Would you take a temporary pay cut (and potential future earnings cut) to go from civilian job + National Guard to full-time Army (AGR)?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 16:24:23 -0500

There's a potential AGR job opening up in the next year or so that I could be a good candidate for. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of staying M-day or going to AGR. From my current job it would be a temporary pay cut, but within a few years the base salary (assuming a fairly quick promotion to E-5 which I believe the job requires) + BAH + savings from Tricare premiums would start to overcome my current salary.

That being said, I am using tuition assistance to get a master's in computer science and was looking to transition to computer science, where the earning potential is quite high. I am still early in the program, though, and I haven't yet put out my resume and tested the waters, so to speak, to see how job prospects are at the moment so it's not a guarantee (although from my understanding it's generally a hot market).

I know this is a personal decision, but I wanted to know if there are some benefits (all benefits, including the non-financial ones) to being AGR that M-day doesn't get-- in addition to BAH and $0 Tricare premiums-- that I may not be thinking about that could influence my decision, or that might make AGR worth considering. Am I being crazy for even considering it?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2021 4:51 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 16:51:57 -0500

I think that the Active Duty military retirement is pretty exceptional, especially the younger you are. I can retire at 42, receive $2500 taxed in retirement pay, and with all my ailments receive up to $3500 tax free every month for 20+ years before I draw a regular retirement.

That's the kind of money I can be a stay at home dad, or a painter, or an entrepreneur, with. It's the kind of money that let's you have a "do what you want to" job, not a "do what you need to" job.

I'm not saying that your civilian job won't provide a similar level of compensation, but you have to add in the several job changes that will come, time between jobs, etc. Will that compensation over 20 years equal enough to equal your pay and then your pension?

Last, you need consider the promotion potential of the position you are taking. If you can't retire its probably not worth it. But, if you're AGR you have the same RCP rules as Active Duty. E4 = 8 years, E4P =10 years, E5 =14 years, Active Service. If your job doesn't provide a path to SGT before 10 years and SSG before 14 years, then it's not a path to AD retirement for you.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2021 6:49 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 18:49:51 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Yes, I would take a pay cut. When I was discharged, my goal was to work for the Space Program. I moved to the Houston area and found a well paying job as a shift working Operator at a chemical plant while I worked on my degree. Five years later, I had my degree and started working on the Space Shuttle Program at a much lower salary. Money is not the most important criteria when picking a career. Good luck.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2021 8:06 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 20:06:12 -0500

It depends if you prefer having control over your life or if you like moving.

Response by PO1 Don Uhrig made Nov 9 at 2021 8:25 PM

PO1 Don Uhrig — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 20:25:22 -0500

Would I? Why are you interested in what I would do? Very odd.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Nov 10 at 2021 8:07 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:07:19 -0500

Does your current job offer you 30 days paid vacation? Assuming you make E-5 and are still under 6 years, you should make $36,708 in pay, using my location as BAH (not even a High Expense Area) would add another $16,784, plus another $4632 for Subsistence. The last two are entirely tax free. So you are at $58 grand plus Tricare and 30 days off, plus the 20 year retirement.
Insurance cost me $1200 a month through my employer for me and my wife until I hit 65. That is not going to get any smaller.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2021 8:49 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:49:01 -0500

One thing to consider, if your profile is correct then your AGR career will be very limited by your MOS. Your state probably has 1 or 2 E7 AGR jobs at most in your MOS.
And your MOS is probably not on the MOS memos for MOS Immaterial AGR positions.
You might want to consider picking up 42A or 92Y, which probably make up 1/3 each of the E7 AGR jobs in your state.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Nov 10 at 2021 9:22 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 09:22:06 -0500

Have you considered excepted civil service as an AST? Best of both worlds.