How did you get into the career field that you're in?

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 22:11:54 -0400

Me? Craigslist

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2016 10:12 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 22:12:02 -0400

no tb

Response by MSgt John McGowan made Oct 26 at 2016 10:23 PM

MSgt John McGowan — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 22:23:24 -0400

SPC. I hate friends talked mr into it. That was back in the days of PATs and they would lie to get a quota filled for a career field.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2016 11:00 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 23:00:43 -0400

Which career field should I answer for? Medic? Combat Engineer? Preventive Medicine? Phlebotomist?

Response by Maj John Bell made Oct 26 at 2016 11:02 PM

Maj John Bell — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 23:02:15 -0400

It was a hobby that turned out to be profitable,

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made Oct 27 at 2016 12:16 AM

MAJ Rene De La Rosa — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:16:57 -0400

Was enlisted military intelligence, and one of my officers gave me the AMEDD packet for PA and I filed that and the RN application. One has to be careful when applying for these schools; I am an RN because my packet was date time-stamped before the PA application. I have no idea if I made the cut for that, but that is how my tenure in the Army Nurse Corps started.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 12:28 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:28:29 -0400

During my first enlistment during the cold war, I wanted to be a biochemist. I needed discipline and college money. When I went to the recruiter, I was allowed myself to believe that if I went Chemical Corps, I could end up working in a place like Aberdeen and be a military research technician. After one tour, I left and went to school.

17 years later, after many changes in my life, I decided to be a vet tech. I went Reserves for tuition assistance. In order to get TA, a well as a nice bonus, I needed to be MOS Q'd. So I went back to the Chemical Corps and have remained there since.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 27 at 2016 12:58 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:58:41 -0400

Although an Operations Specialist with Electronic Warfare cross training, I went reserve to finish my engineering degree while I also worked as a nurses aide taking care of movie stars at Motion Picture Hospital. Along the way I learned about the Civil Engineer Corps and was weighing that with the Army CoE which my dad was in during Korea. I went/continued Navy as they decided a guy who did Beast Barracks at USMA and then boot didn't need to get fully massaged again. The rest is history as when I shifted off AD again, I continued to work for Navy Engineering as a CS. In some ways I'd morph several times a week between MIL and CS work and just put in the hours to keep both sides squared away. Made for late evenings but when I left work for the day, the work never came home.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 27 at 2016 2:12 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 02:12:57 -0400

When I was a teenager I started tinkering on my Fathers Apple IIe, and playing games and messing around with the desktop programs, then my Older Brother would sneak me into work and we both would engage in the IBM Star Trek game with battles (I had the Klingon side usually) using the Company's IBM System 36 (nobody ever asks what your doing in IT, they always presume your working). That Christmas I was given an Apple IIc and from there my interest in Information Technology started. It's funny, IBM used to include a games package on their business line of computers that most business execs were clueless about. The whole purpose was to get buy-in to the IBM brand from the IT Department. The secret leaked out about 1990-1993 and IBM eventually stopped including the games package. Their Star Trek game was pretty kick azz on a mid-range or larger computer though, they had this graphical map of the universe in which you could place your ships on, you had to be within two quandrants to see the opposing guys ships. Pick from a list of ships of different shield levels and weapons system compliments, hide behind planets.......way ahead of it's time. :)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 6:13 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 06:13:55 -0400

I always loved to watch, snow, rain and rainbows. Through in Hurricane Agnes. When I came in, my scores were too on the ASVB. But re-testing, I blew the tests away. Had a choice between ATC Tower, Weather, lingusitics, OSI, etc. etc. Since it was no-brainer. As I graduated to Meteorologist, I realized a dream come true. Anyone tells you that a gut feeling, instincts are not important, sucks a weather forecaster. Anyone tell you that the science is in on AGW must not remember Albert Einstein. He questioned himself, when most thought his ideas were crazy and the theories of relativity he called his biggest blunder. SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Oct 27 at 2016 6:16 AM

SFC Christopher Perry — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 06:16:06 -0400

I decided it was time to work for myself. I saw a need within my community and had a fantastic mentor willing to teach me the ropes. It seemed to just fall into place.

Response by SFC Chad Sowash made Oct 27 at 2016 10:09 AM

SFC Chad Sowash — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:09:54 -0400

Networking. I was told that I would be great in sales because the military molds great character into their employees. I responded with "I do not have any sale experience" and was told the best sales people can easily be taught to sell, the hard part is to be respectful and tenacious. Showing up on time and working hard.

