Question for former enlisted

For those of you that served in the military but weren't in long enough to retire, how long did it take to get to the same level of income or better?

I will have been a SSG in the Army for 12 years by time I finally ETS, but sometimes I get a little worried about that decision. I have completed my Bachelors and have the N+, S+, CCENT, and should have ICND2 by June. My biggest concern is the lack of medical benefits, because medical for myself and my family has always been free. I know that I absolutely do not want to stay active duty for another 8 years, but the unknown is what concerns me.

If I can get the input from those that have been in similar situations and how the decision has affected you, it would be much appreciated.

P.S. I will still be joining the Army Reserves to become an officer, so that I can at least get a retirement check at some point.

Thanks!

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shodown

I got out as a E6 went from 1800 every 1st and 15th to 1400 every 1st and 15th, the good thing is I moved to a lower cost area. It took me about 18 months to get the same number I had before I got out, and Now I make considerable more. However I have a crappy 401K compared to the Guaranteed money at 20 years and health benefits I have to pay for. My wife doesn't stress about deployments anymore and we were able to put down real roots. I will have to work longer this route, but if you cut back your life style you can be well taken care off. Aim for the higher level certs those are really wants needed to make up the money you would have made.

zxbane

My situation was a little different than you OP, and showdown. I only did 4 years and got out as a E4. I got out two years ago and since then I have taken my income from that of a E4 at roughly 2,300 a month (not counting BAH) to almost the 6 figure mark now as a contractor. My income was increased immediately upon separating and has continued to since then, through obtaining certs such as CISSP, finishing my bachelors, and making job moves to bigger and better positions.

As you two mentioned though, I have a 401k now rather than a guaranteed retirement/pension and I have to pay medical costs. Going the reserves is a great idea in your case since it will allow you to get a retirement eventually still. Also utilizing your GI Bill isn't a bad idea as it can essentially be a source of supplemental income as you finish up your undergrad and even graduate degrees.

I've thought about getting into the reserves myself but wasn't sure if the benefits would be worth it or not.

(on side note I hope you aren't referring to Bmore as a low cost area showdown! lol)

shodown

My low cost area was in the midwest. I went back home for a while. Since the economy was down and I still had my TS, I came to DC to get a cleared job. Bmore is pretty expensive in the nice areas. But there are a lot of up and coming neighborhoods that are nice.

zxbane

No I agree, I just was making sure you weren't referring to it as being low cost (I'm in southern MD and it is pricey!)

hellolin

zxbane wrote: »

No I agree, I just was making sure you weren't referring to it as being low cost (I'm in southern MD and it is pricey!)

How did you get your CISSP, did you get it right out of college or you had to work another year to get it?

I am asking the question because one of my upper division class in my program actually uses the offical CISSP cert book to teach, but I wonder if I can take the test right away to get it.

SteveLord

Guardsmen/Reservists can get health coverage via Tricare Reserve Select. $204.29 per month for family coverage. (Go Guard over Reserve. Much more opportunities.)

You should also explore government jobs. Your prior service will give you a slight edge. Then your retirement will be really set. I really wanted to do another 12 years, but I injured my back and until another war starts up they will be very picky about it.

SephStorm

fear is natural, letting it control you is not. I've seen fear force people into contracts, I despise it. What is going to get you a job is your determination, your motivation and your locale. Be flexible in those things and save your money before you ETS and you will be fine. With job often comes health insurance.

As for pay, i've hovered around the same as an E4. Thing to remember is that with increased taxes comes a reduction in take home pay, which is why im still hovering even with a pay increase. the benefit with a spouse is 2 incomes.

Make a plan. From the second I planned to get out (the second time) I started to save. Save half of each check if you can. if you have 12 months left you will be happy with what you've put away, if you have more time all the better. start looking for a job 6 months to a year out. look at a mix of gov and contract positions and private industry. Gov retirement is a crutch. based on what i'm seeing the minimum for retiring at 37 is 1000 a month= 12000 a year. Or you can work, and with my current job I can save 20000+ a year. by the time I retire, i'll be okay. and I have healthcare.

zxbane

This is a interesting post, the thing that would appeal to me about the reserves more than guard is that with reserves you can still work a full-time high paying job and do the reserves on the side, where with guard you still have to work for them if I am not mistaken?

SteveLord wrote: »

Guardsmen/Reservists can get health coverage via Tricare Reserve Select. $204.29 per month for family coverage. (Go Guard over Reserve. Much more opportunities.)

