I'm in the same situation, and I'm searching for job in the civilian world



I'm leaning towards doing some National Guard / Reservist time though to keep towards a second retirement

 

if i was in and had a chance to get out and eventually have my own company it would be no other choice, id get out.

and im not in the military, so I can say it....our stupid wars need to be over with.

 

Two things to think about.

Apparently the money is an issue as you stated you would be making less. If it wasn't an issue, you would have not brought it up.

At your ETS you will have almost 10 years. Think about what you have done in the service. Is it worth it to you, to piss away 10 years.

You thinking about ETS'ing then possibly going into contracting, you will again be away from your child. With the job in Kansas, will you be close to your child. If not, then the arguement of not being close is mute.

Think about what you would have to do if you worked for your Dad. No paid holiday's, no four/three days DONSA's, 30 paid vacation. Think about how often you don't work in the military.

If you are truely unhappy being in the military, then get out. In the end it boils down what you need to do to make you happy. If you are not happy, then no one around you will be happy.

^^65Fast^^

If you have never served, you have no idea or comprehension of what a military person goes through.
Keep your political options to yourself unless there is a direct question about it.

 

^^65Fast^^

If you have never served, you have no idea or comprehension of what a military person goes through.
Keep your political options to yourself unless there is a direct question about it.

I have to join the military to decide if a war is unconstitutional or not? or if we're wasting time and money? man, that would suck to put your life out there just to make a decision on something.

weird that over 30% of the military vets post 9/11 now say iraq and afghanistan was a waste. I didnt have to join to know they're right and agree with them. Just read my constitution.

and im not replying again in this thread. so thats that.

 

and here we go :bolt



OP if being close to your family will make you and them happy theres no price tag for that. It seems to me theres no question. But I've not served and dont plan to, so I cant really relate.

 

The reason that money was brought up is due to the fact that I sort of feel that right now, money is the only reason I would stay in. That being said, it shouldn't be that way, I should want to stay in because I want to keep doing what I'm doing.

That is not the case. I don't enjoy what I do. I am proud to have served and with those I have served with but my job itself is a joke. You're right about doing nothing at times, I mean I'm in the Navy and stationed in Oklahoma on sea duty orders, I work 4 days on and 4 days off, no drill, no muster, no BS. While that is amazing, it won't last forever, actually it won't last but 12 more months. I've been in Afghan since October and won't return until April.

All the other perks are great, theres really no comparison in the Civilian world but at what expense do they come at? Missing family events, seeing my daughter 2 weekends a month (if i move it will be once every 4-5 months), missing tons of other small things that we all take for granted. At this very moment I want a bowl of captain crunch with real milk and there's no way that will happen.

I understand that I am one of only a handful of those currently serving that has something to fall back on. The rest of the guys/girls out there don't, they are struggling, badly. It will be a ton harder to succeed if I were to go and work for/with my dad but eventually I would be running things and with hard enough work be able to take more time off, etc.

I've given a ton of thought about I basically pissed away the last 10 years but honestly I don't think thats the case. I think the time I have served and the knowledge I've gained will help me greatly to succeed no matter what I do. What worries me the most is our countries current fiscal situation. They are already talking about increasing co-pays and changing federal retirement payments. There is no way in hell we will even be close to being out of debt in 10 more years.

I'm not trying to start an arguement by any means, I'm just doing some soul searching to see what I should do. I've been thinking about all this for a while now and my time is coming up that I need to make a choice.

 

Brad...

You've got a tough decision ahead of you. The job market here in the states isn't all that great, although unemployment right now for those that have a BA/BS is only 4%. A lot of the manufacturing jobs that didn't require a college degree have gone overseas and between the young people without higher education and the older people who keep getting mandatory early retirements... they are the bulk of the unemployed.

My daughter-in-laws kid brother is on his 2nd tour as a contractor EMT-Fireman in Afghanistan. He went in getting $135K/year, 30 days paid vaca, and a 10% resigning bonus plus an increase for his 2nd year. And yes... he was a professionally trained & certified Fireman and EMT before going in. He's going to have to think about his upcoming decision to go for a 3rd year. He doesn't have a college degree, he's single and carefree. All he's thinking about is that he's saving almost all of what he's earning, and will have a nice nestegg of $200K-$300K when he finally gets out at age 30. Back here we're all worried that he'll get hurt over there one way or another, but we keep crossing our fingers and praying for him.

