Career After The Army

So today I realized that I really need to start thinking about what I am going to do after I get back from this tour next November because I will be leaving the Army shortly after.

I have narrowed it down to two different choices that are in every aspect different.

1. VIP personal protection services/escort(bodyguard)
2. Attend MMI Orlando and become a certified motorcycle mechanic

Reasons for these options-
1.Protection services

The only trade I have learned in my years of being in the Army as a infantryman is shoot, move, communicate, and kill effectively while protecting those around me.

I have graduated from the FBI driving school 2nd in class for mobile force protection with sedans, large SUVs, and uparmored vehicles. Training included presidential baricades, breaking into and commadeering vehicles, escape and evasion, and high speed tactical driving 100mph+.

I attended Gryphon Group's (one of the worlds top schools) personal security school taught by former Special Forces soldiers and SWAT officers for VIP protection along with forgien and domestic weapons training and some evasive driving.

27 months in Iraq lots of combat experience.

Recent honor grad for Electronic Warfare.

2. Motorcycle Mechanic

I love motorcycles! Ive been on one since I was 15 and they are a huge part of my life already but do I want to make them my life?

Im worried that if I choose this career path that motorcycles wont feel the same way to me as they do now if I have to work on them all the time.

I'll have to help Jim put grips on his gixxah and that dude take his rear wheel off his SV:wink:

How did you vets decide what you were gonna do when you got out? Its hard to think that my life wont be planned anymore and that I will have a kind of freedom that I havent had in years.

People who work at dealerships what is you insight on working on and around bikes all day?

Sorry for the long post/rant but I know in the end its up to me but I could use some good old NESR perspective and off topic wise ass comments :beerbang:

1. Instead of protection, which isnt very stable, why not cross to the other side and go for a Trooper or police officer?
2. I was thinking along those lines, but I'd be mostly worried that my most favorite hobby would turn into my job, and Id lose it as a fun hobby.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

I'll have to help Jim put grips on his gixxah and that dude take his rear wheel off his SV:wink:

---

:lmao: nice dude, nice.

All I got to say is this.... Do what you love or do what you're good at.... if you're good at doin what you love then the choice is easy.

Maybe give MMI a whirl & if it doesn't suit you or what have you, you've always got The Professional Badass business to fall back on.

I might need a pool boy. Please send resume and pictures of you in and out of a speedo.

kthx.

just curious.

1 how many enemy did you kill in combat?
2 do you fear death?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

1. Instead of protection, which isnt very stable, why not cross to the other side and go for a Trooper or police officer?
2. I was thinking along those lines, but I'd be mostly worried that my most favorite hobby would turn into my job, and Id lose it as a fun hobby.

---

Being a cop has crossed my mind as a last resort option. I've had too many experiences with them that to become one would just be wierd.

Thats exactly the fear I have that my favorite hobby wouldnt be so fun anymore..I guess it all depends on who you work for though?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jnm988

I might need a pool boy. Please send resume and pictures of you in and out of a speedo.

kthx.

---

Considered. How will I be paid?

Noel will be my stand in for the pictures

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

Being a cop has crossed my mind as a last resort option. I've had too many experiences with them that to become one would just be wierd.

---

Maybe try to go more into Swat, or DEA or something in LE other than patrolman?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pittenger5

1. Instead of protection, which isnt very stable, why not cross to the other side and become a professional kidnapper?

---

wouldn't that be the "other side":dunno:

My good college buddy is a DEA agent. He loves it. He does deep undercover alot of times. Some fucked up shit. I don't know much about getting into the Personal Security gig (like Blackwater?) but sounds like you have good qualifications.



As for MMI Orlando and working in the sport you love. Well, I've been doing that for the last 2 years and it hasn't diminished my passion for bikes one bit. I actually just got off the phone with MMI Orlando 10 minutes ago and will be visiting their campus next Friday. I guess it depends what you want to do with your MMI skills. Work in a dealership? Work on a race team? etc.

http://www.48days.com/

I just finished 48days to the work you love and starting no more mondays. Good read, lot of good info on choosing a career that fits you.

