Post: #1

Fucking Army.

The Army is calling my name. We have something called AGR which stands for Active Guard Reserve. It basically means I get the benefits of being regular Army without being regular Army. I have never been regular Army but being AGR is working a 9-5, no PT, no formations, and really you only have to deal with the Reserves during drill weekend and exercises you may have to do (weapons qual, PT test, and 2 weeks a year).

My background is in 26, no kids, no wife, no debt, grew up military so no real "home". Before this deployment I was going to school fulltime living off the GI bill and workstudy. I was enjoying it. I've been in the logistics field for 8 years but my degree was going to be Biology. Since Ive been out here, I have been thinking about just switching into logistics, contracting, or business just so I can stay in the field I am experienced in.

My inital plan when I get back in May was to get on unemployment for a year. Continue school online abroad somewhere. After unemployment, get back on my GI Bill which pays 1200 a month. 1200 goes long in Mexico, Belize, Columbia. I have three years of that. Finish my degree and figure out life after that. I'll be sitting on 100K after this tour so I can set up some type of passive income or investments. Live life day to day, travel, smash CA and South american lizards for 3-4 years then enter the real world at 31.

If I take an AGR position I'll get a steady pay check for another 3 years. More experience in my field. Can finish my degree while I have a steady job. Move to a new city and smash. Stack bread on top of my 100K and figure something out when I hit my next tour at 30. I can always just stay AGR till I hit my 20 years and retire. I would be 43. AGR would pay me about 60K a year. Good luck finding that in the civilian world. My last job offer was 45K outside Dallas in Febuary.

I did the 9-5 grind for 5 years from '05-'10. School for a year was a nice break. These to deployments are nothing. I guess I have nothing to look forward to. I have no real passions. I am indifferent to getting in the medical field or just keep it going with the logistics field. Honestly, it doesnt matter if I go AGR or finish my degree, smash lizards and travel.

26 is an age where you should know where you are headed. I have opportunity, nothing to ground me (wife, kids, debt), and a safety net to catch me if I fall (savings and family).

Me not taking the position and just traveling is not really a choice of jumping. But me taking the position is securing my future and adding experiece for future jobs and future wealth. I guess right now I am trying to rationalize whatever choice I make.

What would you do?

Post: #2

Not sure what the point of this post is, but it sounds like you got some good things going for you. I always thought most people get shafted by military service, but it sounds like you played your cards right or something and are getting hooked up. It already sounds like you got a pretty good idea of what to do, but my advice would be to buy some kind of rental property with your 100K, buy in an area where you can get a decent house for around that much.

Either invest the full 100K and buy the place, then start renting it ASAP for rental income, or put 50% down and get a low interest rate, and still rent the place out, but just make less money per month, while still holding 50K in the bank.

Live off your GI bill money and find a way to earn another source of passive income, or take up jobs while you travel like, work at a hostel, bar tend, teach English, etc. Live part of the year abroad traveling where ever is cheap and your $1200 a month goes a long way, return to the U.S. when needed and stay with friends or family.

Bonus points if you rent your place out to a friend, with the condition of keeping a spare bedroom for you to return and stay in when you come back the the U.S.

Post: #3

I am just looking for thoughts. What would go through other players minds if they had the same situation presented to them. I honestly dont know what the hell I will do but other players thoughts are cool to hear. I have one homeboy in the states I would actually take advice from, my dad would say take the job, other than that nobody else to bounce ideas off of. Shit is kind of sad but thats what you get when you move every few years and been deployed for the last year and a half.

Appreciate the thoughts.

Post: #4

If you've got logistics experience, check out careers in physical commodity trading. I am in the process of researching a move into this field as well. Unlike paper trading, physical trading actually involves moving the commodity (oil, grain, natural gas, etc.) from one place to the other. All the top trading houses make their traders go through stints in logistics/chartering before becoming a trader. Pay starting out is 65-75k plus bonus. Traders make 6 figure base at least + unlimited upside for the top guys.

Post: #5

MOS? Rank?