You should also explore government jobs. Your prior service will give you a slight edge. Then your retirement will be really set. I really wanted to do another 12 years, but I injured my back and until another war starts up they will be very picky about it.

da_vato

I got out as an E-6 after 13 years. I was able to jump into a job equal to an E-5 of ten years. Within a years time I had exceeded my E-6 pay by $20k. Personally I think it will not take you very long to meet or exceed your current income.

I don't know how long you have until you get out but I would focus on getting everything you can while its free/cheap. If it is possible to get some higher cert's do so. Though CISSP did not help me in my current job I constantly get offers without having to go out looking.

typfromdaco

Thanks everyone for the responses, you all have been very informative! My ETS is not until June 2017, but they are offering a program for those that enlist for the reserves to get out up to a year early. I am currently in Fort Hood and have decided that I want to work my way up in the IT field down the road in Austin, Texas, primarily because my threads I have read say that the field is booming in the area.

I am a 25N and have worked on the networking side using primarily OSPF, as well as network management in the G6 for First Team. I have not worked with Active Directory whatsoever, though I am going to try and get to the helpdesk for a few months during an upcoming deployment for that experience. Should I expect to get out of the Army and work at a helpdesk to get more of the all around experience in the civilian sector?

If I leave service with my Bachelors, A+, N+, S+, CASP, CCNA, and CISSP, does this look like a well rounded resume, and should there be something else that I add to beef it up. Thanks for all the help!

Verities

typfromdaco wrote: »

For those of you that served in the military but weren't in long enough to retire, how long did it take to get to the same level of income or better?

I will have been a SSG in the Army for 12 years by time I finally ETS, but sometimes I get a little worried about that decision. I have completed my Bachelors and have the N+, S+, CCENT, and should have ICND2 by June. My biggest concern is the lack of medical benefits, because medical for myself and my family has always been free. I know that I absolutely do not want to stay active duty for another 8 years, but the unknown is what concerns me.

If I can get the input from those that have been in similar situations and how the decision has affected you, it would be much appreciated.

P.S. I will still be joining the Army Reserves to become an officer, so that I can at least get a retirement check at some point.

Thanks!

I got out of the Marines as an E5, making some stupid low amount of money (can't remember), I got into a paid internship program that paid me more than the military did. So my first job and every job (2) after that I've been making more than I did in the Marines.

Staying in the Reserves? Don't worry! They offer low cost medical rates (Tricare) to you when you sign up, for you and your family. Not sure if the Army has transition assistance programs that are mandatory, but if they do, pay attention because they will give you goldmines of info on how to ease your transition to the 1st Civ Div. In any case, you can get on unemployment right away, literally the day the Army stops paying you, go sign up for that and it should soften the blows at least until you can find a job somewhere.

Verities

typfromdaco wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the responses, you all have been very informative! My ETS is not until June 2017, but they are offering a program for those that enlist for the reserves to get out up to a year early. I am currently in Fort Hood and have decided that I want to work my way up in the IT field down the road in Austin, Texas, primarily because my threads I have read say that the field is booming in the area.

I am a 25N and have worked on the networking side using primarily OSPF, as well as network management in the G6 for First Team. I have not worked with Active Directory whatsoever, though I am going to try and get to the helpdesk for a few months during an upcoming deployment for that experience. Should I expect to get out of the Army and work at a helpdesk to get more of the all around experience in the civilian sector?

If I leave service with my Bachelors, A+, N+, S+, CASP, CCNA, and CISSP, does this look like a well rounded resume, and should there be something else that I add to beef it up. Thanks for all the help!

If I were in your position, I would aim high and hope for the best. You don't need to work the help desk to become well rounded, that's just where a lot of IT folks start out. Overall, your plan to have those certs and have a degree when you get out sounds very solid. Most people getting out of the military don't have a plan, but you do, so you're well ahead of the game.

JockVSJock

typfromdaco wrote: »

though I am going to try and get to the helpdesk for a few months during an upcoming deployment for that experience. Should I expect to get out of the Army and work at a helpdesk to get more of the all around experience in the civilian sector?

If I leave service with my Bachelors, A+, N+, S+, CASP, CCNA, and CISSP, does this look like a well rounded resume, and should there be something else that I add to beef it up. Thanks for all the help!

As a fellow US Army Soldier now making the transition back to private sector, if you are E6 with all of those credentials, I would strongly urge to seek more then just the help desk. I would recommend some sort of network admin position and there are many of those in Austin.

Hit me up with a pm and I can share some of my experiences with you.

