National Guard for Loan Forgiveness

[bish0p]

I'm thinking about joining the National Guard in order to pay most of my $25,000 student loan off. I graduated back in 2007 with a Bachelor's in Psychology, which was a dumb move because I didn't plan on going for my Master's but the idea sounded appealing to me back when I first went to college.

So, the quality of jobs suck because you can't really do too much with just a Bachelor's in psychology except work with developmentally disabled people and this is something I really don't enjoy.

I'm working in a group home (people with mental retardation and autism) now after getting fired from my last job which was assisted living for mentally retarded individuals. This is not something I saw myself doing, but somehow ended up here anyway.

Now, I figure I'm not getting any younger and I have two options:

A. Get certified to become a Behavior Analyst Assistant. A position that pays more, but still working with mentally retarded individuals (again, something that's just not that appealing to me). Also, in order to obtain certification, I'd have to do an online course which will cost around $5,000...of which I will have to pay out of pocket.

-or-

B.Go back to school and get my Master's in Psychology. This doesn't seem as appealing because I already regret getting my Bachelor's in psychology due to the lack of quality jobs, as well as student loans that I have to pay back (which will increase if I go to grad school).

Plus, it will be quite difficult getting into grad school because I'm not sure if I'm passionate enough about this field to put the time and effort into it. I need three references, 2 from teachers (I never got to know my teachers on a personal basis), and even more, I'm behind on my loans and I read that they won't give you another if you are behind.

So ultimately, the main thing I'm concerned about right now is getting out of debt which is why I'm considering the National Guard. I'm also paying on a consolidated loan 6,000 which would take me about a year to pay off.

Basically I'm wondering if anyone on here has done something like this and it actually helped in paying a student loan off.

The military has always been appealing to me, but I'm also aware that I'm getting older and not as athletic as I used to be.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

I'm a former active duty Marine, listen to me.

Most of the guys I graduated high school with (ten years ago) went into the military. Three of us went Marine Corps, three went Air National Guard, and more than I can count went Army Guard. The guys who went Army Guard got deployed so much that I said, "Hell, you guys might've as well joined the Marines." Except we were deployed into combat zones while they stood guard in London or Germany.

If all you want from the military is money and benefits, for christ's sake listen to me and JOIN THE AIR GUARD. The Air Force treats their people better than any civilian corporation, let alone military branches. You'll get far, far more money than you will ever earn, and you will NEVER get deployed.

If you want money while maybe getting deployed for a year or two here and there, join the Army Guard.

If you want to be a badass, join the Marines. But they'll treat you like dirt, pay you jack squat and there isn't a beating you won't take. But that's the price to become a Marine.

 

[bish0p]

Thanks for the response Julius. I've always wanted to go the military (at one time I wanted to join the Air Force, but waited too long).

I will definitely do more research on the Air Guard as this has always appealed to me...not the guard but this particular branch in general. I would have to do 6 years in the National Guard anyway in order to get the benefits and that's just too long.

 

[CarlitosWay]

Yeppp Julius speaks the truth!! Or join the Navy Reserves ...I'd go with them or the Air National Guard, or better yet the Coast Guard.

I'm stuck in between joining the Navy or the Coast Guard. Being I'm fluent in Spanish, I might consider the Coast Guard as there's many places I could be used!!

Anyways send you my best, I'm real excited/anxious to join one of the branches hopefully within the next year to year and half.

 

[Dust 2 Dust]

Army National Guard is a one way ticket to Afghanistan or Iraq. My friend's brother joined the guard and was sent to Afghanistan. Join the Air or Navy Reserves.