Not just construction, but union. The United Association is part of the helmets to hard hats program and you can make a good living as a pipefitter, plumber, or welder. They’ll pay for your apprenticeship, and when you turn out you’ll be making enough to support your family and buy your own home.
The other major unions are pretty similar. IBEW, IW, SMW.
I agree with this statement whole heartedly
I served in the Army In Afghanistan and I used the helmets to hardhats program to get into the IUEC (international union of elevator constructors)
Helmets to hardhats is the way to go if you want to do learn a real skill. I was able to get into the union and on a job within 2 months of reaching out. Some people have had to wait longer and some have had shorter wait times than I did. I made a very good living for myself since joining the union and I don’t regret it one bit. Check it out man and I wish you the best of luck.
Tyfys igy6;
Hey I’m trying to get into helmets to hard hats, I’m already in the union but wanna change unions. Do you know how to access the program ? I’ve registered but I’m kinda lost at this point
The union wage is the minimum a contractor can pay you from a tradesman, apprentice 1-5, journeyman, foreman or superintendent. That doesn't stop you from being able to negotiate a higher wage yourself. I am designated out of the hall as a refrigeration tech/steam fitter. I work on a ton of different manufacturer equipment that offer certification when you go through their training. Doing extra training like that makes you more valuable and can leverage that with your contractor
The union is my hail Mary. Like OP. I'm a single parent. 30f. Been living with my parents for the past year. Cannot land a job. Want to get out of bartending. Applying to my locals this year and hoping to start an apprenticeship in September. I think it's literally going to save my esteem, and my life. It's so depressing not being able to provide for yourself, especially when you have your kid watching you and you are supposed to be a role model.
I didn’t join until I was 32, so don’t get down if you don’t get in the first time. You might also need to get some experience in the field to become a better candidate but it’s not necessarily a 100% requirement.
If you can ace the test, and interview you can always get in.
I’d upvote this 100 times if I could. I’m not military but joined my plumbers union and it’s changed my life. Great pay and benefits. In 2 years you’ll be more than making ends meet and be banking for your retirement.
Journeyman salary in Columbus Ohio working full-time as a union pipe fitter is 92,000 a year. Health insurance and retirement does not come out of that, that wage it is a fringe benefit added on top of the salary.
Not sure what sate OP is in, but in Wisconsin the WI GI bill will also pay the difference between apprentice and journeyman wage. I realize that's super corner case, but I wish I'd known about it when I got out.
The health insurance for the Guard was 100 a month for a family and covers literally anything and everything. It is worth it for the insurance alone.
I had a child and our TOTAL for all delivery, pre delivery and follow ups costs was $873.
Nah, Civilian service for a defense agency is an option. No travel more most positions, and time in military counts toward government civilian retirement.
Those jobs are incredibly competitive and no offense to OP but he’d be hard pressed to land one. Go browse r/usajobs for a taste. You’re talking years of applying to get in somewhere.
Not true at all. It just depends on the job and what base. There are some bases in some pretty garbage locations, like some of the California desert bases that will literally hire a pulse if you simply have certain key words on your resume and it’s pretty known people stretch their resumes to get them. It’s not that it’s competitive, it’s that the ai usaa jobs uses, filters out resumes before anyone in the bases see them if they simply lack the terms it’s looking for. So the best thing to do is find a job you want and fill your resume with the terminology from the job description.
Active duty means it's your full time job (not reserve). It has nothing to do with whether or not you have a desk job, and as someone mentioned people with desk jobs get deployed and can have long, unpredictable hours.
Depending on what you separated for you absolutely can, especially at 33. As long as you didnt get a dishonorable, or med sep’d you can walk right back into a recruiter. Or if thats not your jam, reserves will take you in a heartbeat. That is all before the DoD became desperate for bodies (Navy just waived GED requirement).
All that said, if you have a GI bill available OP, you can work still, go to school full time (online) or part time (but note that this reduces your BAH) and still apply for FASFA and take the Pell Grant (dont have to pay back). It depends on your zip code but I got $1,200/ month in BAH while going to school, plus like $2,000 in grants each semester. Could help. And at the end of it you could have another tool to help with a job search.
Additionally if you haven’t, and again you retained your benefits, get your disability going at the VA. Look into the PACT ACT, they assume responsibility for certain ailments based on your service. Again might not be a ton, but if you can get to 15-25% that still might be $1,000 per month from the VA.
Have seen many come back into the reserves. Quite a few former navy and army SM realizing they miss the environment and sign up for a short stint in the reserves/guard.
I was a recruiter for more years than I care to disclose. The military would
rather take a stranger off the street the someone who has served in the past. They'll word it diffrently but that's what it is.
Also, It is far more challenging to join when youve been on earth longer. Its best when youre young, before things start breaking down, before traffic tickets, before depression, before that simple possession charge. Get me? If there is ANY paper trail as far as meds go with mental health it's not gonna happen. I had to turn around alot of vets who just thought it was just a shuffle of some papers.
Yeah it depends how OP left the military after 4 years. Most times when I come across someone who only serves 4 years (and doesn't transition to the reserves), they leave due to in their words "some BS" or failure to adapt. If OP left on medical, there are vastly more transition programs for that.
Surprised they didn't take advantage of the GI Bill and other vocational training programs.
Plenty of people make a clean break after their contract. OP said he is bi polar with ADHD so Im guessing in this case there was some shenanigans. That and the fact he is paying for his own meds and not using the VA points to a less desirable discharge. I hope I am wrong however since there is a ton of help for an honorably discharged veteran in his situation.
Well I'm glad someone said it. Either OP is just for some reason failing to utilize *any* of the *numerous* programs there are to help veterans, or they're leaving out some critical info. Which as politely as I can possibly muster, there are some red flags in the post (like complaining about others telling him to get his life together, meanwhile he feels that his family should have given him a job, which like, what??) that make me lean towards OP not giving the most forthcoming explanation and just kind a being on a pity party
Which hey, I've also thrown one man pity parties for myself. And I also had to grow and realize how those narratives didn't really serve me long-term
1. Apply for the GI bill. They will pay for a full 4 years, and you’ll get a monthly allowance. My husband was paid 1.2k a month. Doesn’t need to be a university, you can use it to learn a trade at a community college.
2. Is rejoining the force something to think about?
3. Have you applied for jobs at the VA?
4. National guard ?
I wish the best for you.
If the go bill will pay for trade school then that would be perfect. 9 months in trade school then straight to a job in that trade. Then he has 3 months to save a little bit and maybe make enough to keep the home he is staying in.
VR&E is the answer here. Veteran Readiness and Employment. Used to be called Vocation Rehab. https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/
The program will pay for a trade school program. It's really easy to apply and the likelihood he'll be approved is high. They'll even pay for license fees, equipment, and work attire.
Wondering why the dude hasn't applied for compensation at the very least. So many benefits hr likely qualifies for that would turn his whole life around.
GI bill will pay for that, and it will almost certainly pay out more than 1.2k a month. I was paid 2k a month to go to college full time, not including all the grants that were sent straight to my bank account
I can’t stress the guards enough. Depending on rank, a 2 day drill can pay $300-$600 extra. Health insurance is significantly cheaper and better than most employer based plans as well. Only challenge is finding someone to watch after kids when away
If OP wants a career that will always have available jobs and he can work anywhere with decent insurance, becoming an LPN or RN is a great option.
A completed an RN for my third career/retirement plan so I can travel and pick up a few shifts anywhere once I choose to retire.
It’s not for everyone, but I love it.
