The president’s “suckers” and “losers” commentary has me thinking. From a purely economic standpoint, am I a sucker for joining the Army? Was it a bad bet? Some back-of the envelope math follows: (1/8)

I signed up for ROTC in 2000, had 3 1/2 years of college paid for, plus a series of stipends. Rough math? $175k in today’s dollars. (2/8)

Of course there’s a catch. I’m in the Army for 4 years, 10 months, 30 days. I see Iraq, I see Afghanistan. I’m paid reasonably well, especially compared to other career opportunities facing a history/poli sci major. Salary and benefits? $250k, easy. (3/8)

Here’s where it’s tricky. The Army time directly leads to me going to grad school for free, but the VA also pays for my housing. I’m also a reservist, which is lucrative. I finish both by mid-‘11. Let’s call it $50k more. (4/8)

Then I’m in DC, I’m working a job that my Army experience/grad school made possible, but then the VA pays for more than half of my law school. That’s like another $85k. (5/8)

So, again this is rough, but because I pledged to serve 4 years in the Army (but did 5), I picked up a half million dollars in salaries, stipends, tuition, insurance, etc. (6/8)

Taken together, I’d say my time produced an excellent ROI, especially when I was 22 in ‘04 and had no skills at all. In fact, I bet my ROI is better than anything The Trump Organization ever touched (7/x)

Give me a long running network TV gameshow and the spread would be even better for me. Anyway, I’m hardly a “sucker” for serving, from a purely economic standpoint.

A loser? Well, a different form of analysis is needed. (8/8)