Article: Why People Leave San Antonio? #1 Reason - for Job/Career (Houston: insurance, condos)

[spursfan]

As a 22 year old college educated male, I'm happy to have moved back to SA for a job and to
buck the trend. I think the premise of the article is correct though, city leadership needs to work at attracting and keeping professionals of all ages.

[davi78239]

Good article. Me and wife both have marketing degrees that we obtained in 04 and have never been able to land that fancy entry level position here in this town. I'm open to looking elsewhere but she isn't and that's probably part of the reason. She's comes from a big family and is real close to them.

[majormadmax]

On average, military retirees are better educated, more mature and experienced thus making them natural targets for corporate recruiters. Given that most are in their late 30s to early 40s, they are still able to become productive workers for at least another 20+ years.

The military has been a huge contributor to the growth of San Antonio, there were five major bases here at one point (Lackland, Kelly, Randolph and Brooks AFBs as well as Ft Sam Houston) as well as two smaller installations (Camps Bullis and Stanley). How many civilian jobs those places have provided, both directly and indirectly, is massive in terms of contributions to the local economy. Plus they have offered stability in times of economic downturns. Not to say we've been completely immune to it, but we usually weather such turns a lot better than most US metro areas.

San Antonio will never be everything to everyone, but for many it has many attractions that make it appealing to most. Anyone "surprised" by the large military presence and/or Hispanic culture simply haven't done their homework. It's almost as amazing to hear someone complain about the hot weather, like it wasn't expected in southcentral Texas!

But for the most part there is a lot to draw people here, and it has done so. Our population expansion is dramatic, almost too much so, and unfortunately has surpassed the city's ability to keep up infrastructure-wise.

However, for the most part those that I have known that have left SA for other jobs have done so not because of a dislike for the city but simply because of opportunities elsewhere. Sometimes it was beyond their control, sometimes it was a matter of choice; but to insinuate that this is a some huge issue is sensationalism. The media can take anything and make a big deal out of it, but that doesn't mean it is really a big concern and I see that as being the case here...

Cheers! M2

[Azure110]

What a slap in the face to imply that (generally speaking) that military retirees are better educated that those that spend years in college obtaining professional degrees.

This seems like your own opinion and not necessary fact.

Some of us choose not to go into the military. Some of us just can't for reasons beyond control. Many of your posts imply that military and LEO are better citizens and people. I am tired of that attitude.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by MattTx

What a slap in the face to imply that (generally speaking) that military retirees are better educated that those that spend years in college obtaining professional degrees.

This seems like your own opinion and not necessary fact.

Some of us choose not to go into the military. Some of us just can't for reasons beyond control. Many of your posts imply that military and LEO are better citizens and people. I am tired of that attitude.

Take it any way you want, but it's fact that on average military retirees have higher educational levels than others.

Also, it is well known that anyone who has spent 20+ years in the military is also more likely to have experience and held positions of responsibility much greater than someone in the civilian world.

So it doesn't matter whether you're "tired" of those facts or not, they're still valid and it's something you can either accept or not; but they still remain.

And yes, I do firmly believe that "oath keepers" are better citizens and people. Anyone who serves their country and community should be respected for their sacrifices. Sorry if you weren't afforded that opportunity, but you shouldn't hold so much contempt towards those who have. Do you feel the same against kids who make straight A grades in school?!?

[Azure110]

I don't hold contempt towards "oath keepers". You are twisting my response in your favor. Nowhere I have said that. I do respect them until they get in my face and constantly try to make me feel inferior for not following the same path.

Simply put, I am just tired of this elitist attitude towards those that don't serve as being second rate citizens.

I have worked with a lot of ex-military and my sister is married to an ex-marine. None of them act like that.

[zhugeliang1]

And yes, I do firmly believe that "oath keepers" are better citizens and people.

"Oath keepers" don't always keep the oath and some of them end up being un-better citizens and people. I can think of some military scandals to that effect.

As for why people leave San Antonio, competition in some fields is getting intense especially in teaching in some specialties. I'm not going to divulge what teaching field I'm going into but I think in a few years I may have to look outside of San Antonio for opportunities.

[Primo]

I have all ther respect for the military I will have to say, about 80% of the retired/ex military I have worked with have "Mail Order degrees"......Webster, Wayland Baptist, U of Phoenix. That is not "better educated" or even an education. But I do have 2 cousins that graduated from the Naval Academy and 1 from the Air Force Academy.

While most are hard working & dependable, I find that most ex military types have a very difficult time understanding and fitting into corporate structure & culture. In the military, rank and age always go hand in hand. So when you get any ex military person above the age of 30 they seem to think by virture of age alone they are above other people.
Years ago I was the same level as a retired marine major, and yet he was probably 20 years older than me. He always felt compelled order around everyone who was younger than him and we were all his peers. Why? cause that is what he was automatically used to in the military. In corporate america people earn their title through hard work and not age.

I think he watch the begining of Full Metal Jacket one too many times

And I can also say I have worked more than one person that got into trouble as a younster and was from the era when the judge could tell you" you can either join the military or you can go to jail"

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[dvlpr]

For what it's worth, I know both Kapil and Kendra (from the article). They both love SA, and it was a shame they moved (and they are precisely the sort of people we ought to strive to keep here). But Kapil moved for a better job (and Kendra moved because he moved). People do that. All the time. He didn't "flee" SA because he didn't like it here. He moved to Chicago because, as a city that's 4x the size of SA, it's going to naturally offer more professional and cultural opportunities.

SA has a long way to go if it's going to compete with Austin, Portland, etc. And it will never be like NYC/LA/Chicago/SF. And if that's the sort of lifestyle you want, you ought to move there. But just because we don't offer the same cultural/quality-of-life as Austin & Portland (by the way, EVERY CITY in the country is trying to be like Austin & Portland) doesn't mean this place is a cultural wasteland. Of course, if you live in the Medical Center, or in Schertz, yeah, you might think that, and you'd probably be right. But what would someone's impression of Austin be if they lived in Round Rock?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you can't have fun in SA, the problem's not San Antonio. If you want "culture", and if you want to surround yourself with well-educated/well-traveled people, you need to move into the neighborhoods where the greatest concentration of those people live.

SA is changing as its population changes. And you're starting to see more & more of the things that will make this a better place for well-educated and creative class folks to live. If you're not noticing them, then you're not paying attention.

[ashbeeigh]

It's the type of cockiness that some have about military retirees being bigger and better than the civilian population of the city of San Antonio that turns me off of that particular segment of the city.

Until I'm provided with the data that says the military population is better educated and more employable that the civil population than I won't believe (for what it's worth I am 27 and getting my Masters in Social Work from a Top 10 D1 school and have dual degrees in Spanish and Psychology with several years of non-profit experience I think that's pretty damn educated for a civilian who will have nearly 70,000 worth of student loan debt with the government not paying a penny of it).

And btw I couldn't be in the military due to pre-existing health reasons. So, it was never an option. I hope that you still respect me as a contributing member of the San Antonio community even though I'm not a military retiree.