Poll of the Day > I have a question for U.S. Army vets on here, if any

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've been interested in joining the Army since I got married, particularly for family healthcare and education options and partly because I've always wanted to serve. I'm a 24 year old guy. I realize this is more of a recruiter question than a GFAQs question, and I've reached out to one and heard back-- I just kind of wanted to talk to him after having asked around personally.

How are the healthcare benefits? I realize this can probably vary in rules a bit, I guess overall is what I'm inquiring. Or is it misleading advertising and it really isn't all that great?

I already have a computer science degree and would like to take my schooling even further with an education in physics (eventually for gov't/private sector quantum computing). I already owe $30k, so this would have to be free (or close to free) for me to consider going back.

Any input or family stories of how joining the Army really helped them out/fucked them over personally somehow, financially or not. This is something I'm seriously considering doing. Told the recruiter I'd call him back after I married, haven't gotten back to him yet, but he did return my call. Will be seeing him in person in the near future. (Walking in with the suspicion he will say anything I want to hear because that's his job or if he will be completely real with me.)
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The smartest thing I ever did was join the army. The second smartest thing I ever did was get the fuck out of the army.

Having said that, the healthcare is decent, but it's basically free. I'm not sure what the education benefits are nowadays, but if you already have a bachelors you might want to take the loan repayment option if they still offer it. The post-9/11 was fucking phenomenal though.

I'm about to go into work but if you have any questions to list I can answer them throughout the day.

Cacciato posted...

The smartest thing I ever did was join the army. The second smartest thing I ever did was get the fuck out of the army.

Truth.

I can't speak for coverage while on active duty because it's been so long since I got out.

VA Healthcare has been improving over the past decade or so. When I first started going to the VA, they wouldn't even draw blood for an annual physical (got out in 2003). It seems a lot closer to civilian healthcare these days. And like Cacciato says - you don't pay a dime for yourself. Not sure how much it costs for family, if anything, because my wife and kids are covered through her work. Never looked into it.

I can say that I believe you need 180 days of active duty service to qualify for the VA (although I think they make exceptions for the combat-wounded). Reserve duty might seem enticing, but if you're looking for long-term benefits you may want to go active duty because you may not end up getting deployed as a reservist, which is probably the only way you'd get that 180 days.

Also, make sure you go to sick call and get shit on record. Not every case of the sniffles and tummy aches, but stuff like injured back, neck, etc. All that shit will come up when you ETS and have your exit physical. If ANYTHING is bothering you during your exit physical, tell them. You could wind up with service-connected disabilities, which could enhance your benefits.
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And tell them you have ringing of the ears, they'll give you like 10% for tinnitus and they don't really test for it. 10% disability is like 150-200$ a month or something.

This is all during your exit physical, of course. I'm projecting way into the future, but it's good stuff to know. Don't say shit during your entrance physical. As far as they're concerned, you're in perfect health unless they find something.
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The family benefits are excellent. If your family goes with you to your duty station, the Army basically pays for your house.

To piggyback off of Cacciato, if loan repayment applies to you, make sure you thoroughly research it, I've heard that the Army has been fucking people over on that.
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Cacciato posted...

The smartest thing I ever did was join the army. The second smartest thing I ever did was get the fuck out of the army.

I found this to be quite insightful, believe it or not lol. Will definitely keep these statements in mind as I talk with the recruiter.

Other info that may be helpful-- thanks for offering help so far, by the way-- I'm about 5'9", extremely fit, but I'm a bit nervous about basic training because of my eyesight. I've been told I'm the perfect candidate for Lasik surgery and heard that the Army provides it, but is Lasik something they would provide before boot camp, basic training, or whatever? I've got the same prescription in each eye (-1.5, fairly weak prescription). I hate the thought of wearing my glasses as they seem to fall off pretty easily when I play sports. Can't imagine boot camp with them on.

If they deem me a better fit for computer type stuff, what are my chances of seeing combat? This is probably an extremely dumb question for you guys, but I really don't feel fit for combat because of diet restrictions. I'm not a coward or anything, but I get stomach aches a lot and wouldn't want to hold anybody back for a bullshit reason like that. I feel like I'd be able to help better working on computer systems for this reason. Is this something that they take into account when "placement" happens? Are we given options of what we do to any extent, or are you ultimately fucked if your commanding officer decides otherwise?

I'll ask more later, typing off of my phone at the moment and I feel like it may be asking too much at once. I really appreciate you guys' input so far. And thanks for your service.
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IIRC they give you Army-issue glasses. We jokingly call them "BCGs" (Birth Control Glasses, because they make you look like Buddy Holly, and not at all in any kind of cool way). You don't get to wear your own, but they'll get your prescription. This is for training, I should clarify. Once you graduate and you're in your active duty unit, you can wear your own glasses as long as they meet the standards set by the Army.

I got out before Lasik was really a thing, but that sounds dubious. IF, and that's a big "IF", the Army provides it, I guarantee it will be once you've completed all of your training and you're at your duty station. If they offer you anything during the recruitment process, make sure you get it in writing. Recruiters will straight up lie all day long in order to get you to sign the paperwork.

Depending on what you score on the ASVAB will determine what kind of job you get in the military. If you have half a brain you can avoid any sort of combat-oriented MOS. They do give you choices, depending on your ASVAB scores, and they will try to get you into a job that you want. They're well aware that not everyone wants to be infantry, and they definitely know it's better to have a happy soldier than a disgruntled soldier. I've heard that it's better to join earlier in the year, because they have slots to fill in different positions and by the end of the year all of the good jobs are taken. That may just be a rumor, though.
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I went in with around prescription ~-7-8 eyesight in the left and -~4-5 in the right. They just give you some gnarly glasses (they're actually pretty nice nowadays), so poor eyesight isn't that big of a deal. And you get prescription inserts for things like ballistic eyewear and gas masks, for free. And you also can get a little strap to keep them on if you're worried.

As far as the combat experience as a computer guy, it'll be virtually nonexistent depending on the actual job, but generally none. The closest I would imagine is like out comms guy that rolled out with us every now and then, and for a place like Afghanistan you'd probably be needed for help with the comms equipment. But at this point unless you're in an invasion you'd be good. As far as what you do regarding your job, I guess it's technically up to your CO, but in a line unit like mine you literally just did what you're MOS was 99% of the time. Unless it's shit like cleaning, in which case they don't give a fuck because you're gonna do it.

Far-Queue posted...

And tell them you have ringing of the ears, they'll give you like 10% for tinnitus and they don't really test for it. 10% disability is like 150-200$ a month or something.

I actually have that. How dare you appropriate my condition for money. Also, as a civilian I also demand money for my debilitating condition.

Duck-I-Says posted...

Far-Queue posted...

And tell them you have ringing of the ears, they'll give you like 10% for tinnitus and they don't really test for it. 10% disability is like 150-200$ a month or something.

I actually have that. How dare you appropriate my condition for money. Also, as a civilian I also demand money for my debilitating condition.

Serve 4 years in the Army, then tell the doctor you have tinnitus during your exit physical. Demands met.
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