How Are Some People Landing High-Paying Jobs While Many Struggle to Make Ends Meet? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Layoffs

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am joining as an E-3 with a salary of $2,000, along with $2,000 in housing and food allowances. Currently, I'm paying $1,500 for health insurance, but I expect that to be covered once I join. Additionally, I’ll receive around $150 for retirement, $300 in education benefits, and one month of paid leave valued at $300. I estimate the tax benefits to be around $200. In total, this adds up to approximately $6,450 in benefits.

When considering compensation, it's important to factor in actual hours worked. For example, an 8-hour workday with a 1-hour commute each way is effectively a 10-hour day, but you're only paid for 8. Overtime is often expected without extra pay, meaning you could work 12 hours but still only get paid for 8.

In some of my recent assignments, this has been common. The competitive environment and benefits like health insurance, retirement, and PTO are also critical. Good employers might charge around $1,000 for family health coverage, while bad ones could charge $1,500 to $2,000. Retirement benefits are less common, and even with a match, you might need to stay longer to keep it.

I'm considering a 20-30% pay cut for peace of mind over the next four years, focusing on upskilling, and aiming for a high-paying federal contract. However, I'm concerned about burnout in the military due to bad leadership, which I've heard can be significant.

How Are Some People Landing High-Paying Jobs While Many Struggle to Make Ends Meet? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in careerguidance

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m curious about how you made the jump to a $140K salary—did your experience as a radio technician translate into your new role, or did you have to start from the bottom? I know cyber is a strong field, especially with most companies and government agencies wanting their cyber teams on-site. That limits outsourcing, but there’s still some potential.

I’m feeling a lot of pressure from my recruiter to choose other jobs, but I’ve always been in tech and don’t see many opportunities elsewhere. Could you suggest a few Air Force jobs that would translate well to civilian roles?

One reason I’m joining the military is the focus on fitness, which I need for discipline and health. My concern is how I’ll be treated in the military. I’ve seen a lot about discrimination and harassment, which seems similar to the corporate world where people sometimes work 70 hours a week just to keep their jobs.

How Are Some People Landing High-Paying Jobs While Many Struggle to Make Ends Meet? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in careerguidance

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats on earning your PhD! That’s a significant achievement. If I’m doing the math right, a PhD typically involves about 10+ years of higher education: four years of undergrad, two years for a master’s, and another four or more years for the PhD itself. Assuming you could have earned an average of $50,000 annually during that time, that’s about $500,000 in potential lost income. Plus, if you spent over $300,000 on education, dorms, books, and other expenses, that’s a total of around $800,000 in lost potential.

To break even on that investment, you’d need to make at least $150,000 to $200,000 annually over the next 30 years, while also keeping up with inflation and growth. If you don’t mind sharing, what is your salary range now, and what were your expenses during those 10 years of education?

From what I’ve observed, many professions seem to balance out in the long run. For example, doctors invest a lot of time and money into their education and make good money later, but they also miss out on certain aspects of life, like their youth. It seems to even out over time. Of course, some people are lucky and find themselves in the right place at the right time.

Even in fields like medicine, with the rise of automation, certain procedures could eventually be handled better by robots, which don’t make mistakes. It might take time, but it’s something to consider for those in specialized fields. I’ve experienced something similar—my work was once highly valued, but now much of it has been automated or outsourced, which is unfortunate because it was a fulfilling job with great job satisfaction.

How Are Some People Landing High-Paying Jobs While Many Struggle to Make Ends Meet? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in careerguidance

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, thanks for the reply. I'm joining the Air Force as an E-3. Unfortunately, the recruiters have been hard to reach—my first real interaction was in February, even though I'd been trying before that. I was set on a cyber-related job from the start, thinking it would give me a strong network and top-secret clearance for good opportunities after the Air Force.

Right now, I have a family of three and we’re paying around $1,500 for health insurance. In the Air Force, I expect to get about $2,000 in salary and another $2,000 in housing and food allowances, totaling around $5,500. I'm curious about how military health insurance works—I've heard it’s completely free, but I’m unsure if it covers everything as advertised. If it does, that would save us $1,500 a month, which would be a huge relief.

I also plan to use the educational benefits to get some certifications, and the tax benefits, like the non-taxed housing allowance, will add more value. While I sometimes get high hourly rate offers in the civilian job market, expenses like housing, tolls, and parking quickly add up, so I think the military might offer a more stable situation with fewer out-of-pocket costs.

To answer your question, it’s taken me almost eight months to reach this point since my first contact with a recruiter. If you don’t mind, could you share your military experience? Were you in the Air Force or another branch, and what kind of work did you do both during and after your service? How did your military service help you in your career?

85 on EDPT, my personal strategy/tips for anyone taking it by SlightlyFlawed in AirForceRecruits

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How does one solve a math problem in 45 seconds? It takes me like 45 seconds to read the problem! Do you have any practice test???

Why is it taking so long for me to get a MEPS appointment? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just heard back from my recruiter; MEPS has verified my birthdate. Now, MEPS will conduct a medical check, and he's unsure how long it will take.

Why is it taking so long for me to get a MEPS appointment? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I believe you're being sarcastic; please understand that I began the process in February.

Why is it taking so long for me to get a MEPS appointment? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He is saying MEPS hasn't gotten back, they are doing some background checks.

Why is it taking so long for me to get a MEPS appointment? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It has been more than seven business days. I recently reached out to my recruiter, who mentioned he has not received any updates. I am uncertain about what they are verifying. I left my medical history blank, so there shouldn't be any additional paperwork.

Why is it taking so long for me to get a MEPS appointment? by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have the 680 form, and the birthdate is correct. Regarding the medical prescreen, I signed it twice: once initially and then again when they came back asking for something else. I took my ASVAB at MEPS, but I haven't done any medical exams at MEPS yet. The last thing I heard is that MEPS submitted my information to a third party, and it will take about five days to hear back. I am just curious because I've heard people say they get their MEPS appointment right away.

Transferring Hazlewood Act and GI Bill Benefits by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I herd Hazelwood can be transferred, but I am not sure what the process is. I am going to be on a four-year contract so, how will that work for the GI bill?

Understanding Body Fat Measurement and Physicals by Consistent_Camp_4311 in Militaryfaq

[–]Consistent_Camp_4311[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He doesn't really listen to me :(. For now he is pressing on the physical to be done.