Who has left the military and chosen a different career path? How did it work out?

PO1 Matthew Murdock — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 22:23:03 -0400

Did you leave the military and chose a different career path than what you did in the service? What made you do it? How has it worked out?

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 22 at 2015 10:35 PM

SN Greg Wright — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 22:35:02 -0400

PO1 Matthew Murdock Well, I left and went right back to sea with the Merchant Marines. I regret leaving. I see you made PO1 within 10 years...may I ask why you left? Seems like you'd've been a shoo-in for Chief. (Btw, you left a letter out in your title 'let')

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 22 at 2015 10:46 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 22:46:11 -0400

There are times I wish I did but i am extremely happy where I am

Response by COL Charles Williams made Aug 22 at 2015 11:36 PM

COL Charles Williams — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 23:36:34 -0400

Yes. High School Teacher. Awesome!!!!

Response by PFC Joseph Levi made Aug 22 at 2015 11:40 PM

PFC Joseph Levi — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 23:40:05 -0400

Well I got my CDL-A and drove tractor trailer from NY to Chicago to Michigan then back to NY. I did that twice a week for 7 1/2 years til my back couldn't take it anymore. I had 2 back surgeries while I was still employed as a driver. I had 12 disks because of the military. After my last surgery June 9th 2014, I didn't return to driving and instead got hired through the wounded warrior fellowship program and started working for Congressman Chris Gibson as a military and Veteran affairs constituent service representative.

I love every minute of the decisions I have made, the smart and dumb ones!

Just remember every decision good or bad you make, defines you a little more and builds character within!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2015 1:10 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 01:10:27 -0400

I worked on the Space Shuttle program for 33 years, from three years before the first flight until one month after the last flight. I loved my job.

Response by Cpl Micah Wing made Aug 23 at 2015 2:16 AM

Cpl Micah Wing — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 02:16:33 -0400

I am working on the paperwork right now to become a cop in my hometown

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 23 at 2015 2:42 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 02:42:57 -0400

I went from Weapons Controller to medical product development engineering, and from there into medical research. It was just a matter of taking the work that was available and doing the best I could do with it. More dumb luck than planning. It has been an interesting experience and has had its ups and downs like any profession.

I enjoyed the AF more, but they called off the war and the military was significantly over-staffed.

In the end, job opportunities have chosen me more than I have chosen them. At 72 I am still doing it; when one door closes another door opens.

Response by PO1 Cameron Rhyne made Aug 23 at 2015 3:09 AM

PO1 Cameron Rhyne — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 03:09:30 -0400

I left the Navy a few months ago and after a month or two of sabbatical, started my job search. Went to work in the local shipyard, thinking I might like it(and also happy to be offered a job off the bat), but realized it wasn't a good fit for me(and visa versa) and put in notice. Decided to set my sights higher and work for one of the high tech jobs in the area that I think would be more suited to my skills and personality.

Response by PO2 Zeek Tomczyk made Aug 23 at 2015 7:05 AM

PO2 Zeek Tomczyk — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 07:05:48 -0400

I am a true Master Carpenter,and a licensed builder.
The trades are ass backward.
Electricians make top dollar for nothing.
Plumbers mess up the structure,and we must know every other trade's thought process and build to accomodate their work and repair their neglegent destruction of the structure,yet we are paid oeanuts.
I was offered an ECAP in the Navy and opted to leave.
Have several friends about to retire in their early 40s.
STAY YOUR 30

Response by AN Donald Miller made Aug 23 at 2015 7:17 AM

AN Donald Miller — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 07:17:10 -0400

Yes I did change career paths. Learned to build custom homes due to fact I was told I would be dead in a week just prior to discharge and had many Drs. appointments to keep. By learning to build homes was able to make appointments with Va and produce an income at the same time. When 2008 hit there was no more work, had a stroke which when Drs. again said I would be dead in a week made up a bucket list one item was college education. Three years later after overcoming the diabetes, the blindness caused by the diabetes and a few other problems I had , I did say "had" as in past tense, I am now on Presidents Honor Roll, a member of a few different Honor Societies and am receiving letters from colleges world wide to go to various Universities.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Aug 23 at 2015 7:50 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 07:50:41 -0400

My "Career Path" just sort of happened to me. I got out and became a Government Contractor in the same field. Absolutely hated it. After I left that job, ended up working for a guy I knew in the Marines as a Gun Dealer for several years. As the company grew and got bigger so did my roles. Went from being the warehouse manager to the internet sales manager, to the regional manager to the key accounts manager. Ended up getting pretty sick for a few months and just couldn't stay on. Stayed in retail for a couple more years, then ended up as a "dispatcher" (simplest description) for a few years. When the contract was rebid, I ended up in HVAC working for someone my wife knew through work.

It was essentially a series of "left turns." Started off with lots of traffic and a lot of stress over stupid stuff, now I have a 5 minute commute to work, and zero stress. It's nice.

Response by PO2 Corey Ferretti made Aug 23 at 2015 8:06 AM

PO2 Corey Ferretti — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 08:06:29 -0400

I was a Builder in the Navy Seabees. And now I'm learning how to shoe horses now. I'll always have construction to fall back on. Horses are so therapeutic and have saved my life.

