Something I'm Pondering -- Need Opinions (Updated)

[Nelson Atwell]

Here's a big decision I'm being faced with...regarding the direction of my career in the Federal Government.



Facts:



- 18-1/2 years of military service -- Grade E-6 (TSgt)

- 44 year old, Single dad, w/ a 14 year old daughter and ex-wife that is a proven (and even admits it) failure at being a full-time parent

- Promotion results to E-7 (MSgt) will be announced on 15 Jun 06; if selected, I have 14 days to decide whether or not to stay in an additional two years to retire with the new grade.

- If a two-year commitment is not given, the promotion will not be effective after retirement at 20 years.

- a GS-11 (about a $60K/year job; I currently earn about $40K/year) job is opening in my office the day before I am eligible to retire. I am fully qualified to fill this job and have a good shot at getting it, but there is no guarantee of me getting the job, due to Federal hiring regulations.

- If I decide to stay in the Air Force I will be facing the possibility of being relocated during 2007, due to elimination of 25% of the jobs in my career field, Air Force-wide. Also, the job I currently perform will be civilianized or made an additional duty for other career fields.

- My daughter loves her school, and I bought a house 15 months ago. If I am relocated overseas, I potentially have to sell the house, and my ex won't let my daughter travel with me (her approval is needed for the passport and government travel orders)



The decision seems pretty clear-cut if I don't get the promotion -- I just stay put until I get orders someplace else and then get out under the seven-day refusal option. However, if I make the promotion, all options are on the table, and some don't look too good. The bad things is, I have to make the decision within the next two weeks, and the information about the changes in my career field and the Air Force in general weren't known to me until today. Making the wrong decision could potentially cost me a fortune in lost wages during the remainder of my lifetime.



Any opinions?

 

[Tom Schindler]

Money isn't everything. Neither is your safety.



Stability is important in a child. Being shipped from one place to another is not healthy for a child, more so with a girl that can be influenced easily by other kids. You know where you live and where your child is growing up.



You do need to plan for your future and make sure you are "taken care of" because you never know what the future brings.



Dad had a guy he worked with that retired and moved to Florida with his wife and young son. As his son got older, he became mixed up with the wrong kids in school. He ended up murdered by someone and they have yet to find the killer. Was it caused by Dad's friend moving to Florida and not sticking around where he lived in Ohio? Nobody knows.



Something to ponder.



Maybe taking the promotion will locate you to a better place and everything could be better. It is a chance you may or may not want to take.



Then again, you could make the move and get hit by a truck and killed leaving your daughter to live with her mother. Then again, you could get hit by a truck tomorrow. Nobody knows for sure what tomorrow brings.



How is the work in your area. Is there room to move into civilian life and make a good living? Would you have to locate to a new place to find a job in your field?





Tom

 

[Nelson Atwell]

The job market in OKC is good for what I am trianed in. I also have a four year Business Admin degree, which is marketable with my experience.

 

[Lauren Y]

stay in OKc so when I get there in Dec we can meet

 

[Robert Poole]

I have an idea for you, try for the *Federal job* and at the same time try to go reserve or guard, you will still get the military bennies along with the perks of the civilian job. Something to ponder?



Caymon has the right idea also.



have a good one



Bob

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Lauren, I'll consider your idea. Did you finally decide to move to a state larger than a city block? We have ranches bigger than Rhode Island, so I'll give you a map when we meet. :lol:



Bob, while it is true that I could choose to not retire at the end of my current enlistment and go into the Guard/Reserves, I'm not sure how much sense it makes to turn down over $1,000/month active duty retirement until I reach my 60th birthday in March 28th, 2022 (170 months @ $1,000/month = $170,000 not counting cost of living increases). I am retirement eligible as an E-6 on Jan 1st, 2008.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Nelson,

Sounds similiar to what I am pondering with G.M. now. (Oh, So Familiar!).

I cannot give you any advice, sorry. I only know, if it helps, that you have someone in

a similiar situation praying for you and your family and daughter, to hope everything

turns out O.K.! Your individual situation will decide what you need to do.

And, Thank You, Sir!, for your service to our Country, and our way of life!!!

May all turn out well!

You are in my prayers tonight!

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Nelson, on easy way to go is to go into the Reserves. It will allow the promotion to become active and allow you to fulfill your two year obligation as well as accept the GS-11 Job. Keeps you at home with your child as well.



EDIT.

Didn't see the post simular to minee, sorry about that.



Good point on losing the money up to age sixty. That said, I think your options are limited at best. You almost have to stick it out even if you are not advanced.

 

[Travis Tilley]

Well, you have 18 years to my 6....but you know as well as any of us that with the current world situtaion the military is not a "family" career. My suggestion, just looking at the post above, would be to get out and take the higher paying job with the more stability. The retirement check wont be that much bigger from E6 to E7. E7 wont pull much more weight on resume then E6.



This is a topic I have been thinking about for a while now because I am E5 promotableand and have 2 years left on this enlistment. It now looks like I will spend that last year in Africa, if not the desert, again. Do I stay, or do I get out. The life long question for military members who have the oppertunity to advance.

