Yep, that vet is me.  I am in the unenviable position of now having to consider what direction the rest of my life is going to take post deployment.  Let me give you the background intel.  I am 35, married, and have two small children. I have worked jobs that make a meager living in the service industry for the last ten years.  I have a bachelors degree in History, and have come to the conclusion that my aspiration for becoming a history professor just is no longer practical.  Not with children who need their mom to be home with them and their father to produce a decent living and be able to move them out of the neighborhood they live in that is rapidly deteriorating into a cesspool.  I need to make money, buy a house in the country, away from urban sprawl, and still be able to afford a new toy (firearm) now and again.  After serving as an MP for a year in Sadr City working with and training the Iraqi Police, I have grown to enjoy the idea of working in the law enforcement setting, or something like that.  I have been wracking my brain for months and thought I would turn it over to you guys for some ideas and maybe a little inspiration.  I am still over here for another two months and then it will be back to SW Michigan.

I am willing to move to pursue this also, but it has to be to a state with favorable gun laws and CCW (Class III would be nice too).  Please help!!!

Ever consider EMS or Firefighting?

If so, in my county anyone who volunteers gets all education paid for, all the way up to Paramedic, FF2, Rescue tech.... you name it.

It would take a few years of going to class nights and weekends while you work a regular job and volunteering, then you are very marketable. EMS in my county works 24 hours on, 72 off. Not a bad schedule.

Check and see if your area offers a similar program.... or you can always come down to NC, we have CCW and C3, public ranges

If you want to know more, I'll head west you head east and we will meet up in a coffee shop in Tehran

Federal LE?

If there's nothing goofy in your background you could probably score a Border Patrol or Cutoms job.  That would be the most similar to the MP duties that you have now, and decent pay, but they could assign you as they please, probably Texas, southern Arizona or California, a two out of three shot on getting a gun friendly state.

You can be a campus cop and frisk those lousy liberal hisotry professors every chance you get! Do some research, on-campus police who work for educational institutions do pretty well relative to the crimes they deal with on campus.

Highway patrol, every state has one.  I think most states have an age limitation, so you might want to hurry.

IM sent.

What do you all think of ATF agent....

Well, I don't think a local small town cop posistion would pay that good...

So maybe a State Patrol would be a better idea... not sure if they pay well either.

Quoted: Yep, that vet is me.  I am in the unenviable position of now having to consider what direction the rest of my life is going to take post deployment.  Let me give you the background intel.  I am 35, married, and have two small children. I have worked jobs that make a meager living in the service industry for the last ten years.  I have a bachelors degree in History, and have come to the conclusion that my aspiration for becoming a history professor just is no longer practical.  Not with children who need their mom to be home with them and their father to produce a decent living and be able to move them out of the neighborhood they live in that is rapidly deteriorating into a cesspool.  I need to make money, buy a house in the country, away from urban sprawl, and still be able to afford a new toy (firearm) now and again.  After serving as an MP for a year in Sadr City working with and training the Iraqi Police, I have grown to enjoy the idea of working in the law enforcement setting, or something like that.  I have been wracking my brain for months and thought I would turn it over to you guys for some ideas and maybe a little inspiration.  I am still over here for another two months and then it will be back to SW Michigan. I am willing to move to pursue this also, but it has to be to a state with favorable gun laws and CCW (Class III would be nice too).  Please help!!!

Have you considered moving to Texas?

I've got a history dgree too. Getting my Masters.

First up, what's your total military experience?

Word is CIA is hurting for people, and History people seem to make good analysts.

Also, you have a huge number of opportunities in Federal sector LEO. Secret Service always seems to be looking for people.  Another thing to look into is NSA. They use people like us for background checks and other things that the NSA does (look under "other opportunities" at their website). Same thing at CIA. Same with a lot of agencies where your a)first hand .mil experience b)history degree might be useful.

You've got a lot of options. Start hitting up the various agency websites, and usajobs.gov.


Also, check out some of the major gov't contractors.

Short-term you could work construction there in the gulf states.

Fluor corp has a lot of jobs.

Quoted: I've got a history dgree too. Getting my Masters. First up, what's your total military experience? Word is CIA is hurting for people, and History people seem to make good analysts. Also, you have a huge number of opportunities in Federal sector LEO. Secret Service always seems to be looking for people.  Another thing to look into is NSA. They use people like us for background checks and other things that the NSA does (look under "other opportunities" at their website). Same thing at CIA. Same with a lot of agencies where your a)first hand .mil experience b)history degree might be useful. You've got a lot of options. Start hitting up the various agency websites, and usajobs.gov. Also, check out some of the major gov't contractors.

