What about wife and kids when serving back the 4 years?

I am married and considering the military scholarship (applying for dental school this year). The prospects of getting financial support, serving the country, seeing different places...etc all sound interesting to me. However, what is the likelihood of being able to take my family with me during the payback years? We don't have kids yet, but may do by that time. I guess army, navy, air force all approach the family differently. Anyone can help me on which one(s) would be more accommodating?

Thanks for the info. Like you said the Army is certainly taking the bulk of the fight. My friend who came back from Baghdad doing intelligence told me once they were ambushed and it was nothing short from what you see in Black Hawks Down.. Looks like there MAY be a cut next year thou..

I'll be meeting with a recruiter next week so hopefully come back with some information to share.

jmick101 said:

Well, you wont be taking your spouse with you to Iraq if that is what you mean. If you get stationed in Germany or something you will be able to take your spouse with you. There are certain "hardship tours" in the Army like a year in Korea, but the majority of assignments are accompanied.

Lets be honest here. I love the Army, I was in the Army for a few years, but deployments are tough on everyone. Iraq is an Army fight and they are shouldering the brunt of the responsibilities over there. The Marines are doing a great job as well, but they have deployments that are half as long (8 months last time I checked). Air Force does their thing with 4-6 month rotations. There you have it. Air Force then Navy and then Army.

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Here, I will answer my own question based on what the AF recruiter told me:
Living- When not doing a hardship tour, a dentist's life on base is really not so different from a civilian. You can choose on base housing, which can be a two room single house (where the recruiter lives, for example), and it's free (but I think you pay for utility). It's like living in a gated community except security is supposed to be REALLY well kept. If you like to live off-base, AF will give you a fixed amount of money. Here in CA since living cost is high, you get around $1800/mo; in other parts you may get only $700. Of course you and family is entitled to use the thrifty shop, theater, daycare, and other services the base may provides.
Bottom line: Family stays with you when you are stationed. During the hardship tour, you are on your own for that 4 or 6 mo.

That's not a problem. You can't take anyone with you on the hardship tour even if you want to. However, get stationed oversea does not mean it's a hardship tour.