Expert: Rod Powers - 9/8/2009

Question
Hi Mr. Powers,
I'm an E-5, (Army), with a little over 5 years of experience as a 15N Avionics Mechanic.  I've signed a declination of PCS orders, and will be (come hell or high water) ETSing in early June.  I've recently begun some college classes to broaden my employment horizons, but I'm starting to wonder if there really is anything out there in the Civilian job market for me.  I've always internalized kind of a love/hate relationship with the Army; steady pay, structure and discipline good, pushups, power tripping CO's and deployments bad. I guess what I'm really trying to ask is this: Do you think I'm headed up Poo Creek without a paddle, or am I just stuck in the door and too scared to jump out of the plane?
Thanks Mr. Powers,
Jeremy

Answer
Hi Jeremy,

I won't lie to you: The civilian job market sucks right now. The unemployment rate for recent veterans just hit 11.3 percent (compared to 9.7 percent for everyone else) -- see http://usmilitary.about.com/b/2009/09/07/unemployment-rate-for-recent-veterans-h... The US unemployment rate is the highest its ever been in 23 years.

However, in this case, there's only one way to look at it. You signed declination of orders, so you will be getting out of the Army. There's no two ways about it. All you can do now is work on your post-Army career.

The good news is that airplanes are still flying. If you get the proper FAA certifications (if you don't already have them), there should be a job out there for you somewhere. I would start putting in resumes before you get out. It's a whole lot less stressful if you have a job waiting for you when you separate.

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com