Staying Navy?

[Beefalo]

At what point did you realize you were going to stay Navy or get out? Im at the crossroads on whether I should devote my off duty time to prepare myself for when I get out (college work, certifications,etc.) or towards Navy advancement (rating exams, have my SW but could get AW, community work, studing for ATSB? etc.) If I stay Navy I want to go STA-21 and be a pilot or NFO. If I get out Id like to work as a electronics technician doing what I do now which is working on radars or similiar work. Time moves so quick in the Navy...


Being an aviator would be awesome but I dont know if I still want to do work-ups, deployments, Navy political BS, etc. Being a civilian probably wouldnt be as exciting but the thought of getting to come home everyday and potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing. I wish I could just love or hate the Navy it would make it so much easier.

 

[squorch2]

Being a civilian probably wouldnt be as exciting but the thought of getting to come home everyday and potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing. I wish I could just love or hate the Navy it would make it so much easier.

No matter where you work, the phrase that pays that plays for days is "Don't get your honey where you get your money."

 

[FMRAM]

the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing.

Woooaaahhhhh TMI!!!

 

[Beefalo]

whoops meant not appealing

Before the Navy I meant most of my girlfriends through work. Nothing more an exciting then a lil office romance

 

[Schnugg]

the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing.

Freudian slip?

or not?

 

[Thisguy]

Being an aviator would be awesome but I dont know if I still want to do work-ups, deployments, Navy political BS, etc. Being a civilian probably wouldnt be as exciting but the thought of getting to come home everyday and potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing. I wish I could just love or hate the Navy it would make it so much easier.

There's really no right answer here. It's a case of the grass being greener on the other side. You'll meet a lot of people who wish they stayed in...and on the other hand there are a bunch of people in the Navy who can't wait to get out. As for the sausage thing, you've been a victim of the media taking your quote out of context.

 

[bunk22]

Situation and timing has dictated my getting out. I never planned on staying past 10 years but 9/11, the job market and my lack of planning for getting out really gave me no choice (finances not in order). So after these orders, I'll have 3yrs 5mos until retirement. Tough to leave now but the wife and I learned. So we are preparing now for my exit in either 3 years or when I retire in 6 years. Will not make the same mistake twice. Plus, someone in another thread mentioned orders, I've now gotten two sets of back to back orders that I wanted. After going through a tour I was forced to go to, had a horrible time, my last tour and this one are making up for it. It's not all bad

 

[Flash]

Being an aviator would be awesome but I dont know if I still want to do work-ups, deployments, Navy political BS, etc. Being a civilian probably wouldnt be as exciting but the thought of getting to come home everyday and potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing. I wish I could just love or hate the Navy it would make it so much easier.

Go work at the CIA, it is full of young hotties who are barely out of school.....

 

[snake020]

Being a civilian probably wouldnt be as exciting but the thought of getting to come home everyday and potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing.

Military/civilian dating on-the-job is opening yourself for problems. The other side just has nearly unlimited power in the legal system even if you don't do anything wrong.

MB will back me up on this metaphor - there are many fish in the WORLD, not just the American sea

 

[BlackDog421]

potentially working with cute co-eds vs. the 10:1 sausage ratio is also appealing.

you didn't make a slip beefalo, it was taken out of context

 

[Intruder Driver]

Situation and timing has dictated my getting out. I never planned on staying past 10 years but 9/11, the job market and my lack of planning for getting out really gave me no choice (finances not in order). So after these orders, I'll have 3yrs 5mos until retirement. Tough to leave now but the wife and I learned. So we are preparing now for my exit in either 3 years or when I retire in 6 years. Will not make the same mistake twice. Plus, someone in another thread mentioned orders, I've now gotten two sets of back to back orders that I wanted. After going through a tour I was forced to go to, had a horrible time, my last tour and this one are making up for it. It's not all bad

Bunk,

I got out at 16 years, but stayed a reservist. Depending on what civilian route you select, you have an opportunity to make exponentially more than what you are making in the Navy within a year, if not sooner. The airline route won't pay more, obviously, but you can do very well in lots of fields that provide plenty of fun without deploying.


Between the increase in salary, stock options, etc., you can look at a financial matrix if it comes down to money. For me, I had 16 straight years in the cockpit and then the Navy decided it was time for me to do a tour flying a desk, so I walked and, while I miss flying jets, I don't regret my decision.

Corporate expense accounts are nice. I own my own company now, which is even nicer. You can quickly make enough to buy your own airplane and other toys in short order, and there are lots of opportunities to get together with your service buddies (or at least the ones you liked).

Reserves aren't bad, and they pay you at age 60, which is when you'll likely need it anyway. Even if you only fulfill your reserve obligation via correspondence courses, they're online and easy and you still accrue the points you need. If you decide to affiliate with a squadron, you get priority on flying on your off drill weekend days, and depending on the squadron, you may get day CQ qualed annually and a weapons det to boot.

