Looking for advice from NCOs?

Question

I am just recently returned from Iraq after 15 months with the 25th ID. I am a 19D Cavalry Scout coming to the end of my
(6 months left) of my 3 yr contract. One thing I noticed is just how much contactors such as KBR, DynoCorp, Tripple Cannapoy and others make there. I have been offered to go to the board if I stay in.
Is it worth staying in the Army or would you reccommend a single guy get out and make alot more money in the sandbox and try to get back in a few years if I miss the military?
Just looking for advice and see if there is anything out there I don't know about....all advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

I would say it would be worth investigating right now. You can check to see if these companies are hiring. DynoCorp is great but they usually do contract work so you never know.
All these companies have websites but your best bet would be to contact the Human Resource office. I would also go to the ACAP office and see what kind of jobs are out there.
However on the flip side to that the Army is a secure job for you at the moment. You are making pretty decent money for right now. Are you prepared in case you don't find work? Insurance? I'm just asking because I have seen people get out and forget that now they have to pay rent, groceries, other bills etc. and they get caught in a bad situations.
Yeah if things don't pan out you can always come back in however you never know with the military how things may change day to day.
Good luck.

Answer 2

I think you should stay in there are plenty of opportunities in the army for you to progress. However get something in writing about going to the board if you reenlist because they sometimes promise you the world and give you nothing in the end. I have seen it happen. I would not go to them private companies they have had such bad press recently and to be honest are you just doing it for the money!! i know you joined the army for a reason i know its not the money because its not that great.

I know that being in the sandbox sucked i don't know really how much because i have never been there but i know from personal experience people don't come back the same.

It does not matter if you are single or married i would say in the army at least sign up for another 3 yrs if it sucks after that by all means get out and do whatever and where ever you decide to go or do. Also try and reenlist for Europe get to see some of the world before you get out. I know when you reenlist you can reenlist for anywhere (if they have that to offer). You will never have that oppertunity to go to Europe as they are closing a lot of the bases in Europe.

Answer 3

Lots of money. The carrot before us all at some point. My days in the Army did not include any shooting so I will offer a perspective a bit different than your contemporaries might.

In my life the Army has gone from tube operated radios, WWII era teletype to satellite phones. The ways to make a living have changed drastically with the Internet.

One thing has remained constant. People making a pile and spending it foolishly. I have been to many high 6 and 7 digit homes that were empty. But they had house. Many of those people from the "Bubble" days are all back to where they started and less and still driving an old Camry.

If all you want is a quick buck to blow you will latter regret that that while counting change to buy coffee. If you have a SOLID plan for the money and feel safe going back, good for you. I have met many people that blew their chances. Either choice could be the right one. Where you gonna be when your 67? Hard to see that now, I was there. I took some advice once that saved me. I also had 2 choices.

It's your call!

SSG US Army 73-82

Answer 4

It's always easier to make a career choice as early as possible, but it's hard for someone to help you with that decision. It's a matter of ambition, what you are looking to do, say, 10 years from now. All wars come to an end at some point. So you have to consider your qualifications and professional progression. Do you want to be a career Scout? Do you want to move in a different and more diverse direction? Either is fine, but just know that out in the real world, there aren't a whole lot of people looking for scouts skills outside of a wartime situation like we find ourselves in now. I'm not so sure I would want to be 43, retired, as a 19D, and still needing to work a few more years. You may be better off to seize the moment and see where it leads you. But if you do that, don't think small.

Answer 5

Those civilians over their make some good cash but the fact is they work very hard. Not as much as you do as a Cav Scout but trust me they earn their money. I have 17 years in the Military, but I recently have been discharged because of wounds in Iraq, I got a job paying really good money but I miss the military and I pulled several congressional strings and got back in. My advice is to stay in. Don't lose your status, because the fact is I got out an E-7 with PSG time, OPS time, recruiter time and now that I am back in I am only an E-7 and none of the rest counts, so basically I need to do it all again to be considered for E-8.

Answer 6

Don't compare the military to private organizations like the ones you've listed. None of them have answered the call to serve their country. To them it's just a job, no more, no less. You better make up your mind if you want to stay or go, cause once you go it'll be all over and you won't go back. Problem is that in 17 years (and I'm here to tell you it flys by) when you could have been retired you'll be thinking :"Man what an idiot I was for getting out! I could have been retired by now!" I know, because thats what all my friends say because they did one hitch and got out and I'm the one who stayed in and got my pension. I hear them bitching about it all the time. Besides, it's not all that great out here in the civilian world I'll tell ya! I've never seen and more Dysfunctional, Grabasstic, Unorganized Bunch of Freeking Whiners in my entire life (and those are the Good ones)

Answer 7

It all depends on what you want to do.

If you plan on making the military a career, then you should stay in, get as much education as possible, get in line for schools, volunteer for any additional schooling that are available to you.

Prepare yourself for promotion boards, so that as soon as you are elgiblile you can go an pass them with no problems.

Answer 8

First, tell them you'll stay in if they send you to the board, if you don't have a board/school date by the time your papers show up, contracting looks a lot better! If they tell you you'll get to the board if you re-up, they aren't very serious about your promotion, and don't be afraid to tell them it smacks of blackmail. It's a good acid test for just how serious your unit is about you.

Answer 9

Advice? Advice? Take the old First Sergeants advice soldier, if you indeed are, do you have a personnel office where you are? Go there not here. Do you go to the chow hall for a dental appointment? To the Dispensary for your pay problems? Go to the man who knows.
JH 1st Sgt Ret.

Answer 10

i did stay in because i really do enjoy the work.

but dont let me influence you. the way i see it you did what you said youd do. thats integrity. thats honor. thats loyalty.

you have to do whats right for you. if the army has taught you one thing its to make your own decisions then stand by them.

know this though coming back in isnt as easy as staying in. its possible just not easy and you definately wont maintain the same rank.