SteveLord

zxbane wrote: »

This is a interesting post, the thing that would appeal to me about the reserves more than guard is that with reserves you can still work a full-time high paying job and do the reserves on the side, where with guard you still have to work for them if I am not mistaken?

Both are part time reserve components. Guardsmen can be called for state missions and the Guard itself is a lot bigger than the Army Reserve so there are many more units and opportunities. There may also be state specific benefits only for Guard members.

What you're likely talkign about are full time technician positions. These are federal jobs, but require you to be with a drilling unit. You still wear uniform, but are paid on the government scale.

Also, with government jobs you can double dip if you get called to training or deployment. Varies.

da_vato

Verities wrote: »

If I were in your position, I would aim high and hope for the best. You don't need to work the help desk to become well rounded, that's just where a lot of IT folks start out. Overall, your plan to have those certs and have a degree when you get out sounds very solid. Most people getting out of the military don't have a plan, but you do, so you're well ahead of the game.

I agree with Verities, I had lots of soldiers just focused on getting out and didn't have a plan some of them struggled for a while. I think your Cert plan is a great one plus you'll have plenty of documented time so you should be good to jump into a mid-level job no problem.

stryder144

I think that since you have experience and a plan, you should do fine during your transition. I think that your plan to get on with the helpdesk during your deployment is a good idea. Anything that you can add to a resume will potentially be helpful. Since you've got until 2017, I'd suggest that you start looking at what the job market in Austin is looking for and start tailoring your certification plan to that market. Get your Linkedin profile, if you have one (you do have one, right!?), filled out and start making connections in the Austin area. Join a meetup group of like-minded IT folks in Austin and periodically travel up there for the meetings. I realize that it takes over an hour to get there, but I feel that the face-to-face networking opportunities, paired with Linkedin, will help you out immensely.

Also, since you have so long, consider getting a masters degree. Since you've mentioned CISSP, Capitol College, WGU, and Dakota State University have masters degrees that I think would be beneficial to you. Check them out.

Lastly, if all of your debts are not paid off, put a budget and a plan together now in order to get rid of them before the transition. Being debt-free will lift a huge burden off of your shoulders during the transition, trust me.

Dieg0M

I also did 4 years and my income did not go down after leaving. I was actually pretty surprised that I could get a much higher salary as a civilian contractor than my wage in the Canadian military. Like others have said, make sure you leave with a plan and you should be fine.

zxbane

It's pretty awesome to see how many other former military people on here.

networker050184

I was in for six years as a 25N and my first job out was making $60k. Doubled that in four years. As everyone else said just be prepared and it won't be any problem making the transition. It's the people that don't learn a skill and get out with nothing to show that have a hard time.

Keroseen

networker050184 wrote: »

It's the people that don't learn a skill and get out with nothing to show that have a hard time.

Scored in the 98% percentile on my ASVABs, but wasn't smart enough not to select 11B as my MOS. Hoo-ah!

slushi

networker050184 wrote: »

..It's the people that don't learn a skill and get out with nothing to show that have a hard time.

As long as you can pass the APFT and qualify with your weapon, your army career is set.

Unfortunately, I've seen soldiers that get complacent because of that and do nothing outside of their duty hours.

To OP, your education and certifications will get you more than a help desk job. Like others have said, aim higher than that.

Look into joining the National Guard/Reserves. With the Guard, you can check out their technician program - will require you to stay in the Guard to keep your job, but it's definitely worth a shot. Check out usajobs.gov and search through their IT positions.

I've known joes with no certifications or degree get hired on to be GS7/GS9 off the bat with their only experience deriving from AIT and drill training. Because the Technician program requires the applicant to be a dual status member, it eliminates a lot of potential candidates (coughCompetitioncough) due to failed physicals,criminal records, unwillingness to enlist for X years etc.

SteveLord

The Guard technician positions (like all their full time) are indeed extremely competitive and generally don't take someone without a lick of experience. But most people that get them, stay for their entire career. Something to be said about that.

philz1982

I was a gunners mate E-5 us navy 02-07 got out was making equal to my pay (including housing). 7 years later I am 4x my navy pay.

jvrlopez

Got out as an E-4, took a year to end up making over 100% of my previous pay, but I spent that year in school.

sigsoldier

ETSing can definitely be scary. Plus having a family gives you more to think about. I left the Army as a 25B after 6.5 years and haven't looked back. I used the GI bill to get my Bachelors and then got a contracting job making more than triple what I was as an E-5. With your current and expected credentials, you should have no worries finding employment back in the DOD as either a contractor or govie.

Also I'd say save yourself some time and skip the CASP- go straight for CISSP.

Good luck!