To everyone aspiring to go into OCS: Why pursue military life vs civilian life?

[bunk22]

Or as a woman, hot dudes! I think they will dig the whole aviatrix thing

Yes, we have a name for those sorts of women!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

But it isn't a question of whether I want to just join the Navy, rather it is whether I can convince myself that I have what it takes to become a leader.

There has also been an ethical consideration - will I drop ordinance on the enemy if it is required of me?

Do I want to raise a family?

A few bits of information.

If you can learn from your mistakes and realize that you can learn from not only those above you but also those next to you and below you that is a step in the right direction.

Everyone in life has ethical dilemma's, the degree to which it can change a person varies, dropping bombs, sending sailors in to fight a fire, or how about the guy that has to lay off a person who ends up committing suicide due to loss of job (it happens), whether we like it or not sometime in life we will have to make a decision that very well will have a negative impact on people.

If you want a family you can make it happen when the time is right.

 

[Areum]

I originally wanted to put in an OCS package after I finished college, but I found a solid job soon after graduation. After about 4 months of living the corporate lifestyle I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand the fact that I was spending my youth sitting in a cubicle making a fat paycheck doing close to nothing. I can't complain too much about the job I had after college since the hours were flexible and the money was great...but I felt like I wasn't doing anything worthwhile or contributing to anything. After playing sports and being pretty involved in college, living such a dull lifestyle was driving me insane so I decided to go ahead and put in the application.

Was it an easy decision for me to give up my fancy apartment, friends, relationship stability, and a nice 5k/month paystub? nope...but graduating OCS felt amazing, and I'm loving every minute of being an Ensign.

my god, what were you doing after college that netted you 5k a month?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

my god, what were you doing after college that netted you 5k a month?

there are several out there for tech degrees, there was a report last week that microsoft and I believe google were paying tech interns up to 7K per month, INTERNS not actual employees.

 

[Spekkio]

there are several out there for tech degrees, there was a report last week that microsoft and I believe google were paying tech interns up to 7K per month, INTERNS not actual employees.

Yes, there is fierce competition among the tech giants and they will pay top dollar to recruit quality talent (CS/EE/software engineering with a high gpa from a reputable private university).

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Yes, there is fierce competition among the tech giants and they will pay top dollar to recruit quality talent (CS/EE/software engineering with a high gpa from a reputable private university).

from what I saw from going to career fairs high GPA from ANY college

 

[gp360]

my god, what were you doing after college that netted you 5k a month?

I have a technical degree, and the position was in the bay area (San Francisco)... 5k a month is actually a little below average compared to what most tech companies pay their entry-level employees out there.

 

[wink]

My son is graduating as a manufacturing engineer and will clear about 5K a month at a job he has taken. His fiancé is a graduating Chem E and will make 8.5K a month for a major oil and gas exploration company. Newly married, no debt (scholarships), living in an income tax free state and pulling down well north of 160K right out of college! Unreal. That kid better not ever come back to live with me.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

*with the caveat that I am not there yet...

Serving and flying is something that I've wanted to do since I was 5. I did the whole thing with flight simulators when I was younger, and I considered going to the Academy or doing ROTC but in the end I wanted to give myself a "normal" college experience. Even going to a top-20 college and having the opportunity to make a lot of money after school doesn't interest me anywhere near as much as serving does. And besides, how many currently employed or retired people spend hours a week on a forum talking about their jobs? So that makes me think that, with all the chips down, being a NA/NFO must be pretty awesome.

Also, I think there is nothing better than saying "Yeah, I get to go into work and strap on a $60m F-18/SH-60/E-2C and fly around the world!"

 

[BusyBee604]

Also, I think there is nothing better than saying "Yeah, I get to go into work and strap on a $60m F-18/SH-60/E-2C (or even a $2.8m A-4F!), and fly around the world!"

FIFY...I think you're onto something here, Hoya!

BzB

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

FIFY...I think you're onto something here, Hoya!
View attachment 13485
BzB

I think I would still be happy if I showed up to work and they told me to strap these on!