Haha Long Bread wrote:
On one hand, I want to join as it would put me on a fast track to retirement in about 20 years if I play my cards right..
Ftfy. Even though you're going nuke, the bonuses you get won't really be enough to allow you to retire after 10 years. Not unless you plan to do investing or some other stuff on the side.... However, after 20 years leaving the Navy would be considered retiring from the navy, and you'd get a percentage of your base pay, which could theoretically sustain you depending on what your base pay is, meaning you may not have to work. Afaik nuke gets no extra base pay, as it's all considered bonuses.
The idea of working and returning home to your wife and kids (assuming all works out between you and your gf), feeling mostly settled down, is a nice idea, but isn't compatible with the Navy, since you'd likely be going out to sea a lot, and thus would be missing some things back at home. There would be benefits for your wife and kids though, such as free medical care, BAH (basic allowance for housing), and access to military bases (for things like school and the likes, if you want your future kids to go to a military school). If you join another branch or get a rate that doesn't get you deployed or sent out to sea, you could expect to work some normal shifts and return home to your wife and kids. I've found through some observing that the Air Force is by far the best branch for military members with or expecting family.
Unless you have a highly candid recruiter, you're better off trying to contact military members who have families, and asking them about what all you need to know. Depending on the personality of your future wife and kids, it could be an excellent lifestyle for them, or it could be a horrible one. It depends on how much they like moving, and if they're mentally capable of packing up and moving every few years. I know that for my family, the military was one of the best things that ever happened to us. Personally, moving a lot was a breath of fresh air for me since I made mistakes as a child that cost me my reputation, and stuff like that. So, moving to new places was excellent for me. My father was perfectly alright with the idea since he had no problems meeting new people anyways, and he himself was a Navy veteran. And my mother, who joined the Army when I was 11 (I'm 17 now; turning 18 in July), loved the training and the travel. So it all really depends on how your future family ends up being. Personally, I recommend being straightforward with your gf about what it is you want to do, so she can tell you what it is she wants. It's better than trying to make assumptions about whether or not she'd be alright with it all.
With all that being said, there is no guarantee that things will go well between you and your gf. I see no real reason to throw away what you want to do for things that aren't guaranteed to you. She could cheat on you next week, or get hit by a bus for all you know. However, you seem like you're interested in joining the Navy, and I see no reason to put that on hold unless you know for sure that she is the one, and that you are the one for her. Otherwise, you're probably going to end up throwing away something you wanted to do, all for nothing. If she says no to the idea of you joining the Navy, but you still absolutely want to do it, what she wants clashes with what you want, and I hate to tell you, that means she isn't the one.
Btw, if you do join the Navy, you and I might end up being shipmates one day. C:
Haha Long Bread