Response by SSgt Jon Martin made Aug 23 at 2015 10:26 AM

SSgt Jon Martin — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 10:26:34 -0400

I stayed in the field of Aircraft services until there was no more survivable wage, jumped into commercial truck driving for some years, then one day my Army buddy said that his construction company needed a local commercial driver, after a few years with them I was asked to lead a road crew on a small job.
Before I knew it I had my own crew and was traveling the west coast, 7 years later I was medically retired.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 23 at 2015 11:07 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 11:07:01 -0400

I chose to be a rabbi when I retired. I have had some amazing experiences...

Response by SPC Bill Earley made Aug 23 at 2015 11:50 AM

SPC Bill Earley — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 11:50:47 -0400

I drove trucks for awhile, dump trucks. I was told I didn't have enough experience on tanker trucks tried to drive for a fuel company. I've been refinishing boats for 24 years now and all is well. Long story short my 64c mos is a thing of the past!

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Aug 23 at 2015 12:37 PM

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 12:37:20 -0400

I avoided conventional employment for a whole lotta years. Now, I've found a new company and a new career, where I believe I can be valued again. It's often a long, hard path.

Response by SFC John Durham made Aug 23 at 2015 2:38 PM

SFC John Durham — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 14:38:56 -0400

I went into Life Insurance. My last two jobs in the Army were Recruiter and Career Counselor. 100% from VA, so I needed something easy on the body.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2015 5:06 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 17:06:23 -0400

Navy Quartermaster (navigation duties) to law enforcement (creating hate and discontent)!!!

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Aug 23 at 2015 5:50 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 17:50:47 -0400

While on active duty, I was a health administrator and hospital financial officer in the Army Medical Department, but I'm a professor now. My last job on active duty was serving as a professor teaching graduate-level finance to military officers, so I had a nice transition between the two careers. In that assignment, I found out that I enjoyed teaching people how to make good financial decisions (as a professor) much more than simply making those choices myself (as a CFO). An alternative perspective is that I preferred mentoring over doing a day job. I found a way to make that mentoring role become my day job. So far, it has worked out well.

Response by SPC Shannon Lovell/Blanchard made Aug 24 at 2015 1:37 PM

SPC Shannon Lovell/Blanchard — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:37:28 -0400

Yes. I was an Intelligence Analyst in the Army, and now I'm a school counselor. I love it! I enjoyed my time in the military, and without it my present career would not be possible. The Army helped me pay for my college and gave me the means to achieve my dream.

Response by Sgt Joshua Ray made Aug 25 at 2015 12:24 AM

Sgt Joshua Ray — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 00:24:58 -0400

I left as a Combat Engineer and Range Coach and got into Sales. It's working out well for me because I learned the discipline from the good ole Corps that I need! You might find challenges in the Corporate world and getting paid what you are worth. I here that a lot from transitioning vets brother. The job market is no joke!

Response by LCpl Jason Bialosky made Aug 25 at 2015 12:01 PM

LCpl Jason Bialosky — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:01:14 -0400

I was a fire fighter for the Marines. I hurt my knee and had to have surgery and was med discharged. I bounced around till I found a career with Prudential financial that welcomes and supports are military vets. They have a similar corp belief in helping people. The most rewarding thing I do outside of my family

Response by PO1 Shannon Drosdak made Aug 27 at 2015 9:36 PM

PO1 Shannon Drosdak — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:36:13 -0400

While in the Navy I got over a dozen civilians certifications for the Food and Beverage industry I used my GI Bill to get them, about a year before I got out (not planned) I changed my entire direction to working on a MS in Psychology. I saw so many active duty dealing with drug and alcohol issues where I was, I decide I wanted to help Veterans struggling with these issues. Not sure how it's worked out yet though, I've only been out for about 7 months and am about 2 1/2 months away from finishing the "schooling" part of it. I know at times it will be hard and even possibly heart breaking however I lost too many good people while I was in, I don't want to see more lost to their addictions and hardships.

Response by PO2 Ron Burling made Aug 29 at 2015 1:26 PM

PO2 Ron Burling — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 13:26:49 -0400

That would probably be me, I left the Seabees in '78, with 12 years service, PO1 Matthew Murdock . I was preparing myself for law school in California and ended up taking a job as a cop to augment my GI Bill income. I discovered it was a fun job and I was good at it and it didn't require law school. I loved "The Job" and still miss it every day.

Response by SGT Richard Jenkins made Jul 11 at 2017 4:42 PM

SGT Richard Jenkins — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:42:05 -0400

I now work for a railroad. Money is good but I have always regretted getting out. Wife said she had enough of military life. We got out and a year later divorced. I got custody of children so I couldn't go back in. Biggest regret of my life. My dad did 32years. I grew up knowing all I ever wanted was to be in the army

Response by SGT William Ek made Oct 5 at 2019 10:11 PM

SGT William Ek — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 22:11:44 -0400

I am a little late in responding , I served with 101st Abn Div. in combat 67-68 RVN Tet. and the 82nd Abn. @ Bragg. when I got got out I became a Police Officer in N.Y. @ retired from same. Would not change a thing , saw some crazy sh-t ! Airborne. PS Actually I guess I considered being a Cop as being in combat some times !! Haaaa, I have all the respect for service men Today.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jun 30 at 2021 6:44 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 18:44:43 -0400

I went into school counseling and mental health therapy (I love it). I was a logistician and transporter and enjoyed 22 years of it but that was enough. My husband was in Supply and he taught 4th grade and really liked it.