Military Service

[TeresaBenedicta]

The possibility of joining up with a branch of the military (for my case, I'd go with the Navy) has been on my mind lately.

I have a fairly large amount of student loans that I have to pay off before I can enter any religious order. I've spent a month (okay, so that's not too long of a time) trying to find a somewhat good paying job that can enable to start aggressively paying off my loans. There's a possibility of having free housing for the time period that I'm working and my parents will likely continue paying my car insurance. That means all that I have to worry about is insurance, gas money, and everyday expenses. Given all of this, it would probably take about two-three years of full-time work at a decent pay (at least $30,000 per year).

Problem is actually finding a job that pays that well. I'm a philosophy major, theology minor. Kind of limits [i]what[/i] I can do. I could teach at certain Catholic schools or I could work at a parish. I have experience with office work, so I could also be an admin assistant or secretary, pretty much anywhere. So far none of my applications have gotten me anywhere.

The longer I'm unemployed, the longer it'll be before I can enter. And it's killing me.

The thought of the Navy keeps coming up because... well, it's a guaranteed job, I've always wanted to be in the Navy (and probably would've had I not discerned a vocation to the religious life), and it has great benefits. If I were enlisted, that's a two year commitment. If I became an officer, three to five years.

If it's gonna be a few years as a civilian... well, it's a guarantee pay-off in the Navy. They might even help pay off some of my student loans.

The major negative: It's a serious commitment, one that if something come up, I won't be able to get out of the commitment. There's the possibility of donors that a few contacts I have are trying to find on my behalf. And then there's the [i]Mater Ecclessia[/i] fund, which there's a possibility I could qualify for after a year or so of full-time work.

Also a negative: Unlikely I'd be able to keep my current prayer life. Not very likely I'd be able to attend daily Mass or even really have ample time for much daily prayer.

I don't know. It's just something I've been tossing around in my head as I'm trying to figure things out. I haven't prayed much about it yet, nor spoken to my spiritual director. But I thought I'd toss it out to VS and see what you guys think. Any positives/negatives that I'm missing?

[JTheresa]

It's funny that you mention that, I have a good friend who is enlisting in the Navy this year. From what I hear from him, he'll be lucky if he gets to mass at all over a months time, and the people that you encounter are not going to be the most moral ones out there. It may be different for the guys, I don't know.
I also talked to a girl who said she knew someone in the Marines who had a Catholic mass every week with time for a Bible study and other religious things where she was stationed. So i guess it just depends on where you end up going.

I would say that the prayer life would be a real killer for me. Whenever I start to get lazy with prayer my desire to enter religious life starts to wain. It becomes a lot harder to resist the temptation to follow through with my vocation and I (personally) end up on the gloomy side because I cant get out of the rut. Until I start praying again. Then the sun comes out.
If your spiritual life is already really strong, then you might be able to handle something like that and come out even stronger.

On the other hand, being unemployed isn't really helping with your student loans, and the navy would certainly help pay for that, especially because right now you cant be sure when you'll find a good job.

I would have to say your situation us a tough one, and I would definitely talk to your SD about it.

[laetitia crucis]

Despite being an "army brat", I can't really think of any positives or negatives that you're missing...

I guess if I were in the same situation, I'd be reluctant to enlist simply because knowing my luck, as soon as I enlisted -- BAM! -- some crazy-amazing donation happens.

I know that's not very helpful to say. But I suppose I would just remain hopeful and vigilant in my spiritual life and in job-searching and begging... I'd want to be "free" to enter the convent if the debt-relief were to happen at any time.

Then again, I know I tend to lack prudence when being hopeful is involved.

I will be keeping this intention lifted in prayer, TB. St. Joseph and Our Lady have been getting an earful from me lately, especially involving benefactors for myself AND for all my dear VSers.

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='18 June 2010 - 01:18 AM' timestamp='1276834726' post='2130767']

I guess if I were in the same situation, I'd be reluctant to enlist simply because knowing my luck, as soon as I enlisted -- BAM! -- some crazy-amazing donation happens.

[/quote]

Yeah, that's one of my biggest fears. And not to mention I'd also feel somewhat guilty, considering the one donation that I've already received (which was substantial).

*le sigh*

[JTheresa]

Might I suggest a novena to Saint Joseph for more "substantial" donations? I'm sure that he would be happy to help.

I know I have strings with him that I can try... to... tug... a... little... (in an innocent little sister sort of way).

SCATHINGLY BRILLIANT IDEA!!!! Maybe we could all pray it as a phamily!! All of our prayerful voices united together are far more powerful than just one of us!!!

I'll try to find one that is specifically to St. Joseph for financial help.

be right back...

*google...*

[JTheresa]

Here's one that I found on EWTN's website. it looks really good and intense (not like all novenas are supposed to be intense or anything).

[url="http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/joseph.htm"]EWTN St. Joseph Novena[/url]

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='JTheresa' date='18 June 2010 - 12:45 AM' timestamp='1276836352' post='2130784']
Here's one that I found on EWTN's website. it looks really good and intense (not like all novenas are supposed to be intense or anything).

[url="http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/joseph.htm"]EWTN St. Joseph Novena[/url]
[/quote]


*print*

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='JTheresa' date='18 June 2010 - 01:45 AM' timestamp='1276836352' post='2130784']
Here's one that I found on EWTN's website. it looks really good and intense (not like all novenas are supposed to be intense or anything).

[url="http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/joseph.htm"]EWTN St. Joseph Novena[/url]
[/quote]

Oh-ho!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Book-marked.

[CatherineM]

A couple of positives that my son found in the Navy were discipline and meeting people he would never have met before. They will pay on your student loans if you are enlisted, but not as an officer. Your college will guarantee some extra stripes out of boot camp, and than means more money. You could look into becoming a chaplain's assistant. That would give you more opportunity to attend mass. Or you could go into whichever field paid the largest signing bonus as a head start on the student loans.

[vee]

Well...in the navy yes, you can sail the seven seas... .... In the navy yes, you can put your mind at ease .... In the navy...

[stlmom]

Our son recently completed a four year enlistment in the Navy. Once you make your commitment to active duty, your time is their time, and you must fulfill your commitment, except in very rare circumstances, i.e. medical discharge, being kicked out for major behavioral, criminal issues, etc.

It is great training for vows of obedience, and learning to live with very little personal space/privacy, especially if you spend four years on an aircraft carrier, as our son did. Compared to the berthing on such a ship, a monastic cell would seem positively luxurious. You will have opportunity for religious services, however, you cannot expect to have the same amount of time for formal prayer, especially if you are assigned to a ship and are on a deployment. You need to be prepared to live in close quarters with people from troubled backgrounds.

You may go in as an officer, but that is not guaranteed these days, as I understand with our down economy, enlistments are up, and all branches of the service are becoming more selective. Those with science, mathematic, technical backgrounds seem to do better in that regard.

Enlisted personnel can and do get reassigned according to the needs of your ship/division. For instance, my son was assigned to clean the ship's galley, perform sentry duty, process paperwork, perform all kinds of maintenance, often in 14 hour shifts, though his original assignment was to perform fueling of aircraft and related care of the fuel lines onboard.

On the plus side, as Catherine M noted, you will learn discipline, you will meet and make good friends, you may earn a bit more than the average recruit because of your degree. You may have opportunity to continue your education through classes offered by the Navy.

If you have other questions, feel free to PM me.