What was your biggest fear after leaving the military and starting in the civilian work force?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:21:29 -0400

Response by SSgt Ryan Sylvester made Jun 12 at 2017 9:22 AM

SSgt Ryan Sylvester — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:22:31 -0400

That's easy. Getting through the interview process. MEPS was less intrusive...

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Jun 12 at 2017 9:27 AM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:27:41 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member:
Good Morning, Sergeant First Class!
My biggest fear after leaving the military: becoming homeless again.
By the grace of GOD: I was not homeless again; after leaving the military....My sister graciously took me in.
-Margaret

Response by SGT Dennis Miller made Jun 12 at 2017 10:20 AM

SGT Dennis Miller — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 10:20:20 -0400

Becoming a civilian again. From the time I was 18-24 all I knew was the Army. 0630 PT, 0900 morning formation and so on. I thought it would be hard for me to conform back to being a civilian, but fortunate enough for me, I was able to secure a position with General Dynamics. That was the best possible outcome I could have hoped for. I didn't have to turn into a civilian right away as most of the people I worked with were all prior service and so much of the military structure and way of life was still ingrained in them. It made my transition much easier. If anyone can ever get out and work for a military defense company or with an organization that has a good sized Veteran population, that's certainly your best bet!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2017 10:49 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 10:49:41 -0400

unemployment

Response by SFC William H. made Jun 12 at 2017 11:24 AM

SFC William H. — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:24:01 -0400

Being defenseless in an unorganized and chaotic world.

Response by SFC Frank Ramirez made Jun 12 at 2017 11:28 AM

SFC Frank Ramirez — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:28:52 -0400

My biggest fear was that civilians would not understand my experiences or even the way I spoke. Integrating back in to society was a daunting task that required patience and research. Did I mention patience!!!

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Jun 12 at 2017 11:32 AM

SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:32:01 -0400

Making sure the language on my resume went from military to civilian during my transition and it took awhile to get there, this is not over night process and you don't learn it in ACAP or TAP.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2017 12:41 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 12:41:44 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member Fear of failure is a great motivator. My plan was to find a good job, start school, complete my degree, and work on the Space Program. I was apprehensive about college because I was four years older than most of the students, rusty, and with the knowledge that a lot of these students did not like the military or veterans. I soon found that my discipline and drive worked well in college. I worried that I would find a good job, and I was lucky to find a high paying job as an operator at a chemical plant. Once I had my degree, I went to work for the Space Shuttle program, making less money than I had at the chemical plant, but working at a career that was my choice.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2017 1:47 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 13:47:10 -0400

I was ready to take the civilian world on! Then I had my ass handed to me for being over qualified, over educated and over experienced!!! Never thought those could EVER stop me from getting a good job! But in the last eight years our economy couldn't afford people like me. Damn, even lawyers and business owners were trying to get work where they could. It was definitely hard times for those who were the gladiators of the work force.
Hopping Pres Trump can turn that around.

Response by Cpl Kevin Partlow made Jun 12 at 2017 3:18 PM

Cpl Kevin Partlow — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 15:18:52 -0400

My biggest fear was running out of money before getting another career lined up.

Response by SFC Dennis A. made Jun 12 at 2017 5:31 PM

SFC Dennis A. — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:31:23 -0400

When people ask me that I tell them when I retired it was graduating High School all over again only this time I had a wife and two kid to support. I prior planned and had a job lined up and a house to live in prior to getting out of the Army. I started out with a seasonal job working construction and had a full time job with another company before the season ended and have been with the second company for over 20 years.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 12 at 2017 7:25 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:25:35 -0400

I'm assuming you mean the part after locking down a job, because my biggest fear after leaving the military was not finding a job and failing to provide for my family. But I mean once I started working in the civilian work force, those fears melted away. Even now, 2 years after getting out, I still don't really have any worries or concerns. It's just that initial period between when you're about to lose your job and before you find a new job where my biggest fears come from.

Response by LtCol George Carlson made Jun 13 at 2017 2:07 AM

LtCol George Carlson — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 02:07:33 -0400

Unemployment was not an issue -- I was in second job while still on terminal leave. But getting there I bumped against the over-qualified hurdle. The HumRes at the new employment (a large, i.e. 25,000 average daily attendance school district) was concerned that having been the maintenance officer at Camp Pendleton I was coming way down in scope. Fortunately, she asked my military predecessor at CamPen who replied in his soft Texas drawl, "Jinnifer, of course it is smaller, but unless Texas gets a facility maintenance officer, there jist isn't anything bigger."

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2017 8:13 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 08:13:50 -0400

When I left the Active Component, it was difficult to find a job where I wanted to live that provided purpose and meaning. It was hard to find something that made me feel important and valued. Feeling insignificant is a terrible fear.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Jun 15 at 2017 9:42 AM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 09:42:15 -0400

Not "belonging"... then i quit caring...