Remember this in your calculations. If you retire in 6 years, your retirement pay is calculated based on what your rank is being paid as of 2013, and any pay increases are based on a nominal annual adjustment. If you retire as a reservist, then your monthly amount is based on the percentage of what your rank is making in the year you turn 60, which could possibly be an increase for you.

Good luck with your decision. Feel free to PM me if you have civlant/civpac questions. A4s can provide good airline gouge.

 

[bunk22]

Bunk,

I got out at 16 years, but stayed a reservist. Depending on what civilian route you select, you have an opportunity to make exponentially more than what you are making in the Navy within a year, if not sooner. The airline route won't pay more, obviously, but you can do very well in lots of fields that provide plenty of fun without deploying.


Between the increase in salary, stock options, etc., you can look at a financial matrix if it comes down to money. For me, I had 16 straight years in the cockpit and then the Navy decided it was time for me to do a tour flying a desk, so I walked and, while I miss flying jets, I don't regret my decision.

Corporate expense accounts are nice. I own my own company now, which is even nicer. You can quickly make enough to buy your own airplane and other toys in short order, and there are lots of opportunities to get together with your service buddies (or at least the ones you liked).

Reserves aren't bad, and they pay you at age 60, which is when you'll likely need it anyway. Even if you only fulfill your reserve obligation via correspondence courses, they're online and easy and you still accrue the points you need. If you decide to affiliate with a squadron, you get priority on flying on your off drill weekend days, and depending on the squadron, you may get day CQ qualed annually and a weapons det to boot.

Remember this in your calculations. If you retire in 6 years, your retirement pay is calculated based on what your rank is being paid as of 2013, and any pay increases are based on a nominal annual adjustment. If you retire as a reservist, then your monthly amount is based on the percentage of what your rank is making in the year you turn 60, which could possibly be an increase for you.

Good luck with your decision. Feel free to PM me if you have civlant/civpac questions. A4s can provide good airline gouge.

I've come to realize just how many opportunities there are in the civilian world. By opportunities, I'm talking the ability to make money. My brother-n-law just bought into a distributorship (moving company) and looking at the finances of just a few of them in the first couple of years, very impressive. The wife now operates with a franchise and maybe we might buy into it, depending on how it continues to perform. Already tripled profits in their second year (06) and looking to do the same this year. Looking right now at the top 40 of this franchise, it can be very good money.......much more than what I make now. I have some inside help at South West as well. So I'll just have to wait and see what happens within the next 2-3 years. I do like the idea of getting a retirement check every month.......a just in case. The goal now is to live well.

 

[P3 F0]

I've come to realize just how many opportunities there are in the civilian world.

This reminds me of the advice one of my friends gave me when I was on the fence several years ago. He said there's nothing wrong with getting out if you're running towards something. Just don't get out if you're running away from something. Out of all the advice I got, this piece was what influenced me the most. Since I had nothing lined up on the outside, and no good idea what was available and what I wanted to do if I got out, I stayed in.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I've come to realize just how many opportunities there are in the civilian world. By opportunities, I'm talking the ability to make money. My brother-n-law just bought into a distributorship (moving company) and looking at the finances of just a few of them in the first couple of years, very impressive. The wife now operates with a franchise and maybe we might buy into it, depending on how it continues to perform. Already tripled profits in their second year (06) and looking to do the same this year. Looking right now at the top 40 of this franchise, it can be very good money.......much more than what I make now. I have some inside help at South West as well. So I'll just have to wait and see what happens within the next 2-3 years. I do like the idea of getting a retirement check every month.......a just in case. The goal now is to live well.

I just got out this past September with a little over 13 years active service and making about 110K (this includes all benefits). To go from that with the strong potential to make less than half of that is pretty frightening to say the least. I knew that whatever new career I got into, I wanted it to be in some sort of sales. I wanted....or shall I dare to say, needed....to have some level of control over how much money I make.

There is something to be said about the peace of mind one has when they can expect a certain amount of money to be deposited in their bank account on a bi-weekly basis. However, there's also something to be said for the freedom you have when operating as an entrepeneur. Yes, it's more risky no doubt. But just like in the military, you acknowledge the risk and put various controls in place to mitigate the hazzards.

I've been told many times just how stupid I was for getting out and that I should have suffered through the remaining years for that covetted retirement check each month. Sorry, but my sanity isn't for sale. What I politely explain to people is that barring any national emergency or homeland invasions (illegal immigrants don't count), my daughter needs me as a father more than the navy needs me as a department head. I have yet to come across someone to continue calling my decision stupid after that. And really, what it comes down do is that people who think it's stupid to get out after 12, 14, 16+ years are just weak minded. They think in a single plane and cannot fathom working for themselves or being successfull without some company to back them up.

I've heard people say, "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." Yea, what a crock! There will be some times that anything you do for a living will be work. It may be fun, but hard work and discipline doesn't just disappear from existence.

Yes, there are many friggin opportunities out there to be seized and even created.

 

[Intruder Driver]

Well said, Lewie.