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View Full Version : What Have You Been Doing Since You Left The Marines?



3077India
01-18-07, 04:22 AM
Since you left the Marine Corps what have you been doing?

The question is really just a cover for myself, since I don't think anybody would post their life history, just curious to know.... if you have regrets for leaving? If it was your time to leave (ie you retired) and wish you could go back? Glad you're out and/or life is better as a civilian? You wish you'd never gone in? etc...

However, if you care to really post how things, in general, have been for you since you left the Marines feel free to do so. My response to the question follows as a reply.

3077India
01-18-07, 04:26 AM
To answer my own question, "Really F***ing things up." Since I got out I've had more jobs than I care to count. As I've posted elsewhere, if the Marines were to ever raise their enlistment age as the Army has done (Army's is now 41) I'd be at the nearest Marine Recruiter's office the next day. Getting out was the biggest mistake I ever made, too bad I was too young and stupid then to realize it. Now I'm just old (38yo) and stupid. :p :nerd:

YLDNDN6
01-18-07, 06:12 AM
Clay, I could pretty much answer your question the same way. When I got out, I was fast tracking for a career with the CIA. I was married at the time to my first wife, and I let her steer me away from the CIA because SHE couldn't get accepted as well. The only major regret I have is not going straight back in when that happened. Like yourself, I have had at least a dozen jobs since '87 and I sometimes wonder what the hell I am doing with my life. I am presently out of work and discovering that you can't BUY a friggin job in western Michigan right now. I am 42 and I don't have a clue what I am going to do now. The savings are all gone, the unemployment is running out, and I frequently have anxiety attacks. Had I stayed in, I would have retired a few years ago. Oh well...live and learn.

HardJedi
01-18-07, 08:27 AM
since I got out? I spent the first 6 months missing the fleet, and wondering what purpose my life now served.

Then I went to school, quit, went to school, quit, worked at kinkos, worked at Ikon, worked at omnidox, police academy ( KMCO) , now back at school to be a history ( social studies) teacher.

You wanna know WHY i left the Corps?

Folding my underwear. it's that simple. I was an 0311 and if they had left me in the field I would have never left. I just plain old couldn't stand being in the barracks. feild day, wall locker inspection, cleaning my rifle that I hadn't fired ini two months for the 60th day in a row. Busy work. BUT, all that being said, it was the underwear in the 4"x4" that got me the most.:banana: :marine:

maverickmarine
01-18-07, 09:06 AM
Well, I have maintained the same profession since getting out, Paramedic, but now find myself worn out on that and am getting ready to head back to school but now have no idea what for since all I...

davecerami275
01-18-07, 09:41 AM
i was discharged in 1988 due to malignant brain cancer. docs told me i had 5 years to live. yeah fu/*ing right. f/*k you doc. since then i have had throat cancer, neck cancer, and skin cancer x3, all...

crate78
01-18-07, 09:44 AM
I seldom admit why I got out after ten years, but the blunt truth is this: <br />
<br />
Several months before my contract expired, I began having bouts of nausea and stomach pain. They'd last for about a day...

10thzodiac
01-18-07, 10:28 AM
For love or money from day one I promised myself I wouldn't stay in the Marine Corps one day longer than I had too. Oops, I extended 9 months so that I could have enough time in Japan to marry my...

10thzodiac
01-18-07, 11:46 AM
In addition to my above post, going into your own business is important.

"Get the Lion's share, not the mouses!"

Find a successful business and just emulate it, that's what I did.

I wish all my Marine brothers & sisters the best of *good luck on finding out which way is up !


