Moving home to Arizona (Phoenix, Sierra Vista: insurance, coop, mortgage)

[AzDesertRat86]

Hi all. Born and raised in Arizona here. I grew up in Buckeye. Lived their my whole life. I flew the coop as soon as I graduated high school, joined the army. Been in 13 days shy of 5 years. I have 1 year left in. I am currently in Iraq for my 2nd tour, and I want to go home. My dad lost his house in El Mirage over this past spring, and he moved back to his home in Minnesota. So I have nothing to fall back on. I have 2 dogs, a cat, a wife now, and a house in Texas full of stuff.

I want to get out of the Army, and move back home, but not to Buckeye. I love the small western town atmosphere, and want to relocate somewhere outside the phoenix area. I love the desert, and the solitude.

I have been away too long to know how everything is doing back home. Where do I move to? What am I going to do for work/career. Can anyone give me any pointers on what my chances are in the job market? The only skills I have are the ones I have acquired in the Army. I don't want to turn wrenches on cars. I would like to be a Park Ranger, work for AZGFD, but I need more than a $10.50 an hour salary. I don't want to get out of the army and make less than I do now.

[AzDesertRat86]

How is Wickenburg?

[YAZ]

Thankyou for your service and WELCOME HOME!

I hear Wickenburg is nice, but the commute to Phoenix for work would suck, I imagine.

Ya know what town I like?

Cottonwood.

My wife's uncle lives there and I really enjoy that little town.

[AzDesertRat86]

I too love cottonwood. But I prefer the desert. When I got back from Iraq the last time, I bought a brand new 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins. The night I got it I pulled a travel trailer up there to Cottonwood from Tonopah. This was in January. I stayed at the Dead Horse Ranch. I loved it there. I would enjoy living there, so would my wife who is from Minnesota, as she doesn't like the heat much.

As for Wickenburg, I like the place, and the last time I had driven through there was January 08 on my way to Texas, and that place looked huge to me. It may have been because of the time I was driving through there, because there sure was alot of cars on the road.

I wish I could go back to Buckeye, but since I have been gone, it has gotten so big that it is not Buckeye anymore. That area has way to many people for my liking. As much as I love the area, my old stomping grounds, I need to move somewhere away from I10, where it won't grow and be destroyed like Buckeye was.

When I left Buckeye in 2004, there were 2 street lights. Both on main street. 1 for the fire/police station, and the other for the bank intersection. Now there are probably 100.

[observer53]

I think your problem in those other towns, and similar ones, is going to be finding work. Those towns are small and quiet in part because there's not much happening there in terms of economic infrastructure, and in this slow economy, it only gets worse.

[NotALizard]

Look at Douglas area? Lot of BP and Customs jobs in the state. If you like the desert you may also want to look in the ElPaso area or west Texas. Here is a job link.. USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site

[drb85650]

I'd check out Sierra Vista. Your vet status gives you preference for jobs at Fort Huachuca with contractors, and Border Patrol is hiring, very active in this area, great pay. Lots of open land around the area, reasonable prices(not Phoenix lows, but still decent), desert and 4 seasons.

[azdr0710]

Sierra Vista is a very good recommendation.....

are there some "transition to civilian life" resources you can use there in the military?....some advisors?....

you may want to keep the Texas place until you can sort out what you'll be doing and where you may eventually end up....don't jump too fast into anything.....

a ranger job or a Game and Fish job may be difficult to get....govt seems so poor now and I know many would like that "dream job"....so many people chasing jobs now....

maybe some GI benefits exist for paying for some more schooling toward a job prospect?....

and you're fully signed up with USAA, right??....get all your insurance and financial planning thru them....they are an awesome company......

[Head coach]

Originally Posted by azbatman86

I have been away too long to know how everything is doing back home. Where do I move to? What am I going to do for work/career. Can anyone give me any pointers on what my chances are in the job market? The only skills I have are the ones I have acquired in the Army. I don't want to turn wrenches on cars. I would like to be a Park Ranger, work for AZGFD, but I need more than a $10.50 an hour salary. I don't want to get out of the army and make less than I do now.

Ok, you asked...so don't shoot the messenger!

I was in the service just like you. But I got out with a degree in Electronics. When I got out, I was told by the civilian community that I had not work experience and that it was time that worked for a living.

So, the best thing I could find at the time was Electronic sales, selling components at .2 cents a piece.

My advice to you is to stay in and get that 50% base pay when you retire. You will still have plenty of time to do other thinks but the good thing is you will be making about $1,500.00 a month not doing anything.

Take the time to put down on paper and pencil all fo the expenses you will have once you get out. Like medical and dental...this is not free in the civilian world. You still pay for it and it comes out of your pay check.

You said you have a house full of stuff. Right now you are getting BAQ. What will happen to the mortgage once you get out. That extra money you get will be gone.

Here's what I recommend....

Take your base pay and add all of the extra that are hidden cost and add it to your base pay, like health, dental, housing, food allotment, clothing...etc. This is really what you are making and what you would need to get out.

I am here to tell you, you will not make this kind of money for the first 2 to 3 years. Your kids will go into a day care and the wife will have to go back to work to just pay for the daycare.

Stay in for 18 to 20, then get out!

[Grannysroost]

I have a kiddo at Fort Bliss in TX, that just got back from Korea, or actually he did in the spring, he is now going into recruiting which is hard, but he is on a mission to stay in and reap the bennies...may be a good thing with the gov..., as a mom I don't like it...he reinlisted after being out a few years....but is his life...he is giving up home territory...to try and be somewhat close to us down there (AZ)... it works out in the end, and thank you for what you are doing, hear is ugly over there right now