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nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Well that's a random thread title.

So a few options.

-Deal with another 11 years of complete bullshit with increasing hours every tour, shuffling around every 3-4 years, hopefully continue to get promoted along the way. With that, I get decent medical coverage for the wife and future kids, pretty awesome pay, and a retirement.

-get out and get a sweet GS job doing something related to my field. However, that's all wrapped up with mostly retired warrants and poo poo and more than likely I'd have to move back to the Gulf, so a big 'gently caress that'. Pros being I'm done moving around, make decent cash, and can still put into a retirement but I won't see it immediately.

-get out and do something else completely. Cons being I have no loving clue what I would do and I have a family to support. GI Bill isn't going to help that enough.

I think I seriously talked one of my friends out of joining the dark side yesterday. Really, unless you're doing it for the money, I see no viable reason to deal with this poo poo. The funny part is at my last unit most everyone liked being an officer. At this unit it seems completely different, at least at the O-3 and below level. Lots of miserable dudes. I think that might have to do with the fact that at the prior unit we were a lot more operationally busy, and at this one there's not enough operations to keep busy, so there's just lots of tasking and visits to keep us busy.

My family thinks I'm loving crazy for even considering to get out, simply due to medical/retirement options. "It's only 11 more years."

On the positive side, promotion message should come out this month. woop woop.

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krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q
Your family is retarded and likely has zero reasonable understanding of what it is you put up with. Hell, your wife, who is with you every day probably doesn't really understand beyond "He seems unhappy."

Make your own decision, but if you do decide to get out, start networking loving now. Go back to school and throw that accounting degree away. If you want a GS job you can easily walk into one due to being a commissioned officer. Give some consideration to going somewhere that sounds poo poo for a year. You already do that anyway, it could score you a decent 11/12 slot if you play your cards right.

quote:

Really, unless you're doing it for the money, I see no viable reason to deal with this poo poo.

I told you so. Times a thousand. You should have seen this moment on the 210. The M World is different, but only just. Long hours, same salary, no incentive. No overtime, no real comp-time, no merit (cash) bonuses, no [real] early promotions.

Get the gently caress out, dude. The retirement isn't worth it since odds are you'll never get past O-4. With your experience you could probably hit GS13 in a few years, buy back your service time, and get away with a much higher retirement than you could realistically expect from the mil. Or you could go private sector and possibly make more.

If you're that hung up on the retirement I guess stay in the reserves, but don't stay active.

e: I loving told you so, man.

Melthir
Dec 29, 2009

I need to go scrap some money together cause my avatar is just sad.

nwin posted:

Well that's a random thread title.

So a few options.

-Deal with another 11 years of complete bullshit with increasing hours every tour, shuffling around every 3-4 years, hopefully continue to get promoted along the way. With that, I get decent medical coverage for the wife and future kids, pretty awesome pay, and a retirement.

-get out and get a sweet GS job doing something related to my field. However, that's all wrapped up with mostly retired warrants and poo poo and more than likely I'd have to move back to the Gulf, so a big 'gently caress that'. Pros being I'm done moving around, make decent cash, and can still put into a retirement but I won't see it immediately.

-get out and do something else completely. Cons being I have no loving clue what I would do and I have a family to support. GI Bill isn't going to help that enough.

I think I seriously talked one of my friends out of joining the dark side yesterday. Really, unless you're doing it for the money, I see no viable reason to deal with this poo poo. The funny part is at my last unit most everyone liked being an officer. At this unit it seems completely different, at least at the O-3 and below level. Lots of miserable dudes. I think that might have to do with the fact that at the prior unit we were a lot more operationally busy, and at this one there's not enough operations to keep busy, so there's just lots of tasking and visits to keep us busy.

My family thinks I'm loving crazy for even considering to get out, simply due to medical/retirement options. "It's only 11 more years."

On the positive side, promotion message should come out this month. woop woop.

That sucks man....at least your not a dumb enlisted like me. Personally I'd say gently caress it and bail, the amount the poo poo on prior enlisted guys when it comes to advancement is criminal.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

krispykremessuck posted:

Your family is retarded and likely has zero reasonable understanding of what it is you put up with. Hell, your wife, who is with you every day probably doesn't really understand beyond "He seems unhappy."

Make your own decision, but if you do decide to get out, start networking loving now. Go back to school and throw that accounting degree away. If you want a GS job you can easily walk into one due to being a commissioned officer. Give some consideration to going somewhere that sounds poo poo for a year. You already do that anyway, it could score you a decent 11/12 slot if you play your cards right.


I told you so. Times a thousand. You should have seen this moment on the 210. The M World is different, but only just. Long hours, same salary, no incentive. No overtime, no real comp-time, no merit (cash) bonuses, no [real] early promotions.

