The middle class is under attack, and soon no remnants will be left. There are a few reasons why this is happening, mainly increased college costs, the price of housing, out-of-control healthcare expenses, and lack of financial education.
America had a good run for its middle class—when workers had pensions for staying with a company for 30 years.
However, those days are gone, and it is a dog-eat-dog world. The only way to keep ahead of inflation and rising costs is to have an advantage.
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The military gives you an advantage. Most parents no longer promote the military as a way to gain an advantage for their children.
When I joined the Marines in 1999, it was somewhat frowned upon by my high school’s staff. By the way, I didn’t go to a fancy high school.
Over the years, parents have pushed college over the military and trade school—not understanding that the world is changing rapidly.
We all want our children to be happy and make a positive difference in the world. We would love to see them as doctors, lawyers, or engineers.
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However, even these professions struggle to keep their employees above board. Just because someone makes $300,000 does not ensure they aren’t living paycheck-to-paycheck.
To understand the true advantage of the military, you have to dig deeper than the military pay scale. You need to look at its massive benefits versus being a civilian.
Free college education. The 9/11 G.I. Bill is more than enough of a reason to join the military. After completing their tour, servicemembers get access to the most generous college plan out there.
They can attend in-state schools for free while getting a nice monthly allowance for housing. They also get a book stipend.
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Parents, if you don’t have a way to pay for college for your children, you may want to consider the military. Pushing your kids into college and then allowing them to obtain student loans is not the way.
Free house down payments. How long will you save for a house down payment on a $1 million home? You would need to save at least $100,000 (if not $200,000).
The VA loan is another entitlement service members can leverage to get ahead of their civilian peers.
The housing market will only keep melting upwards, and you kids need every advantage to obtain a single-family residence.
Parents, if you don’t already own a home for your kids, consider looking into the military. Think about housing prices in 20 years. Yikes.
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Combat rising healthcare. While you are in the military, your health care is free. Your family’s healthcare costs are negligible.
In the civilian world, you deal with Health Savings Accounts, flex accounts, and copays. Healthcare can break any chance of staying in the middle class.
I was talking to a friend this weekend. Her kid needs speech therapy lessons that cost $350 per session. The specialist recommends that the child attend two classes per week.
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My eldest son attended speech therapy for two years with no out-of-pocket costs to my family. These examples will become more extreme over the years.
Serving your country. The military will give you a skillset you can leverage over your lifetime. Even better, you will make contacts inside and out to help you pursue your chosen career.
You can also earn a sense of pride in your country. Seeing the American flag flying in foreign countries is a sight to behold.
I remember looking at the American flag at the US Embassy in Niamey, Niger, West Africa. I was 21 years old and amazed at how much the flag meant to me.
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This sense of pride can help you deflect all the other madness in America. The news cycle, YouTube, and TikTok want to distract you from your true purpose—taking care of your family.
All the little things. After 24 years in the Marines, the little things come to mind first. I love stuff like free pool access, free gym, cheap movies on base theater, and friendly hotels (for cheap).
The military has many low-cost RV parks, boat rentals, running trails, and amusement park tickets.
You can shop at the commissary, saving on certain products compared to Walmart. The PX (post exchange) will match the price match, plus there is no tax. So if you want to buy a new computer, you can save a hefty amount of cash.
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Having access to military bases can extend your resources. You can always do something on base for free or reduced costs. Over the years, these small savings can make a massive difference.
Do you want to be middle-class? Most parents aren’t tracking how difficult it is for kids to become middle-class.
There is almost no career path that can guarantee their employment and income. Lawyers can make tons of money, but there is a 5-7 years grind AFTER law school that weeds most of them out.
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It is the same for doctors. Only the elite will survive the gauntlet to obtain these coveted positions. The military can set the stage for long-term success via education, tools, and passive income.
This world is no longer a joke where you can float around until you are 28, and when you feel like it, become serious and build a career.
The military is a great place to build yourself while figuring out who you are and what you want. In my opinion, there is no better way to spend ages 18-22, but I am biased.
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Conclusion. There is little guarantee that your kids will stay middle-class. We have investors taking over the housing market and capitalists taking over healthcare.
We are just beginning to see the results of long-term capitalism. If you don’t have many advantages to bestow on your kids, the military can help get them on track.
If you still think that going to college will guarantee long-term health and career success, you must start paying attention to what is happening.
Many young adults are saddled with debt and cannot pursue the American dream of finding a spouse, buying a home, and having children.
The military can play an outsized role in getting our kids to the ranks of the middle class. Yes, sending our kids to war is scary, but it is a part of life. It always has been. Good Luck!
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