mill or military

Good luck to you! The military isn't for everyone. My twin brother finished college at 22, got into the tech sector in the early 90s, and has made a fantastic living for himself. We each have our own paths.

Hard work and a willingness to make sacrifices to get ahead will always pay off. Currently, I work for the Texas Workforce Commission and the biggest problem with most people searching for careers is their UNWILLINGNESS to be flexible and relocate to accept a job. Just because a person accepts a certain job/career does not mean they will be in that situation forever. An individual is only limited by their own fear and their willingness to accept a certain amount of risk.

 

i agree, i haven't been in combat, but if i felt the navy needed me, i'd stay and do whatever was asked of me.

 

As many have said, think about it carefully (it is quite a commitment) and consider all options - not just the 2 you listed. Sometimes you can find an opportunity for a career where you least expect it...

I personally regret not serving while I had the chance. But, you're still young - you have some time to figure things out. Whatever you do, make these life decisions for yourself, don't let anyone decide for you.

Good luck with whatever you end up on!

 

As a currently serving Marine, I can tell you straight forward that life in the military will NOT be an easy one. Plain and simple, but at 18,19 years old you need to get out and experiance the world. There is no better way to do that than join the military. 07NavyTaco is exactly right, they are cutting the headshed, not the worker bees. You'll do just fine either way I'm sure, but the military is a stable option in today's unstable economy.

 

what this guy said.

you also need to discuss it with your fiance. some people can't handle the long distance stuff. i had a gf for 3 yrs, thought i'd marry her. she's now married to another man and has a 18 month old kid.

just be sure to look at EVERYTHING.

 

This^

I did 4 years and I am glad I did it too.

 

We like the current slam just fine.

 

Consider a civil service job with the military. In addition to civilian skilled labor (facility maintenance, etc), the military also employs several hundred thousand, highly skilled (advanced degree, etc), civilian engineers, scientists, analysts, and so on. Cutbacks here are not nearly as dramatic. At the same time, you gain many of the same benefits (travel, facility access, retirement, etc), with pay similar (skilled labor) or somewhat below (engineers, analysts, etc) the civilian sector.

 

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As several others have indirectly indicated ... if you do get injured on active duty ... the DoD/DVA is pretty good about taking care of you. They are much more generous than the "civilian sector" when it comes to "on the job injuries". ...

Also, most "civilian companies" do not have the retirement plans that they used to have either.

Good luck in whatever you do ...

PS ... rleeharris ... made some excellent points to think about when it comes to $$$ for military retirement and military injuries.
.

 

wow you guys really give a kid alot to think about. ive made my first choice i need to wait and see if i get a chance at this apprentice program before anything. and monday my parents are taking to their financial guy to set up a roth ira. he gave me the numbers and if i put 2000 a year into this thing with compounding interest by the time im 55 ill have 1.2 million dollars of tax free money thats a damn good retirement. again thank you guys for all the info im really caught up on what to do i appreciate it. on a lighter note truck goes in monday for 5% tint all around and march 14th for full suspension upgrade ha ha

 

Well coming from a Millwright of 12 years it is one of the most demanding and hazardous jobs in this economy. I am now a winery maintenance technician and its much easier to do. I worked for Collins in Lakeview Oregon for 5 years and it damn near killed me. My Dad worked for Collins Pine for 12 years. I would not recommend staying with them as the lumber mills our dying out. I also worked for Sierra Pacific which is quite a bit bigger than Collins is. Ya the money might start out good for the area but it will suck you in and before you know it you are buying things and not able to get out. Dont get me wrong it was a good experience but a Sawmill is a very hard life and Dangerous. I've had my hand crushed and a very severe head injury that I still have problems with. And these happened about 12 years ago. If you can try and look into some other things other than this apprentice program and I mean if you like mechanic things the winery's pay way better than the sawmills ever will. When I started in the sawmill I was only making $14 an hr. for a millwright apprentice and I had 4 welding certifications as well. The winery that Im at now you can start out at $20 an hr and work up to over $40 an hr for a seasoned mechanic. Also the benifits are way better than the sawmills. I have over 3 weeks payed vacation and have only been here 6 years. Let me know if ya need any more info and I will be glad to answer them.

 

There are plenty of up and coming companies in the civilian side that do offer great benefits and retirement... and pay. I know because im lucky enough to have a job at one. you just have to do a little research and see which ones have big long term contracts with the military.

 

IF you do choose the military, make it Marines kid. You'll be glad you did! Semper Fi.