Get the gently caress out, dude. The retirement isn't worth it since odds are you'll never get past O-4. With your experience you could probably hit GS13 in a few years, buy back your service time, and get away with a much higher retirement than you could realistically expect from the mil. Or you could go private sector and possibly make more.

If you're that hung up on the retirement I guess stay in the reserves, but don't stay active.

e: I loving told you so, man.

Nah, good points on all. I'm sure you did say those things, but I had to give it a shot. The grass is always greener.

Holy gently caress USA Jobs is confusing as poo poo if you're looking at anything outside the Coast Guard...even then, some of the CG positions seem completely foreign to anything I've seen someone doing in my experience.

I've definitely got some thinking to do. The main concern I have now is ensuring there is no lapse of time between finally getting out and getting hired on somewhere. From guys I've seen get out of the Officer corps, it seemed like it took quite a while to do it. Regardless, I obligated one year from when I got to my new unit, so I've got until at least July before I would be eligible to get out (minus terminal, etc.,) Certainly can't hurt looking now and working on the resume, though.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

Melthir posted:

That sucks man....at least your not a dumb enlisted like me. Personally I'd say gently caress it and bail, the amount the poo poo on prior enlisted guys when it comes to advancement is criminal.

This is why I feel really hesitant to apply to try to become an officer, all the stories I have heard from E-to-O officers is so lovely and unfair.

In better news I got to see my adorable as gently caress niece. And went to the Mariners' Museum at Newport News and its really good, the lost at sea exhibit was a bit hard to walk though but they had an old as gently caress rowing surfboat.

I'm still waiting on the next set of cuts :smith:

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Honestly, the best path I see right now is just making Chief and then going warrant if you can.

The only way I'd go officer is if I had over 10 years in as enlisted, because then you just have to make O-3 and you don't have to give a gently caress because you're guaranteed to hit 20 and retire. However, if you're over ten years, you should easily be a first class on your way to Chief (especially as an OS), and gently caress being a Chief going to OCS.

HelpImARock3
May 27, 2010

Don't get treed by a Chihuahua
:swoon::swoon::swoon::swoon:

Only registered members can see post attachments!

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

nwin posted:

Nah, good points on all. I'm sure you did say those things, but I had to give it a shot. The grass is always greener.

Holy gently caress USA Jobs is confusing as poo poo if you're looking at anything outside the Coast Guard...even then, some of the CG positions seem completely foreign to anything I've seen someone doing in my experience.

I've definitely got some thinking to do. The main concern I have now is ensuring there is no lapse of time between finally getting out and getting hired on somewhere. From guys I've seen get out of the Officer corps, it seemed like it took quite a while to do it. Regardless, I obligated one year from when I got to my new unit, so I've got until at least July before I would be eligible to get out (minus terminal, etc.,) Certainly can't hurt looking now and working on the resume, though.

PM me. I got some tips.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

Honestly, the best path I see right now is just making Chief and then going warrant if you can.

The only way I'd go officer is if I had over 10 years in as enlisted, because then you just have to make O-3 and you don't have to give a gently caress because you're guaranteed to hit 20 and retire. However, if you're over ten years, you should easily be a first class on your way to Chief (especially as an OS), and gently caress being a Chief going to OCS.

This is honestly the way i'm thinking of going. Especially since they are placing OSS in Sector command centers.

Plus I can have motto as gently caress sleeve tattoos as a warrant and that would be cool as gently caress.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

ElMaligno posted:

This is honestly the way i'm thinking of going. Especially since they are placing OSS in Sector command centers.

Plus I can have motto as gently caress sleeve tattoos as a warrant and that would be cool as gently caress.

You can have moto as gently caress sleeve tattoos regardless of who you are, and rest assured, you will still look like a jackass.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think


idgi

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

You can have moto as gently caress sleeve tattoos regardless of who you are, and rest assured, you will still look like a jackass.

Yes but id be that weirdo as gently caress warrant that doesn't give a gently caress of what people think of him.


Maybe he wants to ride one because he has suicidal tendencies?

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

ElMaligno posted:

Yes but id be that weirdo as gently caress warrant that doesn't give a gently caress of what people think of him.

I'm gonna be honest with you here for a sec, and I'm not even really trying to be mean. If that's the person you want to be, more power to you, but working for people like that is usually loving terrible. At the very best super awkward.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

krispykremessuck posted:

I'm gonna be honest with you here for a sec, and I'm not even really trying to be mean. If that's the person you want to be, more power to you, but working for people like that is usually loving terrible. At the very best super awkward.

Jesus Christ no dude. I know very well how much of a goofball I am but at least I try to maintain a semblance of professionalism and I take my work very seriously. I work with a goony anime as gently caress guy that is grumpy as hell all the time and tries to act like a goofball all the goddammed time. It is as annoying as you guys are thinking.

