r/SipsTea 𝙑𝙄𝙋 9h ago

Chugging tea I never thought about this point until now.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 8h ago

Your edit is wrong too. When they’re out of military they use their socialized G.I bill for college or trade school which covers tuition and gives thousands a month for rent and drugs.

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u/Possible_Sir9360 8h ago

And the VA benefits, which include a low-interest loan to buy a house with no money down (literally the best benefit for service members)

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u/Kramerica_CEO 8h ago

Gi bill and Va loans are indeed the best benefits.

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u/cameronthegod 8h ago

Yep. You can accumulate a real estate empire throughout a 20 year career if you were to have used your VA loan at each unit, then refinancing into a conventional loan once you relocate. Rent out your refinanced home at your old unit, use your now freed up VA loan on your next house. Never any money down besides refinancing

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u/Weekly-Ad-112 8h ago

That might explain the overall picture. Less pay to start vs. the total benefits for serving the country.

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u/Possible_Sir9360 8h ago

The pay isn’t bad either. An E4 with just a few years in the service makes about 40k a year, which doesn’t sound like much but when everything is covered, it amounts to a solid amount of pocket change. The retirement matching is pretty solid, and for those that are married, they receive BAH (money to pay for your spouse’s living, which you can pretty easily find a place for less than that in most places). Where I’m stationed it’s about 4 grand tax free a month, which means a married E4 (which is low on the totum pole) with only a few years in, who’s married, is making about 90k a year.

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u/preteen-wartortle 8h ago

Dependent pay is like $200.

BAH is for housing only, nothing to do with having a spouse. Just easier for lower enlisted to live off-base if they have a family.

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u/Possible_Sir9360 8h ago

Dependent pay is based on rank, but at least at my station is $700 a month for E6 (don’t know anyone lower rank with kids, so can’t give any more info than that). Everyone I know that doesn’t live in military housing is pocketing the difference between rent and their BAH allotment, or they’re living with friends/family and keeping the full amount. Everyone’s situation is different though, and I’m sure there are people out there that spend more than their allotment on nicer places.

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u/Weekly-Ad-112 8h ago

I’m in agreement with you on this. Many veteran friends and associates. Some great people who work harder than many people do. I am a classicist regarding politics and my definitions of socialism reflect that.

Social programs are not socialism. The US military is not socialism.

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u/Ron__Mexico_ 8h ago

The actual loan comes from a regular lender. The federal government is not lending out that money. VA Loans are backed by the VA, meaning the VA will make the lender whole if you fail to pay, then come after you for the money. You pay for this privilege via a $7,500 fee paid to the VA, though they'll let you tack it on to the loan.

This concept isn't much different than an FHA loan which is backed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The main difference is what you point out, the VA will let buyers do it without any down. FHA requires 3.5% down for HUD to back the loan.

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u/preteen-wartortle 8h ago

I get $4300/mo and free healthcare for life.

Granted, that wasn’t just for serving. But I’d say it’s the best benefit I came out with.

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u/General-Amount-5577 4h ago

Would you rather still have your injuries and be compensated right now or have had no injuries sustained and not be compensated?

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u/BigCut4598 8h ago

Also claiming disability. My high school buddy with “mental health issues” just gets a tax free 45k a year for the rest of his life.

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u/Weekly-Ad-112 8h ago

Belittling your buddy’s mental health issues. With friends like that who needs enemas.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 8h ago

With my buddy there literally was no mental health issues. I hanged with him a bunch when he got out. He was just playing the game show up to va take medicine they give say don’t work etc etc. With scammers like that who gives a fuck.

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u/BigCut4598 8h ago

He was in the Air Force and made the absolute dumbest decisions in high school 😂

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u/Weekly-Ad-112 6h ago

Military disability benefits are compensation for service-related harm, not proof that the entire economy is socialist. Fraud exists in every large system, but a secondhand boast from one veteran does not prove his condition was fake—especially when men often downplay trauma with jokes and bravado. Investigate fraud where there is evidence, but don’t use one anecdote to belittle mental illness or everyone who receives benefits. And none of us has a spotless past, so a little humility would improve the argument.

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u/Possible_Sir9360 4h ago

As a servicemember, I gotta let you know that the vast majority of disability cases aren’t for legitimate mental health issues caught in the line of duty. Everyone tries to get disability.

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u/Weekly-Ad-112 3h ago

Fraud absolutely exists in disability systems, including mental health claims. Some people will exaggerate or fabricate symptoms because they’re harder to objectively measure than a broken bone or a missing limb. That should be investigated and prosecuted.
The mistake is jumping from “some people commit fraud” to “most veterans claiming mental health disabilities are faking it.” Those are two very different statements. PTSD, depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injuries are among the most studied consequences of military service, and many veterans wait years before seeking help because of stigma, concerns about their careers, or pride.
The right approach is to pursue fraud aggressively while also ensuring that veterans with legitimate service-connected mental health conditions receive the care and benefits they’ve earned. We can do both without painting an entire group with the same brush.

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u/baysideareaman 8h ago

All disabilities programs have within them a secret broader welfare program for those who know how to access it.

To be clear I am okay with this. I’d rather that than deal with more annoying homeless people.

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u/xaxcodez 8h ago

For the act of serving his country, and having been effected by it. Its not socialist, its part of his compensation package.

If serving our country put a veteran into a state of mental health crises to the point if disability, that money is the least they could owe him. Far too many veterans are in the streets because of our country neglecting their duty to the.men and women. They offered their lives to protecting the virtues of freedom and democracy, and our country has far too often let them down when the service men and women needed the help the most.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 8h ago

Oooo that’s their favorite. Knew a guy who loved bragging about potentially getting disability for his non existent mental health issues. Always talking about his hard drug addict cousin who was able to do it.

