What do you do?

[Bakes168]

I'm trying to figure out what to with myself when I get out of the corps. I'd like a job that will let me survive/be successful and maybe support a family while allowing me to indulge in my outdoor passions year round. It would be nice if the two were connected and I could do something that I love, while hopefully impacting people in a positive way while I'm at it.


What do you do? What's your dream job?

[smokin joe]

Just about every year there is an internet list of the best jobs and why people think they are such good jobs. Things like "college teacher -- because of the autonomy" will be the things you will see. You might just find something you like with an internet search with "best careers" or "best jobs" as the topic.
I like my job because I can get most Saturdays off during the deer bow season, and I get to live in NC, a good bow hunting state and a beautiful place.

Good luck.

[M60gunner]

I am retired now but I faced the same issues when I left the Corps years ago. The Corps has better programs to help you now than I had. A lot will depend on what and how much schooling you have. Be flexable, you may have to relocate to get your dream job. Even if you wanted to be a firefighter you would have to train first.

[jamesh76]

Currently a Deputy Sheriff. I wish I would of  reinlisted in the USMC would of had 5 years to go and be done..  But it was not an option when that time came around. The biggest thing that I see now is Insurance. Most employers do not provide insurance after you retire. The military does.

As far as an outdoors type of job to indulge in the outdoors, I would think that Game Warden would be right up your alley. Most of the State jobs give military preference and at least gurantee you an interview. At least Kansas does and we have openings for game wardens all the time. Start out at about $20/hour, full benefits. Since you work so much during the fall and spring most of them use comp time for feb, april and some through march.

James

[Don Stokes]

I'm living it, but it's taken me 30 years of experience to get here.      

I provide technical assistance to a company that employs wood products inspectors across the country, who call me when they encounter a problem. I work mostly from home, with computers and telephones. Some days the phone doesn't ring; some days, like today, I'm pretty busy. I probably average 20 hours a week of actual work, although I'm on call all the time. In hunting season, I've been known to take business calls on my cell phone from the woods. Thank goodness for "vibrate". The VP of the company is my hunting buddy; I called in his first turkey for him many years ago. We get together at least twice a year for a few days of hunting deer and turkeys, or fishing. This weekend I'm going deep-sea fishing with one of our business associates.

You're on the right track wanting to do something you love. That's much more important than money, as long as there's enough of the green to survive on. My happiness in my job has never been relative to my salary. The nature of your job, and maybe most important, the people you work with, are the keys to satisfying employment.

[Mike Mecredy]

I retired from the Air Force, and had a few civilian jobs but never could get used to civilian management after being accustomed to leadership. So I started a small archery business and now I build a few bows here and there for a living.

[bolong]

I retired this past January after 36 years as a firefighter. I worked 24 on 48 off until 1997 and got promoted to chief. I t wasn't big money but the time off was what attracted me. Work one day and hunt two. That is hard to beat. You can always find some kind of work on your days off in the spring and summer. It usally comes with good benifits also. As long as you do your job, you never have to worry about job security either.

[lpcjon2]

law enforcement,fire service,dept. Of natural resources,fish and game warden,do a job that brings you joy not time off. Then you will have a happy life and you will enjoy the time off and afield alot more.jmho

[Prairie Drifter]

I've been a full time taxidermist for 28 years. I love my job, but I lose some hunting time as I have to be in my shop alot during the season. I also have been building bamboo flyrods part time  for the last 9 years.

[Bowwild]

I finished my first dream job in 2007 -- Wildlife Biologist. I'm on #2 now.  

The bio job is difficult to get -- about 1 in 5 after 4-6 years in college. The one I'm in now I helped invent.

That Corps background will serve you well as most employers look very favorably on someone with such a service-oriented background.

Good Luck

[Jake Diebolt]

A few people mentioned game warden...I have to say, that while some may find it a rewarding and satisfying job, it doesn't leave you much time for hunting. A family member of mine was a game warden up here. A lot of 12 hour days, a lot of harassment, definitely almost zero time during hunting/fishing season. There were times when I was staying at his house during deer season, and I barely saw him all week he was so busy.

