Booz Allen/SAIC/L3/WarPigs Versus Gov't Intel Agency Career...Your Opinions (Richmond: find a job, contractor)

[LVMYDACH]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

I'm sorry, I think "supporting our national defense" is a lot more than sitting in an office for a bunch of hours. Both my parents wore the uniform (Air Force) for over 20 years. One uncle just came back from Iraq and one is in Afghanistan now (both Army.) Anybody can sit in an office, it takes a tough person to put on the uniform. Most guvies is probably unfair but I'll say a sizeable number of guvies.

My husband retired as an Army officer with 23 years of service and transitioned into a civilian DoD position. I agree that it takes a tough person to put on the uniform. My husband served in Vietnam and in many other areas of the world during military conflicts. Many "guvies" in DoD are retired military and have dedicated many years of service protecting our country. As family members we truly appreciate and value what our love ones do everyday whether it is as a member of the armed forces (active duty or retired) or as a DoD employee working on current world conflicts.

[reeze]

Originally Posted by LVMYDACH

My husband retired as an Army officer with 23 years of service and transitioned into a civilian DoD position. I agree that it takes a tough person to put on the uniform. My husband served in Vietnam and in many other areas of the world during military conflicts. Many "guvies" in DoD are retired military and have dedicated many years of service protecting our country. As family members we truly appreciate and value what our love ones do everyday whether it is as a member of the armed forces (active duty or retired) or as a DoD employee working on current world conflicts.

Hopefully your husband can be an inspiration to the guvies working at the Pentagon.

[cricketfan999]

Originally Posted by still_waiting

An acquaintance of mine works for Booz Allen in Herndon, and I am starting a job as a Gov't employee specifically an Intel analyst at one of the agencies. My "friend" and I were talking and she was saying how Booz is always getting Gov't workers to come to them and that overall they are a better and more flexible career option that Gov't.

To that I said that I think that Gov't is more flexible because you can get cross trained and start a entirely new career path within the same agency, or even transfer agencies. Also Gov't is more likely to provide the extra training needed whereas the private entities expect you to be on the ground and running. Not to mention full tuition reimbursement UP FRONT.

What are some of you guys opinions...I am interested to know.

BTW by WarPigs I mean Northrop, Boeing, Lockheed etc.

For a young graduate Booz/WarPigs might be a better place. You will still have the chance to join a Govt agency at a later point in life for more stability, incentives.... Training benefits are dependent upon a lot of other criteria so dont bank on them.

[reeze]

Originally Posted by cricketfan999

For a young graduate Booz/WarPigs might be a better place. You will still have the chance to join a Govt agency at a later point in life for more stability, incentives.... Training benefits are dependent upon a lot of other criteria so dont bank on them.

The only possible downside is a decrease in salary.

[still_waiting]

Originally Posted by cricketfan999

For a young graduate Booz/WarPigs might be a better place. You will still have the chance to join a Govt agency at a later point in life for more stability, incentives.... Training benefits are dependent upon a lot of other criteria so dont bank on them.

Lot of assumptions in here. I'm not a fresh college grad. This isn't even my first position with dealing with the Fed Gov't. I worked for the EPA, with a sub-contractor of one of the Warpigs, and as a DoD contractor in Iraq. I had a choice to make stay on as a DoD contractor and deploy while making some serious $$$$, or start a full on career with a Gov't Intel agency with excellent benefits and guaranteed training opportunities and 100% of my Master Degree tuition and books paid for. We are the lead intel agency for the type of intel we do and it coincides with my undergraduate major. Money to me is only part of the equation...I value job satisfaction, and relevance of position in regards to what I studied so hard for in school. That's why I chose the opportunity with my agency. Well actually to be honest I got the job with the Gov't because of a specific skill set I acquired while working under one of the Warpigs.

At the same time I can understand why people choose the private route, it offers different attractions and perks. I guess it all depends on what is important to the individual.

I have noticed even while with the EPA that in Gov't much attention is given to a person's GS rate/number. I don't care about all that crap, I'll let the people who care about that fight over that stuff. Doesn't matter to me who gets paid more or less, I'm just the idiot who feels thankful to be doing something meaningful in my life.

[scottfs]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Right, but instead of struggling to live on $52,000 here I could live comfortably on $40,000 there. Turning down that job offer back "home" is something that I always toss around in my mind since my quality-of-life declined terribly since I moved to Reston.

You struggle to live on 52? A buddy of mine moved here from AZ last year and makes 45 and he's not struggling. Yeah he doesn't have a ton of money, and yeah he drives his 20 year old car instead of something newer. Doesn't buy many nice things and doesn't spend a lot on entertainment. He even has enough money left to make extra principal payments to his student loans. He'd be ecstatic to get 52!

[guyincognito]

Unfortunately, most people's interaction with the government happens at the DMV. They extrapolate from that experience and apply it as all government workers are lazy and/or incompetent. This is just not true. As a fairly recent contractor to DoD civilian convert I can confirm that there are many brilliant minds working in the military. It's been a privilege to work with such a dedicated hard working group of individuals, both government and contractor. All government workers may not be so industrious, but the idea that all private-sector employees are hard working is ridiculous. I left the contractor world because I felt dirty - the project was doing a poor job spending government money and delivering second-rate work.

If you want to just make money and salute and execute, go the contractor route. If you want to have control and be able to truly influence policy makers and make a difference, go government.

[Denton56]

My observations, and they are only that. Government offers more security, lots of leave, and good retirement. It is virtually impossible to get fired from the government and raises are usually automatic, even for not-so-great employees. Government employees usually work a pretty straight week, 40 hours, with no overtime expected. Of course they can also work flex time, 5 for 9 or 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. Not much stress, do your job, go home.
Contractors pay more, particularly in the engineering fields, and there are more options for moving around among the various contractors. If your office does not get a contract that covers your job, you may be out of a job. That can't happen in the government. There are no firings, regardless. They offer a bit less leave, and often there is not separate sick leave, it's just leave. So no mental health days to go away for the weekend, or go to the mall, unless you want to burn vacation time. There may be more stress as project deadlines approach. You may be expected to travel on your own time or work overtime when projects are due. They do not expect you to take mental health days, you are expected to be at work everyday and work when you are there although many contractors don't care if you come in later and leave later.

The biggest difference is that you can make more money with contractors but you will have less job security and less leave.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by scottfs

You struggle to live on 52? A buddy of mine moved here from AZ last year and makes 45 and he's not struggling. Yeah he doesn't have a ton of money, and yeah he drives his 20 year old car instead of something newer. Doesn't buy many nice things and doesn't spend a lot on entertainment. He even has enough money left to make extra principal payments to his student loans. He'd be ecstatic to get 52!

You are so right! Every 23 year old I know would be THRILLED to make $52,000! it's a great salary for a new college graduate! Most make FAR less than that but still manage to have fun, drive cars, go on vacations, share houses with friends, live the typical life of 23 olds. The definitely would not say that they were ''struggling'', they are lovin' life even on a measly $35,000 to $40,000!

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by reeze

Anyone starting fresh from college should be getting real world industry experience from a contractor that you won't find at all working for the government, no matter how many degrees the government pays for you.

Good post. Totally agree.