Re-enlistment

[been]

So im 13 months out of my 4 year mark in the navy, which means I have to start thinking about whether or not i want to stay in, or get out. I was just wondering what the job market in Oklahoma is like right now for a 21 year old with no college, and only military experience. Im kinda afraid to get out, because I wont have the security of a steady pay check. So hows the job market looking out there for someone like me?

 

[saddlebum]

do 20 then retire and be what ever you want be

 

[Pokinfun]

Get out and join the Army.

 

[FredNOk]

The job market in OK isn't pleasant. When oil hits the bottom, lots of jobs go bye bye. Use your GI bill and get a degree in something marketable, like law enforcement or something in the medical field. There will always be criminals and sick people. I've seen all kinds of jobs fall out in Southern OK for the last 20 years because of the oil market. You can take a law enforcement degree to just about any state and get a job, except OK. Small town police office and County offices tell you you're overqualified for a position unless you live and work in either OKC or Tulsa. That has been the experience of a friend of mine who has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and tried to get hired with Stephens, Comanche, or Jefferson county or the respective police stations in those counties. Not saying that you would have the same experience, but it could happen. I'm sure his age is a factor now more than it was 13 years ago when he started looking. I'm guessing nobody wants 50 year old on the force these days. You are young, so you might have a better chance.

 

[Fyrtwuck]

My advice to anyone who ever wanted join the military was to choose a job and get trained for something you can use in civilian life. If you're not doing that now, pick out something you would like to do and make application to work in that career field. If you can talk them in to it, you'll go to a different training school and learn the job on their dime. You may have to sign up for another hitch to get it, but it's something to think about.

 

[Poke78]

First off, what's your rate/job? What's the next school in that job? Have you spoken to your re-enlistment Petty Officer to find out your options? FrednOK brings up a good point on going to school after getting out? How are you fixed on your savings plan? Fyrtwuck points out the choice to stay in is an opportunity to get training in another career field. A trip to the re-enlistment office will answer these questions.

 

[been]

First off, what's your rate/job? What's the next school in that job? Have you spoken to your re-enlistment Petty Officer to find out your options? FrednOK brings up a good point on going to school after getting out? How are you fixed on your savings plan? Fyrtwuck points out the choice to stay in is an opportunity to get training in another career field. A trip to the re-enlistment office will answer these questions.

Im an Aviation Structural mechanic. Iv been to the basic "A" School, Hydraulic "C" School, and soon Corrosion "C" School. I have experience in Both intermediate and Organizational level maintenance. I didnt sign up for TSP unfortunately, but have been saving money since I joined. I already talked to some of the career people, and my situation is complicated due to a screw up from my last commands admin office.

 

[easy]

been - Stay for 20(or more) and enjoy the benefits. Both wife and I are retired CPOs and living on the retainers. There are certainly worse jobs than squid - like grunt. The Navy's aviation community is pretty good. I spent some post Navy time working F/A-18 avionics at NAS Lemoore. Not a bad place except for being CA.

Do you have your A&P? If not get it whether you stay in or not.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[HMCS(FMF)Ret.]

Get a degree while your still in. Hopefully in something you can make a decent living at. Instead of reenlisting, extend. Get as much college in as fast as you can. Then, once you have a degree make that decision. You could stay in, apply for an officer program, or get out. At least with a degree, it's your choice.

What happens to a lot of guys is that they meet a girl, have a kid, and are forced to stay in because they can't afford to get out. Then, they spend a crazy amount of time at sea, and are lucky to retire with an intact family. If the family doesn't make it through a career, then the Sailor will lose at least part of their retirement to their spouse (up to half depending how long they're married). Meaning you could make Master Chief and retire with the pay of a Second Class. Also, everyone just assumes retiring from the Navy is easy....but it's getting harder every day. You have to keep doing well, otherwise the Navy will say bye-bye. Not that I think you'll have to worry about that, but it's worth mentioning. Lastly, as you get older, you realize that you just don't want to be away from your family. When your 21 it's an adventure. When you're 35 being at sea can be a huge pain in the ass.

So my advice....get as much education as quickly as you can.....then make a decision based on what you think is best for you.


P.S. After I posted I saw your post about being an aviation structural mechanic. Is this something you could make decent money at on the outside? Is it something you want to continue to do after the Navy?

 

[dennishoddy]

Im an Aviation Structural mechanic. Iv been to the basic "A" School, Hydraulic "C" School, and soon Corrosion "C" School. I have experience in Both intermediate and Organizational level maintenance. I didnt sign up for TSP unfortunately, but have been saving money since I joined. I already talked to some of the career people, and my situation is complicated due to a screw up from my last commands admin office.

Here is my advice.
You've already got a good start. Some of the jobs in the civilian sector that will always be in demand is in General mechanical maintenance in industrial facilities like manufacturing plants, refinery's, Tire plants, Drill bits for the oil field, big machine shops, etc. A mechanical maintenance person with a good overall background in hydraulics and some verifiable mechanical experience will draw close to top pay right off the start in those facilities.
Upgrade your training into the electrical field, or take evening classes at a votech to get a job after getting out as an electrician. There is a shortage of electricians and apprentices in a lot of places with all of the new construction going on in Stillwater, OKC and other places. Okla does require an apprentice to go through a lot of time as an apprentice, but once you get your Journeyman card, you can go on the road as a contract electrician, or find a spot at an industrial facility locally. Ask the civilian electricians at Tinker what their pay is, and you might want to get the training and stay there if there is an opening.
Finally the cream of the crop in industrial maintenance is Instrumentation and controls technician. I&E, or in some company's they include electrician and Instrument tech into one and call it I&E.
Involves every thing from Pneumatics, Hydraulics, Mechanical understanding and the processes that control them, to programming and troubleshooting electronic control systems, called PLC's or DCS, Distributed control systems where the intelligent systems are in the field and fed back to control room where the control system analyzes the data and makes the decisions to control the system, and PLC's that are Programmable Logic Controllers that are typically right at the systems that need to be controlled.
These jobs are in power plants, refinery's, and large manufacturing facilities. This was the field I was in before retiring.
It pays top wages and typically requires a 2 yr associates degree at minimum to be considered for hiring.
Top pay in that field right now approaches $40 an hour with a lot of over time depending on where the job is. Its a critical job to any employer, and there are not a lot of qualified applicants out there, so the field is wide open.
I&C/I&E would be the path I'd follow if I were in your position.