CashmereThoughts
Veteran
Dummy'sI'm talkin about the folks who put in like 20 years at least into that shyt.
How?
People can't really be THAT bad with money, right?
Shoulda flipped that va loan a couple times and had rental properties
How do people retire from the military poor?
- Thread starter Colin X
- Start date
Shoulda flipped that va loan a couple times and had rental properties
I still think that its impossible to do 20 years and NOT come out with some mental issues.
Tons of guys refuse to get themselves checked. I know a dude who got his vehicle flipped and had a bomb go off right next to him. Said he never even went to sick call. Was proud of it.
Then you got the MASSIVE sleep issues that come with just being a part of the military... everyone's got it. Just being on-call constantly, forcing yourself to enjoy the hell out of all the free time you get because fukk sleep. It shorts your brain.
Tons of guys refuse to get themselves checked. I know a dude who got his vehicle flipped and had a bomb go off right next to him. Said he never even went to sick call. Was proud of it.
Then you got the MASSIVE sleep issues that come with just being a part of the military... everyone's got it. Just being on-call constantly, forcing yourself to enjoy the hell out of all the free time you get because fukk sleep. It shorts your brain.
You're sort of there, but kinda off
enlisted military is one of the most stressful job environments there is - i don't blame any kid that can't handle that + classes on the side. its rough. I was 100+ days in the field over the course of the year while I wasn't even deployed - and I worked in what is considered a cush job field...
also, the housing allowance thing is based on where you want to go to school at. not a set income. (you'll see the smart vets in areas like dc and new york because the housing allowance is upwards of 3k)
the transition from active to anything is rough though. going from active duty to reserves.... man, i think you now know how i lookedfor a whole year i was barking at people who outranked me, waiting for them to fukk up just once so i could let off all that pent up rage from ft. hood
i didn't chill out til MAYBE a year later. but the vet transition is rough. it really is
What's that saying, "Experiences May Vary" lol.
Most people are not hitting the field like that especially if you're in a support type of unit. That one year I deployed I was living on the FOB pulling guard duty majority of the time so I had nothing to do but continue taking online classes.
I forgot that housing allowance is based on location. I think it's about $1,300 in Houston that's why i referenced it.
And lol. I saw a lot of people who came from active to the reserves and were like fuk the reserves and got out completely, or just couldn't make that full transition to the civilian world then went back active.
Yall acting like we making big bucks in the states. Overseas is different.
Being real... I don't know if I can take it yet either. I know enough about the military now to understand that I pulled the absolute shortest stick in the bunch. I'm probably gonna end up just running through as many ranks/schools as I can in the reserves then hopping back into active duty (going from spc to warrant officer... i'm just saying, things would be different
). But its rough and a lot of people don't realize that you change so much in the military. A lot of it is growth, sure, at the same time other parts of you completely stagnate.
My biggest hurdle was realizing that I learn completely differently now compared to while I was in the military. Different than from before as well. Also, the ways that I unwinded in the military just don't translate to civilian life. Just those two things make it handful and I only did 4 years. I feel terrible for the guys that have to make the transition with a family to consider.
So for the people doing 20... man, I just hope the best for them. Very, very few can identify with that kind of life.
I'm in the Navy and been in for almost 6 years.
A lot of people in the military bank on that steady paycheck and with this credit card happy environment they try to stunt. Rent, expensive car, stunting and going out every weekend will definitely put a hurting in your pocket if you don't have any financial management skills. Which a lot of people don't.
I'm still sitting on deployment money from 2013 and my car is paid off
A lot of people in the military bank on that steady paycheck and with this credit card happy environment they try to stunt. Rent, expensive car, stunting and going out every weekend will definitely put a hurting in your pocket if you don't have any financial management skills. Which a lot of people don't.
I'm still sitting on deployment money from 2013 and my car is paid off
Nasty_Nate
Each one, teach one...
Didn't read all these posts, so if this has already been said I'm sorry. It's all good though, you'll get over it.
