On getting out of the Army

Somehow I've met A LOT of people lately whose husbands are getting out of the Army. It's pretty cool since at least there are some people who won't try to shame us because apparently 14 years of active service and 3 combat tours just aren't enough for one soldier. It's cool to know people who say, "Yeah I know exactly what you mean." when I say something like, "Yet another unpredictable training schedule. I cannot wait to be rid of this. Just a few more months."

At the same time, though, these people scare the crap out of me. I kind of see why so many people just assume that people who get out of the Army are bound to fail, and why Thak's boss told me the other day that she had never seen anyone so prepared for success on the outside, and that she is absolutely sure that Thak will do really well compared to others. To prepare as much as we have is uncommon. Most of these people think their husbands will go to school after they get out, that there are $30 an hour jobs waiting for veterans, that military experience is worth something on its own, and basically all the other rumors that swirl around in any unit at any given time. Having gotten out of the Army myself, I know how untrue all of this really is, so hearing people believe that stuff is really kind of scary.

Here are a few things people should know about getting out of the Army:

1) Your military experience is really not worth much on its own in most cases. Sure, there are some rare cases in which the experience you have in the Army translates directly to some job outside of the Army. The problem is that in most cases, the jobs like that will deploy you just as fast as the Army will. Isn't the point of getting out of the Army, not to deploy anymore? If that's a big selling point for you, then you should really be working on making your military experience marketable in the civilian world for as many years as that will take. If your military job would require a 4-year degree on the outside, then maybe you will need to go to school for four years before getting out. If you can get away with a 2-year degree to translate your military experience to the civilian market (and the majority of soldiers can), then that's what you should get. Yes, this will create a crazy schedule, and you will not have any free time to speak of for the years you do that, but what's better, doing that or continuing to deploy repeatedly because you didn't have what you needed in order to get out successfully? Military experience will very nicely augment a civilian education. It will nearly never replace one.

2) Waiting until you get out to go to school is a horrible idea if you have a family, and any rank to speak of. Yes, everyone knows people who get out of the Army can get unemployment pay for six months. Yes, we all know that the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes a stipend in the amount of an E5's housing allowance for your zip code. However, this is absolutely not enough money to live on. As far as unemployment, according to the state of TX's calculator, if Thak were to draw that particular benefit, it would amount to a little over $1600 a month. If he were to receive E5 BAH on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, that would come in just below $1000. That means we'd have $2600 to live on. That would be a complete disaster! Thankfully, he will be able to get a well paid job when he gets out, so while we will take a pay cut, it won't be as drastic as if we dropped down to the $2600 a month that those benefits would give us. Trying to live on $2600 a month and go to school is not a recipe for success. Go to school while you're still in the Army.

3) Stay where you're stationed for a few years after you get out. Going to school is a great way to network, and if you do that while you're still in the Army, you'll have all kinds of great connections to use when you are applying for jobs around the time you will be getting ready to get out! Don't waste this by moving right away. Establish yourself in your field locally, using the connections you have made, THEN move after a few years. Yes, you want to go home. Who doesn't? Becoming a soldier wasn't easy, and neither is finding your way out of the Army. The ones who have the least success of the people I know who have gotten out of the Army in the past 10 years, are hands down the ones who just ran back to their hometowns. The smart move is to stay where your connections are. Move once you have established yourself within your field and can possibly transfer within your company.

4) There is no such thing as a $30 an hour job. OK, so there is, but right out of the Army, you're probably not going to get one, even if you did go to school and make your military experience count for something civilian. The military pays you more than you will make on the outside, make no mistake about it. Nobody gets out of the Army for the money. Hell, nobody joins the Army for the money. If you wanted to get rich, you should have gone to medical school, or become a stock broker, or something. It is really dangerous to live as if you're going to walk right out of the Army into a $30/hour diesel tech job, though. Are there diesel techs somewhere on the planet who make that much? Yes. Let's just say that is not starting pay for anything in that field. Yes, a lot of colleges help people get jobs when they graduate, but look at the statistics on that, and be realistic. Most of the jobs they place people in are low paying. There are a few who get high paying jobs. They are the top of the class, and have done a lot of leg work on their own. I'm not saying it can't happen for you. It absolutely can. I am saying it requires an insane amount of work and financial investment (We've sunk thousands into licensing exams, study guides, additional tools, online practice tests, and other stuff that has helped get Thak to where he is today.), and let's not forget a ton commitment from the entire family. Be mentally prepared for that, and you will succeed. Think you'll just sail through and ultimately land in one of the few high paying jobs that exists, and you will have a hard time.


I am absolutely not saying that people who get out of the Army are destined to fail. I don't believe that for half a second. If I did, do you really think Thak would be getting out? Of course not. What I am saying is that this needs to be approached with a healthy dose of realism. You absolutely have to see this decision for exactly what it is. You are trading in every single one of Uncle Sam's safety nets for the freedom you and/or your husband fought for. You will be working without a net, and can absolutely fall on your face in the process, but good things come to those who are pragmatic. Sometimes that means making more hard decisions before you can reap the rewards. Getting out of the Army should be a process that takes years, because frankly, you sunk years into your Army career. You can't just end it overnight and expect any success in that. It's even more time consuming, and just as sacrificial, as becoming a soldier was in the first place. If you really want it, it's worth it, though.