Seeking Some Advice For My Stepdaughter Who Is In The National Guard

[LadyKay]

I am really not sure what to say in this post. I am thinking that their are a few of you here whom are serving in the service or who have been in the service and maybe you can help me find some answers to my stepdaughter's on going problems with money. My stepdaughter joined the National Guard about 2 years ago. She joined because she could not find a job. She graduated from boot camp and went on to get more training a few months later, then she graduated from that and was sent out into the civilian word except for when she needs to do her guard duty the one weekend a month.( I'm guessing its 1 weekend a month but I'm not really sure about that) In the time that she has graduated from her training she has been unable to find a job or keep a job for very long. So much so that she sends messages to the family saying she has no food to eat and no gas money. She moves from apartment to apartment moving in with people because she does not have the money to stay in one place and has to move in with whoever she can move in with. She sign up for collage which to my understanding was paid for by the National Guard. But when it came time for her to go she had had no job and had no money for the books and things she needed for collage. So she did not go. My understanding is that she got some money after she graduated from her training. But she never could find a job and I am thinking since she did not have employment she must have gone through that money. The latest news is that her car has been rebo and she bought another car but it broke down on her. She was working but with no car to get to work she got fired. She text a message last night to my husband (her father) telling him she has no money. This has been the issues for over 2 years now. She went into the National Guard because she had no money and no job, and now it seems she is no better off. We have suggested to her that maybe she should move closer to home. She is living in Alabama right now. But I guess she is in a unit that is not being deployed and she is afraid that if she transfers to different unit she maybe deployed. We have suggested that maybe she can go into the Guard full time instead of part time. But again she is afraid if she goes full time she will be deployed. The family really does not know what to do to help her. So I just thought that since she is in the National Guard if there is anything the Guard can do help her have a place to live and to get a job. She has sent countless emails telling us she has no money to live on. Since she is so far away I do not know the full story of what is really going on. So I am just looking to see if anyone has any advice that I could pass on to her, maybe someone in the National Guard she can contact that maybe she can talk to to see if they can help her get some money for food and housing? I don't know, I'm just trying to help.

Edited May 19, 2011 by LadyKay

[candyman]

I am currently active duty so my pay situation is different but we have some NG soldiers here right now so I will ask them to be sure.

First, have you gone to talk to a recruiter? No they are not all that evil but if you really don't want to you can find people on the websites that are run by soldiers. Even the army website where you research joining gives you the ability to contact them. And at the recruiting station you can ask to go higher up to talk to people...as in ask for their commander...you can actually give them that order but try now to be angry about it or make it sound like an order. Ask firmly if you think they are lying to you.

Second, Army can try to help you get a job if you really need it but they can only go so far in doing that by law. They can set up interviews with companies depending on your MOS which is you job in the Army.

I will ask about the college payment thing when Chief gets back but in the meantime all I can tell you is that there are alot of loopholes...mostly because people took way too much advantage of the system and wasted alot of government money. If there is an active military post near to her she can go in and find the Education Center which is run by civilians. They actually love their jobs and will do everything in their power to get you educated without you having to pay for it. And THEY know loopholes that will HELP you out in certain situations.

And I am sorry if this sounds by but as great as the Army is people too ofter see it as a savior if they are on hard time. It is not unfortunately. The pay is not nearly as good as people imagine it...neither are the benefits, housing, food...pretty much anything awesome people imagine us having over civilians is just that...their imagination running wild. It is good...but it won't save you. Now, if she were active it would be better for her financially. Then all she would have to pay for are extra things since housing, food, medical, and dental is free. She may not want to either but they really get on your ass for a budget and have easy ways to set up savings plans...especially through USAA.

[LadyKay]

Thank you for your reply. I wish I knew more about what is going on with her. But she will not share a lot about her personal stuff so all I ever hear is about her needed money. I will pass on to my husband when he talks to her again what you said about talking to a recruiter about her living situation. She does not talk to me very much. Thank you.