Vault: Will Her Family Agree With Her Life-Changing Decision?

Summary

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The Bert Show

Episode: Vault: Will Her Family Agree With Her Life-Changing Decision?

Date: March 19, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on Emily, a listener considering a life-changing decision: joining the Air Force later in life. The Bert Show team, along with several callers with military experience, help Emily weigh the realities, implications, and challenges of military enlistment on her marriage and family. The discussion is candid, supportive, and offers practical insight for anyone facing a similar crossroad.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emily’s Motivations and Journey So Far

[01:12–02:23]

• Emily describes her long-standing regret at not having joined the military in her youth and the factors now motivating her to consider enlistment: career stability, training opportunities, and guaranteed housing.

• With her husband’s tentative support, Emily detailed their meeting with an Air Force recruiter, which lasted two and a half hours. She emphasizes how honest and straightforward the recruiter seemed and the comprehensive information they received.

  "We brought our list of questions ... and we both left feeling like he was being as honest as possible." – Emily [02:23]

2. The Recruitment and Commitment Process

[02:23–05:19]

• Emily explains: After meeting with recruiters, the next step is MEPs (Military Entrance Processing Station): a two-day process including a physical and the ASVAB test (to determine job eligibility).

• No commitment is made until after these assessments and available jobs are offered.

• Candidates list five or six preferred jobs, but actual placement depends on availability and Air Force needs.

• Commitment only becomes binding after selecting and accepting a job:

  "Up until that point, you haven't signed anything." – Emily [04:30]

• Discussion of timelines for both basic training (8 weeks, minimal family contact) and technical school (4–6 months), as well as family relocation eligibility depending on the length of technical schooling.

3. Family Considerations & Concerns

[05:19–07:11]

• Emily highlights worries about time apart from her husband and child, especially during basic training and technical school. If technical school lasts over five months, family may relocate; otherwise, separation is likely.

  "My concern is your husband and your child." – Interviewer [05:19]

  "If not, I would be looking at ... being away from them." – Emily [05:50]

• The team emphasizes the total lifestyle change and the need for the entire family’s commitment.

  "Everybody has to adapt to the military once you commit to it ... is your family willing to sacrifice and support you in this?" – Military Advisor [07:11]

4. Insights from Callers with Military Experience

[08:01–10:37]

Kevin’s Advice:

• Recruiters strongly encourage signing up after the assignment is presented; high-pressure tactics are likely at this point.

• Job locations are not guaranteed and may vary widely, including less desirable places.

  "That's when the high pressure really kicks in. They want you to sign ... to get their quota." – Kevin (Caller) [08:06]

Daniel’s Advice:

• Advises Emily to be assertive when negotiating: the military needs recruits, so leverage is possible right up until the oath is taken.

• Shared his own success in securing his desired role and incentives by holding firm.

  "You have 100% negotiating power because you're not in the military until you raise your right hand and you say that oath." – Daniel (Caller) [10:27]

5. Emily’s Remaining Concerns and Reflections

[10:41–12:45]

• Emily wants to pursue a medical role but was told such positions are highly sought after and difficult to get; she plans to apply Daniel’s advice and insist on her desired specialty.

• She worries her husband underestimates the real impact on their family life, especially during periods of separation.

  "I keep trying to tell him ... you're not going to have anyone to ... watch our child. ... I just don't think he fully understands what it's going to involve." – Emily [11:49]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We spent two and a half hours with [the recruiter] asking everything possible." – Emily [02:23]
• "And about two weeks later, the recruiter will call you and say, okay, all the jobs have been assigned. This is the one that you've ended up with. And at that point is when you either make the commitment or you don't." – Emily [04:30]
• "Everybody has to adapt to the military once you commit to it. ... is your family willing to sacrifice and support you in this?" – Military Advisor [07:11]
• "That's when the high pressure really kicks in. ... But that's when the high pressure really kicks in. They want you to sign." – Kevin (Caller) [08:06]
• "You have 100% negotiating power because you're not in the military until you raise your right hand and you say that oath and don't do that until you 100% sure you know what you want to do." – Daniel (Caller) [10:27]

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Key Timestamps

• 01:12 | Emily’s initial motivation and family discussions
• 02:23 | Details of the recruiter meeting and what comes next
• 03:55 | Clarification: branch is the Air Force
• 05:19 | Family separation concerns explained
• 07:11 | Discussion of sacrifices required from the family
• 08:06 | Caller Kevin on recruiter tactics post-MEPs
• 09:41 | Caller Daniel shares tips for negotiating with the military
• 11:45 | Emily’s concerns about her husband’s understanding of the reality

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Episode Tone and Style

• Genuine, supportive, and practical
• Real-life stakes are addressed with honesty, humor, and care
• Callers contribute straight-talking wisdom drawn from firsthand experience

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Conclusion

Emily is at a pivotal decision point: pursuing a lifelong dream to join the Air Force, but mindful of how it will impact her spouse and child. The Bert Show provides a nuanced examination of the military enlistment process—from recruitment, through negotiation, to long-term family effects. With the help of candid advice from veterans and hosts, Emily is better equipped to make an informed, empowered choice—and so is the listening audience.