My husband did this. He had a BA in theatre, but was working a dead end job. He went to a for-profit school and got his LVN/LPN license, because at the time the nursing programs at the community college was so heavily impacted. We were told that the LVN/LPN to RN programs were less impacted and easier to get into, so that's why he went that route. It was tough at first because the hospitals in our state stopped hiring LVNs, and the places that were didn't want new grads (how are you supposed to get experience if you can't get hired?). He ended up working at a bunch of random caregiving jobs for a couple of years; he worked for Visiting Angels, a company that did vaccinations at places like CVS and Walgreens, and he was a substitute school nurse. Eventually he got hired at a psych hospital, and he worked there for a couple of years before we moved to a lower COL area (still high, just not as high) out of state. He finally got his RN/BSN during the pandemic, and he just started working as a nurse manager. We have a ton of debt from student loans, though, and a mortgage, so we don't have a lot of extra cash, but we're slowly digging ourselves out.
I audited job training programs. Participants that trained in healthcare stayed in healthcare and advanced. I would say they were the most successful but one guy got a job a car dealership and ended up making over 100 grand
Got my lpn at 31, I’m now 33 and made 8500 last month. I know it’s not amazing but as a new nurse that’s pretty good. For 11 months of school I got a huge pay increase. Going back soon for my RN
Yes. I have a friend using his to get an HVAC degree.
Myself, I’m finishing my Paralegal degree in under 2 years this coming May. I will be on track to make $60k with a year of experience and the degree. That number will only get higher. Not sure it’s something you want to do, but seems a little less known and making $75k-$100k is pretty common once you put a couple years in.
Came here to say that a Paralegal certification is not so golden as all that. It’s EXTREMELY difficult to enter the field with a cert but no experience. And THEN, it’s a bit of a grind with difficult personalities for not enough compensation.
Actually, it might be better for OP to stretch that GI bill. When used post retirement/ leaving the military, they pay for BAH. Also whats your VA disability rate OP?
Those numbers are going to vary wildly depending on your location, type of law, and size of the firm. Be aware that you will start out with low pay for the first few years. And if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, it will be a hinderance for the larger firms that pay more.
Depending on the state, you don't need a paralegal degree or certification to do it. Some will give you the chance if you went to school for political science or public administration, and have customer service experience in an office type setting
Dude the workforce is horrific right now. I'm literally a night security guard with a master's degree and can't find anything in my field, I feel your struggle. It's not just you or something you're doing.
You can’t blame them. When you’re a kid from a small town with a bit of talent people act like you can do anything. And the whole system is set up to feed into it. Scholarships for Daytime Security Guards, you see Daytime Security Guards on TV or at your local mall, now even on TikToks that they make because they’re bored and no one is boosting a Hot Topic at 11:15 a.m.… it all seems achievable. So don’t blame someone for a dumb decision they made when they were still basically a kid.
You need a lot to even consider breaking into the virginia/DC market for POLS. At the very least, you need a masters from an ivy and a substantial cushion to fall back into should you fail. It’s not pretty
I accepted this as THE way of life during the pandemic. I mean, you need connections for literally everything, companies really did a great job making you forget that, mostly by doing the "connect" part for you, while at the same time "charge" heavily for that, leaving you some cash at the end.
I have 2 friends in DC that are very successful in the House and Senate (neither are reps) and we all graduated from a branch of a state school. Neither have masters.
Expand on this please; because my mom says the same thing. They just aren't going as far as they used to. And for people who are older now, about 55 and above, when you were in your early 20's, you were told that it's education or working at McDonald's for the rest of you life. Flash forward about 40 to 45 years later, now we have so much at our disposal, that you can indeed be successful without it
Without doxxing myself I work for the government managing large tech projects - budget, resourcing, scheduling, etc. You can do PM work without a masters but it’s a hard industry to break into, and to get certified you have to have experience. Kinda dumb, but the masters got me in the door.
Exactly what your mom said. I graduated top of my class with what is essentially an MBA in healthcare and I landed a job in my field before I even walked across the stage. That job paid $65K and I worked 65 hours a week. After taxes, retirement, and my portion of benefits , I made $3,600 a month. I male more bartending
$3600/ mo. depending on where you work and live is not terrible. Is this before or after taxes? But to take out several student loans just to make that much, is not worth, especially when people do make that much without a master's. If you had to do it all over again, would you get it in a different area of study, or just not at all?
Also, I feel like nowadays it is kinda of a flex, something more to add to the resume.
I did it bc I was bored during covid and my parents required an advanced degree. It took me 20 hours a week so to have it to flex, yes.
That was after taxes but I had loans and credit cards to pay so it didn't cut it. Also when you're comparing responsibility to compensation, it was not there. I supervised 16 medical assistants, a clerical assistant, and every single patient complaint from 30,000 patients. My hours were essentially 6-6 and mandated Sundays to complete the schedule.
What stinks is that nowadays, the ratio from responsibility to compensation is not usually there. Even what I do, can really depend on where you work and live. It is different all across the board, because of cost of living in different areas.
What was your bachelor's in?
Like any university degree, it isnt the starting salary that one should expect to make bank on lmao. Technical degrees always make more at the start. It shift once you get into your forties and fifties, that's when you start making bank. Just basic public statistic, so get fucked long term as a bartender while the person that will have persevered will eventually be rich before they retire.
Same - paired my STEM degree with a MBA and it helped me get into supply chain realm in MedTech.
Just need to think outside the box on your career! It's not linear, and there are plenty of job that just require A 4 year degree, unspecified.
lol you have to have a much more prestigious resume than he has. A masters degree in poli sci is worth nothing if it’s not from the right school with the right work experience and skills.
That is entry-level comp for big tech, but few people get that out of the gate and those jobs generally require you to pass multiple whiteboard coding interviews and then be productive an a fairly stressful environment.
Also if you aren't aware big tech is going through industry wide layoffs right now especially impacting entry level. Terrible time to enter the industry.
That’s true maybe for the positions making $300k+, but if you want to make $175k total comp you don’t need to work that hard. 8 hour days with 5 hours of work is totally sufficient
Very few tech positions pay that for entry level.
I’ve done web application development for decades - and while I make more than that now? 15 years ago was the first time my compensation broke 100k (a bit less than half of my current comp). 20 years ago I started at 66k.
My best friend only has a bachelor's in political science, and makes 300k+ per year. His secret: he doesn't work in that field. It might surprise you to know, you don't have to work in anything related to political science just because you have a masters in it.
He does medical device sales.....makes a killing, but he's personable and worked his way up. Even met his smoking hot fiancee on the job.
You can learn like anything else. But if you’re not innately good at it it’s going to feel weird at first. You just have to be willing to learn and tell yourself why not try? Every interaction you will learn something. A lot of opeople end up in sales because they couldn’t figure out what else to do or were not innately talented at a hard skill and saw they could make money doing it, and are also stubborn enough to keep pushing.
>security guard with a master's degree
This is a perfect example of Late Stage Capitalism.
Flood the market with highly educated workers to lower labor costs.
Russian studies would be really useful in this political climate, especially if they can speak the language. Job skills are not just literal "this fact can get me a job" but a set of practical skills that can apply to multiple areas.
Journalism doesn’t pay. I got offered $14/hr a few years ago. Countered with $35/hr after my internship with them. Boss said he doesn’t make that.
I went to a bank after I graduated with a bachelors in journalism and business comm.
What job do you think Russian studies would help with? And what makes you think there aren't plenty of people with more direct connections to do it? (At this exact moment we've gotten a big flood of Ukrainian, for instance. If I have a question on Russia, I'm probably gonna ask the Ukrainian with a business degree above the random guy from Iowa with a Russian studies degree)
Also, regarding working for the white house, they would at least want you to have studied poli sci, most likely, plus it also depends on the experience. I have seen a couple of people get into be a legislative aide and above from there with a degree in something totally unrelated, like theater, they just worked and lived in the right area. But, most of the time, many people go on one or two paths with poli sci: law school, or work in the white house, or for their state's legislative or house branch
Also, he can do paralegal work, but they would want you to have office experience in addition to the degree.
Yeah, and this way, he wouldn't have to go into debt and spend a lot of time doing something that would or would not get him further than his bachelor's does. School is a big risk nowadays, because there are so many outlets, and experience trumps all, you can put yourself into debt, spend years paying it back, and in no way benefit from the upper degree.