SF
10thz

*Being prepared when opportunity arises

drumcorpssnare
01-18-07, 12:44 PM
First of all, in hindsight, I truly wish I had been responsible enough to stay the course and make a career of the Marine Corps. I always loved marching music (still do), the military in general, and my pride in the Corps is second to none. But, I was young, and dumb...
I got out on the 200th birthday of the Corps. Nov. 10th, 1975.
Was invited to Bismarck, ND to teach a Senior Drum & Bugle Corps (civilian). I taught percussion and marching, and the group made great improvements.
However, after nine months, they lost the 'drive' to be the very best they could be. When they said they were just in it, to drink beer and get away from their wives, I quit that day.
I moved back to Hawaii and went to work as a security guard/public greeter at King's Alley in Waikiki. I worked from midnite Sun. to 4pm Tues.- straight thru 40 hrs. After sleeping Tues. nite, I had Wed.- Sun. off. So I joined a fairly good rock band as their drummer. Played the Waikiki club circuit making great money! But also got caught up with life in the fast lane, i.e. drinking, smokin' weed, chasing women. My life went downhill fast.
So, a Marine friend invited me to Idaho to work as a lumberjack. Good hard work, but dangerous. Also did some work there in a lumber mill. Got married, but she was lazy, dumb, and selfish, so that didn't last.
Moved to Wyoming to work the oilfield boom. Worked as a roustabout, building and maintaining oilfield tank batteries, treaters, pumping units, etc.
I foresaw the oilfield slump in the mid-80's and went to a vo-tech to learn diesel technology. Got a job with Cummins engine co. as a fuel systems specialist, and did that for ten yrs. Also did vacuum cleaner repair on the side. My hobby in Wyoming was Civil War/ Indian Wars artillery re-enacting.
In early '97, I got the bug to march drum corps again. I moved back to central NY, where I'm originally from, and joined the Syracuse Brigadiers Sr. Drum & Bugle Corps. I became their Operations and Logistics Manager, and over the course of the next eight years, also marched on the competition field as the Honor Guard Captain. We achieved 5 World Championship titles between '97 and '05.
I got married in '04, and some members of the corps took a dislike to my wife.
So, I needed to make a choice. Corps? Wife? I kept the wife. I made the right choice.
After leaving the Brigadiers, I went to a staffing agency to look for work. They asked if I could do cabinetmaking work. I had done a lot of woodworking as a hobby, so I took the position. When that work slowed down, the staffing company asked me to come to work for them, directly.
That was 14 months ago.

drumcorpssnare:usmc:

USMCBOXER
01-18-07, 12:51 PM
I would never have changed going in and I don't regret one day of it. Went in as enlisted, did my time, then out. Ended up going to law school and then back to the USMC through OCS, followed by TBS, followed by Naval Justice School then on to the JAG, ending up Cap't 0-3. Again, did the time and got out. Went quickly into private practice as an attorney, taking the bar in multiple states (CA, NY, FL, CO, TX, MS, AL, GA). Started trying some very heavy duty wrongful death cases for awhile, landing some massive verdicts/settlement. Largest was $65 million to give you an idea, smallest amount I ever rec'd was $600k. Took my cuts, my percentages (40%), took my costs and then bailed on the industry that was dying up anyway (that specialty of law anyway).

Now work as defense counsel in the labor/employment arena when I feel so inclined for some major clients (largely insurance, though some employers as well). Spend most of my days here in So. Florida, at my house in the Florida Keys, boating, fishing, golfing, and traveling to the islands and South America.

I never have regretting my many years (though not as long as some) in the USMC. It is what made me who I am, how I function, think, operate, etc. It is forever in my heart and soul, and I think most here would agree that they feel similarly.

sdk87to91
01-18-07, 12:54 PM
Got out in '91, didnt like the air wing, wish I had been a grunt.

Moved to Durango CO to be a chairlift operator at Purgatory ski resort, in the winters and an elk hunting guide, packer, wrangler in the off season. Obligatory KiddyTrail rides in the summer got old after 4 years so I went back to college, just in time to use my GI bill.

Got a degree in range ecology, (everything in the woods and how it all works together), from Colorado State University.

I Checked into re-enlistment around the time I graduated and they said I was too old and gave me a poster to give my Younger friends.

Got married had 2 kids.
Now work for the Forest Service (GS-9) administering Grazing allotments on the National Forest. It is great work, riding horses, ATV's, Pickups etc all over the district checking to see if the cattle need to move on to the next pasture yet, Looking for weeds, helping fight fire, burning slash and piles on RX burns, trash pickup, visitor contacts etc.....

Life is Good. Thank God

I feel more like a Marine now than ever, now that I am squared away.

Thanks to Jesus for saving me in Boot camp. Thanks to the Marine Corps for sending me to Church in Boot camp.

The1stSgt
01-18-07, 07:48 PM
Actually, I got out of the Corps twice, '67 and '83.

