Alright, this post is quite simple. For those who have been on both sides of the fence, which way should I head? I will be retiring from the Army (88M with nearly two decades on the Heavy Equipment Transport System), signing out in about 3 months. I currently have an offer from two different OTR companies, non-megas, with the better one offering 37 cpm.
On the flip side, the oilfield intrigues me.
I own an older 38' diesel pusher RV that I can live out of full-time, provided I find a space for not too much money. I currently reside in El Paso, so I am only about 4 hours away from the Permian and can come back to see momma on a semi-regular basis for cheap.
I will eventually receive my disability rating from the VA. With Combat Related Special Compensation, once everything is approved, I will likely not need to continue working and would be recommended to draw SSDI instead. I suffer from Lupus, two forms of arthritis, 3 herniated lumbar discs, two ruptured discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1), had two shoulder repair surgeries in the last 18 months from excessive grinding via heavy combat gear among other, more minor, issues.
My wife is concerned that my body will quit on me once I hit the oilfields and is leaning towards OTR (what wife prefers OTR?). She also likes the security that one company is literally awaiting me signing out on leave and I can start the very next day with a personal orientation before heading out to make money while still on leave. I, on the other hand, see the earnings potential out on the oilfields and can't look away. I am used to being gone from home for months on end in austere environments with harsh weather while working 12-18 hour days non-stop. Considering I can make better money in those environments without hajji trying to blow me up or shoot a rocket at my living quarters while I sleep, its a no-brainer to me.
So, what say you, truckers in the oil field? Should I follow the plan my wife is more comfortable with and go OTR, or should I live my mantra of "you gotta risk it to get the biscuit" and take a shot? If I hit the oilfields, with my medical issues (don't worry, I passed the DOT physical last month), what line of work should I head towards? I have my Class A with NPT, I passed the H/X endorsement but haven't paid the money for the background check yet (not going to be an issue, currently possess a SECRET clearance) since I wasn't going to make money off it yet. I am always willing to work provided it is safe to do so, thus I would only work for a company that will not fire me for refusing to move based on safety.
Should I go Oilfield instead?
Discussion in 'Oilfield Trucking Forum' started by DRTDEVL, Feb 22, 2014.
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