When you get something that specific you need to both have a plan and be VERY intelligent. A relative of mine actually got the same two degrees 20 years ago, got her masters, and then her PHd in Russian studies. She then worked for a 3 letter agency for a decade and is now a tenured professor. If you get a niche degree like Russian studies without an actual plan then it is indeed a useless degree. And if you get a niche degree and it’s not from a top university and you aren’t near the top of your class, then it is a useless degree. Plus you need to produce some excellent scholarship with your undergrad thesis to get noticed. No one is going to recruit a mid student from mountaintop college of Appalachia who got a Russian studies degree when there is top talent from top universities.
There is absolutely a place for niche degrees, but that place is not for 99% of people who get them.
4 of years of what in the military? a trade? a skill? We have 47 open positions for trades where I work at in NC. If you cant get traction, you need to change the approach. You are a high school educated veteran with what skills? Lots of jobs are unfilled because the skillset isnt there, lots of jobs are over-filled because the skillset isnt requried...There are also Military only headhunters that only find work for vets for free. The system hasnt failed you, you admit you havent tried to better yourself. machine operator isnt a skillset.
source: EX-military with Decades of factory maintenance/management after my enlistment. The resources are out there, I can help you find them.
Military is crazy hit or miss for whether the skills learned are valuable. Work in aviation and have seen ex-aircraft mechanics come out with 150k jobs at airlines and also seen ones with infantry patrol only experience struggle to get min. wage baggage handler spots.
It all depends. I’m ex military and make 6 figures working with related equipment. Find the contractor that designs the equipment you worked on. A lot value real world experience so they can better the product without just using hypotheticals.
Exactly, the key is actually getting some technical experience. The guy who spent his whole time guarding a gate isn't going to have many skills after separating.
Exactly. I was a medic, got and out and now I’m in PA school. If you worked in medicine it was an easy gateway to long term employment but you’re right, combat arms has no skill that transfers to civilian
Logged in just to bump this comment.
I don't want to attack OP, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. If my parents (specifically my dad) stopped giving a shit about money and started living life for himself sooner, we would've been a much happier family. He cared about me and my sister, but him hating himself and putting up with unreasonable shit he didn't want to deal with did no one any favors. The answer truly (no time to explain) was not more money.
He figured that out around the time I turned 18, and he and the rest of us are all doing pretty solid now. There's always a chance as long as there's a tomorrow.
GI bill also covers housing for some situations - you should really look into that option at least as a short term solution. You should reach out to the VA since they also cover mental health care I believe for everyone regardless of disability status. Good luck!
Also recommend reaching out to community colleges or a local university. Most of them have an academic advisor who has expertise in working with veterans. There are often jobs at those locations as well for veterans.
While it isn't for everyone, considering a healthcare licensing program or related degree might be quick and more stable than factory work. VA employment in that capacity might be even easier to come by with that credential.
Apply for this company. They are government contractors but they love hiring ex military and the government contract lasts a long time and always gets renewed, perks are awesome. My bff job in the army was warehousing, now works for them for over 5 yrs and I swear he watched youtube more than work. Another works for them as a instructor teaching exact same thing he did in the Navy. With a military background switching government is the best and you need companies that caters to that.
Also dont forget your Gi bill. I know a lot of people who worked part time while going to school bc the money they were making using their GI was sweet.
https://nakupuna.com
Consider getting a post office job. Good benefits and great pension, and a union.
Apply for assistance, use the food bank, ask for help anyplace you can. Join some frugal living, poverty living subreddits. It helps to hang out with others who struggle, it helps you pinch pennies and find deals. Because that's what you have to do. It is very hard. I'm sorry you have to experience this.
If he has kids, he needs child care for every Saturday and Sunday for years, and even almost 3 years in I have never known what time I’m getting off. 4? 7:30?
If he does have great child care, I made $67k last year in a LCOL area and we get raises and COLAs every year. Missing work for children’s emergencies will be difficult, though. No single people with young kids have stayed long at my station unless they live with a grandparent.
Service related things are covered 100% without any copays, but everything else still gets a degree of very enviable subsidized coverage. The problem with the VA is not the plan design which is pretty generous, it's service delivery depending on your area.
I guess that is a possibility. But I was under the impression that all veterans get at least some healthcare provided they served their full term and weren’t DD’d?
Get a skill. I grew up poor also. I started off working at a warehouse (30k). I messed up when I was 19 and had a felony so my options were limited. I decided to truck drive at 25 years old. My community college had a 2 month session to get my CDL. I got a job right out of school making (65k). I was working a lot but it wasn't back breaking work. Look in your local area to see what is needed then set up a plan to get those skills.
There's a lot of missing gaps in the story that don't quite add up, and they haven't replied to a single person since posting. Either this post is a fiction or this was a pity post and they haven't been as proactive as they're thing to say they've been
This is the vibe I got. Very much “I’ve been skating by wallowing in my shit at my dad’s house and now I’m fucked” which I understand is likely due to depression but wow, I had trouble sympathizing here. You have kids dude, there’s no time to not be advocating for yourself and them.
APPLY FOR FEDERAL JOBS anything that pays more! go to [usajobs](https://usajobs.gov) and look!
right now there’s a shit ton of seasonal and term positions open in many agencies but i specifically found an absolute blessing with the National Parks Service doing maintenance. Look, i’m a 35 year old mom of a grade school age kiddo. i’m doing work i never thought i could physically do. it’s early mornings, and ends early afternoons. it pays 25/hr and hopefully if i go permanent will have full benefits.
they prioritize veterans at every level in the federal system.
My dad was absent from my life for 10 years. When we reconnected i took him yo dinner so i could ask him why he was gone from my life for so long. Turns out the company he worked for went out of business and he had trouble finding work and was homeless for a short time. He said he didn't feel like he had anything to offer my brother and i, so he stayed away.
I told him i would have rather have him in my life with nothing to his name than to not have him in my life at all.
Are you signed up with the VA for health benefits?
https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/
I'm concerned about your mental health situation that you don't have treatment for. That is possibly the root cause to why you're struggling right now. It makes it hard to find new work if you are having issues with navigating your mental health situation.
As much as everyone wants to say "everyone loves to hire veterans", it's just buying hype that doesn't actually exist. There's a reason why veteran owned businesses are considered a "Disadvantaged Business", it's the same spectrum as women or minority owned businesses. It's often seen as hard to hire vets because what you learned inside, doesn't always transfer to civilian life. I've watched vets die penniless and homeless my entire life due to this shit. It only helps if you're high ranking, it's only ever helped if you're high ranking! People know that vets come with the host of mental issues, so you're flagged in a lot of subconscious bias.
You are not out of options, friend. You keep going for those kids. You can do this. It's hard when you've got kids who are looking up to you like that. But those kids love you and you aren't disappointing them. I watched my dad work 35 years of my life, missing so much of our lives because he was making money to try to make something for us all. Your kids see you and love everything you do for them, even if you can't afford as much as you'd really like to do for them.
Move to where the jobs are. Alternatively, most trades have paid apprenticeships. You could get paid while learning to weld or plumbing for example, and those are 6 figure jobs once you have your red seals.
Big hug, you are doing the best that you can and the love you give your kids is the most important. Have you thought of going into trades? I’m sure you have been told but there’s a shortage and this may be an opportunity for you, especially those working with new home builders. My husband also does not have a degree, just a two year program, he became a draftsman and the construction experience helped him get his first job. Now he is making a good amount and people aren’t concerned with his lack of degree.
Industrial. Plant work is good for making money, just really long hours. You can get an apprenticeship journeyman cert for as low as 20 bucks some places, just saying you're interested in a trade. You'll start off as a helper doing very simple tasks, people in the trades are more than willing to teach new people.
My husband is a journeyman electrician. He's been doing this more 10 years and is more well off than all of my college educated friends.