At the end of my first enlistment, OCT '67, and got a job working for McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, CA, as a structural mechanic, on the, now retired, DC-8 (63F). I got my first DUI in less than 30 of my EAS and ended up moving back to Memphis, TN (my home of record) at the insistance of my older sister. In Memphis, I took a job with NAPA, in their executive program, and was working steady. I was missing the Corps and my Marine buddies bad. The Marine Corps Reserve sent me a letter and some literature and I ended up going by a recruiting office to check it out. One of the recruiters was a SGT I had served with, and drank with, a few years earlier. Well, it wasn't long, and I reenlisted.

I retired as a 1stSgt in '83 with twenty years total active service. Sometimes I wish I had stayed in and made SgtMaj, but I didn't. I had two years in grade when I retired and would have probably got selected on the first promotion cycle. Oh well.

I went to college for a couple of symesters, and then took a job as a technical writer. I was re-writing the power plants and fuel systems portion of the NAVAIR INSTRUCTION MANUALS on the Navy and Marine Corps' CH53-E Super Sea Stallion. I did that for about six or seven months when a Federal Civil Service job became open for Aircraft Workers (entry leve job) and I got hired. I worked my way up to Aircraft Structural Mechanic (WG-10) and did that for about two and a half years.

I was an Addictions Counselor for about three years while on active duty and was offered a job by an old friend at the Care Unit Hospital, Orange, CA. I worked there about seven months, when I was offered my present job at the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program, Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, FL. I've worked here for the past nineteen years and plan to retire in five years.

Since I work on at the Naval Air Station, and a Marine Reserve Unit is also on the base, I get to see and visit with Marines frequently.

Zulu 36
01-18-07, 08:45 PM
I got out of active duty in October 1977 and immediately enlisted in the Marine Reserves on the Try One program. At the same time I was working as a DoD police officer.

Our station was in the same building as two Air National Guard Security Police units and I became friends with one of the full-time technicians. He talked me into the Air Guard for the following 14-years. We travelled all over the States and the world doing our annual training, plus Desert Shield/Storm. We had a good, tight unit. Worked hard and played hard. I retired in 1992 as a master sergeant (E-7).

Meanwhile, on the civilian side I got married to an active duty Coast Guardswoman whom I met as a DoD cop. I was hired on a the police department of a suburban-Detroit city and worked my way up through the jobs and ranks. I worked all patrol shifts as a patrolman and made detective, working general crimes. After making corporal I went back to patrol as a street supervisor, then commanded the special investigations unit doing narcotics, homicides, and commercial auto theft work. I also had the additional duty of rangemaster/armorer/defensive tactics instructor, and I started teaching at the regional police academy in firearms.

Following a break for Desert Storm, I came back to patrol supervision, made sergeant and assistant afternoon shift boss. I stayed there for a few years, still running the range and working at the academy where I became an assistant rangemaster and wrote most of the lesson plans for the firearms unit. I also commanded the department's police reserve unit (25-officers) for four years through this period.

After making lieutenant, I commanded the afternoon shift for a time, then was transferred to command the detective bureau. I was tasked to reorganize all seperate bureaus into one unified division and I was also able to re-constitute the narcotics unit and talk city hall into adding a corporal's slot to run it. I then commanded that new division.

I served as the acting deputy chief for a few months, then was promoted full time to that position. After serving for six months as deputy chief, I had some serious health problems which forced my early retirement on a disability.

Since then I have primarily been working on my education, finishing my bachelor's degree, an MBA, and now I'm a doctoral candidate in training and performance improvement. I'm also the Assistant Cub Master for my son's Cub Scout Pack, an Associate Advisor for my 14-year old daughter's Venturing Scout Crew, and the training chairman for our scouting district in the North Florida Council.

My 22-year old daughter is married, works in a doctor's office, and is in the Air Force Reserves as a medical records tech.

bobdon
01-18-07, 08:56 PM
I offen wonder what I would be or become after leaving the Corps . I spent many years in a booze bottle. Got out in "68" Married and divorced 4 times, both my fault, now 66 and regretting my dumb ass mistakes. Hope the good Lord shines on dumb guys like me! Should have stayed in, I darn sure would not have the health problems I Have now....Semper Fi

FistFu68
01-18-07, 09:05 PM
:evilgrin: CHIT~SHOWER~SHAVE~GET~UP~DO~IT~AGAIN :evilgrin:

MacAngus
01-18-07, 09:15 PM
I got out 2 years ago.I went to college but couldn't handle the teachers telling these 18,19 year olds every lie in the book about the war in iraq instead of teaching classes .I had several bad grades for telling these people the truth.So several get out of my classroom's later I stopped going. Now I sit at home and watch tv all day because around here if you don't have college you can't do anything.I still don't know what I'm gonna do.

