Question for my fellow Veterans..if there are any here

[Raze]

There are not many "high paid" contractors any more. some are still there, but most are gone. When I was leaving there were guys coming over that were coming over for less than 80K a year.... Some were making about 60K in northern VA then when deployed their pay would get bumped up to equal about 76 a year for the 6 months they were there. Also unless you go out there for a year (330 days OCONUS) you dont get the tax break.

[jfreaksho]

Even some of the agencies are finding that green-suiters are cheaper/more cost-effective than contractors here in the states.  An E6 is about half the cost of a contractor in the DC/MD area.  The govvies are doing okay, and I see lots of opportunities in uniform, but the contract work is fading.  The glory days are definitely over.

[Raze]

Even some of the agencies are finding that green-suiters are cheaper/more cost-effective than contractors here in the states.  An E6 is about half the cost of a contractor in the DC/MD area.  The govvies are doing okay, and I see lots of opportunities in uniform, but the contract work is fading.  The glory days are definitely over.

 

That's also because in order for a CTR to have a living wage in the DC area it needs to be around six figures other wise he is commuting 2-3 hours one way everyday because that is all they can afford. Which has turned Fredericksburg, VA which is over 50 miles away into a DC suburb and a annual household income of 80K and just north in stafford the average income is 110K. To be a CTR in the area with companies offering less than 70K a year makes life hard especially with kids. Govvies will always be doing okay, because after their probation period you can't fire one. I've only heard of 2 govvies being fired otherwise they just get transferred.

[Br0din]

There are not many "high paid" contractors any more. some are still there, but most are gone. When I was leaving there were guys coming over that were coming over for less than 80K a year.... Some were making about 60K in northern VA then when deployed their pay would get bumped up to equal about 76 a year for the 6 months they were there. Also unless you go out there for a year (330 days OCONUS) you dont get the tax break.

 

Well...  not unexpected but...  killing the escape dream.   

 

Even some of the agencies are finding that green-suiters are cheaper/more cost-effective than contractors here in the states.  An E6 is about half the cost of a contractor in the DC/MD area.  The govvies are doing okay, and I see lots of opportunities in uniform, but the contract work is fading.  The glory days are definitely over.

 

This is also a congress numbers game.  Reduce the number of troops by not having cooks, police, DOIM and other support dudes by outsourcing them.  Then you can say the force is smaller, but gov contract costs more...  

[Raze]

Well...  not unexpected but...  killing the escape dream.   

 

 

I know I'm part of the 2 shop by trade (and nothing fancy like SI/HI/ or the new hip geospatial type) So I pretty much have 3 options. Go back into the system (i'm thinking naval reserves or NG once I get back in shape), stay a slimy CTR where I can work at places where you are treated like a third rate human being and are lower than scum, or get the coveted GS spot which I dont qualify on paper because I dont have a degree (or 10 years XP in lieu) nor do I have a FS or even a CI poly thanks manning/snowden.... /rant

[Evicious]

Don't come back - wait until the downward spiral reverses with the next conflict, at minimum. You'll get better reentry stats (rank, pay, bonuses, etc.) and you won't have to worry so much about all the newly tightened restrictions. Seriously, it's like the military is applying Preparation H to every anus wearing the (new! the improved! the more expensive and not-all-that-altered!) uniform. Everything is being ratcheted down into smaller and smaller boxes; pretty soon you'll need a magnifying glass just to find the reg saying you're allowed to blink in formation.

[Seeker81]

I can see it now.....Lt. looking at an E-9 "What do you mean they want to blink!! Don't they know it is against article xxxxxxx of the UCMJ of the new more friendly military!!"  E-9 looks back smiles and says "yes, yes they do. Now go polish something while I do real work."   lol 

[Br0din]

Don't come back - wait until the downward spiral reverses with the next conflict, at minimum. You'll get better reentry stats (rank, pay, bonuses, etc.) and you won't have to worry so much about all the newly tightened restrictions. Seriously, it's like the military is applying Preparation H to every anus wearing the (new! the improved! the more expensive and not-all-that-altered!) uniform. Everything is being ratcheted down into smaller and smaller boxes; pretty soon you'll need a magnifying glass just to find the reg saying you're allowed to blink in formation.

 

The problem is I'm an "O,"  so I have to shit or get off the pot like... right now. 

[Evicious]

The problem is I'm an "O,"  so I have to shit or get off the pot like... right now. 

 

 

 

I'd get off the pot if I were you - but obviously, I'm not, so what I would do means as much as the above memes.

[Br0din]

 

 

I'd get off the pot if I were you - but obviously, I'm not, so what I would do means as much as the above memes.

 

That is funny.  

