I'm at a crossroad in my life. In 2 years I will be graduating high school. I have 2 passions: 1. to be a game warden/K-9 officer, 2. Owning a small construction company. One part of me says join the Marines and serve my country and get my college degree while I'm in, and then strive to be a game warden/Cop. The other I see myself working on my own and digging in the dirt. I'm the kind of guy that no matter what I do I'm going to do it right. It might take me longer than others. If your not going to do it right then whats it worth doing.
I know getting into the business is not should I say a walk in the park. There's going to be complications of course. I just have 2 passions and I want to make the right choice. I dont want to look back 15 years down the road and say I should of done that that or this.
i agree with alldayrj. around here the cops start in the 60k's and are making 100k within 5 years. also true that most have side landscaping/carpentry/etc businesses because of their compacted work schedule. plus, you get public employee benefits and holidays.
take the perks of the public sector and then start a small side business where you can choose the jobs you want and charge the prices you want rather than taking on work just to keep yourself and your employees busy. lets face it, in most areas of the country, the landscape and construction industries are hurting and the government is certainly not pro-business at the moment.
enjoy your youth. travel. relax. dream.
i went to college and had a landscaping company on the side. when i graduated, i stuck with the business because i was making more than i could working for someone else in an office. what you dont realize at the time is that health insurance costs, no retirement package, etc. take a toll on your wallet and your mental health.
i'd find a good paying public sector job with benefits and run a seasonal side business a few hours each night or on weekends if i could go back in time. (in fact, i am working on that time machine at the moment..)
Just thought I would update this thread a little bit from last year. I am now a Junior in high school and having a little bit of fun in the process. After a few very long talks with my dad I have made my decision to join the Military(Marines preferably)if they will pick me up. I plan on serving 8-10 years and go reserve afterwards to reap the retirement benefits after 20 years of service. Most likely I will pursue the cop/game warden career path because I am a Law Enforcement major and I feel like I would really enjoy it. After I am out of the Military and I'm all set up with a police department, I plan on starting up a small construction business to keep the cash flowing and to give me something to do on my days off. I'm really looking forward to this endeavor and I really appreciate all the great advice from many of you over the last few years.
Good on you! I did 8 years in the USMC 0311-0321. One of the best decisions I have ever made. Its an asskicking lifestyle, embrace it and it will treat you well!
Dahh. It's a truck! Had to take the fuel water separator apart Saturday cause it went in to this like limp mode after it told me to drain it. I couldn't get anything to come out so I had to take it all apart..
We'll have to try and do some hunting one weekend! Posted via Mobile Device
Best decision I ever made was enlisting in the Army. I served 8yrs. Two combat tours in Iraq. The military truly helped me become the person i am today. Posted via Mobile Device
Ya, while you're in high school LIVE IN THE PRESENT, I know you need to plan for the future, but you still have a whole other year... From the time I was 8 years old all I ever wanted to do is be a pilot in the AF. I had talked to recruiters, took the tests, everything.... then my senior year I got my back messed up pretty good and the AF said "thanks, but no thanks". This was in '98. I don't know if they have eased their entry standards any or not, but that absolutely killed me for a long time. You don't know what tomorrow holds, so enjoy today.
Once you get into the "real world" you definitely need to have long term goals and a mindset. I still wonder what it could have been for me, but I'm thankful that now 15 years past high school I've got a great business, a great wife, two great boys.
Best of luck to you, I hope you have a great career, but like I said, enjoy the present. High school seems sooooo trivial now. I think there's maybe 3 people I graduated with that I still have "regular" interaction with. Some of my better (for lack of judgement) memories are from college. Truly good times... Then the bills start coming in! haha
While I never had the privilege of serving in the military, I have spent some time in law enforcement and now am a detection K9 handler working in schools and such. Working with a dog can be very rewarding if you have the patience. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Have talked with a few military dog trainers, could be pretty fun and give you a great head start for when you get out.
Good on you! I did 8 years in the USMC 0311-0321. One of the best decisions I have ever made. Its an asskicking lifestyle, embrace it and it will treat you well!
Thanks man, I'm really looking forward to it the more I think about it. My plan is to go 03 field and hope to get the LAV crewman slot. Thank you for your service!:usflag:
Dahh. It's a truck! Had to take the fuel water separator apart Saturday cause it went in to this like limp mode after it told me to drain it. I couldn't get anything to come out so I had to take it all apart..
We'll have to try and do some hunting one weekend! Posted via Mobile Device
Ah man that blows at least you got er worked out. But yes! We need to go. I'm so ashamed of myself I've only been hunting 3 times thus far this season but have seen deer everytime. I'll PM you my number.
Best decision I ever made was enlisting in the Army. I served 8yrs. Two combat tours in Iraq. The military truly helped me become the person i am today. Posted via Mobile Device
Ya, while you're in high school LIVE IN THE PRESENT, I know you need to plan for the future, but you still have a whole other year... From the time I was 8 years old all I ever wanted to do is be a pilot in the AF. I had talked to recruiters, took the tests, everything.... then my senior year I got my back messed up pretty good and the AF said "thanks, but no thanks". This was in '98. I don't know if they have eased their entry standards any or not, but that absolutely killed me for a long time. You don't know what tomorrow holds, so enjoy today.
Once you get into the "real world" you definitely need to have long term goals and a mindset. I still wonder what it could have been for me, but I'm thankful that now 15 years past high school I've got a great business, a great wife, two great boys.
Best of luck to you, I hope you have a great career, but like I said, enjoy the present. High school seems sooooo trivial now. I think there's maybe 3 people I graduated with that I still have "regular" interaction with. Some of my better (for lack of judgement) memories are from college. Truly good times... Then the bills start coming in! haha
I understand where you are coming from and I really appreciate your input on the subject. Its just my personality I like to have a plan and know where I'm going with my life. But it sounds like you made the best of what happened with your back.
While I never had the privilege of serving in the military, I have spent some time in law enforcement and now am a detection K9 handler working in schools and such. Working with a dog can be very rewarding if you have the patience. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Have talked with a few military dog trainers, could be pretty fun and give you a great head start for when you get out.
Thats really cool man. I had the opportunity to talk with a K-9 officer and they do some really cool things. I wouldn't mind becoming one after the military. All the K-9 units here drive sweet lowered blacked out Tahoes.
dude unles you have some gay job that never gets deployed like admin or some crap ypu wont have time for school in the corps. true im in a high speed mos but sill you wont have time
dude unles you have some gay job that never gets deployed like admin or some crap ypu wont have time for school in the corps. true im in a high speed mos but sill you wont have time
I've heard this before, there is no way im gonna do admin. If I don't have time so be it. I have plenty of time afterwards. What is your MOS if you dont mind me asking?
dude unles you have some gay job that never gets deployed like admin or some crap ypu wont have time for school in the corps. true im in a high speed mos but sill you wont have time
Agreed. Unless you do an ROTC program or the like, your schooling will take a backseat to everything else. I can assure you, there will be people in your enlisted command who will make sure you, the threatening enlisted man, does not excel over them. They will do what they can to keep you from getting to class. Get your education beforehand, enroll in ROTC, or forget school.
Im in recon now and dont go infantry! get an mos that will help you when you get out, also 8 years in the marines good luck after my 5 im out dude theres no wars going on its going to be gay as ****! also if your serious about the marines do pullups, be able to do 20 pullups, 20 min or less 3 mile and 100 crunches in less than 2 mins if you want anymore info hit me up im active duty now so i got a good grasp on whats to be expected.
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