Are Academy grads/cadets/mids privileged for their "free" education?

Usnavy2019 said:
I'd say SA grads and most military officers are privileged by virtue of their military service when you consider things in the private sector and everyday life. The retirement package in my eyes (with TSP on top) is a very competitive package. The government knows it needs to be pretty good to keep people around. By graduating, you are put on the path to get it. For anyone transitioning out of the military, most employers love military members since they are disciplined, accountable, and adaptable. America is also unique in the sense that while most Americans aren't intimately familiar with the military, they are sure supportive of it. Citizens, businesses, and different levels of government all try and offer benefits to the military. From "thanks for your service" to seat upgrades to discounts, America likes to roll out the red carpet for its servicemembers. Regardless of years served, everyone who wears the title of servicemember or veteran gets a certain level of respect.
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Now.

Was not true in the 70's and at least early 80's.
I experienced people spitting at me when in uniform because of residual Vietnam hate. The (now) military friendly state of VA actively discriminated against military families when I lived there in the early 80's. My then wife was told that she had to pay out of state tuition in Virginia because I was in the military even though she paid Virginia income tax on a Virginia job, had a car registered in Virginia AND we were homeowners who'd already been there for several years.
 
smokey% said:
Where do you get that 100K number? Don't O-2s make around 70k a year?
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Regular Military Compensation Calculator

2023-2024 Tax Brackets & Federal Income Tax Rates

The RMC is a good way to gauge on the approximate amount of an equivalent civilian salary. The tax free allowances mean that service members are in a lower tax bracket than their civilian counterparts receiving the same gross and net income.

Additionally, service members do not pay for health insurance for themselves nor their families. Health insurance premiums and deductibles can be quite high. :cool:
 
SamAca10 said:
Regular Military Compensation Calculator

2023-2024 Tax Brackets & Federal Income Tax Rates

The RMC is a good way to gauge on the approximate amount of an equivalent civilian salary. The tax free allowances mean that service members are in a lower tax bracket than their civilian counterparts receiving the same gross and net income.

Additionally, service members do not pay for health insurance for themselves nor their families. Health insurance premiums and deductibles can be quite high. :cool:
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The health insurance alone is probably worth $6,000-$12,000 annually, on average, for anyone with a family. Just basing that on what my costs are in terms of bi-weekly deductions for a portion of my insurance premium and then the out-of-pocket costs to cover the deductible and other services and prescriptions.
 
Usnavy2019 said:
I'd say SA grads and most military officers are privileged by virtue of their military service when you consider things in the private sector and everyday life. The retirement package in my eyes (with TSP on top) is a very competitive package. The government knows it needs to be pretty good to keep people around. By graduating, you are put on the path to get it. For anyone transitioning out of the military, most employers love military members since they are disciplined, accountable, and adaptable. America is also unique in the sense that while most Americans aren't intimately familiar with the military, they are sure supportive of it. Citizens, businesses, and different levels of government all try and offer benefits to the military. From "thanks for your service" to seat upgrades to discounts, America likes to roll out the red carpet for its servicemembers. Regardless of years served, everyone who wears the title of servicemember or veteran gets a certain level of respect.
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An earned entitlement and benefit should not be conflated with privilege. Historically, service members were discriminated against due to Vietnam hate. We certainly are in a better position now thanks to that course correction.

Envy from earned entitlement will happen. Everyone is free to make their own choices for their life, career, and education.

For instance - it's not the fault of software engineers that they chose to major in computer science, studied hard for interviews, and ended up at high paying FAANG/MANGA firms. People express envy over software engineers because they made the right decision and didn't major in something that had low income potential
 
pa-outdoorsman said:
The health insurance alone is probably worth $6,000-$12,000 annually, on average, for anyone with a family. Just basing that on what my costs are in terms of bi-weekly deductions for a portion of my insurance premium and then the out-of-pocket costs to cover the deductible and other services and prescriptions.
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Closer to the $12k number for a family. I used to pay almost that much on a group plan, and that was with a high deductible HSA plan. That's when I am happy to take on the compensation argument when people complain about the military. They have no idea how good they have it.
 
USMC Crayons said:
Closer to the $12k number for a family. I used to pay almost that much on a group plan, and that was with a high deductible HSA plan. That's when I am happy to take on the compensation argument when people complain about the military. They have no idea how good they have it.
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My dad did ROTC at Purdue and retired at LTC after like 27 years in combined active/reserve service. He's now 88 and the pension and Tricare are a godsend for he and my mom. Military service was one of the best financial decisions of his life, and also benefitted him in many other ways.

As a young man, I had ZERO interest in the military and rejected any suggestions of it. It was only later as an adult that I appreciated all it did for my dad and what it could have done for me. Now, as a parent of a high school senior pursuing an ROTC scholarship, I think my son has better sense than I did at his age for realizing all the opportunities the military offers and potential benefits, short-term and long-term. As others have noted, going into the military is a choice, and you EARN your benefits both through excelling for entrance into a commissioning program (SA or ROTC) and then the years of service you commit to after the fact.
 
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pa-outdoorsman said:
My dad did ROTC at Purdue and retired at LTC after like 27 years in combined active/reserve service. He's now 88 and the pension and Tricare are a godsend for he and my mom. Military service was one of the best financial decisions of his life, and also benefitted him in many other ways.