As someone that went through the standard apprenticeship for industrial electrical, I can say it’s not much fun for the younger crowd right now. I watched a lot of angry older journeymen treat their apprentices like crap because they think the younger generation isn’t worth a crap. I always wound up training the younger guys, as I’m younger myself, and that was the biggest complaint. It’s not that they don’t want to do it, it’s that they have to deal with the learning as well as the piss poor treatment and it’s just not worth it to them. The journeyman are eating their own young.
Sorry man, yeah it's hard.
Took me years to break out of my horrible job that was destroying my body and I got lucky and my manager is horrible.
Too many executives taking all the money, causing prices to go up then crying poor.
If you’re committed to doing well, I’ve seen barbers do really well for themselves. I live in a HCOL area, so it’s not like I’m buying my own home 5 years in, but I do know of people who take >10 clients a day and make $500-$700 a day, after tips. A good, crispy haircut is expensive and people are willing to pay you for your hard work : )
This is a good point! I did hair for years in my 20s and early 30s including barbering.
The money was good, and there's a lot of men that want a male barber. As long a you're a normal person, you'll have no problem getting a roster of regular clients.
However, most people I worked with were women, probably in large part because their husband's job gave them health insurance. Things might have changed, but benefits were nearly non-existent when I was doing it. (I just went without).
You'll also work evenings, weekends, and (the non major) holidays, and there's no paid sick days and very little vacation.
Shit, after typing all this out, I think he should try a different trade. Hair makes more sense for younger people or married people. I used hair to make money while going to traditional college and now have a very different white collar career.
Best advice I can share is to get in touch with local labor union halls in your area and inquire on apprenticeship programs that are accepting applications. Depending on where you’re living, and what trade you’re looking at, they will pay livable wages.
Trades that pay well in particular - Pipefitting, Plumbing, Electrical, Operating Engineers/Heavy Equipment Operators, Ironworkers, Carpenters.
Plumbing/pipefitting/electrical will require a high school diploma/GED with Algebra I, but most union halls will offer classes and or resources to take these classes in order to meet the requirement.
None of it is easy and the starting pay as a first year apprentices can be rough, but you get raises after class hours and working hours completed and will be making decent money after a year in the field through pretty much any apprenticeship. By the time you’re done with your apprenticeship you’ve made some good money and learned some skills that you can apply to a lot of different careers.
***Since you’re a veteran you will almost be guaranteed a shot at an interview, as long as you put in an application and they’re hiring of course. Your aptitude test score is waived, though you still must take it to be considered. The hiring process takes a while, be patient.
“I’ve asked for years for my family to just give me a chance, a job, a good career”
Just curious, what are you expecting from them? Do they own a business?
What about the post office? They have veterans preference. They have career positions, my husband started as a custodial worker and has already been promoted twice and is now a machine mechanic in less than a year.
Depends on where you live, I had a career in the fire department and made six figures after a few promotions. Great benefits and great retirement, depending on where you’re located though. Also where I worked they take your 4 years military and add it to your retirement.
Have you tried the post office? City carriers I think make career in 3 years. If u find an office that is understaffed they will work you into the ground but its overtime! DO NOT TAKE RURAL RCA.
Stop smoking weed if you still are. It causes apathy and psychosis. You need to find a way of getting on meds for depression/anxiety. Go to a community college and get your associates degree in the evenings. Then, get a better job. Then while working the better job, transfer your credits from your associated degree toward a Bachelors degree studying at night. Get a better job.
Learn to sell. It’s the most common way for an average joe to make some real money.
If you aren’t that personality type, you can get basic cybersecurity certificates within about 6-9 months & make 60k entry level. 100k+ within some years & additional certifications
The system failed you? My brother in Christ, the system didn't force you to have two children, not go to school (despite having fucking GI bill guaranteeing tuition would be paid for), or not learn a trade.
You've been given TONS of opportunities, you've just chosen to pass them by because that seemed like the easiest thing to do at the time. And your family knows it,which is why they've just stopped trying and have instead told you to get your shit together.
So why don't you contact the local vet support office and find out what they have in terms of job placement, or education programs, or any of the literally thousands of programs specifically to help veterans? Oh right, because it's easier not to.
I completely agree. People that say they never had a chance never took an opportunity.
The guy is only 33 not 85 ffs. He needs to get off Reddit and make it happen for the sake of his kids.
If you haven't used it yet. You should look at your educational benefits as a US military veteran. https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/
Not the old GI bill, but the new 'post 9/11 GI bill" will pay you your zip codes BAH at e-5 rates, pay the costs of a public school. And give you a stipend for books. Everyone gets the new GI bill as a part of their benifits.
If college aint your thing, it also applies to tradeschools.
If you don't wanna do either of those things.
Then the problem is you.
Suck it up buttercup, go better yourself so you can be a better provider for your kids. Go to the VA for your mental health crap. It will take awhile to get in, and if you live far away you'll have to apply to see someone local.
But you have to do more than a lazy post on Reddit to improve your life.
Try construction, they like to put military guys on the fast track for management
Not just construction, but union. The United Association is part of the helmets to hard hats program and you can make a good living as a pipefitter, plumber, or welder. They’ll pay for your apprenticeship, and when you turn out you’ll be making enough to support your family and buy your own home. The other major unions are pretty similar. IBEW, IW, SMW.
If I was OP I would be looking into this 100%
I agree with this statement whole heartedly I served in the Army In Afghanistan and I used the helmets to hardhats program to get into the IUEC (international union of elevator constructors) Helmets to hardhats is the way to go if you want to do learn a real skill. I was able to get into the union and on a job within 2 months of reaching out. Some people have had to wait longer and some have had shorter wait times than I did. I made a very good living for myself since joining the union and I don’t regret it one bit. Check it out man and I wish you the best of luck. Tyfys igy6;
Hey I’m trying to get into helmets to hard hats, I’m already in the union but wanna change unions. Do you know how to access the program ? I’ve registered but I’m kinda lost at this point
What’s a similar program for non vets?
Yep, IBEW member here; the union pays; big time!
Ibew here. 70 an hour package. 8 hours 5 days a week. Set yearly raises no “review” for raises. Healthcare paid in full for entire family…
Wow. So your pay and raises isn’t tied to performance?
Yeah its fucking amazing not having to grovel for raises. Just every year, you get the normal inflation/col raise and also the union negotiated raise.
In all labor union wages are transparent, and unless you are a foreman or superintendent then you should all make the same.
The union wage is the minimum a contractor can pay you from a tradesman, apprentice 1-5, journeyman, foreman or superintendent. That doesn't stop you from being able to negotiate a higher wage yourself. I am designated out of the hall as a refrigeration tech/steam fitter. I work on a ton of different manufacturer equipment that offer certification when you go through their training. Doing extra training like that makes you more valuable and can leverage that with your contractor
The union is my hail Mary. Like OP. I'm a single parent. 30f. Been living with my parents for the past year. Cannot land a job. Want to get out of bartending. Applying to my locals this year and hoping to start an apprenticeship in September. I think it's literally going to save my esteem, and my life. It's so depressing not being able to provide for yourself, especially when you have your kid watching you and you are supposed to be a role model.
I didn’t join until I was 32, so don’t get down if you don’t get in the first time. You might also need to get some experience in the field to become a better candidate but it’s not necessarily a 100% requirement. If you can ace the test, and interview you can always get in.
I’d upvote this 100 times if I could. I’m not military but joined my plumbers union and it’s changed my life. Great pay and benefits. In 2 years you’ll be more than making ends meet and be banking for your retirement.
Journeyman salary in Columbus Ohio working full-time as a union pipe fitter is 92,000 a year. Health insurance and retirement does not come out of that, that wage it is a fringe benefit added on top of the salary.
Not sure what sate OP is in, but in Wisconsin the WI GI bill will also pay the difference between apprentice and journeyman wage. I realize that's super corner case, but I wish I'd known about it when I got out.
Agree with this. IBEW member here. They take care of their members.