It used to be that a 20 year hitch in the military wasn't a bad deal, almost like a civil servant job here in the states. Now it seems that maybe that option might be questionable if they decide that they don't need you before you make that 20 years. There's a lot of people questioning why we've been at war for a decade now and they want to see the money spent on wars and nation building spent back home. And yeah... there are factions who are pushing to basically end Social Security and Medicare as we now know it for people under say... 55 today. Of course, that's only a proposal, and there's a big backlash from voters. On the flip side other are fighting to save those programs and maybe make them more efficient and cost-effective.

You can look at your time in as time lost or experience gained. If I had 15 years in the military I would stick it out if I was allowed to. Ten years is a lot but its not a lifetime. Go home and work for your Father for 10-15 years and you will have a say in how successful you and your company will be in the coming years. Tough decision but I'd be looking long and hard at a chance to own an operate my own business.

Good luck in your decision whatever it is.

Mike

 

Well bud, I totally understand your dilemma. I got out in June 2010. Not by my choice mind you. I got nailed by PTS. Before they started all this ERB crap. At least ERB seems to take everything into consideration. PTS was right place, wrong time and you're gone. So, I had a full bird back at Millington try and help me, but it was coming down from far above him, so with 2.5 weeks notice, I was out the door. 10.5 year, E-6. Worked on ships, 3.5 years overseas duty, worked for NECC for a time. I basically did everything I could within my rate. Ok, enough about that.
From the sounds of it, you're either an IT or airdale. E-6 in 8.5 is impressive! It really does come down to what is going to make you happy. I don't particularly like the political aspects of the job either, but I had my own way of doing things that made me feel ok. Mainly just ensuring that my guys were taken care of and if anythign drastic needed to be done, the fault lied on me. If you have a good opportunity and will be happy doing it on the outside, I say go for it. I wanted to stay, but lucked out and after only 9 months unemployed I got a great contracting job. As you mentioned, it does require me to be overseas at least half the year, but now that I'm newly single with no kids, I'm ok with that. Something about working 6 months and having 4-6 months off, all the while making 2-2.5 as much as I did in the military really works for me.
Anyhow, best of luck and you know the community here is always here for support, advice, or a helping hand. Thanks for your service and stay strong.

 

If I could do it all over again Id re-enlist but each situation is different. Traveling and being seperated from the family is tough but in the end its worth it, especially if you decide to do 20-25yrs. But if you only see your child a few weeks out the year and have a job offer on the outside, its a no-brainer to me, Id get out so I wouldnt miss my child growing up. I would do the work with your father until the oppurtunity came for your military/civilian job called

 

Dont feel skeptical on seperating. There is plenty of jobs out there. I have turned down 3 jobs already. Its all on how you sell yourself to the employer.

I was on the track to 20 years myself till i got wounded and medivaced from Iraq in Jan 2010. After a partial knee replacement i choose to take a MEB and glad I did. After what i have seen in the last few years, i will be alot happier as a civilian.

 

You have 8.5 years in, and I'm pretty sure the military acrossed the board will bring back 15 year retirement to help weed people out. I say re-enlist one more time for the least amount of years and see if it comes back.

I was going to get out due to poor leadership, Triple Canopy told me to resubmit my resume when I'm 90 days out from ETS, and they'll send me through a course and if I pass then I'd get hired, so no guaranteed. Needless to say, I told myself that I'm not going to let idiots ruin my love for the military, so I reenlisted.

 

Who doesnt get 30 days vacation everyone does. Regardless if you use all 30 days in the year is beyond the point because when you get out you can use those days as terminal leave. And who doesn't get 3-4 day weekends? Unless your a total terd bucket we get off every single federal holiday. e-6 in 8.5 not making fun but you guys in the navy get promoted slow i made e-7 in 7. If you want to get out get out. They are not taking the retirement away and the 15 year retirement is no guarantee. I am waiting on the 15 year retirement to pop up because my next re enlistment its either indef or get out and i'll be at 12 years. Or I can go to work for another government agency and continue my federal active time. Contracting sucks either way you may get 200k a year but you have forced vacations your deployed and only 80k is non taxable.

