AUGUST 30, 2021 – The U.S. Army is one of the oldest and most respected American institutions there is. If you’re trying to decide what career might be right for you, then there are few better options for people who want job security and an unmatched sense of coworker camaraderie.
Of course, the work is tough. However, it comes with a long list of attractive benefits that are sure to appeal to any patriots struggling to make a decision.
6 Reasons to Consider Joining the Army
From advantages you can enjoy as an active duty Army recruit to benefits for veterans, there are plenty of reasons to consider enlisting. Here are just six of the biggest advantages that serving in the Army can afford you, both now and in the future.
1. Top-of-the-Range Training
There’s no better place to go to advance your skills than the Army. With some of the highest training standards in the world, you’ll learn discipline, precision, and responsibility as you’re taught to do your job as a recruit. These are all attributes that you can carry with you into any career you decide to do after service.
But it’s not just Army-specific training that you’ll receive. The Army provides service members with the opportunity to attend civilian education courses while on active duty or drill status. These courses are covered by the Army Tuition Assistance scheme, which will pay up to 100% of the costs for eligible service members.
2. Good Pay
One of the biggest worries working-age people face in their day-to-day lives is having a good enough income to support themselves and their families in any economy. When you work in the US Army, that’s never a concern.
Not only will you always have job security, but your wage will start from over $21,000 a year and keep climbing as you rise through the ranks. In addition, you may also be eligible for certain allowances. These allowances, including food and housing allowances, can amount to around $1,500 a year for a recent recruit.
3. VA Loans
Whether you’re an active service member or a veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs will help you get a house. Through the VA home loans scheme, accredited private lenders can offer attractive loan terms and a range of other benefits to ensure no patriot is left without a place to live.
They don’t require a down payment or mortgage insurance like so many other home loans might. And, there is a wide range of VA home loans available at Security America Mortgage depending on your needs, from conventional loans and construction loans to low-interest refinancing options.
4. Avoid Student Debt
Student debt can be a real burden, but it’s one that you can avoid carrying with you. The Army offers recruitment incentives to highly qualified individuals, including programs such as the College Loan Repayment Program. Through the program, the US Army will repay part of a new recruit’s qualifying student loans.
5. Free Health Care
It’s not just student loan debt that you can avoid as an Army recruit. When you join the military, you also become eligible for a comprehensive healthcare plan known as TRICARE. Under the plan, serving military personnel, veterans, and their family members are entitled to either free or low-cost healthcare for a lifetime.
And, if that wasn’t enough, active-duty soldiers and veterans can get a discount on life insurance through something called Service Members’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI). So, with the Army, you can feel confident that your family’s financial security will always be assured, no matter what happens.
6. Vacation Time
While the average American only has around 10 paid holiday days a year, active duty service members in the US army earn 30 days of paid leave per year. So, no matter how intensive the work may sometimes be, your generous allotment of annual leave means you’ll always have time to decompress with family and friends when you need to.
Is Joining the Army Right for You?
At the end of the day, it’s down to you to decide whether you think you’d be a good fit for the US Army. However, with so many advantages available for active soldiers and veterans alike, there’s a lot to incentivize people who are struggling to make up their minds.