People who do twenty years and retire should not be broke, plain and simple. You gotta be an E-6 at that point and you're getting 50% of the basic pay for your rank when you retire (I've only seen a 20 year active duty E-5 once in my life, they're rare as hell because they should have been kicked out by then for not making rank). For an E-6 that retires this year that would be about $1861 a month. Add 2.5% to that 50% for every year you are in after 20, capping out at 75%. Even in the most expensive cities that should pay rent somewhere decent.
A lot of service members marry young as hell to either some local broad in a military town that they barely know, or a girl from back home that they come back to. If she stays married to that service member for at least ten years of his or her military service, the spouse may be entitled to half their retirement pay at the rank the service member was when they divorced. Not 100% positive, but I think it has to be written in the divorce decree in order for the ex to get it.
People who do twenty years and retire should not be broke, plain and simple. You gotta be an E-6 at that point and you're getting 50% of the basic pay for your rank when you retire (I've only seen a 20 year active duty E-5 once in my life, they're rare as hell because they should have been kicked out by then for not making rank). For an E-6 that retires this year that would be about $1861 a month. Add 2.5% to that 50% for every year you are in after 20, capping out at 75%. Even in the most expensive cities that should pay rent somewhere decent.
A lot of service members marry young as hell to either some local broad in a military town that they barely know, or a girl from back home that they come back to. If she stays married to that service member for at least ten years of his or her military service, the spouse may be entitled to half their retirement pay at the rank the service member was when they divorced. Not 100% positive, but I think it has to be written in the divorce decree in order for the ex to get it.
Ain't That Something
Superstar
If you add disability check that can go anywhere from 25 to 100 percent, and you can work another job on top of it that's like 3 checks, that 20 years retirement and broke is impossible. Now if a nikka gets out before that retirement check than being broke is a real possibility. That's why getting that degree while you in as a back up plan is key. Military service plus a degree puts you ahead in out there.
My industry manages investments for executives making between 500gs to 2 million a year and those guys over spend too sometimes
Nasty_Nate
Each one, teach one...
Exactly right. I got out in 2014, but I finished my bachelor's while I was in and was able to get a good Federal job. A lot of my fellow medics that got out around the same time weren't so lucky. They're working as EMTs, CNAs, and the most of the ones the got out of the medical field have low paying jobs. That's why I used to always tell my Soldiers to go to college at night, online, during the weekend, etc. It's a win/win because if you get out you have a degree, or at least you're closer to getting one, and if you make a career out of the military the college credits will help you get promoted. Unfortunately, a lot of them would rather drink away their lil' E-3/E-4 checks, buy twenty pairs of shoes, and a new car with a 20% interest loan.
housing and medical is the only thing free that i remember. you get free meals...your family doesnt though
IF you retire...YOU get free healthcare...your family doesnt
That's not true. When my step dad retired from the military we were still covered under his tri-care benefits.
Ain't That Something
Superstar
I'm putting an officer package this year or next myself, damn near done with my degree. Now I'm trying to get some connect with some flags for that recommendation, 2 of my nikkas that came in with me already commission
Behind-the-wheel
Living dead
Too easy.
I know E-6's that got out and retired and only get $2k a month.
If they have a mortgage, car note, kid/kids, dating, etc...that ain't gonna go very far at all.
I know E-6's that got out and retired and only get $2k a month.
If they have a mortgage, car note, kid/kids, dating, etc...that ain't gonna go very far at all.
Behind-the-wheel
Living dead
ok ok ok... a lot of false "facts" popping up in here
first off, i was in the air force for 4 years.... so while i didn't retire, i do know what goes on, pay scales, what's free and not free, and why people spend money
1. everyone in all branches, GETS THE SAME EXACT PAY PER RANK, NOT JOB.... so if you're a captain in services in the army (mess hall, gym, hotel) you make the EXACT same pay as a captain in the air force who's a brain surgeon.. it's basically socialism... your rank determines your pay... NOTHING ELSE
you get extra pay for amount of years in.. but it's still a basic chart
2. lets go over what is and isn't free...