He was right, sales was easy to pick up because I listened and genuinely cared about what the person sitting across from me needed. If I couldn't help them out I'd be truthful and that was a breath of fresh air to many. I soon became the number one salesperson where ever I went, was thrust into management and then business relationship and partnership roles outside of sales.

Most companies don't understand the great wealth of sales and customer service talent they could be pulling in from the military. Both are growth segments in the economy and have wonderful career path upsides.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Oct 27 at 2016 10:28 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:28:39 -0400

It certainly wasn't by grand design. I'm a professor at a large private institution in the Midwest. My path to get here was simply a result of jumping on a series of opportunities that came up along the way. The two biggest opportunities were going to grad school in fully funded programs. The Army Medical Department had a need for people with an MBA, so I jumped on the opportunity to go to grad school. The Army Medical Department also had a need for people with a PhD, so I jumped on yet another opportunity to go back to grad school. That led to an academic job as my final assignment, which led to this new career path.

Response by SPC Matthew Birkinbine made Oct 27 at 2016 2:22 PM

SPC Matthew Birkinbine — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:22:19 -0400

Worked as a general laborer, at a farm, short stint at Jiffy Lube, did operator maintenance on a forklift as a store/warehouse mgr, and joined the national guard as a mechanic, then discovered my passion as a full-time tech. Now I can't seem to put a wrench down.

Response by Sgt Terry Hall made Oct 27 at 2016 2:50 PM

Sgt Terry Hall — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:50:56 -0400

My story is pretty crazy to be honest... I'm a civilian recruiter. I was in the Marines for over 8 years and got out with an honorable discharge ONLY because they were doing cut backs so I got severance but was still not prepared. I went to a temp agency in Oceanside and applied for a few jobs there. They actually hired me for their office... but I was a receptionist/recruiting coordinator. Huge step down from being a Sergeant of Marines and a big pay cut BUT it was the start of my current career because I've been in staffing and recruiting ever since! Sometimes you just gotta fly by the seat of your pants and go for it!

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Oct 28 at 2016 2:25 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 02:25:18 -0400

With My service in the US Air Force in the Air Police, later called Security Police it was a natural to enter a civilian Police Department from which I retired. I also had a BS degree in Criminal Justice. of 850 applicants I was the one hired for the one opening. The 1st picture is Me as a SSgt back in 1974 in the USAF Security Police. the 2nd picture is Me as a Civilain Police Officer. I also retired from the US Air Force. After retirement I worked as an Operations Manager for a contract security Company then armed Federal contract for a while and now work for a company called Bay Colony Investigators. I'm a senior citizen but still haven't slowed down and don't intend to although now instead of supervising a few hundred people just have an easier stress free job that has no pressure

Response by SGT Janice Ua made Oct 28 at 2016 2:56 AM

SGT Janice Ua — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 02:56:56 -0400

I wasn't looking for work, but one my battles hooked it up. We try to meet up every memorial or veterans day to honor our brothers and sisters that have fallen. It was one of those netting a he asked if I wanted to work...and I said, why not? I'll come work. Now I'm in a position where I can use my college degree that I earned and my military experience. Great how life works.

Response by SFC Josh Weatherbie made Oct 28 at 2016 2:38 PM

SFC Josh Weatherbie — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 14:38:30 -0400

Hahahah!

I like it....

Response by SGT Paul Mackay made Oct 28 at 2016 8:38 PM

SGT Paul Mackay — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 20:38:52 -0400

because of my false discharge I had to take whatever came up. Discharged at Ft. Riley, Kansas but Ft. Riley claims I was never there shoud of been discharged at scofield barracks where records were.

Response by MAJ Keira Brennan made Oct 28 at 2016 10:25 PM

MAJ Keira Brennan — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 22:25:03 -0400

I went from being an Army 75C (Personnel Mgt) to college. Although I was an Art Major first (hated it) I got pressured by a friend to take criminology classes. Then it wasn't long that I got the ROTC song and dance. That was 1990. Criminology and a degree turned into a police dispatcher job. My Army experience / confidence got me to a local police academy. By 1994 I was a GS5 working with Dept of Justice. Fast forward back to 2012 when I retired as a GS14 with US DHS working as a special agent. I retired from the USAR with almost 8yrs of active service on top of things. My career story in a nutshell :)