How do people retire from the military poor?

[Michael's Black Son]

You'd be surprised how many fukk ups are in the military if you lived near a base
Plus divorcing wifey for getting her back blown out while you're deployed can fukk up your money as well

Exactly. It's not like the cream of the crop kids are the ones sprinting toward the military. A lot of the ones going in are the fukk ups who would otherwise do the same dumb shyt that a military "career" is simply delaying until they are out of the service.

 

[MJ Truth]

I'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?

Is this a serious fukking question? We've seen lottery winners and athletes and celebrities blow HUNDREDS of millions of dollars and you're wondering how someone on a military salary can spend all of their money?

Here's an easy way to lose all of your money without even having bad spending habits or doing anything too irresponsible.... get married and have multiple children.

 

[Rawtid]

A person bad with money, is bad with money. Doesn't matter where their income is derived. Military folks can still have poor credit scores and spending habits which is exacerbated by having cheap costs of living. Military folks are easiest to take advantage of too because people will put them into debt for little to nothing out of their pockets. "Oh you're military, we can work with you".

Then you factor in some aren't purchasing homes because they move around so much. Their wealth building is solely dependent upon making sound investments.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Wonder why cats get married while in the service.

 

[Nasty_Nate]

Exactly. It's not like the cream of the crop kids are the ones sprinting toward the military. A lot of the ones going in are the fukk ups who would otherwise do the same dumb shyt that a military "career" is simply delaying until they are out of the service.

Have you ever spent a day in the military? I was in for 11 years, and did three years as a recruiter. I can tell you that most folks in the military had one thing in common, lack of money. You can't be some damn idiot and get a job in some of the more technical fields, medical fields, etc.; it's not the Vietnam era, the 80's, or even during the Iraq surge for a year or two, when your local fukk up could join the military to stay outta prison. When I was recruiting it was a damn struggle to find folks who could 1.) pass that easy ass ASVAB test (this generation of kids is dumb as fukk), 2.) didn't have something on their record that disqualified them (mostly possession charges from my experience), 3.) didn't have medical issues (all those fukkers had ADHD, were on Adderrall, depression meds, etc.), and 4.) weren't fat. Nowadays with the cutbacks I know it's even harder to get in. Yeah, there are some socially awkward weirdos from Montana, and there are some dumb fukks who could barely pass the ASVAB and end up as cooks or some other menial job; but most of us are kids of the middle class who either didn't want to go to college, or couldn't afford to go.

 

[Behind-the-wheel]

Forgot add. "Don't worry, I'll get a contractor job overseas". Meanwhile, most of their careers they were probably saying "why all all these contractors here when we could just have a service member doing that job".

I swear I get alot of emails and facebook messages from prior military asking me to put them on overseas but these contract jobs are not out there like they use to be.

Yeah, Thanks fukkin BLACKWATER for ruining it for everyone.
Then gatdamned GDIT started fukking up and running wild. Now we have to have a damn congressional order to get stationed overseas for anything longer than 6 months...and you betta not fukk up either or you can kiss your govt job availability goodbye for the rest of your damned life.
I swear...it's fukkin eggshells pins&needles in the contracting arena right now.
The fukkin haggling I gotta do just to get to fukkin Kuwait nowadays is ridiculous. 5-7 years ago they were BEGGING for people to go!

 

[wickedsm]

That's what I'm saying. Most if not all people who retire after 20 years got a job waiting on them before their last day. Their resumes are on point. Then there are the benefits they get for life.


Most homeless vets didn't do 20 years. And I highly doubt someone who did 20 plus years is broke.

My husband just retired after about 23 years.
He had a job lined up months before he actually retired. Hell, he was already working before he was technically retired.
The plan was always he would get that 20 year pension then go ahead and get another one in the civilian world.
We living lovely out here and he still pays 1200 a month in cs.
I'm a stay at home wife btw.

I'm certain I know more retired @20 or 20+ dudes than most in this thread.
All of them are living lovely.

 

[MJ Truth]

Someone explain this to me because I'm confused from dating someone in the military (AF) and then reading through this thread; clearly I've either been lied to or misunderstood...

Someone working in the Air Force but living off base is getting their rent paid for them by the military on top of getting their salary, or they're just getting their salary and paying everything from out of that?

 

[KOohbt]

They blow their money and don't properly utilize their access to loans etc to make money. They usually kids thats why.

 

[Nasty_Nate]

Someone explain this to me because I'm confused from dating someone in the military (AF) and then reading through this thread; clearly I've either been lied to or misunderstood...

Someone working in the Air Force but living off base is getting their rent paid for them by the military on top of getting their salary, or they're just getting their salary and paying everything from out of that?

I'm assuming the AF works the same as the Army when it comes to this. In the Army, in most cases if you live off post you will get a housing allowance based on your rank, martial status, and duty zip code, in addition to your regular pay and a small food allowance. The housing allowance and food allowance are not taxable. I know in some units I was in if there was space in the barracks for a single soldier, E-4 or below, and they chose to live off post instead, they wouldn't give them the housing allowance, only the food allowance. Most folks E-6 and up will live off post and get both allowances regardless of marital status. E-5 is a toss up, and E-4 and below usually only get it if they are married or are a single parent. If you live on post in family housing your rent is paid and you get your base pay plus the food allowance.

 

[L&HH]

My husband just retired after about 23 years.
He had a job lined up months before he actually retired. Hell, he was already working before he was technically retired.
The plan was always he would get that 20 year pension then go ahead and get another one in the civilian world.
We living lovely out here and he still pays 1200 a month in cs.
I'm a stay at home wife btw.

I'm certain I know more retired @20 or 20+ dudes than most in this thread.
All of them are living lovely.

Your viewpoint would be biased though. Your husband was one of the ones who did it right and chances are he'd only associate with other ppl who are similar to him.

 

[Ethnic Vagina Finder]

My husband just retired after about 23 years.
He had a job lined up months before he actually retired. Hell, he was already working before he was technically retired.
The plan was always he would get that 20 year pension then go ahead and get another one in the civilian world.
We living lovely out here and he still pays 1200 a month in cs.
I'm a stay at home wife btw.

I'm certain I know more retired @20 or 20+ dudes than most in this thread.
All of them are living lovely.

Which is why this thread makes no sense to me. Anyone that stays in the military that long has been conditioned a certain way. They know how to network and strategize. People do 20 plus years for a reason. That's why they always say if you re-enlist and do 8 years you might as well do 20.

Maybe OP is referring to vets who got out 20 years ago.

One more point to bring up. If you go in with a bad MOS you don't have to keep it. You can always pick another one if you re enlist. I knew a lot of marines that were infantry who switched to something else after 4 or 8 years.

 

[Crayola Coyote]

divorce#1

dudes come home to chicks who only married dude for the house and the money

come to So Cal and visit skid row, they will tell u

Is that San Diego??

 

[richaveli83]

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

Thank you. A lot of people posting don't really know what they're talking about. I have to add that I never met someone who served 20 years and ended up broke. This old security guard at my job did 20 years in the navy and retired at 38. He then became a cop and retired at 58. He's 62 now and only reason that he works is because he's bored and lonely. He's getting his pension from the navy and his pension from the police department. His kids are grown and have their own family, he's been divorced and single for like 12 years. His house and cars are paid off so he doesn't really need the money. Plus when he's 65 he'll get social security. Dude is not hurting for money.

 

[Vandelay]

PTSD
Dishonorable discharge
Drug addiction
Unable to live without someone telling you how to live everyday