you get free room and board... straight out of tech school, you'll be living in a dorm room... if you are married/have a child, you will get a SEPARATE housing allowance which depends on the zip code of the base you are assigned to
you get free food at the base mess hall.... that means you will need to show up at assigned times to eat... if you want mcdonald's or groceries, that comes out of your personal money... unless you are married/have a child, then they give you another SEPARATE food allowance
you get free healthcare... no copay, no nothing... again.... married/children get the same free healthcare
you get "free" college education and FREE college education... GI Bill will take $100 dollars out of your first year of checks... in exchange they will give you 50k for school.... but also the community college of your branch will offer free classes the entire time you are active duty
there's many other things, but i'll just stick to needs... you can also get free lawyers, travel on military flights, clothing allowance for uniforms, hotels for $20 (say you go to vegas and want to stay on their base instead of at a hotel), etc etc etc
3. you also can "earn" extra money... the military wants you to stay in.. they don't want to keep training dummies the whole time and having to start over every 4 years.... so when your time is up, they offer HUGE bonuses, depending on the job... some jobs will offer 30k to reenlist, because they know people don't want to do them/aren't smart enough, so they need people to stay in...
also hazard pay.... you in a war zone, you get a few extra hundred a month for being there... that's why dudes come home usually paid up
overseas pay is also great.... no taxes.... yup... cause you're out of the country, they don't take state taxes out your check and usually pay you a shytload more to make up for the cost of living
4. retirement... after 20 years in... you get 50% of your last paycheck amount FOR LIFE... 75% if it's 30 years
oh and go ahead and add in lifetime benefits
this all leads to the answer
MOTHERfukkERS NEVER HAD TO LIVE A REAL LIFE
you basically spent the last 20 years with no rent (cause it was free or paid), no food bill (cause it was free or paid), a free 1700-19,500 dollar check every month... and the only thing you NEEDED to buy was maybe a car and some gas.... anything else was a want and not a need
so what do young people do?? 18 and skipped right over college and went straight to the league.... BLOW MONEY... they in the bar every night... you a sexy military man now, you gotta take all the bytches out... you out in a new town, new state, new country.... you gotta go every damn where... you gotta buy the freshest car cause what's a $600 note when you got 1700 to blow every month
why did i keep bolding getting married? you 18, you in a dorm, you got money, you want a house for free??? go ahead and get married breh... for real this time!! i've seen friends get married.. people dating for 3 months get married.. people marry girls they had no business marrying... women personally asked me to get married, we don't even have to live together, they just want the check
housing and food allowance in jersey (where i was) was an additional 1600 a check... go get a cheap apt for 700 and i'd still have 1700 from my regular check and an additional 900 from the stipend
clothes? shyt i'm gonna be fly as fukk... i got money to blow... vacations... yup i'm going everywhere.. expensive football game... fukk it we in there... front row at the jay z concert... you'll see me there... $1200 bar tab? who gives a fukk.. steak dinner every night... you know why i'm here!!
b-b-b-b-b-b-but after a few years you probably get over that breh
you think i'm going to live my life blowing money... and every year they give me a raise... and every 2 years they give me a promotion AND a raise... and i'm suddenly gonna learn money management
you ever go to a old military bar... bunch of old ass drunk guys... still hitting for large tabs... still flirting and blowing money on hookers and young girls... still driving the fanciest of cars... but now they got 5000 a month to blow... save money?? why should i do that... i'll be getting half my check forever
then reality hits..... hold up i'm 20 years in and only 48? i still need to get another job
what do you mean this job only pays 50k a year
what's this here mortgage payment
i gotta buy my own food
budget my money
you mean i can't live off this 2500 (half of 5k) a month anymore
what do you mean government jobs are highly competitive
what do you mean i'm not gonna start off as the boss in this new job
what's a 401k
you mean i have to pay for these kids i been cranking out so my allowance will go up
you mean my wife has to get a job now cause i can't have my job support her
what do you mean college for my kids costs 20k a year
*BOOM*
that's it, perfectly stated.
[END OF THREAD]
Nasty_Nate
Each one, teach one...
All they gotta do is a get a job. My homeboy's pops retired as an E-6 (infantry
) and was a manager at local restaurant after he retired. My boy and his brother got through high school just fine and still lived in a decent neighborhood after their pops retired. Most folks that retire after 20 years are in their late 30s or early 40s, plenty of time to work and get a second retirement. If you retire after 20 years or more in the military and you're broke, then you're fukking up somewhere.