AGR is painfully boring. You come in and see the same 5 people every day and you are doing paperwork for the entire unit.

Post: #6

Here's a different perspective....

If you do not hold a security clearance I highly recommend on obtaining one. Since you are already in the army It should be a straight forward process you might have to change your MOS. If so go the IT route. IMO the best thing to do is get out of the army become a contractor get this money the companies will pay for your education and you be making six figures, travel plus tons of other benefits.


If you do not want to get out of the army. then go AGR route its better to go with something guaranteed even if does suck..

Post: #7

As one poster mentioned,

I would invest 50K into a rehab property then rent it out.

As far as what is next, what do you want out of life?

Id def go live in CA or SA for atleast a year while you are doing school or just to relax and enjoy life.

Post: #8

1. GI Bill payment is based on E-5 with dependents on the area code you are attending school at. Think they pay 1/2 for online. I have no clue what the rules are on foreign schools.

2. You plan on collecting unemployment while abroad? Not sure thats gonna work.

3. AGR slots are hard to come by. I also wouldnt predict anything for certain over the next 5 years. Once we pull of afghanistan and the budget starts getting hit hard, slots are going to go away. And the people that do get the few slots, will never leave them. And keep in mind what ranks the slot is budgeted for. If your an E-5 and the slot is only for E-5s, you have to find a new job or deny promotions.


If you have an AGR slot on the offer now, I would take it. Like you said its hard to beat the wages especially when you factor in the hours you actually have to work a year. And the retirement is golden, you could live in many third world countries off nothing but your retirement.

You can still travel while on leave, but its only 30 days a year which would suck.

Post: #9

Going on anti trace.
Yea...Im using Gi bill also. Its really dependent on were you live for how much you get paid for.
If you move to south america..I don't think you will get the same BAH rate. They pay out based on cost of living
If its even possible, you have to worry about if the school is accredited.

There might be a loophole for you to enroll in a school in the US, and get BAH for that state and use it overseas.
With all the money problems. the military might not be willing to pay for bullshit classes.
They want people in medicals schools and whatnot.

What I wanna know is where you pulled the 100k.
I know theres good bonuses, but ive never heard of that

Post: #10

(08-03-2012 11:42 PM)Sourcecode Wrote:  Going on anti trace.
Yea...Im using Gi bill also. Its really dependent on were you live for how much you get paid for.
If you move to south america..I don't think you will get the same BAH rate. They pay out based on cost of living
If its even possible, you have to worry about if the school is accredited.

There might be a loophole for you to enroll in a school in the US, and get BAH for that state and use it overseas.
With all the money problems. the military might not be willing to pay for bullshit classes.
They want people in medicals schools and whatnot.

What I wanna know is where you pulled the 100k.
I know theres good bonuses, but ive never heard of that

Its what I will save after this deployment. No kids, debt, bills. Im stacking 5K a month since Dec.

My state and specifically county dont look into unemployment. My buddy came of active duty and never spoke to TexasWorkForce after he started receiving his money. That Obama stimulus package extended his benefits also. Received unemployment for 2 straight years without applying for a job, checking in to some suit, or calling anybody. I wont bank on receiving it tho, and once it does run out I'll plan accordingly.

As far as school. My current school is University of Texas Brownsville. I can take my basics online so I have about a year of that. The advance courses I would have to take at the school or transfer. I haven't looked into the online 1/2 GI bill issue yet. Never heard of it. Just recently found out there are some international school you can go to and receive the BAH. Have to look into that also.

I wanted to do the rental property. I might look into it again. Buy a 50K house cash or put 50K down on a house and take advantage of the low interest rates.

I doubt I will take an AGR position, but that the same time I can do the three years in some shithole post and focus on saving and investing. Reassess after.

Post: #11

TexasMade,

As others have said, sounds like you're in a good position. Although not mentioned as one of your options, have you considered trying to join the foreign service? From what I understand, your military years count towards your 20 so you're good there, plus of course the opportunity to travel.

I know its tough getting selected, but why not give the FSD test a shot...