This is one of my pet peeves. Not trying to flame, just from a dependent spouse of a retiree and now a Moms perspective.
1. 5 years is the time owed....BUT.... If they take AFIT or a fellowship, heck even tuition assistance (TA) for Grad school the timeline will most likely change.
~ IE they take the TA which runs concurrent with the commitment, and assume it ends at the 4 1/2 year point. You think you are free to go, but you forgot that orders come with a specific time frame. They send him to Ramstein for his first tour and does three years. They send him back stateside and he now is stuck until 6
2. Posters forget that the business world changes very quickly. If they don't get their Masters during this time they can be behind their peers regardless of work experience.
~ LITS did the 5 and dive. He was getting his Grad degree from GWU...an ivy by all standards, yet the economy tanked and it took him 6 months to get a job. He has been very honest about his path and how he drained a lot from his savings to maintain his lifestyle.
~~ Nobody can predict the economy in 2025 when your DS can leave. It would be equivalent of you predicting the housing bubble of 2005/6, banking crash of 07/08 in 1994, 95,or 96!
~~~ he would be eligible to leave May 2025
3. SERVICE before Self. See fencers post. Just because their degree is xyz it does not mean the AF will place them into that field.
Honestly, if fencers DIL gets a masters and with her maintenance background she will be very competitive with Lockheed and the AF as a GS. Either way she will be able to understand the needs from both perspective employers. She can tell Lockheed this does not work from an AF POV, and can tell the AF Lockheed can't do that from a fiscal POV.
~ The downfall is if you live in Illinois and think that he will be able to get those types of jobs in Illinois. Yes, I get there are aerospace companies in your area, but if he wants to run with the big dogs, than impo, don't expect him to live in Illinois.
JMPO.and with $2.06 you will get a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
I don't mean this in a harsh way, but the reality is once they leave for any SA life changes.
When they commission you will be happy to have either Thanksgiving or Christmas... The idea of Easter/passover, Memorial Day, 4th of July, anniversary, birthdays are gone.
~~ Sorry to put this reality shocker into the equation. Grandma/pa dies they may not make It home for he funeral.
This is the life they are entering accept it now.