JDMCQ's Garage

This is sig worthy material Brandan.

So Susan, while I was at the Vet with Bear they had these little round dog treat pill pockets in their food for sale rack, but they were overpriced IMHO; but it did give me an idea and since I'd been old school sticking the pills in his throat with my finger and clamping his mouth shut with my hand while stroking his throat (how I was taught with our hunting dogs growing up ) I decided to give it a try:

I took one of those mozzarella string cheese sticks we happened to have in the fridge and cut 1/2 inch long round pieces for each pill I needed to give him. Took a small bladed paring knife and drilled out a little hole in the middle deep enough to insert the pill. He ate them up with no hesitation whatsoever.

Thought it worth passing along. I doubt a few chunks of cheese a day hurts them any.

 

Whenever my pup was a wee pup we used pill pockets since he wouldn't take them any other way. If we put it in with his food he'd eat everything and leave the pill there. We tried putting them in a slice of hot dog but again he managed to remove the pill and eat the hot dog only.


Last time he had a pill (3 mo ago) he thought it was a treat haha...just lift it up, he'd automatically sit and we'd give it to him.

 

Maybe after a week of me shoving them to the back of his throat, Bear figured he might as well eat them with the cheese as he knew what the alternative was.

 

I can help you with that pill.

 

Some one got a pill to make me not give a shit anymore?

 

take your pick

well, did you go get it?

 

Rob, if you looked back at your service... would you get out at 15 years if offered a really good civilian career? I have 2.5 years until that point, but I want to start looking at all my options now. Erica and I are tempted to stay up here for good.

 

?

 

Given what I know about the current active duty environment coupled with what you've posted about wanting to stay there; and the fact Erica is making good money as well.

YES ... I absolutely would.

I was asked to do that exact thing at 15 yrs and chose to stay in. But those were completely different times. And we were overseas so the transition would have been very disruptive, and scary, for us all.

Just to give the full perspective of my answer.

There is definitely an advantage to making the transition in a place you want to stay and are already comfortable with an established network.

 

The downside is losing out on retirement. Unless they come offer me the 15 year retirement (knowing the environment, and listening to the congress today... it's likely), it might be tough to pull the plug knowing I have benefits for life for another 5 years. Does that extra 5 years in the military add up to what I would be losing in the civilian world by not getting a head start?

 

Hmmm ... The real question is where will you be at the end of those 5 yrs and what will the opportunities be? From the get go of you getting that assignment, I've thought it was the perfect set up for a civilian career. No one can be clairvoyant in these situations. I know a couple of folks looking to do exactly what you're talking about doing. And I know two others that already separated and are working Civil Service, their active duty time transfers towards retirement from Civil Service. Neither of them have any regrets.

Another option, is to look into full-time AGR or ART positions there. Or you could always Palace Chase to traditional Guard or Reserve, work a civilian job and finish out your retirement points that way; you just don't draw it until retirement age.

It's a very personal decision that only Erica and you can decide together. Let me know if you want to talk about it; I'll PM you my cell number.

 

Sounds good. Thanks Rob.

This of course, is dependent on a 15 year retirement and if it's offered. If they do offer it, it's a reduced percentage to 35-40%. Do I make that additional 10-15% up working a civilian job for those 5 years I am leaving behind in the AF? If not, do those 5 years benefit me more working my name up in a company instead of coming in at 38 years old and starting from scratch?

Decisions... Erica is leaning towards wanting to stay. My degree will/should be finished by that point.