If you want to learn to work on bikes, don't go to MMI.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kham

just curious.

1 how many enemy did you kill in combat?
2 do you fear death?

---

Theres always one:nono:...What kinda question is that..I wont even entertain this one...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by a13x

My good college buddy is a DEA agent. He loves it. He does deep undercover alot of times. Some fucked up shit. I don't know much about getting into the Personal Security gig (like Blackwater?) but sounds like you have good qualifications.



As for MMI Orlando and working in the sport you love. Well, I've been doing that for the last 2 years and it hasn't diminished my passion for bikes one bit. I actually just got off the phone with MMI Orlando 10 minutes ago and will be visiting their campus next Friday. I guess it depends what you want to do with your MMI skills. Work in a dealership? Work on a race team? etc.

---

Nice! Let me know how you liked it down there.:twothumb:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hessogood

If you want to learn to work on bikes, don't go to MMI.

---

What would you suggest?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

What would you suggest?

---

Well to get a job you kinda need to, but I have very low faith in the hacks that the school produces. So to try to get a job at a dealership, I guess go there, but to actually learn to work on bikes go to TLRMAN or someone that knows bikes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

Considered. How will I be paid?

Noel will be my stand in for the pictures

---

Oh, what the hell!?!





Working in a dealership has NOT taken away any of my passion for motorcycles. Quite the opposite. I love my job. I get to make a living with my hobby.

What I can tell you is... You're not going to make your fortune as a dealership motorcycle tech. It is a give and take relationship. What you gain in being able to work with your hobby, you lose on the financial end of the deal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hessogood

Well to get a job you kinda need to, but I have very low faith in the hacks that the school produces.

---

Sounds like college. You might know HOW to do something, and have the skills to make you among the best, but if you dont have some stupid piece of paper in a frame on your wall, you're going to get consideration at 25% of the places hiring.

A good friend of mine, did the same thing a few years ago. In the army he was Man with gun. Protecting other men with guns. After he got out went to MMi. He still loves bikes but the $$$ is really weak at the Local dealerships. He gets by (his wife has a good job) and he takes an unemployment check for about 4-5 Months a year.

Best of luck in what ever you decide

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.60 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.13057/670; U; en) Presto/2.2.0)

Dude, come back, get a part time job and go to school full time. The best thing you can do for yourself, and I speak as a veteran, is get your degree. The gov is picking up the tab anyways so why not?

The new GI bill is bang nasty! Go to Umass Boston full time and make 2100 a month. Please please please take advantage of all the free money they are willing to give us Veterans. Otherwise they'll take and give it to people who deserve it less than us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.60 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.13057/670; U; en) Presto/2.2.0)

Dude, come back, get a part time job and go to school full time. The best thing you can do for yourself, and I speak as a veteran, is get your degree. The gov is picking up the tab anyways so why not?

---

:plusone: Damn good advice there.

The reason I went into medicine in the civilian world was because that is what I knew and it was a good career path.

What do you want to do with your life? Do you want to travel all over and never really have a place to call home or do you want to stay in one area?

I wouldn't rulle out working for homeland security. Maybe Border Patrol. I thought working with those guys was something I could do full time.

I see the bodyguard option as alot of travel with not alot of upward mobility (unless you want to own your own security company.)

The MMI option has limited potential as well. i mean realistically do you want a job at a local shop? Own your own business or work for Michael Jordan Suzuki? Which is the most plausible?

Come home, go to school, ( a degree would only enhance ANY job you decide to get), smash alot of va J J, get a part time job, smash more Va J J, join the SF National Guard unit or something like that and figure out what you want to do from there. :)

I really think the Border Patrol or INS/ Homeland security would be a good option.

Don't you get benefits to get education for free?

I'd say use them if you do...

Yes college would be the ideal choice but then im back to square one again on what to go to school for. The GI Bill deal is crazy, I know but I think I rather use it for a trade school rather than college.

I could barely stand high school I dont think I could deal with college. I ended up leaving high school and got my GED and joined the Army.

Reguardless I am coming back to Boston, what I will do when I get there I dont know as of now.

