BAS, I had to pay.

[heavenlyboy34]

I am decidedly NOT encouraging you to do it, but the military paycheck is only half the story. Free housing, half-priced meals, 25% off alcohol, 30% off groceries. Free health care, free dental, free vision. All the ancillary benefits total up to way more than the paycheck itself.
"Free"? lolz :D You crack me up sometimes. (nothing of scarcity in this world is free)

[Dr.3D]

"Free"? lolz :D You crack me up sometimes. (nothing of scarcity in this world is free)
Yeah, he probably should have called those things benefits.

[Carsten2012b]

"Free"? lolz :D You crack me up sometimes. (nothing of scarcity in this world is free)
Like an old economic saying said: "There is no such thing as a free lunch". :)

[oyarde]

I only ate breakfast at the mess hall , when I was married , I pd a few cents , when I was single , I signed my last four , first two intials and my last name.

[GunnyFreedom]

"Free"? lolz :D You crack me up sometimes. (nothing of scarcity in this world is free)

It's free to the Private First Class going to visit the dentist. It's not free to you and me hocking up the taxes to fund it. But then, you knew exactly what I was saying...

[Todd]

Don't join the reserves... either go all in (active duty) or guard. Reserves screw you. Granted, you make rank like guard, but it's different. Active reserve and guard are better, but you might as well go full active then. You also won't be eligible for the GI Bill and other benefits unless you serve three years active duty either. I don't think you want to serve three aggregate years overseas....

Also, there are ways that you can serve in the military without being deployed. I served over three years stateside and never saw sand.

This^

I've been in the Guard for 15 years. Less deployments and you actually may get to do Life saving missions state wide. it's also constitutional.

[A Son of Liberty]

Brandon, age 19. Army Reserves Engineer who recently helped with the Hurricane Sandy disaster in New York. He was at our local church earlier today and while mom went to bible study, we talked for about an hour on various topics. He's pretty good at recruiting persuasion as he told me the benefits of joining the reserves (especially the pay, even though base pay is (if I remember right) $1,400 a month, which isn't that good TBH, though he says its better than working at a Burger King or something. I just did research on the minimum wage in Indiana being $7.25 per hour with an average of 40 working hours a month and an average of 4 weeks in a month, which amounts to about $1,160 a month. Even after our talk, I still had to decline an interest in the military, though my brother might be interested in such a job. Brandon is still a good person nonetheless and actually is a libertarian (though Ron Paul didn't come up in our talk surprisingly). He said that if the U.S. ever comes into a civil war again, that "I'd be proud to wear the uniform of the Confederates." and shares with being anti-government. Really great guy. If you have any questions for him, he'll be at the church again next Sunday if you all have any questions that I can give him.

Next time, I'd suggest going with your mom to bible study.

[AFPVet]

This^

I've been in the Guard for 15 years. Less deployments and you actually may get to do Life saving missions state wide. it's also constitutional.

Thank you for your service! Yeah, the guard gets a much better deal.