My Time in Uniform now has an Exparation Date

[Loren]

Yeah I would expect you'll do fine...get started in the civilian world locally then once you're adjusting there in a couple years and get a sense for what you want vs. what opportunities there are in the world, consider moving to a good one.

[trukluvr]

From an old soldier, thanks for serving. You have a vast amount of experience & education that many civilian employers will pay top dollar for. You will probably end up with a DoD contractor with a better paycheck. Good luck going forward.

[CTX-SLPR]

Thanks for the votes of confidence. The odd thing is that I passed up 25% more money to do this voluntarily and I find it hard to pictures a pay increase high enough to make me happy about getting out. I'm sure I'll find a good job and make enough money. Going to try and see if they can open a position for me at the NNSA as a civilian and just keep working there but we'll see.

[antmnte]

Give you more time to work on your Riv. Id like to thank you for serving and protecting our country as well. I wish I had the nuts to do it when I was younger. Best of luck to you.

[Scott Liggett]

Will, we all appreciate your service to your country. You are lucky that we are now in a culture where military jobs are being done by civilian contractors. Those jobs are somewhat the same, but pay much more. My brother in law spent 20 years in the USAF OSI , but now works for a contractor to the DOD doing pretty much the same job.

It will be an adjustment for sure. It is natural to worry about changes especially after such a long time. It is scary to many. That is OK. Just have the courage to take that next step. Once you take that first step, all the rest of the walk from one career to another will be easier.

[Hemi Joel]

First, thanks for your service to our country. Second, you have nothing to worry about. Give yourself some credit, you're a nuclear physicist for crying out loud. That's the top of the brain pool in everybody's mind. You've heard the sayings about something easy: "this isn't rocket science" or "this isn't brain surgery". Well, they might as well add "this isn't nuclear physiology" to the list.

Your resume when you enter the real work world: Nuclear Physicist
My resume when I entered the real work world: paper boy, high school, pizza cook, pump jockey. I made it OK, so will you.

Good luck!

[redneckjoe69]

take your time and find a decent job. my brother-in-law was a nuclear engineer on a submarine for many years, now he sprays peoples lawns for a pest control company for not much money. i feel bad for him.

getting out can be an odd experience. i went from a light wheel vehicle mechanic to a welder.

and although many people express a "thank you for your service,",......i've seen the other side, very sadly,......"he probably couldnt do anything better with his life than join the service?" true chit! azzholes!!!!

my other bud was an MP in the army. pulled 20 and retired. he washes dishes now part time, "just for something to do."

i agree though,....you'll find something. persistence is the key to success!

all the best!

[CTX-SLPR]

Looking back at this. While I don't have any first job offers or even an interview under my belt I have a staggering array of options and help from all sorts of sources. It looks like I'll be able to stay in the big DOE and if not in the DC area as a federal employee should I want too. If I wanted to make a jump to the civilian side, I've pretty much been told to pick a national lab and the NNSA administrator will "recommend that they look at my resume". You can imagine what that means!

Still don't want to pick up the family again but leaving has it's attractiveness since this place is blasted expensive!

[Monster]

I hope you have the luxury of taking a little time to consider your options and probe new possibilities.

[John Brewer]

From an Air Force vet, thank you for your service. I'm sure just by reading some of the comment of BS'ers have posted in this thread that these people who know you not only think highly of you, but respect and appreciate you. As White Monster said, hopefully you'll be able to take some time and be able to really think your options through since a lot of the thinking right now is based on emotion. Remember, "Everything happens for a reason" and hopefully you'll be able to look back and reflect on that statement when many good things come your way in the future!

[BangShiftChad]

Thanks for your service CTX, we all appreciate it. From a guy who spent more than 15 years hiring people for high tech companies throughout the world, take this bit of advice. Work every relationship you have. Keep your eyes open for positions of all kinds, but never underestimate the connections you probably already have through work, church, your kids school, the idiot hot rodders you know, etc. Hell, a ton of them probably don't have a clue what you do, but you may not know what they do either! One of the people you know may run the biggest baddest company ever to need a physicist.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Good Luck Kid

[CTX-SLPR]

I'm now in my last few days working (and they are working me hard though I guess I'm letting them) trying to get the last bits done this week so I can enjoy my 3 weeks off before most likely coming back as a support contractor since when I leave the office goes to a veteran contractor, the deputy director who is experienced, and the brand new director. Terminal leave will be full of working on cars since I've got a solid backlog of daily driver maintenance as well as getting the Riviera ready for summer cruises and maybe a move.

I've found what is likely a temporary home doing pretty much the same thing as before just in a suit and tie vs. uniform. Long term... we'll see. My first official interview on Friday for the Radiation Safety Officer of the San Francisco VA Hospital! Very excited and nervous at the same time.

[Old Dog]

good luck with the interview

[tedly]

Welcome back to the civilian world. I hope the culture shock doesn't kill you!