My husband wants to enlist.. ...

[Cumberland]

DH has been toying with the idea of enlisting in the navy. He would be a 2nd year OB resident by the time it actually happens. He says he has always wanted to be in the navy, he doesnt know what he wants to do when he finishes residency and isnt sure if he wants to do a fellowship. He thinks the military will help give him some direction. If he enlists now, he would owe 3 years after he finishes. The thing is, he owes 200K+ in student loans which will not be repaid. I think joining the military during residency is not a smart financial decision given our staggering student loans. I am not sure i want to be dragged around the country or world for three more years in addition to the 8 of med school and residency. Any opinions or advice??

What does he get in return for owing 3 years?

[mommax3]

The server that hosts this site is not big enough to list all of the reasons why I believe he shouldn't do it.

I really, really think it is a bad idea. If you or he have specific questions, PM me. DON'T believe anything a recruiter says, and don't believe anyone who is not currently active duty or finished active duty more than 5 years ago.

Trust me on this one.

Sally

Suwannee,

I don't have much personal experience with the military since my husband didn't go that route, but one of our close friends did. He actually went through med school in the Army and started his residency there as well.

A lot of people I'm sure will tell you that there is no chance that your husband will be called to active duty in Iraq or elsewhere (this was something some of the recruiters tried telling my husband). Our friend who joined the Army was sent over to Germany at the end of intern year to serve in a clinic on base. Then, he was sent to Iraq for 13 months. The part I don't understand is that these 2 years (1 year in Germany & 1 year in Iraq) do not count towards his payback. And, since he won't be returning from Iraq until just after the next residency year has started, he will have to do research this year and wait until the following year (July 2006) to begin his 2nd year of residency. So, all in all, it will take him 6 years to complete an internal medicine residency plus he has 4 years of payback once he is done. That's about 3 years longer than what he had anticipated.

Now, not everyone going through residency in the military will be called to duty, but I just wanted to share this story because I know our friend never expected that it would happen to him.

[DCJenn]

That's part of the problem, for sure- the recruiters do an excellent job of talking up the money part but a pathetic job of "well, no, really- you may get killed." The military medical corp is full of people who had no idea that they'd be called up. In the last two years this is the rundown for friends and acquaintances:

In the medical field:

1 neonatologist
1 nephrologist
5 pediatricians
1 psychiatrist
several nurses
many, many medics and med techs

In the non-medical field:
two nephews
one brother of a good friend
one SIL of a co-worker


I fully expect that once my husband is finished with the fellowship, he'll go. Everyone will go the longer we're there. It's just a fact. He's not exactly thrilled with the idea, but then again, this wouldn't be the first time for him, either.

and under NO circumstances should he enlist. Enlist? No, No, NO. Rick had a friend who was enlisted with him- the friend knocked up his girlfriend and reenlisted after college graduation. Meanwhile my husband and his buddy reentered the military through other means. Let's just say that there is a huge difference in lifestyle and opportunity.

If he really wants to help, tell him to volunteer with Doctors without Borders.

Jenn

PS- OBs are among the first to go- they have surgical experience. So, if he wants to join my husband's nephew on a ship off the coast of Iraq, tell him to go for it.

[Meenah]

I'm not military, but all I can say is "run,run as fast as you can THE OTHER DIRECTION.
Luanne

[BonBon]

I'm not military either, but all I have ever heard are horror stories. Convince him to NOT enlist!!

[Auspicious]

Yeah, add my voice to the chorus of "definitely under no circumstances should he do this." For someone in your husband's position/stage of life, everything he can get from the military (direction, a chance to serve, money, etc.) he can get from other sources that don't have a fraction of the problems that the military will bring you.

I don't have a spouse in the military but my father was an officer and had a life-long career in the military. No, no, no...he should not enlist.
The financial benefits of joining are no longer there because he has already completed med school and almost residency. Usually this is a huge motivator because they pay for med school and provide a higher salary during residency. From what I understand military docs make a little less than civilians once they become attendings. ???
You need to have a serious conversation about exactly WHAT it is that is drawing him to this decision because it seems to be a bad financial decision. Although I don't speak from experience and I could be wrong.
Residency stress making him feel like he's not really helping people? And he thinks he will make more of a difference in the millitary?? Afraid of getting out in the real world and wants to put if off in a slighly different form? I am totally guessing here.....
He needs to talk to those experiencing it, NOT recruiters who are certainly not doctors.

[Rapunzel]

I think this late in the game (two years into residency) it sounds like a pretty bad idea to join the military for whatever reason. Especially with that amount of debt that you'll still have to repay. Not worth it financially.

My husband had an HPSP scholarship during medical school and he's still in residency, so I can't speak from experience with him actually in the service on a base yet, but I know a few things at this point:

- My husband will only make half to a third of the income he could bring in with a comparable civilian job.

- It is likely that at some point he will be away from us for a year or two (I'm shuddering as I type that).

- No matter what you're told you really don't get to "pick" where you'll end up.

It's definitely not something I'd recommend for your particular situation, suwannee.

Jennifer

[Cumberland]

Thanks for the advice, and confirming what I already thought about him joining. He is saying he is just looking into it and that he is not very serious about it but it provokes this major emotional reaction in me whenever we even discuss it.

As my DW, is entering the service- 4th month of a 48mth committment, she is constantly asked why she joined. She wasn't on USHS and took FAP through the residency training. There is a family drive in the depths of this military stint(but that is another post!), but if we could change it, we would.

The long and the short of it, it is much more trouble than it is worth on many levels.