As a young man, I had ZERO interest in the military and rejected any suggestions of it. It was only later as an adult that I appreciated all it did for my dad and what it could have done for me. No, as a parent of a high school senior pursuing an ROTC scholarship, I think my son has better sense than I did at his age for realizing all the opportunities the military offers and potential benefits, short-term and long-term. As others have noted, going into the military is a choice, and you EARN your benefits both through excelling for entrance into a commissioning program (SA or ROTC) and then the years of service you commit to after the fact.
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It's always fun to talk about the what-if's, but I can tell you if I knew what I had when I got out in 1999, I would never have left. I would be hitting 29 years in April, and kick myself for getting out. I have done really well for the most part in the 1st Civ Div...some years I manage to crack top 5% in income earners. But that also comes with a ton of expenses. Not to say it wouldn't have been tough from time to time with family separation, etc. But being able to retire at 49 with a pension that essentially makes me a millionaire on paper would have been really nice.
 
I believe it was the late Jim Webb who described the Naval Academy as a “quarter of a million dollar education, shoved up your arse one nickel at a time”.

Is it a privilege to attend a service academy and to serve as a commissioned officer? Absolutely. Are people who do it “privileged”? Hmm. Although it’s the same root word, “privileged” seems to have a different connotation these days, as if it refers to holding some sort of unfair advantage. That I’m not buying. Those of us who attended an academy earned our appointments fair and square, busted our humps for 4 years to graduate, and committed to serve for 5+ years. It’s a great job with great benefits. I consider myself very fortunate. Is anyone who worked hard to get themselves into a good career “privileged”? Some would say yes, but I think that’s a poor outlook to have on the world.
 
A Privilege to be in the 1 percent of our population that will ever wear the uniform of this nation in any of its incarnations -- soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, active, Guard or Reserve. The men and women who serve in the U.S. armed forces represent the best America has to offer, volunteering to put themselves in harm’s way to serve and protect the nation. 🇺🇸
 
... so in 2024 there's a 5.9% increase in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for Pearl Harbor. New rates for O1 without dependents is $2,694.00 per month. That kind of cash allows to have a very nice pad in paradise. During the annual ship selection at USNA, Mids are grinning profusely from ear to ear after picking a ship from Pearl Harbor... truly an "Endless Summer."
 
Humey said:
its even more because if you were to gross up the BAH/BAS as this is tax free net money, it would be several more thousands of dollars.
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For sure. The RMC calculator accounts for that. Simple math would be to multiply BAH/BAS by 1.25 to account for the fact that it is tax free
 
severn said:
... so in 2024 there's a 5.9% increase in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for Pearl Harbor. New rates for O1 without dependents is $2,694.00 per month. That kind of cash allows to have a very nice pad in paradise. During the annual ship selection at USNA, Mids are grinning profusely from ear to ear after picking a ship from Pearl Harbor... truly an "Endless Summer."
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Ah I see, looks like it's about 2700 for an O1. Not bad at all, especially with roommates and being underway for a good amount of time.
 
Interesting the way this discussion is morphing from privilege to entitlement.
 
cb7893 said:
Interesting the way this discussion is morphing from privilege to entitlement.
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Nothing wrong with entitlement. Post 9/11 GI Bill, VA Home Loan, VA health care, etc. are all earned entitlements.

I really don't care if someone who never served is envious of those benefits. Just a part of the deal when we serve
 
I'm a service academy graduate (though not from one in the US). I received a "free" education in return for a service commitment, in a field (pilot training) that would have cost me the price of house, at least, had I done it outside of the military. Did my 20, then got out, now I'm a teacher and my salary is no worse than it used to be. I also live in a place where the "free" education is worth less than it would be in the US, because higer education is highly subsidized for all.

But was I privileged to be able to take advantage of the service academy as an opportunity? Of course I was. Getting into one requires intelligence, good health, and athleticism. The first two are largely genetic, especially for the young, and the third is depedent on the second to a large degree. If you're born with a brain or body that just don't do peak performance ... good luck becoming an officer.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Other than service connected issues, this is income limited and most former officers/college grads that I know wil make too much money to get VA care other than those with service connected health problems.
I wish it was just an entitlement but that's not the case.
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This is true. I think most people who've served have had some sort of health impact from service. The inconsistent sleep schedules that come from standing watches and deployments certainly causes down stream health issues. You were underway yourself, you know all of the exposure that comes with shipboard life
 
Saranoya said:
The first two are largely genetic, especially for the young, and the third is depedent on the second to a large degree. If you're born with a brain or body that just don't do peak performance ... good luck becoming an officer.
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I don't know if I could disagree with this more. Genetics? Hardly.. Born into difficult life circumstances with poor or absent parenting or mentoring? Now, I'm with you. But genetics? Were not talking Olympic athletes or Nobel Prize Physicists. (Certainly the academies have these but its not the norm)

I would bet you that there are countless grads that were adopted into strong families and strong situations that would never have made it to the academy otherwise. Their genetics did not change when they were adopted.
 
SamAca10 said:
This is true. I think most people who've served have had some sort of health impact from service. The inconsistent sleep schedules that come from standing watches and deployments certainly causes down stream health issues. You were underway yourself, you know all of the exposure that comes with shipboard life
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many pilots come out of the military with Tinnitus and certain pilots have higher chance of cancers which are credited to being close to radar systems
 
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