As to my job...I'm a GIS technician (think computerized mapping) for the municipalities here. It's stimulating for the mind, decent pay, good hours...and living on Manitoulin, a great place for deer hunting. I wouldn't call it my dream job, but I'm satisfied and I feel like I'm contributing to society. As a member of the Marine Corps, I imagine that would be important to you!

[TDHunter]

I've worked in Fish&Wildlife enforcement since since 2002. Left for a while to work for the Police but came back to resource law enforcement for the life style ie: Jet boats, atvs, etc.  and the work environment ie: back roads, rivers, mountains, and ocean
Lots of competition to get in for a reason, it's a life style job.

[Archer Fanatic]

I have a cousin that left Ohio to go to a guide school in Montana years ago and he loves it. He is married and they have 2 little children and they will never come back to Ohio.

[McDave]

When I returned from Vietnam in '66, I had about 9 months left to serve, and they sent me to Camp Lejeune, NC.  (When I left Vietnam, they said I could put in for any duty station in the Corps, so I put in for Kodiak Island.  Like most things in the Corps, there is a significant difference between being able to "put in for," and "getting orders to.")

But other than finding out that Camp Lejeune had a great NCO club, I also found out that they had a base library with books on every profession out there.  Nowadays, I suppose that information is also available on the internet.  It was worthwhile having that 9 months to think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  I think I considered about every profession they wrote about in those books.

The only mistake I made is that I was tired of being out in the rain all night, and I probably put too much emphasis on getting a job where that wouldn't happen again.  I should have thought that there was a reason I joined the Marines, and a big part of that reason was that I loved being outdoors.  I don't regret my choice of a profession; it has been good for me.  But I have had to get all my outdoor activities separate from the job.  It doesn't sound like you're going to make that mistake, but there may be other annoyances that you might place too much emphasis on.  Look at the big picture.

Every job I've had since then, it has been an advantage for me to have been a former Marine, either because people show me more respect because of it, or because the mental discipline I learned in the Marines has helped me get the job done better.

[cahaba]

Real Estate. The economy is tuff right now for the job but you have flexible hours. Alot of people got out of it. A friend of mine just took his real estate exam and will be posed and ready when the market breaks. You can set your appointments for afternoon and hunt mornings. Most people want to do the evening after they get off work.

[kwc]

had a friend that became a nurse worked as a subcontractor to a couple of hospitols named his own hours and vacation time hunted all over worked for him

[levibear]

Why not a registered nurse......I am an ER Rn and have been for many years....It is highly techinical, and emotionaly rewarding. Many healthcare organizations will pay schooling costs, you can make good money and men (right or wrong) seem to rise into management more quickly. You will always have a job as an RN no matter how bad the economy. It is my privilage to work with military RN's, great people who bring much to the table from their military background. And if you stay in the military RN's are treated very well there....You don't know me from Adam But please! Check it out.....  

[woodworker]

I went to work for the National Park Service after nearly 30 years of working for myself, when my clients became more important than my family, it was time for a change.  The Park Service posts at some of the prettiest places on the planet, flexible hours, good benefits and the joy of being part of America's Finest Idea.  Your military background will give you a leg up and depending on your training and experience who knows where you may end up.  By the way did I mention I love my job too, and nearly everyone I work with Hunts, likely as not you will work with like minded folks, good luck and all the best, Joe

[J. Holden]

I'm a career firefighter/paramedic.  You get to help people in the greatest time of need and make a difference, one day off shift and I have 5 days off in a row and every shift day is a Friday.  With days off and trading shifts I work my last shift the 27 of Oct. and don't go back to the firehouse until the 23 of Nov.  Can't beat that!  Good luck with your decision.

-Jeremy  

[sweeney3]

I got off active duty, went back to school, and took a commission in the guard.  I live from deployment to deployment and drill to drill along with sub teaching when I want to and hourly work when it suits me.  All in all, it works very well to allow me to hunt and or fish in some capacity almost every day of the year.  Now, you mentioned something about a family.  This is probably a bad plan for you.  It's not a good way to ever get ahead, but it's low stress and you don't have to bring work home with you much.  As long as you are willing to skimp on things like food and utilities and social engagements in favor of hunting/fishing stuff and liscences and fuel and whatnot (which I am), it's a good life.