Veterans

Unfortunately it still remains probably the best social mobility ladder in America. Before I joined I was working at Walmart, after I got out I got a job at a top tech company. With things being the way they are now, I would recommend someone join for the shortest enlistment they can get. Get their experience and their education benefits and get out. If we pulled our heads out of our ass and made state colleges and universities free to attend, then no I wouldn't recommend the military. However, I'm pretty sure that won't happen and the fact that the military is such a good social economic ladder is by design.

I always first recommend joining a trade union, it's great money and they'll be making way more than peers by the time they get out of college and usually not getting a job in the field they studied in unless it's an incredibly high demand job. Salary ceiling is lower than an advanced degree requiring job, but you get there a lot quicker.

Then I recommend college if they can get it easily. If they can get a degree without going wildly into debt, good. If they can get their masters, even better. If getting a masters, undergraduate school doesn't matter. But if a bachelor's degree will do, go to the best place you can afford.

Otherwise, join the service. Really think about what you want to get out of the service. If you want to get job training, look for a job that is similar to what you want to do for a living. Personally, I want to roll around in the dirty and shoot guns and travel the world. So I went combat arms, rolled around in the dirt, shot guns, and traveled the world. But my job had nearly zero relevance to any civilian jobs. But I got out and went to college. And after graduated and bounced around do all sorts of jobs that had nothing to do with my degree. And ultimately, I am working back at my alma mater on the grounds crew taking care of campus. And I love it.

With everything, it's what you make of it.

I've always advised that there are three reasons to join the military: you feel an actual calling to do so, you have a family and no other way to support them, or you don't know what to do with yourself so you have Uncle Sam take care of you for four years so you can work it out. (I was option three: I ended up staying for eight.)

I would also advise my kids or anyone else to only consider the Air Force, the Space Force (even though it's still in beta) or the Coast Guard: while there are dangers with any branch, it seems that in-country if the bullets or IEDs don't kill you quickly, exposure to burn pits and other toxins will kill you slowly.

Yeah but only if it's the air or space force. And even then just do the minimum service to get the benefits.