Buying a house is a lot like joining the military. You sign the paper and you’re in, whether you like it or not.
On the surface, it’s all benefits and investments buried somewhere in the fine print; or you find that even though you signed on for Special Forces, if you fall short on one PT test, you automatically are made infantry; or you find that the whole air-conditioning and furnace unit needs replacing.
Yeah, they’re quite a bit the same.
It’s easy to remember the surprises that all seem to pop up at once when you first make the decision to go military. And for anyone who’s purchased a home, I’m sure you have your own little stories to tell.
But even knowing we’ll have put thousands of dollars into repairs and updates on the home in our first week after closing, there’s something about the security of being a homeowner that makes it worth it. The same goes for the military.
Just like a new — well, used — home, the military is full of surprises but also full of charm. The longer you’re in, the more surprises you’ll come across, but there often are more pleasant surprises than unpleasant ones.
Just so long as we can get most of those unpleasant ones taken care of before our daughter — yes, I did just say daughter — is born, I feel like we can take on anything, either with the house or with the military.