Career Changes Support Group
This community is dedicated to the difficult challenges of transitioning from one career or job to a new one. Especially as we grow older, it can be very difficult to acquire the skills and relationships and take the financial risk to make the switch.
I posted this on another group but I thought this would have been the more appropriate group to post too. I'm in the middle of a big decision. I have been a cop all my life and was recently laid off. I now have the opportunity to do something I have always wanted to do... go back into the Marine Corps and fly with the marines as a crew chief on a helicopter..lots of travel and a great job. However, all I have known all my adult life is being a cop, and it scares me to start a new career ...and life... at the age of 36 (I know I'm not old but still seems somewhat old ha). The other part of this is that I have been accepted to be a trooper in the State of Florida and continue my law enforcement career down there. The only thing is the salary stinks...$33,000 a year and no pay raises. I know I would do well there. I'm just confused about what I should do....any suggestions?
Can you live on 33,000 a year? As a marine, you'd have great benefits, but that's not much money to live on.
Have you talked to other Florida state troopers? How do they like their jobs? How is the morale with the troopers?
States, counties and local governments have ONLY BEGUN making deep, painful budget cuts. Police jobs are not the safe havens for careers that they once were, especially for the low men on the totem pole. The three top critera for careers today are security, security and security.
Semper Fi,
--Fish
Im sorry you dont know me but I was part of BSO after I got out of the Army. It was so different, we had 'Weekend worriers" running things.
I ended up going back in for another enlistment. I served a total of 16 years and now work in corrections in North Carolina. Stay in the service!!!