Complicated situation: Who goes to the army?

Question

my husband owns a condo that we can not pay for any longer. it has been on the market for more than 90 days, and doing a short sale is out of the question. i am aware that foreclosure does extreme damage to his credit; however my credit is in good standing. We have come to the conclusion that one of us goes to the army. if he goes, he has an excellent job, if I go, I will be accepting a job that will not help me in the end. I would be getting paid better than him because I have gone to school. What scares me more than having a job that won't be my career, is leaving my 2 yr old daughter. I have been staying with her since her birth. For more than a year I have been going to interviews, and with the current recession going on, I haven't been hired. Daycare is just too expensive, and I have no family here to help me, also all my friends work. My husband is making decent money, but if I go, his work load decreases (remember his credit score is falling). what should we do?

Answer 1

I'm a little confused. Is your husband planning to quit his job and enlist in the Army so that you can continue to pay the mortgage on a property that you don't even live in? What kind of salary is he earning now? Do you know for sure that his Army pay would be greater than that? Also, what makes you think he would have an "excellent job" in the Army? Do you understand that, once he enlists, they can assign him to do whatever job they tell him to, no matter whether it's the job he wants? Do you further understand that he could very likely wind up being deployed and sent into a war zone?

And I completely don't understand what you mean when you say that if you go into the Army, his work load will decrease. How do you figure that? Won't he still be working *and* taking care of the child as a single parent while you're gone? How would that decrease his workload?

I know the thought of a short sale isn't very appealing -- but it certainly seems like selling at a loss would be better than any of the alternatives you've listed.

Answer 2

I am also not quite understanding why the Army is an option here.  IF you joined the military, your husband shouldn't have to sign for any apartment.  Last I checked, you can live on most bases with your family with you.  You can't determine what kind of income he would be making if he joined.  Just let the condo go for whatever you need to, and re-evaluate your situation again at that time.  

Also, his workload decreasing doesn't make sense at all.  If his credit score is falling, let it fall.  Taking a pay cut is certainly the wrong way to handle that problem.  

The whole country is in a bad situation.  Try to come up with a better way than joining the military.

Answer 3

Your situation is too confusing to follow. Without more details, there's no way anyone can figure out what you're trying to say.

First and foremost, although your husband owns the condo, if he bought it while you were married, then you *also* own the condo. If his credit gets destroyed by foreclosure, the banks *can* come after you. Your credit will be destroyed too most likely. However, if he had it before you were married, then you're pretty much off the hook.

So, what I don't understand is why one of you must go into the Army... that doesn't make sense.

If i understand what you posted correctly, put into simple terms.... is... you AND your husband are out of work right now. Out of the 2 of you... if you go into the Army, you would be the bread winner while he stays home with the baby.

Keep in mind... the Army is not a short term commitment... you can be sent off to war and may die in that war. You must always keep that thought in your mind because it CAN happen. You could be deployed for YEARS at a time.

With that said.... I suggest to continue to search for jobs. Just because you've been turned down in the past doesn't mean someone won't hire you. The "recession" going on affects a few industries but not others. Believe it or not, our economy is growing at a very very very small pace, but growing nonetheless. Just don't go applying at a banking institution, or automanufacturer or related businesses. Companies *ARE* hiring out there... you even said all your friends work. How can that be if there is a true recession going on? Ask your friends to put in a good word for you at their companies.

It is my opinion that those who have children should be with their children and not go off into the military unless their families can be moved onto the base where they are also located. But, that's just a personal opinion.