He's in the Army now: Wife’s cancer prompts man to enlist

[Bill Mattocks]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/64677772.html

In March, he was laid off from his job as a raw materials coordinator for a plastics company called PolyOne, where he'd worked for 20 years. His severance package had provided several months' salary, but by August the paychecks were winding down. Soon the cost of his family health coverage was going to triple, then a few months after that, nearly triple again. They needed coverage so Mom could fight her cancer.
Dad's solution: a four-year hitch in the Army.

 

[Nolerama]

It was an option, and he chose that route.

I'm assuming he asked topical questions to his recruiter pertaining to his wife's health care and joining the Army seemed like a feasible option.

Whatever it takes to keep his family afloat and healthy, right?

 

[CoryKS]

It was an option, and he chose that route.

I'm assuming he asked topical questions to his recruiter pertaining to his wife's health care and joining the Army seemed like a feasible option.

Whatever it takes to keep his family afloat and healthy, right?

Yup. That's the whole point of providing incentives.

 

[arnisador]

Unfortunately, the lack of universal health coverage is now an incentive to join the service, and that I'm not crazy about.

 

[sfs982000]

Unfortunately, the lack of universal health coverage is now an incentive to join the service, and that I'm not crazy about.

I have to agree with you on that and this is coming from a current member of the military.

 

[CoryKS]

Unfortunately, the lack of universal health coverage is now an incentive to join the service, and that I'm not crazy about.

Now, as opposed to when? People have always joined the military for the benefits, whether it's the pay or the healthcare. Again, that's why they offer it. That's why any employer offers it.

 

[sfs982000]

Now, as opposed to when? People have always joined the military for the benefits, whether it's the pay or the healthcare. Again, that's why they offer it. That's why any employer offers it.

True, but the health care benefits today are pretty bad shape, even from the military standpoint. The base I was stationed at in ND actually began transporting people to the hospital in town. Everything was referred to the clinics in town. The medical benefits offered by the military is definietely better than nothing. What concerns me is that this gentleman is enlisting and will more than likely (depending on his specialty) deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan once his training is done. Hopefully they can delay anything like that from happening until his wife's medical condition is taken care of.