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Are you glad you did? Was it a good decision?
Someone I know is facing the decision to reenlist, or get out and be a private contractor for a year or two. This can be very lucrative.
His wife is against both options, since she is sick of being a wife with an absent husband. I don't blame her, but I'm not sure whether she is being unreasonable or not. FYI, it is the wife in the relashionship who is the fiscally conservative one, and the husband who tends to be impulsive.
How much it time does he have in the Army? That's the important question. If he's a young Soldier, they arent going to pay him large sums of money. I know, "everyone is paid 250k/yr" but trust me, they aren't. He should also think about what the contract does and does not pay for--- health insurance, dental, very cheap life insurance, tuition assistance, etc. All of those are provided by the military. He can reclassify his MOS or maybe consider volunteering for recruiting or DS duty. Those two jobs let you go home and sleep in your own bed every night.
In any event, with a dwindling budget and less need for contractors, it's not as good as it seems and it certainly isn't stable.
Someone I know is facing the decision to reenlist, or get out and be a private contractor for a year or two. This can be very lucrative.
His wife is against both options, since she is sick of being a wife with an absent husband. I don't blame her, but I'm not sure whether she is being unreasonable or not. FYI, it is the wife in the relashionship who is the fiscally conservative one, and the husband who tends to be impulsive.
I retired from the U.S. Army with 22 years and became an independent contractor for 10 years.
Lucrative? Yes (But there is some fine print...)
Would I have gotten out of the service for that job? No
Did I meet former military that had not gone to military retirement and became contractors and regretted it? Yes
Did I meet former Federal Civil Service people that had not gone to retirement and became contractors and regretted it? Yes
Did I meet and know former contractors who were looking for jobs? Yes
Some "Contractors" do quite well. Some do not do as well as they thought they were going to do. Consider the real benefits...
If I had it to do over I would have stayed in the Army to 26 years instead of 22, and do a few minor things differently.
But I did OK, I fully retired at age 52, with the military benefits.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 02-01-2015 at 02:52 PM..
Although I am not a veteran, I can tell you that private contracting is not what many make it out to be.
the first thing to consider is WHY? is it just the money or is there something else to it? The reason this must be answered is the militray compensates at a level few defense contracts can match. Sure the private Pays more in wages, but you give up so much compensation you don't realize you have in the militray that it would be costly to replace.
Contracts are starting to come under fire, that is the days (yes those wonderful days) of getting paid to do literally nothing is slowly dissapearing. For some reason (probably now more intelligent, truthful information is more available, and more people have first hand experiences) eyebrows are being raised and questions asked over the just keep pouring money on it problem of military/defense spending. So even contractors are now starting to have to tighten the belt and do a bit more with a bit less. Unless you can hitch up with someone who has the political connectin to keep the IG or auditors of their backs, contractors have been cutting wages slightly.
Whats next? I mean, what do you do after the contract is over? Unless the position has some civilian counterpart or in with civilian employers, that contract work can actually hinder further employment especially if the employer gets the feeling you left the militray to pursue the contact work as that leads them to think you may up and leave them as well.
When things go wrong and I mean really wrong, don;t expect the admeration and gratefullness of your country to be there for you and your family. Your just a a hired hand, not the sheriff....... I;m sure with some of the things I;ve done and been part of in support of militray operation and campaigns, i would have some nice medals to patrade aroyund in and maybe even a newspaper article or a seat on a convertable at the fourth of july parade. But as a contactor, private employee, hired hand, i have none and don;t expect anything cause they are paying me to do the job and i do the job and all that pomp and ceremony is not for us. Once that contract is completed we are forgotten as it should be.
I think too many think being a contractor is more than it is and in some cases, yeah its the macho rambo balls smacking adverture they long for, but most contract work is pure financial with little talk afterwards.
I left the service to be a contractor, but not one of those overseas lucrative gigs.
I served 13 1/2 years in the navy. I was an IC and my rate was very congested. When I had enough PNA points, great evals, and studied every day for the test for advancement I was ready for it. Took test and blew it away, I knew I did good when i walked out of the test. Waited for the results to be posted. Total advanced that cycle to E-6 was 0. Yes 0. All that hard work and then they just shut it down. I lost heart and interest then.
I was stationed in Puerto Rico and working beside a contractor doing the exact things I was doing without all the military reindeer games. He was making 90k and I was making about 33k with everything. I loved what I was doing and seeing him get paid 3x what I was for the same work made it easy. It was a no brainer for me. I got out to do something I loved and got paid much more for the same work.
DO I regret getting out? sometimes sure but at the end of the day I am glad i went in, but just as glad I got out. I have made much more than I ever would have with the navy, and even though I dont have that retirement from the military I am much happier in my career now as a Govt contactor and making more money now, than I would have had I stayed in 20 years and then went and found a job.
Staying in isnt for everyone, just as getting out isnt for everyone. I would not have gotten out just to chase the dollar, I did it to do something I loved as well.
Staying in isnt for everyone, just as getting out isnt for everyone.
I totally agree... I stayed in the military until retirement and considered myself successful. I could have done better or worse. I saw others who also got out and became quite successful, not just money successful, but quality of life success...
I get out in Sept(ish) 2014 after reaching my maximum service (22 years and a few months grace) and i've already been contacted by contractors.
As a senior infantry NCO who speaks several languages including Hindustani and Creole i appear to be in some demand, "But where would i go?" says i "Erm...hrrr...aah" says they. "Stop taking the Pisz, it'll be Central/West Africa or Afghanistan wont it?" says i, "Well... probably" says they.
You can say this bit with me: "Well you can F*ck right off then, i'm never going back to Africa and as for more of Afgh? I don't think so."
I intend to enjoy my retirement working Part-time with some friends and living off my wife. I got shot at out of patriotism/stupidity on and off for the lat 20 years, i think that's enough even for this idiot.
I did it for about seven years--DOD, USAID, DOS--and did very well, but it's a paper chase and there is no camaraderie or support once the gig is over.
There are all types of contractors too--some do PSD, some work in targeting cells with TS/SCIs, and some work in the DFAC.
DOD pays the most--they bill no less than 72 hours per week--but USAID is awesome as for standard of living. I was living in Serena when on a USAID STTA (TDY). yes, a five star hotel plus I was getting full per diem.
My son has been approached by private companies, one is SAICS (?). He was taken out to dinner, and given a lot of information about how awesome it would be...but, in his job, he would no longer be part of a "team", he would be going out doing the work on contract, and basically independent. Plus, when he signs his papers next year, he will probably be getting a retention bonus...or not sure what that is called. He is going to finish out his twenty. He will be 39 then...plenty of time for contracting.
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