What job/career did you choose; once you left the military?

Thanks for your continued service

Thanks you CSM! That's why I chose the VA too.

While it may be the harder way to go, I do believe that to affect change you have to be part of the process. It's easy to sit on the sideline and second guess, but being in the process is the right way for me.

Each one of us bring unique insights and any organization that you become a part of only grows from that. I have already suggested some changes to forms and to policy with regards to Reserve and Guard. I am an SME and have a moral obligation to our veterans and the VA to make every effort to make it better.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE; CSM Jennifer Dehorty ! AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MILITARY SERVICE! YOUR COUNTRY THANKS YOU!

FABULOUS! TREMENDOUS! And, HOW IMPRESSED by YOU am I; SSG Izzy Abbass!

SSG Izzy Abbass thats amazing! I have to admit I'm a little jealous right now. Never had a temp job work out that well!

Well thank you both and I'll admit, I was feeling a bit charmed by how it all worked out. I will say that after I had been there for awhile, I put up a framed photo of me in Panama covered in mud and sweat looking very unhappy. I put up a little sign on it that said "And you think today is a shitty day". Reminded me that nothing the corporate world threw at me was really that bad. Also reminded me of where I came from and how much I missed. Also, i was happy it scared a few folks. ;)

PO1 John Miller - He's right -- seniority can play hell with your chances if you don't have a permanent position. Fortunately, I've been around long enough that I don't have that problem. I'd hate to be someone starting out new these days. However, with his license, he should be able to move up within a year or two to 3m. And that's the start of pretty good money, even with MSC. And the fact is, he has a far better chance of ever becoming the captain of an MSC vessel (assuming he knows his shit of course) than he does in the private sector. Those jobs are so high-paid and, frankly, easy, that those crusty old bastards literally usually die before giving them up. Combined with how few American-flagged merchant vessels there are (just the bare minimum required by the Jones act), the chances of ever becoming a captain are pretty low.

SN Greg Wright
He'll probably retire before he gets his Master's License. He's already a retired OSCS (so he already knows his shit) and spent time on a few USNS's as MILDEPT. That's where I first met him in fact.
But shit, even Able Bodied Seaman can make some DAMN good money sailing with MSC, especially if they get an overseas boat.
I was actually thinking about getting my Radio ET license and sailing with MSC myself but I decided I liked being married better than going back out to sea, LOL. And MSC isn't currently hiring RET's (last time I checked anyway).

He was offered a permanent position on a ship hauling cement up and down the Great Lakes. He made something like $45K in 3 months and the Captain loved his work ethic, but he said cement gets really heavy and he also wanted to sail overseas so he took his job with MSC as soon as an AB Watch Stander position opened up.

PO1 John Miller - Yeah AB's can make good money. Overtime is pretty hefty, and generally not too onerous, though there's some things that suck (tank cleaning). And since you generally have little else to do, most guys do the allowed 4 hours (since the Valdez accident, the CG has mandated no more than 12 hours worked in a 24 hour period, though docking and undocking operations can put you over that) every day. But the best thing is that a typical rotation (for a permanent job) is 90 days on, 90 off, and 45 of those are paid. For officers, all 90 are.

It's good he took a watch stander position. I wouldn't want to be a day worker.