 

[Sal Adinolfi]

One option you might or might not have looked into. is the Guard. Air or Army.

I would hate to see anyone lose 18 years or military.



you would not be albe to collect until you are 55 i believe. But at least you would not lose the time you put in.



I would try to get the 20 years in. this way it would aslo help with a new job in the future. and supliment your pay.



Might evne get lucky and find a full time Guard job. Even real lucky and find a AGR ( Active Guard Reserve ) Job.



Unless you will be gettig retirement pay when you get out. It is a lot of time to put in to get nothing back.

 

[Sed Thompson]

Hey Nelson,

Your waiting for E7 results too? It's killing me, I can't wait to know for sure. I only have 15 in, but my opinion for your situation is determine if the increase in your retirement pay (approx. $200/month) is worth staying in longer. I say take the GS position if you like the area. Good luck on Thursday (well, we'll probably know tomorrow)

 

[Gavin Allan]

Sounds like some very good advice here. Nelson, you are in a pretty good position either way.



What about the child custody? Can it be changed/improved? Is there opportunity for going back to court to get you more control?



I agree with what Caymen said about money not being everything. Nine years ago I took a $17,000 pay cut for a job with less opportunity but that is a whole lot more rewarding. I sometimes think about all the lost money and lost opportunities, but I am basically a whole lot happier now and am closer to my family. (Despite a few promotions, etc. I still haven't matched my pay from 1987!)



I'd work on the custody situation if possible to try to give you a little more breathing room.

 

[Fer Echegaray]

IMHO, You should stay and give your daughter stability, she's at an age that she will need it plus all your support.



Is that something that is worth more than the lost wages?

 

[Bill Ellis]

Two points Nelson; first, you are trying to predict the future which can't be done. Second, your daughter is nearing or at high school age. I faced similar situations when my children were that age........should I seek a better job and move to who knows where, or should I stay put and deal with whatever happens? I chose to stay so that they could stay in the same school for their entire high school experience. Had some tough times; none of which I anticipated, but made it through it all. I know from reading your posts that you have a strong belief in God so why not let Him figure it out for you? Put your daughter's needs first and ask God for guidance. You'll know what to do. He's a lot smarter than all of us put together.

 

[Gavin Allan]

re: Something I'm Pondering -- Need Opinions -- Way Off Topic by Bill-E,6/13/2006 10:45 CT



...I know from reading your posts that you have a strong belief in God so why not let Him figure it out for you? Put your daughter's needs first and ask God for guidance. You'll know what to do. He's a lot smarter than all of us put together.

HELL YEAH!!! THAT'S THE TICKET!

 

[Bill Ellis]

All I can say Gavin is that it works. Very well too. I've been relying on spiritual guidance [not religion] for the past 10 years and my life has never been better. I'll bet that many here can attest to the same thing so why insult so many with a smart comment?

 

[Bill V]

Bill-E, I might be mistaken, but I didn't assume that Gavin was being sarcastic. I thought he was actually supporting your stance.



Also, maybe that's what Nelson's doing by posting this thread here--seeking God's guidance. Who's to say that God doesn't speak to people through internet sites? (Just to be clear, that comment wasn't meant to be the least bit sarcastic. The God I believe in speaks to people in all different ways--not just through conscious prayer.)



Nelson, I'll agree with most of the posts above--Keep your faith first in your mind when considering your decision, daughter's needs second, and your needs (career and otherwise) third, and so long as you do all this, I'm sure that when the time comes that you need to make the decision(s), you'll make the right ones for you.



--Bill

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Whenever I am posed with making an important decision that could impact my life or the life of our family and the decision is dependent on a set of contingencies that may or may not happen, yet I need to decide before the contingencies unfold themselves, I typically do a "best-case", "worst-case" analysis. I consider what decision I would make if I assumed all the contingencies unfold first in a "best-case" set of scenarios, then I list the pros and cons of that outcome. Then, I do the same thing again, but considering the "worst-case" unfolding of the contingencies.



I do this because we can never really know what life will give us, but we should be prepared for the worst, and the best, and make your ultimate decision assuming results from either end of the spectrum. You may find that your worst-case scenario isn't so bad, or that the best-case has some downsides. Look at them both, way the pros and cons of each, then decide one way, the other, or somewhere in-between (if that is even an option in this case).



Good luck!



TJR

 

[Chops]

Nelson it depends on how comfortable you are with your present salary and quality of life. With your experience I would think $60k starting salary would be an easily attainable goal in the private sector, but we as civilians have to deal with constant potential layoffs.



I moved my kids (8 &10 at he time) 1000 miles out of a negative environment, (and yes I am a single Dad-sole custody of now two great college kids), and never looked back.



You can provide a stable environment, be successful, and be mobile but it takes planning.

Good Luck and Thank You for your service.

 

[Gavin Allan]

More good advice here!



Yes, I believe in asking God for His guidance. He often lets me know what to do or how to proceed, but I often have to ask Him before He tells me. Life is a whole lot more fun when you let Him carry the heavy burdens.



So yes, HELL YEAH! ASK GOD!