CIA at least would not be an option for someone looking for employment unless they already have a steady job, it takes 6 months or more between initially sending them your resume -- and IF they express interest -- after passing the background checks and going through the interview process, starting in their training program.

If JackBurton is interested in moving to Texas, I could set up a conversation between him and someone who is involved in training DPS State Troopers, to see if there would be mutual interest in that career.  Dang, if he's good, he might end up being a Texas Ranger!

I wish I could hook you up, but I have been trying to get a OEF, OIF Vet hired where I work, and Vets prefrence means nothing to them

35 is getting started late in LE but not too old. Some agencies have age limits. Mine is 35. Look in to the Michigan State Police or the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Good money and secure employment.

Also, since you have a 4 year degree and time in service, have you considered a commission? The various branches have different age limitations for specialties. Most will also extend the age limits for OCS if you have time in service. Talk it over with some Officer selction Officers.

Look for something in Fed Govt, you automatically get a 5 point preference as a Vet, if you have Purple Heart it is a 10-point preference.   Your Degree is a plus for getting into the GS side of the house.  Once your in the Govt system you can apply for jobs all over the place.   I would recommend DoD, it is much more efficiently run than other parts of Govt due to the Chain of Command that exists in each branch.

Also look for different "Intern" programs offered by each DoD branch, thats how I got to work for the USAF (PALACE program).   I started out a GS-7, after a year I was bumped to a GS-9, and after year two I was a GS-11.

GS-11 ain't bad.....

Quoted: What do you all think of ATF agent....

At least it would prob. be interesting stuff.

How bout truck driving? Easy to get into, pay is good for over the road etc. I fyour marriage can handle you being gone fore a year while you learn the ropes, you'll do well. It's not hard to make $60,000 a year as an over the road driver.

Dave

ETA: when you get back, look me up. I'd like to buy you the adult beverage of your choice.

Come out to AZ and get started with LE.

well i was going to say, become a teacher but you answered that right off.  KY has a program detailed on the web that allows veterans to come here and start teaching (called something like military to teachers program) since we are ever looking for good teachers to help in our schools.

Don't become a state trooper..they are the biggest pricks around..at least in my experience of knowing a dozen or so.  You wouldn't want your kids with that on their heads.

I would say look into the federal govt. if you want but it may be tame to you after Iraq.  There is always the State Dept but you are approaching their age limit (or may have passed it).

Otherwise, I would look into the USAJOBS website and its openings and start applying. One agency that goes highly underlooked is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FMCSA(used to be the Office of Motor Carrier Safety). They are charged with oversight of the trucking industry.  They have investigators in every state (often allowed to work from home) and they do trucking company visits and investigations/audits...etc.  They pretty much take people with any degree and of course you have to go to the academy (just classroom stuff, no physical crap) thing for a month or two or three.  Then you come out, you move up easily to a GS 12 in a  couple years.  That pay is probably around 60K and goes up each year almost automatically...I figure you could live on that.
I noticed there was an opening for one here in KY by the way.  Plus you get your vet. preference too.



Ky is very gun friendly.

Quoted: What do you all think of ATF agent....

LOL, Your initials are a good start J-B-

But that's cool, as long as your Boots aren't made by Jack, and you're not a Thug.

I just heard that they are opening up the test for NY Corrections Officer if you don't mind relocating. You need to sign up soon and the test is in January.

I know it's not a free state, but at least you'll have a right to carry off duty, even in NYC if you work Rikers Island or the newer jail in downtown NYC. Decent pay, plenty of OT if you want it, CCW, and retirement pension.

Quoted: Look for something in Fed Govt, you automatically get a 5 point preference as a Vet, if you have Purple Heart it is a 10-point preference.   Your Degree is a plus for getting into the GS side of the house.  Once your in the Govt system you can apply for jobs all over the place.   I would recommend DoD, it is much more efficiently run than other parts of Govt due to the Chain of Command that exists in each branch. Also look for different "Intern" programs offered by each DoD branch, thats how I got to work for the USAF (PALACE program).   I started out a GS-7, after a year I was bumped to a GS-9, and after year two I was a GS-11.

Your time in the service also counts for vacation (3 years gets you 20 days a year of vacation, 15 years gets you 26 days/yr, PLUS the 13 holidays, and most work places let you work 9hrs M-R, 8hr one Friday, off the next Friday).

Kharn

Department of State, Foreign Service, Diplomatic Security