3077India
01-18-07, 09:46 PM
I got out 2 years ago.I went to college but couldn't handle the teachers telling these 18,19 year olds every lie in the book about the war in iraq instead of teaching classes .I had several bad grades for telling these people the truth......and you didn't sue for academic discrimination (that's code for Veteran discrimination). :nerd: Not trying to make light of your situation, I completely understand and get aggravated about that. At least where I live a state university that has a satellite campus built on land owned by Fort Polk (ie Dep't of the Army), that school has been "persuaded" on more than one occasion to deal with anti-military professors. Normally those professors would finish the semester and be gone. That school not only serves the soldiers, but their wives too and the surrounding communities depend on the base. The local newspaper seldom, if ever, prints anything negative about the military. The Parish (yes this is Lousyana) doesn't tolerate anti-military sentiments, since if the Army ever decided to close Fort Polk, all the surrounding communities would be F***ED.

taman8tor
01-19-07, 12:53 AM
Got out in May 1977. Honestly? I had a lot of false starts with education and career through a lack of personal diligence. Finally finished an MBA about five years ago. As for career, spent about 20 years in print/publishing / with one company in different assignments (Crate! This company even did the pre-press work for the former Mountain Bell's Yellow Pages). Moved on to other IT-related positions with two other organizations and now am involved in social work with local government.

I cannot reshape history but if I was 20 again, I would like to believe I would have changed MOS and stayed another 3 years before getting out. In the private sector, I have to admit being recognized or acknowledged by company superiors (former Marines) for opportunities just from being in the Corps. So for me, the Corps has travelled time with me. All in all, no regrets.

MacAngus
01-19-07, 05:44 PM
I don't regret anything about the corps. As in reference to 3077indias responce thanks. However i happen to be a member of a "society of secrets" and alot of the brothers are cops who were jarheads themselves, and being smart i did a little recon on the teachers cars and thier lisceses plate numbers .Needless to say i've gotten some satisfaction out of it since i left. Now some are local and some are state cops so after a city cop would get them a state patrol officer would snag them. Hey f*!&& them if they can't take a joke right.

Sgt0811
01-19-07, 06:06 PM
I was raised in the military and always said that I would not put my kids thru that. I did not enjoy it at the time.
6 months before getting out I got married and she became pregnant so I got out.
Had about six jobs before becoming a cop in my hometown. Did 25 yrs and retired.:marine:

winniele
01-19-07, 07:27 PM
I got out in 2001. Started college and will be graduating in four months. What I am studying now is not what I want to do. Therefore, I am confuse with what I should do after I graduate. Reading all of these forums from you guys makes me feel happier because I am not the only person that feel lost after the Corps. I might go back to the Marines, I might not. At this time, I really don't know what to do after I graduate. I am thinking of going to the army to become a Health specialist. If anyone can give me any advice, feel free to do so.

capmarine
01-19-07, 08:17 PM
let's see-retired at 22( WIA,RVN)school,retired post office,cop stuff for a lot of years,substitute teacher now-oh,i keep in pretty dang good shape too.

10thzodiac
01-19-07, 08:54 PM
I got out in 2001. Started college and will be graduating in four months. What I am studying now is not what I want to do. Therefore, I am confuse with what I should do after I graduate. Reading all of these forums from you guys makes me feel happier because I am not the only person that feel lost after the Corps. I might go back to the Marines, I might not. At this time, I really don't know what to do after I graduate. I am thinking of going to the army to become a Health specialist. If anyone can give me any advice, feel free to do so.

Obviously if one gets out, he/she knows what they do not want to do.

Remember where you heard this first, be your own boss, go into business for yourself and I don't care if it is cutting grass. Never get the mouses share, get the Lions share. No you won't do it right away, going into your own business that is, but maybe you will ?

Remember when you get old, nobody is going to feel sorry for you. You have to make hay (money) when the sun is shining (young). Don't count on a pension, e.g. UAL, Enron, etc.

I know Mexicans who are not even citizens that have thriving lawn maintenance business, not to mention the India-n's, the Pakistanis and yes the Arab businessmen too. Do you really want to work for someone else ?

The trough, or soar...