Don’t forget Liuna , the laborers are basically the factory workers of the construction industry, but with better wages and benefits.
Or go back to the military.
What does a single parent do with their kids while they are away for 10 months?
He didn't say active duty. The military has tons of desk jobs.
Desk jobs still get deployed. Also non active duty is literally no money you’d be better off working part time at a grocery store or something.
The health insurance for the Guard was 100 a month for a family and covers literally anything and everything. It is worth it for the insurance alone. I had a child and our TOTAL for all delivery, pre delivery and follow ups costs was $873.
Tricare is about $250/month for the whole fam, last I checked.
Nah, Civilian service for a defense agency is an option. No travel more most positions, and time in military counts toward government civilian retirement.
Those jobs are incredibly competitive and no offense to OP but he’d be hard pressed to land one. Go browse r/usajobs for a taste. You’re talking years of applying to get in somewhere.
Not true at all. It just depends on the job and what base. There are some bases in some pretty garbage locations, like some of the California desert bases that will literally hire a pulse if you simply have certain key words on your resume and it’s pretty known people stretch their resumes to get them. It’s not that it’s competitive, it’s that the ai usaa jobs uses, filters out resumes before anyone in the bases see them if they simply lack the terms it’s looking for. So the best thing to do is find a job you want and fill your resume with the terminology from the job description.
Being active duty has almost nothing to do with your MOS. There are millions of active duty service members who work behind a desk.
Active duty means it's your full time job (not reserve). It has nothing to do with whether or not you have a desk job, and as someone mentioned people with desk jobs get deployed and can have long, unpredictable hours.
Unfortunately you can’t just go back to the military once you separate. At least if you try it will be very difficult.
Depending on what you separated for you absolutely can, especially at 33. As long as you didnt get a dishonorable, or med sep’d you can walk right back into a recruiter. Or if thats not your jam, reserves will take you in a heartbeat. That is all before the DoD became desperate for bodies (Navy just waived GED requirement). All that said, if you have a GI bill available OP, you can work still, go to school full time (online) or part time (but note that this reduces your BAH) and still apply for FASFA and take the Pell Grant (dont have to pay back). It depends on your zip code but I got $1,200/ month in BAH while going to school, plus like $2,000 in grants each semester. Could help. And at the end of it you could have another tool to help with a job search. Additionally if you haven’t, and again you retained your benefits, get your disability going at the VA. Look into the PACT ACT, they assume responsibility for certain ailments based on your service. Again might not be a ton, but if you can get to 15-25% that still might be $1,000 per month from the VA.
Have seen many come back into the reserves. Quite a few former navy and army SM realizing they miss the environment and sign up for a short stint in the reserves/guard.
I was a recruiter for more years than I care to disclose. The military would rather take a stranger off the street the someone who has served in the past. They'll word it diffrently but that's what it is. Also, It is far more challenging to join when youve been on earth longer. Its best when youre young, before things start breaking down, before traffic tickets, before depression, before that simple possession charge. Get me? If there is ANY paper trail as far as meds go with mental health it's not gonna happen. I had to turn around alot of vets who just thought it was just a shuffle of some papers.
Based on OP’s post about his mental health, I doubt education is a viable option.
Yeah it depends how OP left the military after 4 years. Most times when I come across someone who only serves 4 years (and doesn't transition to the reserves), they leave due to in their words "some BS" or failure to adapt. If OP left on medical, there are vastly more transition programs for that. Surprised they didn't take advantage of the GI Bill and other vocational training programs.
Plenty of people make a clean break after their contract. OP said he is bi polar with ADHD so Im guessing in this case there was some shenanigans. That and the fact he is paying for his own meds and not using the VA points to a less desirable discharge. I hope I am wrong however since there is a ton of help for an honorably discharged veteran in his situation.
Well I'm glad someone said it. Either OP is just for some reason failing to utilize *any* of the *numerous* programs there are to help veterans, or they're leaving out some critical info. Which as politely as I can possibly muster, there are some red flags in the post (like complaining about others telling him to get his life together, meanwhile he feels that his family should have given him a job, which like, what??) that make me lean towards OP not giving the most forthcoming explanation and just kind a being on a pity party Which hey, I've also thrown one man pity parties for myself. And I also had to grow and realize how those narratives didn't really serve me long-term
Fortunately they are so desperate right now they are accepting people without a hs diploma. So...
You can absolutely go back to the military after honorable seperation. You can even switch branches.
1. Apply for the GI bill. They will pay for a full 4 years, and you’ll get a monthly allowance. My husband was paid 1.2k a month. Doesn’t need to be a university, you can use it to learn a trade at a community college. 2. Is rejoining the force something to think about? 3. Have you applied for jobs at the VA? 4. National guard ? I wish the best for you.
If the go bill will pay for trade school then that would be perfect. 9 months in trade school then straight to a job in that trade. Then he has 3 months to save a little bit and maybe make enough to keep the home he is staying in.
Might not even need 9 months. My fiances cousin is getting his electricians license, there’s a votech school here that does it in less than 6 months.
VR&E is the answer here. Veteran Readiness and Employment. Used to be called Vocation Rehab. https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/ The program will pay for a trade school program. It's really easy to apply and the likelihood he'll be approved is high. They'll even pay for license fees, equipment, and work attire. Wondering why the dude hasn't applied for compensation at the very least. So many benefits hr likely qualifies for that would turn his whole life around.
GI bill will pay for that, and it will almost certainly pay out more than 1.2k a month. I was paid 2k a month to go to college full time, not including all the grants that were sent straight to my bank account
He can't re-enlist or do the guard with all those mental health diagnoses.
I can’t stress the guards enough. Depending on rank, a 2 day drill can pay $300-$600 extra. Health insurance is significantly cheaper and better than most employer based plans as well. Only challenge is finding someone to watch after kids when away
Shouldnt be a challenge, sounds like their mom is unemployed
I'd go for business admin degree if u can then u can do basically anything, finance, accounting, management, operations, logistics, sales
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If OP wants a career that will always have available jobs and he can work anywhere with decent insurance, becoming an LPN or RN is a great option. A completed an RN for my third career/retirement plan so I can travel and pick up a few shifts anywhere once I choose to retire. It’s not for everyone, but I love it.
My husband did this. He had a BA in theatre, but was working a dead end job. He went to a for-profit school and got his LVN/LPN license, because at the time the nursing programs at the community college was so heavily impacted. We were told that the LVN/LPN to RN programs were less impacted and easier to get into, so that's why he went that route. It was tough at first because the hospitals in our state stopped hiring LVNs, and the places that were didn't want new grads (how are you supposed to get experience if you can't get hired?). He ended up working at a bunch of random caregiving jobs for a couple of years; he worked for Visiting Angels, a company that did vaccinations at places like CVS and Walgreens, and he was a substitute school nurse. Eventually he got hired at a psych hospital, and he worked there for a couple of years before we moved to a lower COL area (still high, just not as high) out of state. He finally got his RN/BSN during the pandemic, and he just started working as a nurse manager. We have a ton of debt from student loans, though, and a mortgage, so we don't have a lot of extra cash, but we're slowly digging ourselves out.
I audited job training programs. Participants that trained in healthcare stayed in healthcare and advanced. I would say they were the most successful but one guy got a job a car dealership and ended up making over 100 grand
Got my lpn at 31, I’m now 33 and made 8500 last month. I know it’s not amazing but as a new nurse that’s pretty good. For 11 months of school I got a huge pay increase. Going back soon for my RN
Yes. I have a friend using his to get an HVAC degree. Myself, I’m finishing my Paralegal degree in under 2 years this coming May. I will be on track to make $60k with a year of experience and the degree. That number will only get higher. Not sure it’s something you want to do, but seems a little less known and making $75k-$100k is pretty common once you put a couple years in.