 

Who doesnt get 30 days vacation everyone does. Regardless if you use all 30 days in the year is beyond the point because when you get out you can use those days as terminal leave. And who doesn't get 3-4 day weekends? Unless your a total terd bucket we get off every single federal holiday.

Im sure we all recieve 30days but cant always use them. In the AF we just cant say hey Im taking off these days is that cool, only 5% of our shop is allowed on leave at a time. I had 75 days of leave saved up because of this. In the Maintenance field the mission comes first and we dont get every holiday off or 3-4day weekend, our Jets fly 24/7-365. Ive worked every holiday that came around.

 

I'm trying to get pts denied just so they can fill my spot with someone who wants to stay in, and the severance check... We have a company on base Orion i'm not sure if they are every where as i haven't done my taps class yet, but you give them your job resume and they put it in to all the big companies. Raytheon,boeing,samsung,intell,l3,honeywell, i would say 6 out of 8 people i know that have gotten out recently got picked up... my buddy is trying to get me into boeing since i'm already up here. Once it becomes about money to stay in it's not worth it. I'd rather make double the money grow a beard and be able to see my family when i want without having to rout a leave chit that some how never get's routed to the higher ups. Best of luck with your decision.

 

I just re-enlisted. I have around the same ETS as you, but my 3 year special duty was a nice incentive. You just need to do what’s best for you.

 

I have some meetings set up shortly after I get back to the States. At this point I am roughly 80/20 in favor of getting out. This is not because I have anything against the military, I just feel that its time to make a change for myself and for my family. Thats the greatest thing about being an American, the freedom do choose to do whatever I want.

 

keep us posted man and stay safe wherever your at

 

I didnt read what everyone else had to say, so forgive me if this has been said already. I was recently at this cross road but I didnt have a guarenteed job waiting for me on the outside. I took 2 months of terminal leave which I used to job hunt. I landed a job that was less then all of my compensation in the military but cost of living where I am now is a whole lot less so it was pritty level. Now I am working and going to college and making an extra 1300 a month with college, and I dont have to think about leaving my family again. I did see where someone said you would piss 10 years away, I wouldnt think about it like that, I would think of it as serving my country for 10 years. The econmy is picking back up it may be a little rocky here and there but is about to come back around. But the military is going to continue to downsize for a while.

 

Sounds like you need to join a different branch, or go in to the guard/reserves. I wouldn't throw away 10 years, but that's me.

Have you spoken to your retention NCO and ask to remain at your current duty station in order to re-enlist?

 

Sounds like you need to join a different branch, or go in to the guard/reserves. I wouldn't throw away 10 years, but that's me.

Have you spoken to your retention NCO and ask to remain at your current duty station in order to re-enlist?

One option I do have actually is joining the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Oddly enough the position is a GS-9 slot but has a military requirement doing exactly the same thing I do now, which even more oddly enough I fill as Active Duty Navy in Oklahoma on an Air Force base and it counts as my sea duty.

NCO, I love the drastic difference in branch lingo. We don't have NCO's, if you're not an officer, you're not any officer, thats why they call us Petty Officers, lol. I have had detailed conversations with my "Detailer" and if I stay in the Navy I cannot stay in my current position past my time, end of story. I've tried everything possible. I'm a "ship" guy, the only Navy cats that get to stay in OKC are the "air" guys. The only options I have staying in the midwest is Recruiting Duty.....not my cup of tea or hope by the rare chance in June when I'm up for orders to hope that Colorado Springs or Omaha, NE are on the table. Otherwise its back to sunny San Diego and 18 hours away from my daughter.

I don't know why everyone thinks that doing 10 years and getting out would be throwing my time away. I don't see it as that at all. Regardless if I stay in and retire, I would still have to work, its not like I can just sit back and live on an enlisted retirement alone. Staying in for another 10 years doing something that really doesn't interest me anymore just for the money would surely be a miserable sentance. Staying in is not fully off the table yet. After May I should have a decent idea.

