Deciding to join the military is one of the most important and life-changing decisions you can make. Along with the honor of serving your country, it also opens you up to a whole new world of agencies and acronyms which can be somewhat overwhelming at first. However, as you learn more about the military and the particular branch you serve in, you will find a wide range of resources and benefits available to you that can make a significant difference for you and your family. This section will help you navigate through some of the more important administrative procedures that can impact your military career, from the contracting process upon entering the military through your discharge. It will also cover many of the perks and benefits that are available to you and your family based on your service.
Administrative Issues
The military contracting process, like most things in the military, is standardized. However, that doesn’t mean that your contract can’t be tailored in some ways to your benefit. This section will help you better understand the contracting process and what you can negotiate into your contract to help set you up for success in your military career.
This section will also explain administrative processes that can harm your career, such as non-judicial punishments and administrative separations. While these are administrative in nature and don’t have the same effect as the criminal court-martial process, they can nonetheless affect your ability to receive regular promotions and pay increases and can otherwise limit the opportunities available to you.
These administrative processes can also lead to your discharge which, if characterized as anything but honorable, can also affect your eligibility for future benefits after you separate. Thankfully, there are ways that you can challenge administrative actions, including an administrative separation, and ways to obtain a discharge upgrade even after you leave the military. This section will walk you through these critical processes to help you protect your military career and to take the steps necessary to end your career on your terms.
Military Benefits
Did you know that along with low-cost health and dental insurance, serving in the military also allows you the opportunity to obtain low-cost life insurance? Depending on the nature of your service, it can also open you up to tuition benefits for college which you may even be able to transfer to your family members. There are also significant benefits available if you face any disabilities because of your service, although in order to be eligible for such benefits, you may need to proceed through a complex medical and physical evaluation board process.
This section will cover many of the more important benefits that may be available to you and your family based on your service and will walk you through any administrative procedures that you may need to complete in order to obtain certain benefits, such as disability benefits.
Additional Resources
This section will provide information and resources to help you plan your service in the military. However, especially if you plan on making a career out of your service, you should consider speaking with a military law attorney to help you along the way. From advising, and defending, you through any administrative actions you may face to assisting you in applying for military benefits, an experienced military law attorney can be a significant asset to ensure that you and your family experience not just the sacrifices of service, but the benefits as well.
