4 ms·

Guaranteed pension and benefits for life after 20 years with substantial subsidies are worth a lot. Given the choice between a typical developer's life (outsid

by sidlls 8y ago

Guaranteed pension and benefits for life after 20 years with substantial subsidies are worth a lot. Given the choice between a typical developer's life (outside a tech hub or hot spot most programmers aren't compensated much different from any other low social status white collar worker), moral issues aside, I'd take the military job any day. A person can join the military at 18, retire at 38 and be in a prime position to capitalize on his network as a consultant or "small business owner" contractor, or else just sit back and enjoy his generous pension and health and other benefits. That's a big deal.

dralley 8y ago
Unless you have to work in a SCIF
thret 8y ago
Well then, take the military job if it is that simple. There's probably nothing stopping you joining.
DennisP 8y ago
Military retirement after 20 years isn't all that generous, it's about $40K. It's nice but you're still probably getting a job if you've got a family.
- Jtsummers 8y ago
  $40k household income for life, and that's still above median for many parts of the US (though about 2/3rds median for the US as a whole). Are there other job opportunities, outside some police departments, that offer similar compensation and let you retire at age 40?
  - DennisP 8y ago
    Yes it's great, it's equivalent to over a million dollars with a safe withdrawal rate. I'm just saying you're probably still going to be working, not actually retired. $40K is the figure I got from a Navy commander who's been in over 20 years. He and his family are used to approximately triple that level of income. He doesn't feel he can retire. Lower-ranking people will be used to living on less, but will also have proportionally lower retirement pay. If you're a lower-ranking person and can get significantly higher pay in the private sector, it's not necessarily a dumb choice to go for it.
fma 8y ago
You can work for the military as a civilian, too. Usajobs.gov Good luck.

by sidlls 8y ago

dralley 8y ago

Unless you have to work in a SCIF

thret 8y ago

Well then, take the military job if it is that simple. There's probably nothing stopping you joining.

DennisP 8y ago

Military retirement after 20 years isn't all that generous, it's about $40K. It's nice but you're still probably getting a job if you've got a family.

Jtsummers 8y ago
$40k household income for life, and that's still above median for many parts of the US (though about 2/3rds median for the US as a whole). Are there other job opportunities, outside some police departments, that offer similar compensation and let you retire at age 40?
- DennisP 8y ago
  Yes it's great, it's equivalent to over a million dollars with a safe withdrawal rate. I'm just saying you're probably still going to be working, not actually retired. $40K is the figure I got from a Navy commander who's been in over 20 years. He and his family are used to approximately triple that level of income. He doesn't feel he can retire. Lower-ranking people will be used to living on less, but will also have proportionally lower retirement pay. If you're a lower-ranking person and can get significantly higher pay in the private sector, it's not necessarily a dumb choice to go for it.

fma 8y ago

You can work for the military as a civilian, too. Usajobs.gov Good luck.