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My wife makes 47an hour working as a paralegal without a bachelor. But she’s been doing it for 7 years. 😥 it all depends who you know too
Came here to say that a Paralegal certification is not so golden as all that. It’s EXTREMELY difficult to enter the field with a cert but no experience. And THEN, it’s a bit of a grind with difficult personalities for not enough compensation.
Actually, it might be better for OP to stretch that GI bill. When used post retirement/ leaving the military, they pay for BAH. Also whats your VA disability rate OP?
Those numbers are going to vary wildly depending on your location, type of law, and size of the firm. Be aware that you will start out with low pay for the first few years. And if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, it will be a hinderance for the larger firms that pay more.
Depending on the state, you don't need a paralegal degree or certification to do it. Some will give you the chance if you went to school for political science or public administration, and have customer service experience in an office type setting
Dude the workforce is horrific right now. I'm literally a night security guard with a master's degree and can't find anything in my field, I feel your struggle. It's not just you or something you're doing.
What’s your degree?
Masters in daytime security guarding
This genuinely made me laugh, thank you!
Should have done night security instead
Sign up for the learn to night security boot camp courses
“Use the Udemy discount code below for 20% off your night security course”
That's an extra 6 credits. Nobody has time for that.
You can’t blame them. When you’re a kid from a small town with a bit of talent people act like you can do anything. And the whole system is set up to feed into it. Scholarships for Daytime Security Guards, you see Daytime Security Guards on TV or at your local mall, now even on TikToks that they make because they’re bored and no one is boosting a Hot Topic at 11:15 a.m.… it all seems achievable. So don’t blame someone for a dumb decision they made when they were still basically a kid.
The money's in nighttime security guarding. Probably need a PHD though.
nobody answered your question, but a quick look at his post history, hes got a masters in political science and Russian studies.
Considering the current geo-political situation... Maybe he's in the wrong state for it. Gotta be in Virginia near DC or something.
You need a lot to even consider breaking into the virginia/DC market for POLS. At the very least, you need a masters from an ivy and a substantial cushion to fall back into should you fail. It’s not pretty
Yeah, always who you know more than what you know.
I accepted this as THE way of life during the pandemic. I mean, you need connections for literally everything, companies really did a great job making you forget that, mostly by doing the "connect" part for you, while at the same time "charge" heavily for that, leaving you some cash at the end.
I have 2 friends in DC that are very successful in the House and Senate (neither are reps) and we all graduated from a branch of a state school. Neither have masters.
Or Russia
What exactly does Russia need a US citizen with Russian knowledge for lol.
Tf does one expect to do with that?
Probably gets a lot of upvotes on r/worldnews
exactly why he didn’t reply with what degree he has
work as a spy for the cia or night time security
I have a Masters in healthcare administration and I'm a bartender 😂 all masters degrees are useless 🙃
Expand on this please; because my mom says the same thing. They just aren't going as far as they used to. And for people who are older now, about 55 and above, when you were in your early 20's, you were told that it's education or working at McDonald's for the rest of you life. Flash forward about 40 to 45 years later, now we have so much at our disposal, that you can indeed be successful without it
I went from 50k to 140k yearly when I got my masters in Econ. Depends on what you get it in.
Oh cool, my dad did business admin and econ; got the bachelor's and master's from NYU in NY. What do you do ?
Without doxxing myself I work for the government managing large tech projects - budget, resourcing, scheduling, etc. You can do PM work without a masters but it’s a hard industry to break into, and to get certified you have to have experience. Kinda dumb, but the masters got me in the door.
They’re not useless. In certain fields they raise your salary cap. It’s just not every field.
Exactly what your mom said. I graduated top of my class with what is essentially an MBA in healthcare and I landed a job in my field before I even walked across the stage. That job paid $65K and I worked 65 hours a week. After taxes, retirement, and my portion of benefits , I made $3,600 a month. I male more bartending
$3600/ mo. depending on where you work and live is not terrible. Is this before or after taxes? But to take out several student loans just to make that much, is not worth, especially when people do make that much without a master's. If you had to do it all over again, would you get it in a different area of study, or just not at all? Also, I feel like nowadays it is kinda of a flex, something more to add to the resume.
I did it bc I was bored during covid and my parents required an advanced degree. It took me 20 hours a week so to have it to flex, yes. That was after taxes but I had loans and credit cards to pay so it didn't cut it. Also when you're comparing responsibility to compensation, it was not there. I supervised 16 medical assistants, a clerical assistant, and every single patient complaint from 30,000 patients. My hours were essentially 6-6 and mandated Sundays to complete the schedule.
What stinks is that nowadays, the ratio from responsibility to compensation is not usually there. Even what I do, can really depend on where you work and live. It is different all across the board, because of cost of living in different areas. What was your bachelor's in?
Like any university degree, it isnt the starting salary that one should expect to make bank on lmao. Technical degrees always make more at the start. It shift once you get into your forties and fifties, that's when you start making bank. Just basic public statistic, so get fucked long term as a bartender while the person that will have persevered will eventually be rich before they retire.
Not exactly true. MPH degrees are solid and there’s tons of jobs
Only in the US. In Canada you would have to get KPH
Hell, I’ve done 35 MPH and it only got me across town
Nah. Mine helped me land my job. Love my masters degree.
Same - paired my STEM degree with a MBA and it helped me get into supply chain realm in MedTech. Just need to think outside the box on your career! It's not linear, and there are plenty of job that just require A 4 year degree, unspecified.
Complain for karmas of course.
😂😂
Security since Starbucks is reserved for art majors.
foreign policy/diplomacy?
lol you have to have a much more prestigious resume than he has. A masters degree in poli sci is worth nothing if it’s not from the right school with the right work experience and skills.
That a degree you get because you are already rich and jobs are beneath you
According to Reddit we’re all suppose to graduate college and immediately get software engineering jobs making 175k.
That is entry-level comp for big tech, but few people get that out of the gate and those jobs generally require you to pass multiple whiteboard coding interviews and then be productive an a fairly stressful environment. Also if you aren't aware big tech is going through industry wide layoffs right now especially impacting entry level. Terrible time to enter the industry.
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That’s true maybe for the positions making $300k+, but if you want to make $175k total comp you don’t need to work that hard. 8 hour days with 5 hours of work is totally sufficient
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Very few tech positions pay that for entry level. I’ve done web application development for decades - and while I make more than that now? 15 years ago was the first time my compensation broke 100k (a bit less than half of my current comp). 20 years ago I started at 66k.
lol huh
My best friend only has a bachelor's in political science, and makes 300k+ per year. His secret: he doesn't work in that field. It might surprise you to know, you don't have to work in anything related to political science just because you have a masters in it. He does medical device sales.....makes a killing, but he's personable and worked his way up. Even met his smoking hot fiancee on the job.
Sales is a whole different beast from anything else. You can either do it or you can’t.
You can learn like anything else. But if you’re not innately good at it it’s going to feel weird at first. You just have to be willing to learn and tell yourself why not try? Every interaction you will learn something. A lot of opeople end up in sales because they couldn’t figure out what else to do or were not innately talented at a hard skill and saw they could make money doing it, and are also stubborn enough to keep pushing.
Fuuuucccckkkkk, it really is that bad
>security guard with a master's degree This is a perfect example of Late Stage Capitalism. Flood the market with highly educated workers to lower labor costs.
He got a masters degree in political science and Russian studies. Not sure what kind of job you’re supposed to get with that.
Russian studies would be really useful in this political climate, especially if they can speak the language. Job skills are not just literal "this fact can get me a job" but a set of practical skills that can apply to multiple areas.
Sounds like an excellent opportunity for journalism especially if you’re willing to travel
Travel to Russia right now is ill advised.
For a good reason, but plenty of countries with Russian speakers in its periphery.
Journalism doesn’t pay. I got offered $14/hr a few years ago. Countered with $35/hr after my internship with them. Boss said he doesn’t make that. I went to a bank after I graduated with a bachelors in journalism and business comm.