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Interested in updates? The Bert Show promises to follow Emily’s journey and to bring her husband’s perspective in future segments.

Transcript

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[The Burt Show Host]

The Burt Show. Emily's gonna join us in just a couple minutes. She'll be on the voice disguiser. She was originally on with us about a week and a half ago talking about her desire to join the military.

[Emily]

I've always wanted to go into the military, never did. And I've always regretted it. And somehow or another that was thrown up that, hey, maybe I should consider that we could move. We'd have a place to live, I could get training, I could get a job.

[Interviewer (possibly Burt Show co-host)]

What was your husband's react when you guys started talking about it?

[Emily]

Well, initially, I think he thought I was joking. And I brought it up again and said, you know, hey, this is something that I'd really like your input on because I don't think I'm completely crazy. And you know, we did have another discussion about it and we're both kind of in agreement that we would like to know more about it and that it's not that bad of an idea.

[The Burt Show Host]

So that was about a week and a half ago. And Emily, if I'm not mistaken, Emily actually had an appointment with a recruiter that got canceled. Right, Emily?

[Emily]

Yeah, that's correct. We did have an appointment and he canceled on us.

[The Burt Show Host]

So that's. That's not stressful at all. It's not like you're making a big life decision that you really want to. So have you met with him?

[Emily]

Since we did, we actually made another appointment and we went to meet with him last week.

[Interviewer (possibly Burt Show co-host)]

Okay.

[Emily]

And it went very well. Me and my husband both went with him. We brought our list of questions. We had as many questions as we could think of, covering everything from A to Z. And basically, you know, I was kind of worried that we might be rushed in and out or that we might not have time to get all our questions asked or whatever. And we were the only people there. We had, I think we spent two and a half hours with him asking everything possible. And me and my husband both left feeling like he was being as honest as possible. I don't want to say 100% honest, but we both felt that he was being very honest with us about how things work and the possibility of this happening or, you know, the pros and cons of it. And we were both very pleased with the answers we got. So basically the next step that you go from talking with the recruiter is you make the decision if you are still interested after you get your questions answered, and then you decide to go to something called MEPs, which is your. I forget exactly what it stands for, but it's in Atlanta. And you do, it's a two day thing. You do your physical one day and then you do your ASVAB test and your physical results and your ASVAB test score results let you determine what kind of job you will be going into training for.

[Megan McCardell]

And what branch is this? What branch is this, by the way?

[Military Advisor]

Air Force.

[The Burt Show Host]

Okay. And when you're. And are you still, when you take this test, have you committed to the military at this point?

[Emily]

No. And that's what we like so much about it is like I said, the ASVAB and physical determined what kind of job you can get. And basically you get to pick five or six jobs out of a particular area that they give you. And you pick five or six jobs. You may get one of those, you may get none of those, just depending on the availability and what they need right now in the Air Force, we

[Military Advisor]

should take that test.

[Emily]

Up until that point, you haven't signed anything. And about two weeks later the recruiter will actually call you and say, okay, all the jobs have been assigned. This is the one that you've ended up with. And at that point is when you either make the commitment or you don't.

[The Burt Show Host]

So you don't. So you know what job you're going to get and do you know where it is at that time?

[Emily]

Well, you know where the training is going to be. And I don't think you know exactly where that's going to be. I think you find that out a month into your technical school because you're. As soon as you leave the basic training, which is eight weeks, then you go straight to your technical school to train for four to six months for your selected job. And I think you find out your first month where you'll be moving.

[Interviewer (possibly Burt Show co-host)]

And what did they say about family time? Because that was sort of your original concern was that is my concern, your husband and your child.

[Emily]

For the basic training, which is eight weeks, you pretty much don't have any contact with them except an occasional phone call. It's pretty much limited as to who you can talk to, what you can do after that. Like I said, you have your technical school. Well, I did find out that if your school is longer than five months, your family can actually move with you to wherever the technical school is. There's bases in Texas, there's bases in California and Mississippi, but your family can move with you. So I'm hoping that if that were to happen, I would luck up and get something, that the training would be a little longer than five months so they could come with me. If not, then I would be looking at going to school for four months or whatever and being away from them. Now during that period, they could travel to see me, I could travel to see them. It's just going to be a little more complicated.

[Megan McCardell]

But you would already be committed before finding that out?

[Emily]

Yes, yes. I think when they tell you your job, they will know how long you have to go to school for. And that's one of the things that you find out before you make the commitment. So if they say, hey, this is your job, however, you're going to be in school for only four, four and a half months, your family can't come with you, then I have to decide if that's not worth it to me or say it's a really, really good job, then I have to decide if four and a half months, you know, if we could work around that. But yeah, that's something that we'll know before we make the decision to sign the sign on the dotted line or not.

[Military Advisor]

Right. Well, so like we said before, like, you know, the military is number one and everybody has to adapt to the military once you commit to it. And so, you know, and as I mentioned before, I don't want to be hypocritical. So if you were a man doing this, I mean, the family has to sacrifice and move wherever you are and support you and is your family willing to sacrifice and support you in this? Because, I mean, that's a long time. The eight weeks of basic training with no contact. Because they're training you, basically. That's what they're doing, is getting you in shape for what they need you to do physically and mentally. Right. And then the technical school, like you said, after that. So that's a. We're talking almost, you know, over half a year for this to be committed up front, let alone once you, you know, that's before you even get the job.

