Posted on Apr 2, 2019
How can the military help me support my mother? How is it enlisting later on in life?
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So I just have some questions for anyone who has relative experience with my situation. Im 25 and want to enlist. I was in the process back in october/November but then my dad passed unexpected. I was talking with him about it and he was all for it saying I should leave asap. I don't feel like I'll be happy in life if I don't do it but at the same time I have to take care of my mother (my dad made all the money so him and my mom could spend as much time together) she says that if I feel like I need to do it I should but I can't get over feeling like it's selfish and just wrong to leave her right now. So I guess I'm asking how the military would help me still be able to help support her while I still do what I want to do. Also any comments on enlisting later in life? I have a good job I'm in my second year of a plumbing apprenticeship I'm just not happy with civilian life you could say I guess.
Enlisted
Dependents
Military Family
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
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Don't expect that jumping into the military life will make you any more happy than your civilian one. The challenges are bigger, the stress higher, and the loneliness from being away from loved ones is extended for months or even years on end. But at the same time, the rewards are wonderful. Personal growth and strength, travel and new experiences, opportunities for advancement and life experiences you would never get as a civilian. On top of that, it's great pay, especially for an entry level job, guaranteed a degree as long as you make the time to do the school work, and excellent benefits.
As for your mother, you can support her financially. When you initially start out, you'll probably make less than what you do as a plumber, but the promotions and income always continue to rise. If you are paying greater than 50% of your mother's support you can claim her as your dependent and then her health care will be covered as well. Unfortunately, no matter which branch you choose, the military will take you away for weeks or months at a time. So, if your mother needs physical care, it might not be a good choice for you.
As to enlistimg later in life, I find that people who join later usually bring a maturity that enables them to stand out among their peers and end up getting promoted ahead of their peers as well. Plus, there's a whole difference in professional approach to work. Many of the kids who enlist out of high school look at the military and their leaders as second parents to rebel against and the military as a prison sentence. It's not till they get out and meet the real job market that they learn to balance the benefits with the costs of service. You're in a better position to honestly weigh whether the benefits of service out weigh the costs of it.
As for your mother, you can support her financially. When you initially start out, you'll probably make less than what you do as a plumber, but the promotions and income always continue to rise. If you are paying greater than 50% of your mother's support you can claim her as your dependent and then her health care will be covered as well. Unfortunately, no matter which branch you choose, the military will take you away for weeks or months at a time. So, if your mother needs physical care, it might not be a good choice for you.
As to enlistimg later in life, I find that people who join later usually bring a maturity that enables them to stand out among their peers and end up getting promoted ahead of their peers as well. Plus, there's a whole difference in professional approach to work. Many of the kids who enlist out of high school look at the military and their leaders as second parents to rebel against and the military as a prison sentence. It's not till they get out and meet the real job market that they learn to balance the benefits with the costs of service. You're in a better position to honestly weigh whether the benefits of service out weigh the costs of it.
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Shane Breneiser
Thanks for the response but yeah shell just need help financially I don't want her to lose the house
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You need tp go to DEERs to get an application form. One of the rules is her having a low income level and you financially support her. It is not that hard to make the request. She will have access to the post hospital and get an ID card. I think this situation allows you to get BAH, I am not certain.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
You ask the DEERs office for an application and it starts starts the process to get dependency for your mother. You tell them what your intentions are.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
Maj Landgren's advice is right on. If your mother is able to care for herself other than financially, having her declared your dependent will provide her with all the benefits as though she were your child. That said, ask for a delineation of the increased pay you would receive and compare it with what your combined needs will be. Remember, you will most likely be assuming the responsibility for two households, hers and yours now and in the future. Look a few years ahead and consider what it will mean should you decide to marry. Perhaps the military will not provide you with the income you need.
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Shane Breneiser Please complete your apprenticeship and receive that Journeyman’s Card.
That will give you a real Ace to hold for your working life.
My father worked as a pipe-fitter when he was a young man. He quit for a more stable, higher paying job. That great job vanished after 10 years, from age 34 on, he tried to get a Pipe Fitter’s Card. No dice, he had not completed the training.
With the card in hand, options are Open for you. Best wishes!
That will give you a real Ace to hold for your working life.
My father worked as a pipe-fitter when he was a young man. He quit for a more stable, higher paying job. That great job vanished after 10 years, from age 34 on, he tried to get a Pipe Fitter’s Card. No dice, he had not completed the training.
With the card in hand, options are Open for you. Best wishes!
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