soldiers and sailors civil relief act

[mobro]

hello! i am a new grad (graduating friday, actually) and have posted previously about a job offer i've gotten on a critical care floor at a local hospital. the offer requires a 2 year contract that will cost me $10,000 to get out of after 6 months and $5,000 after a year. i am considering joining the air force but would not be able to commission until october, if i was accepted, and COT would not be until january. i read somewhere that the soldiers and sailors act would allow me to get out of the contract without penalty if i was accepted into the air force. is this true?? the only thing really stopping me from joining is that i can't be unemployed until january but i don't want to take the job offer and then owe a ton of money.

on another note...from someone who has gone through COT- i hear the first week is everyone kinda thinking "what have i gotten myself into?!" is that true? because i am definitely an anxious person and would be worried that i was the only one there crying from homesickness- sad but true.

any other advice as far as joining would be greatly appreciated. i hear that the air force treats their members well and takes care of each other but then i keep finding people that hated it and thought the conditions were terrible. it's hard to make a decision with so much conflicting information!

thanks!

[olderthandirt2]

"the only thing really stopping me from joining is that i can't be unemployed until january but i don't want to take the job offer and then owe a ton of money"

Can you take with job without the "sign on bonus"?..... just decline it. Or take the bonus then put it in the bank & don't touch it, then return it later when you access.

c.

[mobro]

well it's not a sign on bonus...it's a residency program so i'd owe money for the classes they put me through, not giving back money that they had given me to work there. that's what complicates things.

[olderthandirt2]

Ooooww, well THAT is a different story. Humm,,, And this residency program will train you for critical care position? Or is it a stepdown or floor position?

I would definitely ask your recruiter about this delimma. He is going to give you the best indication of how likely you will be boarded in a specific timeframe. IMO, any training you can get (especially if you are accepted into a residency program) in the civilian world will be useful to you in the future......jobs are not so easy to get in this economy.

good luck

[chare]

the following quote is from the navy judge advocate general's office soldiers' and sailors' civil relief act of 1940 webpage.

the sscra does not extinguish any liabilities or obligations, but merely suspends action and enforcement until such time as the ability of the service member to answer or comply is no longer materially impaired by reason of military service. additionally, the protections afforded by the sscra do not extend to criminal proceedings.

whatever you decide, i wish you the best of luck in your career.

[pattyrn376]

you might want to look for a different position.