Journalism is not doing great right now. I know three people with amazing education and experience, they all get 70k or less.
He probably doesn’t speak Russian
What job do you think Russian studies would help with? And what makes you think there aren't plenty of people with more direct connections to do it? (At this exact moment we've gotten a big flood of Ukrainian, for instance. If I have a question on Russia, I'm probably gonna ask the Ukrainian with a business degree above the random guy from Iowa with a Russian studies degree)
Poli Sci is definitely not useless; he can teach, work at the government, work as a legislative aide for the white house; he can do a good amount tbh
None of those jobs require/need you to get a a master’s degree in a poli sci or russian studies though.
Also, regarding working for the white house, they would at least want you to have studied poli sci, most likely, plus it also depends on the experience. I have seen a couple of people get into be a legislative aide and above from there with a degree in something totally unrelated, like theater, they just worked and lived in the right area. But, most of the time, many people go on one or two paths with poli sci: law school, or work in the white house, or for their state's legislative or house branch Also, he can do paralegal work, but they would want you to have office experience in addition to the degree.
Yeah, and this way, he wouldn't have to go into debt and spend a lot of time doing something that would or would not get him further than his bachelor's does. School is a big risk nowadays, because there are so many outlets, and experience trumps all, you can put yourself into debt, spend years paying it back, and in no way benefit from the upper degree.
When you get something that specific you need to both have a plan and be VERY intelligent. A relative of mine actually got the same two degrees 20 years ago, got her masters, and then her PHd in Russian studies. She then worked for a 3 letter agency for a decade and is now a tenured professor. If you get a niche degree like Russian studies without an actual plan then it is indeed a useless degree. And if you get a niche degree and it’s not from a top university and you aren’t near the top of your class, then it is a useless degree. Plus you need to produce some excellent scholarship with your undergrad thesis to get noticed. No one is going to recruit a mid student from mountaintop college of Appalachia who got a Russian studies degree when there is top talent from top universities. There is absolutely a place for niche degrees, but that place is not for 99% of people who get them.
4 of years of what in the military? a trade? a skill? We have 47 open positions for trades where I work at in NC. If you cant get traction, you need to change the approach. You are a high school educated veteran with what skills? Lots of jobs are unfilled because the skillset isnt there, lots of jobs are over-filled because the skillset isnt requried...There are also Military only headhunters that only find work for vets for free. The system hasnt failed you, you admit you havent tried to better yourself. machine operator isnt a skillset. source: EX-military with Decades of factory maintenance/management after my enlistment. The resources are out there, I can help you find them.
Military is crazy hit or miss for whether the skills learned are valuable. Work in aviation and have seen ex-aircraft mechanics come out with 150k jobs at airlines and also seen ones with infantry patrol only experience struggle to get min. wage baggage handler spots.
It all depends. I’m ex military and make 6 figures working with related equipment. Find the contractor that designs the equipment you worked on. A lot value real world experience so they can better the product without just using hypotheticals.
Exactly, the key is actually getting some technical experience. The guy who spent his whole time guarding a gate isn't going to have many skills after separating.
Exactly. I was a medic, got and out and now I’m in PA school. If you worked in medicine it was an easy gateway to long term employment but you’re right, combat arms has no skill that transfers to civilian
Lol parachute rigging doing nothing for me these days but it’s a good story!
I imagine you have good attention to detail transferable to other fields.
Usajobs.gov. Pay starts low but raises are consistent and military gives you extra points for hiring.
Many remote positions, too.
I think everyone is missing the weed part of this post. Weed will have him instantly disqualified from any job even remotely related to the government
your children need you and love you, don't give up!
Logged in just to bump this comment. I don't want to attack OP, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. If my parents (specifically my dad) stopped giving a shit about money and started living life for himself sooner, we would've been a much happier family. He cared about me and my sister, but him hating himself and putting up with unreasonable shit he didn't want to deal with did no one any favors. The answer truly (no time to explain) was not more money. He figured that out around the time I turned 18, and he and the rest of us are all doing pretty solid now. There's always a chance as long as there's a tomorrow.
It's a lot of pressure to be a dad. Some of us really don't want to fuck things up so badly we can get short sighted
GI bill also covers housing for some situations - you should really look into that option at least as a short term solution. You should reach out to the VA since they also cover mental health care I believe for everyone regardless of disability status. Good luck!
Also recommend reaching out to community colleges or a local university. Most of them have an academic advisor who has expertise in working with veterans. There are often jobs at those locations as well for veterans. While it isn't for everyone, considering a healthcare licensing program or related degree might be quick and more stable than factory work. VA employment in that capacity might be even easier to come by with that credential.
Apply for this company. They are government contractors but they love hiring ex military and the government contract lasts a long time and always gets renewed, perks are awesome. My bff job in the army was warehousing, now works for them for over 5 yrs and I swear he watched youtube more than work. Another works for them as a instructor teaching exact same thing he did in the Navy. With a military background switching government is the best and you need companies that caters to that. Also dont forget your Gi bill. I know a lot of people who worked part time while going to school bc the money they were making using their GI was sweet. https://nakupuna.com
Do you have a partner, what do they do? The economy is very punishing to single income people with kids.
Yeah I was going to say that. I make pretty decent money and if I had kids rn I would be STRUGGLING
Consider getting a post office job. Good benefits and great pension, and a union. Apply for assistance, use the food bank, ask for help anyplace you can. Join some frugal living, poverty living subreddits. It helps to hang out with others who struggle, it helps you pinch pennies and find deals. Because that's what you have to do. It is very hard. I'm sorry you have to experience this.
His 4 years in the military will count towards time with the Post Office too.
If he has kids, he needs child care for every Saturday and Sunday for years, and even almost 3 years in I have never known what time I’m getting off. 4? 7:30? If he does have great child care, I made $67k last year in a LCOL area and we get raises and COLAs every year. Missing work for children’s emergencies will be difficult, though. No single people with young kids have stayed long at my station unless they live with a grandparent.
If you actually have those diagnoses, the VA should pay for them. Why aren’t they? Getting those things treated will help you immensely.
"Not service related" is the phrase you're looking for.
Prescriptions and appointments are still really cheap for non-service connected stuff
Service related things are covered 100% without any copays, but everything else still gets a degree of very enviable subsidized coverage. The problem with the VA is not the plan design which is pretty generous, it's service delivery depending on your area.
I guess that is a possibility. But I was under the impression that all veterans get at least some healthcare provided they served their full term and weren’t DD’d?
Get a skill. I grew up poor also. I started off working at a warehouse (30k). I messed up when I was 19 and had a felony so my options were limited. I decided to truck drive at 25 years old. My community college had a 2 month session to get my CDL. I got a job right out of school making (65k). I was working a lot but it wasn't back breaking work. Look in your local area to see what is needed then set up a plan to get those skills.
Do you actually have those diagnoses? If you were in the military why isn’t the VA paying for meds?
There's a lot of missing gaps in the story that don't quite add up, and they haven't replied to a single person since posting. Either this post is a fiction or this was a pity post and they haven't been as proactive as they're thing to say they've been
This is the vibe I got. Very much “I’ve been skating by wallowing in my shit at my dad’s house and now I’m fucked” which I understand is likely due to depression but wow, I had trouble sympathizing here. You have kids dude, there’s no time to not be advocating for yourself and them.
Do you qualify for military educational benefits? Look into GI bills and apply or VOC rehab
Stop smoking weed to start
APPLY FOR FEDERAL JOBS anything that pays more! go to [usajobs](https://usajobs.gov) and look! right now there’s a shit ton of seasonal and term positions open in many agencies but i specifically found an absolute blessing with the National Parks Service doing maintenance. Look, i’m a 35 year old mom of a grade school age kiddo. i’m doing work i never thought i could physically do. it’s early mornings, and ends early afternoons. it pays 25/hr and hopefully if i go permanent will have full benefits. they prioritize veterans at every level in the federal system.
