20 Benefits of Joining the Military after High School

If you are looking to join the military straight out of high school, then this article is for you.

I have covered 20 benefits of joining the military after high school in this article, and it would help you to see the whole package associated with joining the military.

Benefits of Joining the Military after High School

Without wasting too much of your time, below are 20 benefits of joining the military after high school.

Also, I have answered some of the frequently answered questions that most people looking to enlist in the military have.

Salary and Allowances

You are entitled to a steady and regular salary when you enlist in the military, this is often called base pay. Aside from your base pay, you are also entitled to allowances that cover food, housing, and other essentials.

The base pay and allowances vary based on rank, dependents, and location.

Healthcare Benefits

As an enlisted military personnel, you have comprehensive healthcare coverage.

You and your immediate family members have access to medical and dental services like routine check-ups, surgeries, prescription medication, and specialized treatment.

Housing Benefits

Although this depends on availability and rank, as military personnel, you can live on base in government-provided housing or receive a housing allowance to live off base.

The on-base option provides you with community amenities while the off-base option gives you more autonomy and flexibility for families.

Education Assistance

The GI bill provides financial assistance to military personnel for higher education.

Service members use this benefit to acquire college degrees, vocational training, and other educational opportunities during and after their military service.

Retirement Benefits

Once military personnel have been able to complete a certain number of years of service, usually around 20 years, they are entitled to a pension which essentially provides financial security once they retire and return to civilian life.

Life Insurance

Insurance coverage to military personnel is provided by the Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program. This insurance program ensures that the families of military personnel are financially protected in the case of his/her death.

Commissary and Exchange Privileges

Military grocery stores also known as commissaries are open to the families of military personnel for them to shop at discounted rates.

Veteran Affairs (VA) Benefits

Once you complete your service and can be referred to as a vet, you are able to access a variety of benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs including home loan guarantees, vocational rehabilitation, etc.

Childcare

Due to certain challenges faced by military personnel like frequent relocations and deployments, on-base childcare centers provide an avenue for their children to receive quality care and early education.

Family Support Services

Due to the challenging nature of the job and the strain it puts on military personnel and their families, family support services like counseling, support groups, workshops, etc. are made available to help them navigate the challenges of military life and cope with the stress of separation.

Other Benefits That are Available to Military Personnel Include:

Tax benefits: Military personnel are excluded from income tax and can take advantage of tax preparation assistance on base to navigate tax regulations.
Travel opportunities
Job training
Fitness facilities
Discount
Career progression
Networking
Resilience and Discipline
Continuing Education
Job Training

FAQs

How long do you have to serve in the Army?

For the term of your military commitment, you will serve in the Army full-time as an active-duty Soldier.

Active-duty service terms normally run between two and six years, although your actual length of service may differ based on a variety of circumstances, including your choice to reenlist or your Army employment.

What do military soldiers do every day?

An active-duty soldier’s typical day includes physical training, work related to their military occupational specialty (MOS), and fundamental soldier skills.

Exercises for the heart and the muscles are included in physical training. A soldier’s MOS is the position they hold on a daily basis.

What is the main purpose of the military?

Of course, protecting the U.S. and its interests is their main duty. But when you look closer, you can find that the military accomplishes much more than just war.

How often do you see your family in the military?

Every branch of the active-duty military provides its members with 30 days of paid vacation per year, which they can use to visit their families or to arrange other Rest and Relaxation (R&R) activities.

How do Soldiers get paid?

Instead of being computed weekly or bimonthly, basic pay rates are determined monthly and are taxed like civilian salary.

You are also ineligible for overtime compensation, much as salaried civilians in the private sector. Your money for the month is automatically divided in half and distributed twice.

How fast can you join the Army?

Various factors could affect how swiftly or slowly the procedure moves. Sometimes you can get through the requirements very quickly. It can also take weeks or months from when you first contact a recruiter to when you leave for your military training.

What time do soldiers wake up?

In military basic training, there’s no such thing as sleeping in. Every day, you’ll get up at 5 a.m. Every basic training class goes through the same process of getting used to waking up in the morning.

Where do you live if you join the Army?

Junior, unmarried enlisted Soldiers are typically housed in the barracks, which are living quarters in a building. You will reside here once you have finished Basic Training.

Private bedrooms, a common lounge, a shared bathroom, and a kitchen are among the amenities.

What is the difference between the military and the army?

The term “military” is used to describe all branches of the Armed Forces; the phrase “Army” only refers to a small portion of them.

It is the military’s land service branch, to be more precise. Even though the two terms are occasionally used synonymously, they are not the same.

Why do people leave the military?

Some employees leave when they reach retirement age or are medically forced to, while others do so sooner or by choosing voluntary severance choices.

Service leavers are likely to have a variety of needs depending on the experiences and skills they gained while serving in the military.

What is leaving the army called?

Discharge, release from active service, release from Armed Forces custody and control, transfer to the Individual Ready Reserve, and other changes in active or reserve status are all included under the umbrella term “separation.”

What happens when a military man dies?

To the primary next of kin of a Service member who passes away while on active service, the Department of Defense pays a $100,000 lump sum Death Gratuity.

Its goal is to support the survivors’ adjustment and help them pay for sudden expenses that arise.

How long do soldiers fight in war?

When soldiers are dispatched on a mission without the ability to bring their families along, they are said to be deployed. The average deployment length is nine months to a combat region and can be longer or shorter for a non-combat region, depending on the mission.

What is it called when a soldier refuses to fight?

Conscientious objection to military service refers to the position taken by individuals who oppose participation in war based on their religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.

What disqualifies you from the Army?

These exclusions can include, among others, using illegal drugs, abusing alcohol, not fitting the required height or weight standards, and having certain contagious conditions.

Additionally, breaking the law—for example, being found guilty of a crime that forbids you from carrying a gun—can keep you from enrolling.

Are beards allowed in the Army?

Soldiers are permitted to grow mustaches, but they must maintain them properly cut, tapered, and tidy. Goatees, handlebar mustaches, and beards are not permitted.

Only soldiers who require a medical exemption or religious accommodation are allowed to grow beards.

What motivates a soldier to fight?

Soldiers fight because of the other members of their small unit. Because failing a comrade makes life among them seem lonely and pointless, most soldiers place a higher value on honor and reputation than on their lives.

Who has the biggest army in the world?

The People’s Republic of China has the biggest army, with more than 2 million military troops, compared to other countries. With 1.46 million and 1.39 million military troops respectively, India and the US are not far behind.

Why do soldiers salute?

It is a show of courtesy and camaraderie between military service members. The highest man in rank therefore returns the salute in the same way it is given to him, making the salute a uniform gesture.

Can a soldier disobey?

Yes, if they believe that the order itself is unlawful or unconstitutional. The Uniform Code of Military Justice gives this kind of power, which is typically referred to as a “duty to disobey,” to soldiers.

What are military punishments?

The UCMJ permits nine distinct sorts of penalties for various transgressions, including punitive discharge, incarceration, hard labor without incarceration, restriction, grade drop, fines, forfeitures, reprimands, and death.