Should I get out of the military?

[odz]

I have the opportunity the separate from the Air Force in 6 months, but I am not sure what I should do. If I did separate, I would go to college for approximately 3 years to get a Computer Science degree, using the GI bill money (about $1000/month for full time student). The thing is that I don't really mind doing my work for the Air Force, and all things considered the pay isn't bad. The main reason that I would like to separate is the lack of control over my life. I would like to be able to live in one place for more than a few years, and decide where I would like to live.
OTOH I have never really been in the civilian job sector, and am worried that it is really cutthroat and politicky. Here in the military there isn't really any of that because everyone is on the same team and the promotion system is fairly impartial to office politics. So, if anyone has advice, lay it on me. Thanks.

 

[gopunk]

if, after you got your degree, you decided to go back, would that be a possibility? would you retain your rank?

 

[Scarpozzi]

Go AWOL, run to Mexico, get drunk, and buy a hooker.

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: tdas2

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Go AWOL, run to Mexico, get drunk, and buy a hooker.

sounds good to me

LOL

 

[propellerhead]

I assume you are in your early 20s. This is not really the time to pursue living in one place. Stay in. Go places. Let the USAF pay 100% of your education. Get a commission. Make the decision to put the most into the USAF, and you'll get the most out of it too. You are in control.

OTOH, the civilian sector is different. You don't have that military family atmosphere. The people you work with aren't always your best friends who will help you out in time of need. As far as politics go, you'll see the same stuff. Just a different flavor/smell. You trade one bag of BS for another. The promotion system and benefit packages are constantly changing. Everyone biatches about it. But your employer can't *make* you work overtime. You can always say no.

When I got out, I hired on with a defense company catering to the USAF. I worked with a lot of ex-USAF people. We dealt directly with USAF people. At my present job, there's only two of us that ever wore the uniform. Our customer is not the USAF. I feel like a total civilian now. It was a gradual transition for me.

There are many minor differences but the transition is not hard. The biggest change you can expect will be your attitude towards your job. Most ex-military people have to tone down when entering the civilian world. No need to be all gung-ho about the mission and stuff. No need to sacrifice your personal life just to pass the next IG inspection. In the civilian world, your job and your personal life are two separate things. In the USAF, your job is your life.

 

[odz]

Originally posted by: gopunk
if, after you got your degree, you decided to go back, would that be a possibility? would you retain your rank?

I would go back in as an officer, so no I wouldn't retain my rank but I would gain a much higher rank.

Thanks for the advice prepellerhead, I am now leaning towards staying in and just doing school part time. What is strange though is that I have had three good friends tell me I should get out and go to school... I don't know, maybe I am just scared to try to make it in the real world.

 

[FoBoT]

how long have you been in?
if its your first enlistment, i would say go for one more
as you say, the job market is a bit down, do one more enlistment then get out (unless you have by then decided to stay for 20)

 

[Lady In Red]

I would say stay in. Two guys that works for me got out of the Army - one is in the Reserves the other one isn't. Both are trying to get back in. They complain about not being able to get a civilian job that pays what they were use too nor able to get the same benefits.

At least as long as you do what they ask you are pretty sure of having a job from one day to the next. That isn't always the case in civilian life.

 

[propellerhead]

Originally posted by: odz
Thanks for the advice prepellerhead, I am now leaning towards staying in and just doing school part time. What is strange though is that I have had three good friends tell me I should get out and go to school... I don't know, maybe I am just scared to try to make it in the real world.

Getting out and making it in the civilian world depends a lot on your job skills and experience. How marketable is your AFSC? If you are an airplane mechanic but a computer geek at home, that won't mean a whole lot to a civilian company if you try to apply for a network admin job. Besides, the job market sucks right now, unless you're a nurse. Scan the job ads for stuff that applies to your AFSC. Send out a few resumes. Tell them you are getting out in a month. Just to see who bites and to get a feel of the job market. You don't have to accept any offers. If someone makes an offer, make a counter-offer for $10k or $20k more. They won't call again.

The transition from military to civilian is easy. Your job and your personal life become two seperate things. It's like going from jogging to walking. Going from civilian to military is harder because you have to integrate your job and life into one. Don't worry about the transition. I'd be more concerned about the job market.

I've actually seen less office politics in the civilian world. Promotions are based more on job performance and how much you are contributing to the team and how much profit are you bringing into the company. It's a business and that's what matters. In the USAF, promotions were based on that, plus everything else about you. Attending or not attending squadron fund raising car wash events made a difference on your EPR. The way you wore your uniform made a difference. The PFE. The SKT. Airman of the Month. NCO of the Month. CFC. You know the drill. In most civilian jobs, none of that matters.

Why not stay in and go to school? I knew guys that retrained from aircraft maintenance jobs to admin jobs just so they end up working 8-4:30 weekdays instead of 12 hour shift on rotating schedules. They did that so they can go to school at night. If you choose to do this (since you are in control), it will be easier if you are single or have a supportive spouse and no kids.

[edit] Or, get a part-time job for a taste of working in the civilian world...

 

[odz]

Well, my AFSC (Meteorological and Navigation Systems) is fairly marketable to the FAA but I don't want to be doing this same type of work as a civilian. I plan to get a degree in computer science because I am a geek and would like to work with computers for a living.
If I reenlist, it will bring me up to 9 years so I will most likely go career at that point, hopefully as an officer.
I am stationed at a small base in Europe right now, so it is a bit more difficult to take classes, but will probably take some online.
I think this decision is really hard for me because I am the type of person that always sees both sides of the issue, and I end up going back and forth. I guess I wouldn't make a very good judge.

 

[mboy]

The decision is ultimately yours, so I can not help u there. I would like to thank you for your service and to the protection of my freedom. I sincerely appreciate the fact people like you are willing to risk your lives in order to protect my way of life. I just wish more of our citizens could appreciate it the same.

 

[EagleKeeper]

If you do not intend on marketing your experience into the civilian world, you are starting at ground zero.

No experience that an employer will pay for, and no degree.

Stay in and get a degree at least or get some cross training so your experience can be marketed.

 

[odz]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
If you do not intend on marketing your experience into the civilian world, you are starting at ground zero.

No experience that an employer will pay for, and no degree.

Stay in and get a degree at least or get some cross training so your experience can be marketed.

Actually I do have an associates degree, but that's not saying much. Thanks for the advice.

 

[ScottMac]

I'd vote for staying another hitch. The job market / economy is less-than-wonderful, at least while you're in, you're getting pay , food, and a place to live. The more school you can get while you're in the better, there's gotta be less pressure (social, money, time ... not barometric ) in the service.

If you're looking towards a civil service job when you get out, all the time in will count (used to count?) towards your employment time for benefits, seniority, and retirement.

You might also check for an education / promotion (to officer) program. In the Navy there was NECEP / NENEP: you could apply for full-time school (like a civilian), which was 100% paid, and when you were graduated you were commissioned with some further obligation for service (six years for four of college, I think).

If you do decide to get out, maybe look at the reserves: it keeps your hand in (in case the economy really takes a dump), you still get to play with the big toys, and it adds to another retirement fund (and still counts for civil service time).

Good Luck, thanks for the service.

Scott

 

[Bignate603]

I would do what you're doing, staying and doing school part time or get out, go to school and have the possibility of going back if need be. Keep your options opened, but remember you have something you like. It may be hard to find that again.

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: mboy
The decision is ultimately yours, so I can not help u there. I would like to thank you for your service and to the protection of my freedom. I sincerely appreciate the fact people like you are willing to risk your lives in order to protect my way of life. I just wish more of our citizens could appreciate it the same.

ditto! what he said!