Study law during AD?

[SamAca10]

Finally, this is the second thread in just a few days focusing on grads trying to set themselves up for their next career. I truly hope that this is not indicative of candidates , current cadets and midshipman, or recent grads viewing a Service Academy as a stepping stone rather than an opportunity to serve. Of course, I recognize that not everyone is going to serve a 20+ career (I didn't), but during the early stages in your career, you should have an open mind about the future and focus on being the very best officer you can be ... There is plenty of time to worry about follow on degrees and careers. I know it may not seem like when you are 22 and just starting out, but those 5-7 years as a Junior Officer may well be the most fun and rewarding times of your professional career. I look back (almost 30 years now), and wish I could be back flying as a P3 crew in Iceland again !

I believe it's a generational thing; companies on the outside aren't loyal to employees, and it's common for employees to jump firms every few years for better pay/benefits/opportunities. Simply staying at the same role means you'll be compensated under the market value for your skillsets.

Additionally, the allure of a 20+ year career isn't as appealing as it used to be thanks to the Blended Retirement System. Those with good skillsets (and who are hard chargers, like SA grads are) will typically do better in the civilian world, have better quality of lives, and have more compensation than an O4s after a few years. Plus, you're not forced to retire at the highest earning years (40s and 50s) in the civilian world. That's typically when people's compensation is the highest and they are getting a lot more responsibility/say at the decision makers table in the corp world/private practice/attendings.

Furthermore, I think we'll see some major changes with the medicare-for-all talk that is coming up with this campaign. Tricare for life won't be quite the carrot it is right now if everyone has adequate medical care. The military uses great benefits and education as a carrot to get people to join.

I think today's generation tries to plan for the long term. I really enjoyed my 5 years (esp the 2 on a cutter), but it doesn't simply make sense to stay in for 20 years anymore. Especially with a working spouse. Who wants their spouse to give up their career and go to the middle of nowhere? Most SA grads will marry someone similar to them (motivated, college educated, good character, etc.), so it's hard convincing those sorts of people to become a stay at home spouse or give up their career.

America is urbanizing and all of the good jobs are in the metro areas/tech hubs, not army posts strewn in rural areas. One of my good friends (WP grad, we went to HS together) wife was going nuts and had to enroll in grad school to scratch her itch and keep her skills going when they were in one of the fly over states. It's hard when you're noticeably culturally different than places where the military sends its members for PCS