Considering a move from one underpaid profession to another.. your thoughts

[fsstnotch]

Ok, so I'm SERIOUSLY considering a move from one underpaid profession (military) to another underpaid profession (police officer). There's not a huge market for IT jobs in my area and I've always wanted to be either an Elementary Math Teacher or a State Trooper. SO... I'm considering a leave from the IT field and move into law enforcement. I'm really quite tired of the IT field... it's not challenging enough for me. Too much sit and wait! I'd say the biggest problem is that I'll have to go to the academy for 21 weeks, at just over $1100 bi-weekly while in class, I'd probably spend a good amount of my savings just to stay out of debt. My wife told me I should go for it! What are you guys thoughts?

[Dirty Harry]

I did 26+ years as a State Trooper, the last 17 of which were in felony investigations. We didn't get paid a lot, and my pension's not that great, but I enjoyed almost every day of it. I started in 1979 for $11K, which was 1/3 of what I had made in the previous year. One big problem, though, is when you have to attend a funeral for a friend-happens 'way too often. I worked an extra job and mowed lawns to earn money to build my Cobra. I'd say-give it a try. It's a good profession. If you change your mind, your law enforcement service looks great on your resume.

[RICK LAKE]

fsstnotch Josh First off you have military training and service. There are a couple of different places you could look. FBI, Secret service, ATF, State police, County sheriff, even the TEXAS Rangers. Your military training will make the 21 week class a breeze. It's the same as boot camp. You can get repayed for taking the police course from the town that hires you. You can also write the course off on your taxes. Check into the military for paying for your course, there are some programs for certain training. How about the NSC? If your learned another language, other than spanish this will also put you ahead in the class. I don't know about PA but the NJ cops startout at 39,800.00 for the rookie year and jumps to 42,600.00. After that, the skys the limit. Your chief gets 118,000.00 per year plus car, and other perks. He is ex FBI. Has a BA in crime. Any way I could find your other thread on 351 windsor blowers, heres the places to check, BIG AL'S toy box He sell a couple kit for the 351 W motor. You can save alot of money by buying a 4 barrel manifold and bolting a 3/8" flat plate of Aluminium on top for a blower mounting surface. This is what they do. I would send the manifold to Joe Craine and have the ports balanced for flow. Hogan makes a custom blower manifold. BIG $$$'s. Ken Lowe race cars in the AU make custom blower drives and crank supports for the 351w motors. You can get him at Ken@Kenlowe.com.au. Your just around the block from Au. There is a book out you might want to check out before you go on this wild hair, Supercharging and turbocharging small block Fords. It will give you some basic back ground and what you would need to bolt a 6-71 on a 351w motor. The biggest pain in the @$$ is the distributor being in the front of the motor and making the drive high enough to clear it. MSD sells low height distribs for blower applications. Hope you are safe and well. Keep your head down. Listen to the little guys on your shoulders that whisper in your ears about something is wrong. You are being spared the 10 foot of snow in your part of the woods. Your wife has a honey do list all ready when you get home. That will wait until after the third night reunion Rick L.

[fsstnotch]

Ya, where's I'm at the local officers start out just over $37k and jump to like $51k at 36 months. State Troopers start out at $50k after completion of the academy. I have plenty of GI bill to cover it. I BELIEVE I can actually get some more $$ out of GI bill since I'd be in training. Somehting I have to look into.

I'm not doing a SC 351. Big AL's was hte website I was looking for initially. I have it saved on my laptop.

Ya, already got stuff to do when I get home. We have a glass railing around our deck, like on a hotel balcony and I guess a big hunk of ice cicles fell off the roof and broke one of the 2/8" thick pieces of glass. So I have to fix that. Then the front storm door blew open when we had 60-80mph wind gusts and broke the glass in it also. I'm going to be remodeling one of the rooms in my house to turn it into a game room. Gotta build a shed, swap to a 6.50 gear in my race car and put a Vic Jr intake on it so I can pass tech. I have to build a dog run so that my dogs only destroy the part of my yard I want them to, rather than the whole thing!

I got a plan to surprise the wife. I bought her a ticket to fly from Erie to OKC on June 3rd, she got the itinerary and then I cancelled the ticket. So she THINKS she's meeting me in OKC on the 3rd and riding back to Erie with me and all our stuff from storage. But in REALLITY, I cancelled her ticket and bought myself a ticket to fly into Cleveland and a rental from cleveland to Erie on May 29th! I should make it to the house around 1am on the 30th. I'm gonna sneak into the house and crawl into bed with her. So if you don't hear anything from me after that... well, I scared her so badly that she killed me.. send a search party! lol Then my parents will be babysitting and my wife and I will go on a road trip to Atlanta, Oklahoma City, and back to Erie. Should be fun!

[Mastiff107]

Didn't say if you had a degree (or I didn't see it). All Federal Agencies require BS/BA at a minimum. Also didn't catch branch of service. I was an Army MP for 2 years; Army CID for 6; and Federal Agent for the remaining 28. Just retired. Army has Civilian CID Agents; Navy has NCIS; and Air Force has OSI. The average Agent is making right @ $100 thou. No longer an easy jump from Military to FBI; ATF; USSS; ICE etc. Almost impossible the last 15 years or so. Only way is to go Sky Marshal; Marshal's Service or Bureau of Prisons to get foot in. Military and Fed get cost of living on pensions every year which state and locals do not. To keep in perspective, my father retired as a Major in the Army in 1956. He was then a high school teacher for 20 years and retired. At the time of his death 2 years ago his Military retirement was over $60 thou a year and his teachers pension was $7 thou.