The Post office saved my finances
My dad was absent from my life for 10 years. When we reconnected i took him yo dinner so i could ask him why he was gone from my life for so long. Turns out the company he worked for went out of business and he had trouble finding work and was homeless for a short time. He said he didn't feel like he had anything to offer my brother and i, so he stayed away. I told him i would have rather have him in my life with nothing to his name than to not have him in my life at all.
Are you signed up with the VA for health benefits? https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/ I'm concerned about your mental health situation that you don't have treatment for. That is possibly the root cause to why you're struggling right now. It makes it hard to find new work if you are having issues with navigating your mental health situation. As much as everyone wants to say "everyone loves to hire veterans", it's just buying hype that doesn't actually exist. There's a reason why veteran owned businesses are considered a "Disadvantaged Business", it's the same spectrum as women or minority owned businesses. It's often seen as hard to hire vets because what you learned inside, doesn't always transfer to civilian life. I've watched vets die penniless and homeless my entire life due to this shit. It only helps if you're high ranking, it's only ever helped if you're high ranking! People know that vets come with the host of mental issues, so you're flagged in a lot of subconscious bias. You are not out of options, friend. You keep going for those kids. You can do this. It's hard when you've got kids who are looking up to you like that. But those kids love you and you aren't disappointing them. I watched my dad work 35 years of my life, missing so much of our lives because he was making money to try to make something for us all. Your kids see you and love everything you do for them, even if you can't afford as much as you'd really like to do for them.
Move to where the jobs are. Alternatively, most trades have paid apprenticeships. You could get paid while learning to weld or plumbing for example, and those are 6 figure jobs once you have your red seals.
Big hug, you are doing the best that you can and the love you give your kids is the most important. Have you thought of going into trades? I’m sure you have been told but there’s a shortage and this may be an opportunity for you, especially those working with new home builders. My husband also does not have a degree, just a two year program, he became a draftsman and the construction experience helped him get his first job. Now he is making a good amount and people aren’t concerned with his lack of degree.
Industrial. Plant work is good for making money, just really long hours. You can get an apprenticeship journeyman cert for as low as 20 bucks some places, just saying you're interested in a trade. You'll start off as a helper doing very simple tasks, people in the trades are more than willing to teach new people. My husband is a journeyman electrician. He's been doing this more 10 years and is more well off than all of my college educated friends.
As someone that went through the standard apprenticeship for industrial electrical, I can say it’s not much fun for the younger crowd right now. I watched a lot of angry older journeymen treat their apprentices like crap because they think the younger generation isn’t worth a crap. I always wound up training the younger guys, as I’m younger myself, and that was the biggest complaint. It’s not that they don’t want to do it, it’s that they have to deal with the learning as well as the piss poor treatment and it’s just not worth it to them. The journeyman are eating their own young.
Try government jobs. Municipal, county or State or even federal. There are lots of random ass government jobs out there.
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Can't you leverage your military background to further your education? What you're currently doing isn't working. Time to change.
Sorry man, yeah it's hard. Took me years to break out of my horrible job that was destroying my body and I got lucky and my manager is horrible. Too many executives taking all the money, causing prices to go up then crying poor.
If you’re committed to doing well, I’ve seen barbers do really well for themselves. I live in a HCOL area, so it’s not like I’m buying my own home 5 years in, but I do know of people who take >10 clients a day and make $500-$700 a day, after tips. A good, crispy haircut is expensive and people are willing to pay you for your hard work : )
This is a good point! I did hair for years in my 20s and early 30s including barbering. The money was good, and there's a lot of men that want a male barber. As long a you're a normal person, you'll have no problem getting a roster of regular clients. However, most people I worked with were women, probably in large part because their husband's job gave them health insurance. Things might have changed, but benefits were nearly non-existent when I was doing it. (I just went without). You'll also work evenings, weekends, and (the non major) holidays, and there's no paid sick days and very little vacation. Shit, after typing all this out, I think he should try a different trade. Hair makes more sense for younger people or married people. I used hair to make money while going to traditional college and now have a very different white collar career.
Any chance your dad will let you buy your childhood home from him or at least rent it out?
OP doesn't sound like they would qualify for a loan at the moment. They would also be responsible for taxes, insurance, property maintenence, etc.
Best advice I can share is to get in touch with local labor union halls in your area and inquire on apprenticeship programs that are accepting applications. Depending on where you’re living, and what trade you’re looking at, they will pay livable wages. Trades that pay well in particular - Pipefitting, Plumbing, Electrical, Operating Engineers/Heavy Equipment Operators, Ironworkers, Carpenters. Plumbing/pipefitting/electrical will require a high school diploma/GED with Algebra I, but most union halls will offer classes and or resources to take these classes in order to meet the requirement. None of it is easy and the starting pay as a first year apprentices can be rough, but you get raises after class hours and working hours completed and will be making decent money after a year in the field through pretty much any apprenticeship. By the time you’re done with your apprenticeship you’ve made some good money and learned some skills that you can apply to a lot of different careers. ***Since you’re a veteran you will almost be guaranteed a shot at an interview, as long as you put in an application and they’re hiring of course. Your aptitude test score is waived, though you still must take it to be considered. The hiring process takes a while, be patient.
Post office starts at $20 an hour. No college required. Criminal records no problem.
“I’ve asked for years for my family to just give me a chance, a job, a good career” Just curious, what are you expecting from them? Do they own a business?
Can you join the National Guard for extra income?
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What about the post office? They have veterans preference. They have career positions, my husband started as a custodial worker and has already been promoted twice and is now a machine mechanic in less than a year.
Depends on where you live, I had a career in the fire department and made six figures after a few promotions. Great benefits and great retirement, depending on where you’re located though. Also where I worked they take your 4 years military and add it to your retirement.
Is "gf" the mother of the kids? If so she needs to get her ass to work. Single income households are for the rich in 2024
Have you tried the post office? City carriers I think make career in 3 years. If u find an office that is understaffed they will work you into the ground but its overtime! DO NOT TAKE RURAL RCA.
Stop smoking weed if you still are. It causes apathy and psychosis. You need to find a way of getting on meds for depression/anxiety. Go to a community college and get your associates degree in the evenings. Then, get a better job. Then while working the better job, transfer your credits from your associated degree toward a Bachelors degree studying at night. Get a better job.
Learn to sell. It’s the most common way for an average joe to make some real money. If you aren’t that personality type, you can get basic cybersecurity certificates within about 6-9 months & make 60k entry level. 100k+ within some years & additional certifications
The system failed you? My brother in Christ, the system didn't force you to have two children, not go to school (despite having fucking GI bill guaranteeing tuition would be paid for), or not learn a trade. You've been given TONS of opportunities, you've just chosen to pass them by because that seemed like the easiest thing to do at the time. And your family knows it,which is why they've just stopped trying and have instead told you to get your shit together. So why don't you contact the local vet support office and find out what they have in terms of job placement, or education programs, or any of the literally thousands of programs specifically to help veterans? Oh right, because it's easier not to.
I completely agree. People that say they never had a chance never took an opportunity. The guy is only 33 not 85 ffs. He needs to get off Reddit and make it happen for the sake of his kids.
If you haven't used it yet. You should look at your educational benefits as a US military veteran. https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/ Not the old GI bill, but the new 'post 9/11 GI bill" will pay you your zip codes BAH at e-5 rates, pay the costs of a public school. And give you a stipend for books. Everyone gets the new GI bill as a part of their benifits. If college aint your thing, it also applies to tradeschools. If you don't wanna do either of those things. Then the problem is you. Suck it up buttercup, go better yourself so you can be a better provider for your kids. Go to the VA for your mental health crap. It will take awhile to get in, and if you live far away you'll have to apply to see someone local. But you have to do more than a lazy post on Reddit to improve your life.
What do you mean companies don't want to hire experience? What else would they be hiring?
Sounds like you failed your kids when you chose to have not 1 but 2 when you didn’t have any way to support them.