Sometimes I wish I would of picked a different job in the military that could of set me up for the civillan world.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

Considered. How will I be paid?

Noel will be my stand in for the pictures

---

I (and everyone else on NESR) have already seen Noel naked, so that's not going to work.

Pay will be made in trade (read:teh secks) and Cheetos.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by obsolete

Otherwise they'll take and give it to people who deserve it less than us.

---

I find it hard to believe that money will go anywhere if veterans don't take it...

I say go for the MMI option....use the free money, get your cert. and maybe take a business class or two while you're at it (so you can figure out if you want to work for someone else or eventually be your own boss). I see security as a limited field, with few options, but motorcycle tech can turn into a lot of things down the road...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

Yes college would be the ideal choice but then im back to square one again on what to go to school for. The GI Bill deal is crazy, I know but I think I rather use it for a trade school rather than college.

I could barely stand high school I dont think I could deal with college. I ended up leaving high school and got my GED and joined the Army.

Reguardless I am coming back to Boston, what I will do when I get there I dont know as of now.

Sometimes I wish I would of picked a different job in the military that could of set me up for the civillan world.

---

College is a different game then high school - at least that was my take for mechanical engineering. You'll also be entering as an adult that has been exposed to the outside world, not going directly from high school into college (I took a few years off to work and went back at 21 - never regretted a second of it).

Free advice - talk to the admissions people at a few junior colleges (business, engineering, general studies, etc), and look at taking a few classes to get your feet wet. If the government is paying for it - run it for all it's worth. Education never hurts...

good question.
i was actually in your shoes like 10 years ago. the military, in my case the marines, always tell you about all the opportunities you'll have after being a grunt, leadership, management, etc. well thats all BS. employers do love that shit, but without a degree you won't be walking into any middle/upper management positions. you will be starting at the bottom of any company.

imho, your best bet, get out, go to school part time and just pick up a job doing anything. get readjusted to being a civilian and then make a decision. no word of a lie, you are going to be too intense for a lot of places when you get back. there arent many companies that work near the pace you are used to. i was flat out told by my director at one time to slow down, your making the other employees uncomfortable.

so get out, get adjusted and then make a choice

plus, you get free education at state schools in MA and you can collect the GI bill as well if you want.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMFR6

good question.
i was actually in your shoes like 10 years ago. the military, in my case the marines, always tell you about all the opportunities you'll have after being a grunt, leadership, management, etc. well thats all BS. employers do love that shit, but without a degree you won't be walking into any middle/upper management positions. you will be starting at the bottom of any company.

imho, your best bet, get out, go to school part time and just pick up a job doing anything. get readjusted to being a civilian and then make a decision. no word of a lie, you are going to be too intense for a lot of places when you get back. there arent many companies that work near the pace you are used to. i was flat out told by my director at one time to slow down, your making the other employees uncomfortable.

so get out, get adjusted and then make a choice

plus, you get free education at state schools in MA and you can collect the GI bill as well if you want.

---

You speak the truth my friend. Adjustment should really be the first ultimate goal.

I completely understand the whole too intense deal. I know that I will have to work on blending in with those around me and treat people like people and not soldiers. Its funny because I can just see myself working under some zit faced kid with a hello my name is name tag. I cant make people do push ups for being late or pissing me off anymore:mecry:

After looking over this thread with everyones advice i realized that maybe im looking too far into the big picture and not focusing enough on getting back out into the world in small steps.

I guess working doing whatever I can find at the time and going to school part time would be a good idea or even vice versa. Even though im positive I will feel im taking a step back in life in reality its a huge leap forward towards intigrating into civillan life.

and the pay is better out here also!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaSpence

Theres always one:nono:...What kinda question is that..I wont even entertain this one...

---

they are legit questions. ones media might ask in interview. people wanna know if a solder like youself would fear death or hesitate to shoot. not looking for entertainment this time.

Spencer, focus on staying safe and getting back home in one piece. After you get out of the military take a couple of months vacation somewhere warm and THINK about what you want THEN.