 

I didn't mean it as "throwing away" in the sense you are thinking about, but it's a job you've been gaining retirement towards, that will be thrown away. You get to start all over again from year 0, if the job you get even has retirement options. There are also many benefits that the military has that aren't monetary, but they certainly cost money in the civilian world.

With the job you mentioned in the Air Guard, I'd jump all over that and try to work there full-time. Your active duty time will count, and you full-time will count towards your retirement. That plus being near your daughter seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

I didn't get the change to serve as I wanted to. So the Military aspect I can't help much with. However the missing the important events of your child growing up I can tell you about. Being I was in the repo world from the time my son was born till he was 6. I wish I would and could have been there more those first 6 years. With the way our Gov is screwing you guys over and if bis a rock solid with your dad, I would be gone and enjoying my family every night.

 

A long rant but I'm looking for input from my fellow military brethren,

Well, it’s about that time to make the decision to re-enlist or separate from the service. Over the past year or so I’ve come to hold some views of mine to be in conflict with our current political and foreign affairs dealings. The recent announcement of the DOD cuts and the reduction of personnel in all the armed forces in a nutshell means that there is no guarantee that one can just sit back and ride out a 20 year stint. its worth the tryCombined with the recent cuts in the Navy alone, the only reason I wasn’t look at for the last retention board is because I was promoted. I re-enlisted last time mainly because of the bonus I was to receive and for the fact that I had no plan in place to separate at that time. My current situation and duty station has allowed me to remain closer to my 7 year old daughter and my time is about to be up in 12 months forcing me to move back to the “real” Navy in San Diego. This would limit my time with my daughter to roughly a few weeks a year and there are ZERO bonuses for me this time. I am ahead of the average on promotion for my rating as an E6 with only 8.5 years in. When my contract is up I will be 9 years 8 months. only 10 more years to go With my clearance and job history I’m sure that I could easily land a temporary contracting job but that would most likely put me back on foreign soil for a majority of that time, which again goes against my views of what is going on, so I really don’t want to take that option.
Here lies my dilemma. My father owns a small time commercial construction company in southwest Kansas, my grandfather also owns a small time millwright and general contracting company. They’ve been doing this for a combined 75 years. I worked for them when I was younger and up to the point I decided to join the Navy. My father wants me to come back home and work for him in a management capacity along with sales, marketing, etc. :smt015 Initially I would start off at about $10,000 less per year :scared003 than what I’m making now, including all my other military compensation. My biggest concern here is taking the huge step from doing what I’ve been doing for 9 years to something I haven’t dealt with in the same amount of time and the fact that there is no more guaranteed money coming in :ahhhh . Basically my fate lies in my own hands on this one. I only have a few months remaining until I have to decide either way. If I chose to get out, there is no turning back. If I chose to stay in I am basically committing to staying in for a full 20, given there are no hiccups on my service. Staying in guarantees me at least 4 more deployments and possibly another tour on the ground in Afghan. I have never really liked my rating as it doesn’t require much more than knowing how to use a computer and/or pushing buttons.:bigtu
At this moment I am about 75/25 on getting out. I have a meeting with my father as soon as I return to the states to discuss the options and future of what will eventually turn out to be my own company. hummm thats what makes it hard.... but you said you wont make as much as you do now..... I would say that common sense should dictate that there is no other choice I should make because getting out means I would be my own boss and my future would be in my own hands.:scared003 The economy is quite shaky right now and that is a little unsettling.this! my company is no where near making the profit they did years ago...
I suppose that’s a long enough rant, I guess I’m looking to see what anyone else would do in my shoes given the same circumstances.follow the money till it runs out.I don’t want to feel like I have to stay in because I’m worried about money, there’s more to life than money and even if I have to take a pay cut to be closer to my family to be happy than that is the choice I am willing to make. stay in and live poor and spen the money with your family. think 10 years from now. who know were this country will be as we monetize our debt and the dollar dont mean anything unless you have alot of them....

im staying it as long as i can and prey that i get my 20 so i can get my check when im old and grey. i see lots of older people in bad shape these days...

best of luck to you tho brother