[insanity]

Don't come back - wait until the downward spiral reverses with the next conflict, at minimum. You'll get better reentry stats (rank, pay, bonuses, etc.) and you won't have to worry so much about all the newly tightened restrictions. Seriously, it's like the military is applying Preparation H to every anus wearing the (new! the improved! the more expensive and not-all-that-altered!) uniform. Everything is being ratcheted down into smaller and smaller boxes; pretty soon you'll need a magnifying glass just to find the reg saying you're allowed to blink in formation.

That's why I got out all the way back in 03, war had become too political. I'm of the mind, once war starts, diplomacy is gone, but we ended up with our hands tied behind our backs when it came to combat. I'm willing to put my life on the line, but don't sit in an office somewhere and restrict what I can and can't do.

 

To add to that, as I was getting out, they were talking about restricting cigarettes and tattoos... in the Marines. I had a good hearty belly laugh from that one.

 

Yeah,  I run into this frustration a lot.  The special snowflakes want to be coddled at work and keep the things how they were going instead of evolving with the new leadership direction.  Stress is funny.  I like watching people freak out over stressing situations (and make fun of them)  (are we being shot at? no? then this is easy...) as they struggle with the task in hand.  Then help them if I like them.  

First job when I got out was working at a theater, some dude, just out of the military, a few months out of combat, running around with a bunch of 17-18 year olds who were stressed that they had to walk up and down stairs all day. Oh yeah... it was great.

[Raze]

 

To add to that, as I was getting out, they were talking about restricting cigarettes and tattoos... in the Marines. I had a good hearty belly laugh from that one.

 

This showed back up around 06/08 and again in 10/11 and I think it is coming around again....

[jfreaksho]

This showed back up around 06/08 and again in 10/11 and I think it is coming around again....

Sergeant Major of the Army Chandler proposed banning sideburns, requiring them to be trimmed level with the top of the ear, while at the same time recommending we not travel in uniform because we could become targets.

 

A guy with no sideburns would have been even more obvious than a guy in uniform. 

 

That rule never got enacted, and SMA Daley rolled back a bunch of the tattoo restrictions that Chandler put in place.

[Raze]

Ideally every Marine would have a high and tight and tuck all of their shirts into their pants especially in foreign countries as to not stick out in a crowd. Most Marines have minimal if no side burns at all. The only uniform we can wear off base is our service uniforms and I agree that no one should travel in uniform.

[Br0din]

Ideally every Marine would have a high and tight and tuck all of their shirts into their pants especially in foreign countries as to not stick out in a crowd. Most Marines have minimal if no side burns at all. The only uniform we can wear off base is our service uniforms and I agree that no one should travel in uniform.

 

I had to represent my Corps G3 shop for an exercise planning conference in South Korea.  So I skipped my 2 week hair cut so when I traveled, I would just look like a tourist.  The Dirty looks I got when I was there was suffocating, Including a 2-star and his COL (I assume chief of staff.)  I was like, am I the only one who watched the anti-terrorism videos? Or am I'm the only one with the balls to follow them?  

 

If I caught someone giving me the stank eye I would point to my combat patch and if that didn't work, I pointed to my rail road tracks and asked them if they watched the video and why weren't they enacting counter-terrorism tactics and are they dumb for trying to get me killed..  (ok, most of that was in my head... cause no one would confront me on it.)

[Raze]

I would get my haircuts on TUE/WED to avoid the lines on the weekends (was a LCpl and in Japan) My Sgt got pissed one week and made me write a 1 page paper on why Marines got haircuts on weekends. I brought up the fact that the regulation said once per pay period so I was in regs. He didn't like that response much and thus pointed out that like what seems to be every MCO it is per Cdrs discretion.... nothing else came of it though.

[insanity]

I would get my haircuts on TUE/WED to avoid the lines on the weekends (was a LCpl and in Japan) My Sgt got pissed one week and made me write a 1 page paper on why Marines got haircuts on weekends. I brought up the fact that the regulation said once per pay period so I was in regs. He didn't like that response much and thus pointed out that like what seems to be every MCO it is per Cdrs discretion.... nothing else came of it though.

Reminds me of when my whole platoon stopped wearing undershirts, or wearing brown instead of green, it was technically within regs but frowned upon by higher ups.

[jfreaksho]

I would get my haircuts on TUE/WED to avoid the lines on the weekends (was a LCpl and in Japan) My Sgt got pissed one week and made me write a 1 page paper on why Marines got haircuts on weekends. I brought up the fact that the regulation said once per pay period so I was in regs. He didn't like that response much and thus pointed out that like what seems to be every MCO it is per Cdrs discretion.... nothing else came of it though.

They hate it when the regs don't support them.  I had a friend on a planning committee for some big event having to tell the COL (brigade commander) that the event must be free, or optional.  It cannot be both mandatory and cost money out of pocket.  The Colonel was ... inappropriate (at least once), and got relieved after the next off-duty event that he also tried to make mandatory to pay out of pocket.