I say get some education using the GI bill. if you want to get into the bike industry there are better ways to do it than going to MMI (not that I don't think MMI would necessarily be a bad thing). Get a specialization in tuning, mechanical engineering or suspension and work for yourself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kham

they are legit questions. ones media might ask in interview. people wanna know if a solder like youself would fear death or hesitate to shoot. not looking for entertainment this time.

---

OK, finger is on the button.

forgive me if I repost something, too much stuff to read.

you should look into the Vet. Preference programs that federal agencies are running. ICE and Border Patrol, FBI, etc... all have some sort of Veterans Preference programs. Some of them have direct hire capabilities that you could look into.

I'm a cop right now, looking into Border patrol and the FBI and the hiring processes are pretty extensive. One of my co-workers, who is a vet., just submitted his application to ICE, because a buddy of his works there. under the direct hire stuff, he got a conditional offer right off the bat, and is currently going through the background. I would kill to be able to have that preference right now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kham

they are legit questions. ones media might ask in interview. people wanna know if a solder like youself would fear death or hesitate to shoot. not looking for entertainment this time.

---

kham, thats out of line and if the media were to ask, they would be out of line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMFR6

and the pay is better out here also!

---

Don't be so sure about that.

As a Nurse I was making low 40's. As a full time Army E-6 I am making upper 60's

Join the AGR Spence. :)


I need to touch on the intensity and transition thing as well. Take your time, maybe talk to someone in the VA. Civilians are a whole different animal, even alot of us military types have no f'ing clue what you have been through because we have not been in your shoes. It might take a bit to not get mad when someone doesn't lock up when you are talking to them. :)

When I came off my first tour of active duty in 1992 I was full of myself,(even more than I am now if you can believe it) I thought I could get any woman, and kick anyone's ass. I was a high speed, low drag, wind tunnel tested mother fucker! :beerbang:

Luckily I had a couple close friends from High school who had the balls to sit me down and tell me that I had become an asshole. :lol: I took the advice and eased up. Like BMFR6 I had to adjust my life pace.

Get the schooling, look into what courses might help you in the fields you want to be in. Management courses are good place to start. maybe try Part time police work or hell try being a firefighter (you can get some jollies running into burning buildings let me tell you!)

Good luck man! We are here for you brother.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jcbell1007

forgive me if I repost something, too much stuff to read.

you should look into the Vet. Preference programs that federal agencies are running. ICE and Border Patrol, FBI, etc... all have some sort of Veterans Preference programs. Some of them have direct hire capabilities that you could look into.

I'm a cop right now, looking into Border patrol and the FBI and the hiring processes are pretty extensive. One of my co-workers, who is a vet., just submitted his application to ICE, because a buddy of his works there. under the direct hire stuff, he got a conditional offer right off the bat, and is currently going through the background. I would kill to be able to have that preference right now.

---

I just applied to ICE too! Keep your fingers crossed. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kham

they are legit questions. ones media might ask in interview. people wanna know if a solder like youself would fear death or hesitate to shoot. not looking for entertainment this time.

---

From Nov 2006, my first tour. I hope this news article answers your questions

http://www.barnstablepatriot.com/hom...=view&id=10575

EDIT

You know what Kham even though I dont owe you any fucking answers here you go

This past year on my 12 months off the Army tried to separate me on 3 separate occassions for medical from being shot, they said I couldnt do my job as an infantryman
I fought every case against me to stay in for the main reason to deploy back to this shit hole place again and I had to prove to my doctors that I could
I had to go through surgeries and months and months physical therepy just to get back here
Not for any sort of revenge or anger but to serve and fight next to my brothers again

Do I fear death? Of course, my job holds the highest death toll in the military
Do I think about it, no because thats when shit hits the fan.

I hope YOU have the pleasure of meeting ME one day.

and on another side note.... at the rate the state is moving, i wouldn't hold my breath on the PD or FD. they're laying off.

no it didn't answer but i can understand when under attack. i honestly dont know if im out o fline. so i apologize.

ok now go ahead and push the button if i deserve it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kham

no it didn't answer but i can understand when under attack. i honestly dont know if im out o fline. so i apologize.

ok now go ahead and push the button if i deserve it.

---

Kham, You're out of line. Just drop it.