[wtm442]

When you have a choice, always take the one you like the most, or hate the least. Everything else is secondary. If you hate getting up in the morning to go to work, quit and find a job you like.

Life is too short. At least its more fun when you are happy at work.

Of course, you could always retire early. Win the lottery ... or rob a bank ... how about a rich uncle dies?

[427 S/O]

Take a look at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under department of homeland security, I believe customs agents are paid pretty good and plenty of other positions that are not on the border!, I knew a few that retired and they weren't complaining.

CBP Careers Spotlight

[trularin]

I'm waiting for Warren to send me money to retire.

[Ron61]

Sorry Tru, I am first in line. He is just dragging his feet about collecting all of those millions he has won.

Ron

[imagine2frolic]

It sounds funny, but I don't think it is fair to act as an intruder, and end up in her bed. I would just knock on the door, and surprise her. Same surprise only safe for her, and you.

What ever you do in life. Do what is going to give you satisfaction so you don't have WHAT IF's when you are old.....BEST WISHES IN YOUR NEW VENTURE

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by 427 S/O

Take a look at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under department of homeland security, I believe customs agents are paid pretty good and plenty of other positions that are not on the border!, I knew a few that retired and they weren't complaining.

CBP Careers Spotlight

There's not an available CBP job within 100mi of my house! lol I think I'd like to be a police officer... even if it pays less than what I could make in my current career. My current job consists of waking up and going to my office which is required to be maintained at a constant 68 degrees year round. I then work a 12 hr shift where usually 11.5 hrs of the day I sit at a computer and surf the net or watch tv or movies. I had laser surgery on my eyes 2 yrs ago and I can already tell they are not as good as they were a year ago. That happens when you stare at a computer screen for 12 hrs a day. So then I go home and I have absolutely no energy because I've done absolutely nothing all day. Kind of like when you just lay in your bed all day.. you have no motivation to do anything! Then of course there is my brain! I can only attribute my loss of memory over the past few years to this job. If you don't use it, you lose it!

[john chesnut]

I was an Arizona State Police officer, (DPS) In the 70's. I was stationed in Nogalas and Tucson and was 20 years old! Had guns pulled on me 3 times and a knife pulled on me 1 time in my first year! On the Mexican border I felt like I was going to War every day! I took a leave of absence to follow a french model to Europe. During the leave I got rammed into by a runaway car (mine, my 2 year old daughter was driving it!) and pushed, full throttle, into a parked truck. I had 5 operations so that I could walk reasonably well. I couldn't pass the physical to get anything but a desk job back on the force. But, being part of the DPS was one of the things that I am proudest about in my life.

Whatever you do, good luck. The best advice is to pursue a career that you are passionate about.

[wtm442]

Originally Posted by trularin

I'm waiting for Warren to send me money to retire.

Don't hold your breath. I sent a lot to Ron, and look what he did with it. Bought some dogs, bought a nice looking coupe with wiring problems, etc.

As I said before ... find a job you love. If you hate your job ...

QUIT

[terry251]

I went on the job in the mid-70's. It was, an is, the best decision I ever made. Are you married to the PA area? Wages in larger departments in the Denver area start in the mid 40's - including the academy for those agencies that run their own training. New officers accumulate good raises the first four years, ending up around 60K; but they work a lot of graveyard and swingshift time as well.

PM me if you have questions or just want to chat.

Terry

[fsstnotch]

Thanks Terry, I'm kinda married to the location. I just bought a house there 3 months ago, all of my family and my wife's family live there so we kind of prefer to stay in teh area so that my daughter can know her family. Having lived in Japan for a few years, then oklahoma for a few and now Iraq for a year, I'm tired of being away! I'm going to PM you some questions!

As easy a job as I have now, I tell my Grandma (supervisor for Adecco) that I would rather get paid less for a job that I actually do work than to stay in this profession and sit all day doing nothing. I'm not the type for that. I'd rather keep busy! I like helping others, and don't care when I have to work. I seriously believe I'd be a good fit for the job!

[bomelia]

Originally Posted by 427 S/O

Take a look at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under department of homeland security, I believe customs agents are paid pretty good and plenty of other positions that are not on the border!, I knew a few that retired and they weren't complaining.

CBP Careers Spotlight

Just don't shoot anybody!!! (in defense of the law) You could end up in jail!!

Yup... border patrol. Thats going to be a BIG growth market.

Why not go to college and finish up a degree? Your options will increase dramatically! And you have Uncle Sam to pay for it!! Take advantage of it. If you need $$, work a job. Not saying this will happen to you, but my brother in law got out of the Navy at the time of Desert Storm. Saw plenty 'o action. Then, did not go to college, and has been in and out of jobs since then. Finally landed at the Sherriffs dept. Used to love it, now hates it. Low pay and 90% of the folks he deals with hate him ('magine that).

If you must work in a place where 90% of the people hate you, become a dentist!! Pays better.

If you love the law, then go into it with a degree. I got a degree (couple of 'em) in engineering. I do not do what I studied for, but I got to choose what I did (do).

People say money is not everything, but try telling that to the grocery store clerk when you have kids and a wife to support. (or the power comapany, phone company, mortgage company, ...). Life IS too short to waste on things that will get you no where. Just 'cause you get a degree does not mean you are locked into one thing. In fact, its quite the opposite of that. Four years invested will pay back for the rest of your life.

Mike