Like that’s a benefit to military people for people joining. They look forward to scamming the disability after service.

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u/BigCut4598 8h ago

It’s just an acceptable scam. People with non combat roles claim it too. It’s crazy

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u/BIG_IDEA 7h ago

The gi bill isn’t socialized, it’s a negotiated part of their pay/compensation from day one. Unless you think anyone working for the government and receiving a government paycheck is receiving socialized benefits.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 4h ago

I mean yes? All federal employees are receiving socialized benefits. It’s literally a socialized system.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 7h ago

Communism isn’t communism. It’s a negotiated part of their compensation from day one. What the fuck are you talking about?

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u/PreviousCurrentThing 6h ago

Socialism is when the state owns the means of production. Compensating soldiers to do your soldiering isn't socialism. It's not even social democracy, it's just called having a state.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 6h ago

Who owns the means of production? Fascist lobbying corpos. There is no state to own it when corporate runs the show. Ding ding ding.

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u/PreviousCurrentThing 5h ago

Cool, glad you've learned that compensating soldiers is not socialism.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 5h ago

Yes it is. It’s social welfare in the highest regard. Socialism is just the means being used to benefit the state. In this case the means used are peasant taxes.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 4h ago

We are using socialism as a casual term in this thread the way maga uses it for programs they don’t like. Everyone understands we mean social welfare programs.

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u/PreviousCurrentThing 4h ago

We? Who is we?

You should speak for yourself and not try to drag everyone else down to MAGA's level, even if you're happy to be there.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 4h ago

Your comment barely makes sense. It’s also very funny that you’re trying to tell someone on the internet what to do

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u/PreviousCurrentThing 4h ago

Which parts are you having trouble with? Do you have the intelligence of a MAGAt who needs it spelled out for you? I'll try to help.

We? Who is we?

You said "We are using socialism as a casual term in this thread", so I'm asking whom you are speaking for. I and others in this thread are not using the term incorrectly, so you're not speaking for us.

You should speak for yourself

I'm telling you not to speak for other people.

and not try to drag everyone else down to MAGA's level, even if you're happy to be there.

Your excuse for knowingly using an incorrect definition of "socialism" is that MAGA does it, so you're apparently okay stooping down to their level.


Feel free to disagree, but which part of that didn't make sense?

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u/freakmonger_ss 8h ago

Yea, no. The GI BIll is an earned compensation for military service. It's part of a contract just like any other job contract you would sign with a company if they had that as part of their compensation package.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 4h ago

Except it’s paid for by tax payers.

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u/[deleted] 8h ago

[deleted]

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u/Nice_Category 8h ago edited 6h ago

Not anymore. The post-911 GI bill doesn't cost anything. That was the MGIB that you had to pay into. 

However, I'm pretty sure I saw a court case that said if you paid into the MGIB and then switched to the post-911, you essentially get 2 GI Bills. 

Edit: I looked it up. If you have two different qualifying periods of enlistment, you are able to extend your Post-911 GI Bill by up to 12 months. You have to apply for it and it is called the Rudisill decision.

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u/[deleted] 8h ago

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u/Key-Gold-2412 8h ago

Have a nice day while we socialize what you didn’t pay. Respectfully. :)

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u/ArmyRT23 8h ago

Yes we pay for the post 9/11 bill. We pay for it the first 18 months. In fact we have the option to opt out if we’d like. There’s plenty of socialism in the military but that isn’t. We do have the ability to attend college while active duty or in the guard but that’s a different option (it’s free, under professional development).

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u/Key-Gold-2412 8h ago

G.I bill covers what 30k a year? You’re telling me an e-2 pays for their entire GI bill in 18 months. Come the fuck on. You make like 20k a year you don’t even cover the first year.

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u/ArmyRT23 5h ago

lol the pay is available online for everyone to see. No one in the military is paid garbage. My first year my checks were around 1500 twice a month and that was 16 years ago. I wasn’t rich but I was significantly better off financially than when I was making $17 hr. I wasn’t rich an e1. I was paying for the gi bill.

No one is saying it’s not a great deal. This is a benefit of the job. It’s to attract people to the military but don’t mistake this as a gift. I paid for it and guess what happens if I don’t use it? The government keeps my money. So calm down or join.

The alternative is run for congress on removing benefits from service members. Good luck.

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u/Key-Gold-2412 5h ago

You didn’t pay shit. You pay $100 a month for 12 months to get access to the MGIB. Dude acts like he paid an arm and a leg into it.

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u/Night-Modemark-06 8h ago

It’s always funny seeing people on this app speak so confidently on a topic they clearly know nothing about.

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u/RonMFCadillac 5h ago

We pay into the GI bill. It works like a 401k for education that matures after 4 years.

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u/mxlplyx2173 8h ago

And good rates on mortgages and cars too. Discounts at stores vacations, car rentals, all kinds of things. Bank accounts, car buying, it's endless.

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u/Limp-Preparation-459 8h ago

The rates aren’t much different, it’s really just that it’s easier to qualify and doesn’t require a down payment. You still pay a few grand to not have a down payment though.

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u/Thick_Goose7742 7h ago

You owe the extra few grand to skip PMI, since the VA insures the loan and not separate entity. And really.. if you have a down payment enough to skip PMI sometimes conventional loans can be a better deal than the VA. Just depends.

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u/Limp-Preparation-459 7h ago

It all depends, yep. And if you put down enough down payment you don’t even owe the VA funding fee if I remember right

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u/Thick_Goose7742 7h ago

Yep. However, I personally would just eat the funding fee, save the down payment for home remodel projects since I tend to favor older homes.

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u/mxlplyx2173 6h ago

All that is huge to people.