Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 9/24/2007

Question
QUESTION: I am just recently looking into joining my local air national..... guard? Or is active duty better? I am so ignorant (at least i'll admit it!) with all of this. Never even gave any of this a second thought before. Just spoke to a recruiter for the guard who thinks guard is the way, but just went to dinner with a friend who was navy active duty and now air guard and thinks i need more information. I need some answers without biased opinions. which is better for ME which is.....better....??

ANSWER: Dear Sabrena --

Only you can know what is best for you.  The questions you need to answer are:

1:  Do I want to travel for my military career or do I want to stay near home?

2:  Do I want to do my military service part time, or full time?

3:  Do I plan to do at least 20 years of military service, or do I just want to do a few years and get some job training, and leadership experience while serving my country?

Please answer these questions for me, and I will write back my recommendations for you, with my reasons why.

Good luck to you.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for responding:)
So I will answer as honestly as i can, but please note that I tend to be undecisive.. :(
1. I DO want to travel, but in say  3-5 years probably want to settle down, (Family perhaps).
2. I would imagine that once i get involved i would want to be full time, as i normally tend to do. But would i want to start off part time to make sure???....
3. Hmmm.... well :) again, maybe start off 6-8 years and if i feel its a life time career yes, at least 20 years. But yes would like to do some years (to see how it works with me) get some training and leadership experience while serving my country.
As I am getting older....agghh! and starting out at almost 25, and wanting to have kids and a family eventually,...(times running out) is it too late to do active and still have kids in a few years? Or perhaps it does make more sense to do guard and still be able to make a lifetime career out of it. I know its not usually i good idea to do guard then active, but i hear that officer positions might be a good option for me...
I so aprreciate everyones willingess to help me out. Thank you So Much.

Answer
Dear Sabrena--

Twenty-five years old is not too late.  That's when I got my commission.  I could have retired 4 years ago at 45 years of age, if I had wished.

So, that said.  Active service and reserve service are VERY different.  Do  not "try out" the military via reserve service, unless you have a good job to come back to on which you would rather concentrate.  

If you are serious about active duty service, you should start active duty, but take a shorter initial tour length.  That way if you like it, you can stay in.  If you don't want to continue, you can complete your obligation via the reserves, or the individual ready reserve and get out.

Officer options are excellent, especially if you already have a bachelors or associates degree from any accredited college.  If you do not have a degree, you will need to have a bachelors degree, while in the service or with a break in service, to get your full chance at the various promotion opportunities.

The military has excellent maternity benefits.  You get maternity leave as long as the doctor determines is necessary.  The maternity leave determination must be done in writing.  Then you can still take your remaining days of annual leave after your maternity leave is complete.  Your pre and post natal care is covered by your military medical benefits.  The only real problem I see with military maternity medical care is, there are so many pregnant wives along with the pregnant Soldiers, that the medical world tends to "counsel" you in "cattle calls."  Every pregnant woman on post, in the auditorium, all at the same time, each month.  Unfortunately that means that everyone knows your business and you cannot keep your pregnancy quiet.

Finally, if you are in the military and wish to be a military mom, you need a husband who will be Mr. Mom, and allow you to concentrate on your military career.  I know a few couples that are joint military and both make a career of it, but they are few.  Couples where the civilian career is "more important" than the military career usually don't make it.  Either they get divorced or the military person leaves the service before retirement.

I know this is a lot to consider, but I wanted you to have my perspective, as you continue to ponder your options.

Best of luck to you.