[The Burt Show Host]

Hey, Kevin. Hey, Kevin. Hello. Hello. He's in.

[Daniel (Caller/Guest with military experience)]

Hey.

[Emily]

Yeah.

[The Burt Show Host]

Hey. How are you, Kevin?

[Kevin (Caller)]

Fine. How are you?

[Daniel (Caller/Guest with military experience)]

Good.

[The Burt Show Host]

You're on with Emily.

[Kevin (Caller)]

Hey, Emily, how are you? Hey. I just wanted to add a comment to the whole process. Once you take that test and they do your physical, that's when the recruiter is with you. And as soon as you get those assignments, that's when the recruiters do their high pressure. Selling their job is to get you in the service. And all they do is try to give you an assignment that fits you, basically. But that's when the high pressure really kicks in. They want you to sign. They need you to sign to get their quota. And they also give you your assignment, different places you can go, and you don't really know where you're going to go until after you're finished with your training.

[The Burt Show Host]

So they'll pull something like. And this job is available in beautiful Miami, Florida, in luxurious Honolulu, Hawaii, and also Bismarck, North Dakota. But you can end up in Miami or Hawaii or North Dakota or Indian, Oklahoma.

[Kevin (Caller)]

They give you like four, three or four places where you could end up. One of them could be overseas, One of them could be California, one of them could be Texas. But then again, these aren't the greatest places on the planet you want to be. I mean, you go to Fort Riley, Kansas, for a year and a half for training, and by the time you leave Kansas, you're ready to get out of there. And wherever they send you, you're ready to go.

[The Burt Show Host]

That's a good trick, actually.

[Military Advisor]

Make you so miserable in a small town that you're willing to go wherever they take you.

[The Burt Show Host]

Hey, Daniel, how are you?

[Daniel (Caller/Guest with military experience)]

Good, good.

[The Burt Show Host]

You got some advice for Emily?

[Emily]

Yeah.

[Daniel (Caller/Guest with military experience)]

I joined the military in 2002, and when I went in there, I pretty much told my recruiter what I wanted, where I wanted and what I wanted to do. For example, I wanted to be a military police officer. I wanted Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I wanted airborne school and a sign in bonus. I Took my test, qualified for everything, got the Met, sat down, talked to the other recruiter because there's two recruiters involved. And he said, well, I can get you everything you want, but this and this and this. I said, well, I'm not joining. Well, I sat there probably about six hours that day. And eventually they're going to get you what you want. So don't let them say you don't qualify for something because I guarantee you if you tell them you're not going to join 100% of the time, they're going to get you what you want to make you happy.

[Interviewer (possibly Burt Show co-host)]

Provided you do have negotiating power.

[Daniel (Caller/Guest with military experience)]

Yes, you do. You have 100% negotiating power because you're not in the military until you raise your right hand and you say that oath and don't do that until you 100% sure you know what you want to do.

[The Burt Show Host]

Good advice. Good advice for you, Emily?

[Emily]

Yeah, well, one of the main things I was concerned with was the job category. I would love to have something in the medical field because that's where I've done my studies. I have some, you know, some background in that. And he pretty much told me that everybody wants to do medical. So my chance of landing a medical job was pretty much non existent. So maybe I could use that advice that the last caller was saying on. You know, when I do get there, just pretty much demanding that I get placed in a medical job. I do have enough college credits where I don't have to start at the bottom level. I can start a few levels up on the ranking and the pay grade, which I thought was pretty cool. But that was really the only issue we had was that because of the field I wanted to go into that everybody wanted to do it and I pretty much was going to get something really basic and I don't want to be stuck doing that for four years. You know, I don't want to be a, I don't know, a janitor or sit at a desk all day long and.

[Interviewer (possibly Burt Show co-host)]

Well, how is your husband feeling?

[Emily]

I think he's pretty much the same position I am. I don't really think he grasped how much of a change it's going to be. I mean, it's, I think from his standpoint, it's like it's all good. You know, I'm going to be making tons of money, we're going to get to move. He's not going to have the pressure of, you know, wondering if I'm going to be able to find a job or not. I just don't think he fully understands what it's going to involve. And I keep trying to tell him, like, you know, I'm going to be gone for that whole time. You're not going to have anyone to, you know, watch our child. You're not going to get a break. It's going to be pretty much you the whole time. And, you know, I said it's just going to be a lot different. So I'm trying to make sure he grasps that and he's 100% okay with that.

[Military Advisor]

Oh, yeah, you better. You better. Before you raise your right hand.

[The Burt Show Host]

Well, keep Traci posted as to all the steps and the progress that you're making and we will follow up with you very soon. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. And we also will want to talk to your husband at some point, too, and have your husband be on and be a part of that. The Burt Show.

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[The Burt Show Host]

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[Emily]

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[Megan McCardell]

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