I'm half joking about the tattos as I want more but I don't really want anything motto as gently caress.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

I MADE THE loving CUT I WILL BE PINNED OS2 ON THE FIRST WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Mr. Nice!
Oct 13, 2005

c-spam cannot afford



ElMaligno posted:

I MADE THE loving CUT I WILL BE PINNED OS2 ON THE FIRST WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Congrats. E-5 is one of the best ranks to have. Senior enough that you don't have to do the really stupid poo poo. Junior enough you don't have to do any real leadership or supervision.

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

ElMaligno posted:

I MADE THE loving CUT I WILL BE PINNED OS2 ON THE FIRST WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I've been out two years, but since when do you find out you made the cut and two weeks later pick it up?

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

krispykremessuck posted:

I've been out two years, but since when do you find out you made the cut and two weeks later pick it up?

My OSC called me and let me know to be in trops at Coast Guard island on December 1 because i'm getting advanced.

I will triple verify this poo poo tomorrow, but I have no reason to distrust him.

Edit: I will also be rocking the Winter Blues because that uniform is sweet as gently caress.

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

ElMaligno posted:

My OSC called me and let me know to be in trops at Coast Guard island on December 1 because i'm getting advanced.

I will triple verify this poo poo tomorrow, but I have no reason to distrust him.

Edit: I will also be rocking the Winter Blues because that uniform is sweet as gently caress.

How long have you been on the list? Are you waiting on the November 2013 list, or May 2014? I'm not saying you shouldn't believe him, but May's cuts just came out (well, in September) and they shouldn't be advancing off that SWE until January anyway. The advancement message for December isn't even out, as far as I know. I could be wrong, maybe they changed the day since I got out.

Either way, congrats. Sounds like your OSC is getting word from a friend if that message isn't out.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

krispykremessuck posted:

How long have you been on the list? Are you waiting on the November 2013 list, or May 2014? I'm not saying you shouldn't believe him, but May's cuts just came out (well, in September) and they shouldn't be advancing off that SWE until January anyway. The advancement message for December isn't even out, as far as I know. I could be wrong, maybe they changed the day since I got out.

Either way, congrats. Sounds like your OSC is getting word from a friend if that message isn't out.

Its the november 2013 one, they cut all the way down to #56 and I am #57 on that list. I was something like #16 (after cutting all the people that advanced) on the may 2014 list.

Elendil004
Mar 22, 2003

The prognosis
is not good.


ElMaligno posted:

My OSC called me and let me know to be in trops at Coast Guard island on December 1 because i'm getting advanced.

I will triple verify this poo poo tomorrow, but I have no reason to distrust him.

Edit: I will also be rocking the Winter Blues because that uniform is sweet as gently caress.

Surprise Mast, calling it right now. What have you messed up recently that might be blowing back on you?

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

Elendil004 posted:

Surprise Mast, calling it right now. What have you messed up recently that might be blowing back on you?

Not that I know off. It it happens I will probably just shrug it off, accept the charges, become an absolute poo poo head and get out in 4 years.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Maybe it's just another revision of the cuts? I'll try and check the message board today and see.

Analogical
May 20, 2013

EEOD? Why not, I could use a break from work

:911:
You guys are closing up shop in Newport OR and the EMS community is going ape over it, how dare you. The clam chowder dream is ending

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

El maligno- are you one of those Hispanic dudes with two last names?

If so you're probably making it on the first. The enlisted advancement notice came out and there's only one person pinning on OS2.

Analogical
May 20, 2013

EEOD? Why not, I could use a break from work

:911:
I forgot it was advancement time. I can't wait for a new batch of E5s to walk around like they're hot poo poo for riding a stupidly high quota to E5.

I mean that about the CT community where its candy. Congrats OS2.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

El maligno- are you one of those Hispanic dudes with two last names?

If so you're probably making it on the first. The enlisted advancement notice came out and there's only one person pinning on OS2.

Yes I am! Thanks.

Analogical posted:

I forgot it was advancement time. I can't wait for a new batch of E5s to walk around like they're hot poo poo for riding a stupidly high quota to E5.

I mean that about the CT community where its candy. Congrats OS2.

There is only like Three (now 2) OS3 in my current shop and there are no non-rates in there. So its not like I can flip my second class crows in there.

Besides I don't think that really fits in my personality.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

ElMaligno posted:

Yes I am! Thanks.

Cool-congrats! Enjoy the pay bump. Are they going to transfer you out now?

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

Cool-congrats! Enjoy the pay bump. Are they going to transfer you out now?

Probably not, or at least I hope not. I know they are going to transfer a couple of OS1s that made OSC but they are not didnt talk about transferring those newly made OS2 or OS1.

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

nwin posted:

Cool-congrats! Enjoy the pay bump. Are they going to transfer you out now?

Post-advancement transfers in an austere environment? Dude that stopped happening when the CG budget was still high. AN/SN/FN to PO3, PO1 to CPO, and PO1/CPO to CWO were the only non-officer-smoke-and-mirrors guaranteed transfers even before the budget went to poo poo.

Hell, 5 of the last 7 years I was in, I was filling a billet a paygrade (or two!) higher than what was on the PAL. Didn't stop PPC and HQ bitching about it, but they also weren't willing to either reprogram the billet or move me out to fix it.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

krispykremessuck posted:

Post-advancement transfers in an austere environment? Dude that stopped happening when the CG budget was still high. AN/SN/FN to PO3, PO1 to CPO, and PO1/CPO to CWO were the only non-officer-smoke-and-mirrors guaranteed transfers even before the budget went to poo poo.

Hell, 5 of the last 7 years I was in, I was filling a billet a paygrade (or two!) higher than what was on the PAL. Didn't stop PPC and HQ bitching about it, but they also weren't willing to either reprogram the billet or move me out to fix it.

Plus we are a bit short on people so I really doubt they are going to transfer me.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Yeah now that I think about it- you're right. I guess I was using my experience bring transferred when I made second, but that was in 2010.

krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q
It's really cool to get e-mails about being a PAL mismatch where people talk to you, and about you as if advancing is somehow wrong. Then telling you to fix it (I can't) and that if I can't it should go to HQ/PPC.

That's the kind of poo poo that made me leave. Where I'm at now is lightyears behind in terms of accountability and systems, but at least they can legitimately blame poo poo on not having the right/good systems.

The Coast Guard has great systems. Scoff as you might, everywhere else in the public sector is probably much worse off. The Coast Guard's problem is that it knows what is wrong and won't do anything to fix it. The Navy's problem is that it legitimately has no idea what's actually wrong.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Ah...loving yorktown-where you hear non-rates bitching about their class advisor telling them to get a haircut. I reaaalllly missed this place.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

God dammit the Internet service in yorktown is so loving horrible!!!

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

So they're actually increasing the tour lengths for certain billets. I don't have the message in front of me, but it was a bunch of aviation poo poo and then MST's are doing 5 years if they are at a feeder port and LT+ are doing 4 years at NCOE's instead of 3 like before (staff tour).

I never thought it would happen, just figured it was a bunch of rumors/thoughts. Five years seems like a really long time to be somewhere. I think they unit will benefit, but man are some people going to get bored/burnt out.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

So they're actually increasing the tour lengths for certain billets. I don't have the message in front of me, but it was a bunch of aviation poo poo and then MST's are doing 5 years if they are at a feeder port and LT+ are doing 4 years at NCOE's instead of 3 like before (staff tour).

I never thought it would happen, just figured it was a bunch of rumors/thoughts. Five years seems like a really long time to be somewhere. I think they unit will benefit, but man are some people going to get bored/burnt out.

Depending on what happens on the next few years I may try to extend, transfer out of sector as an OS1 and homestay in the bay for a while. But mostly im happy that a good friend of mine has orders to D11, another wants to come here and I got an apartment for cheap (1200/month) and im going to get a 300 increase in my BAH next year (2400/month). im gonna save so much money.

nwin
Feb 25, 2002

make's u think

Haha I just checked the bah tables-it's down about $150 for me next year. Normally that wouldn't be a problem since you stay grandfathered in, but since I'm promoting next December, I bump up to o-3e bah, which will still be $80 less than im making right now. Welp.

ElMaligno
Dec 31, 2004

Be Gay!
Do Crime!

nwin posted:

Haha I just checked the bah tables-it's down about $150 for me next year. Normally that wouldn't be a problem since you stay grandfathered in, but since I'm promoting next December, I bump up to o-3e bah, which will still be $80 less than im making right now. Welp.

Yes but the bay area housing bubble is going to blow the gently caress up in a extremely ugly way, but until them im gonna ride this wave until i crash.

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krispykremessuck
Jul 22, 2005

unlike most veterans and SA members $10 is not a meaningful expenditure for me

I'm gonna have me a swag Bar-B-Q

nwin posted:

Haha I just checked the bah tables-it's down about $150 for me next year. Normally that wouldn't be a problem since you stay grandfathered in, but since I'm promoting next December, I bump up to o-3e bah, which will still be $80 less than im making right now. Welp.

I think you used to be able to request BAH protection in that case. No idea if that still exists. By the way I'm still planning on sending you what you had asked for.

Also I thought with the M-world there was always a huge concern about industry interference if you didn't move people relatively frequently? I remember that was definitely a thing that was brought up about ITB/Steam boats in Minnesota constantly.

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