Military Guy About to Get Out

Thank You for your Service...

 

get your license and welcome back to civvy life.....

The transition is probably what will get you the most.

 

You'll definitely want to get a refresher course... I personally wouldn't go to Werner, but some other companies that have training programs might jump at the chance to have an NCO join their ranks... no pun intended, brother... find a good fit, get back in the saddle, save yer $$$ and get on the fast-track to being an Owner/Op...

De Oppresso Liber! Hooah! (18B--> 1980-1991)

 

Contact some good companies and ask what they require for you to be hired.

Here's 3 in Washington:

trans-system website

Also Watkins & Shepard has 3 terminals in WA, but either of the 3 trans-system companies would be my first choice.

 

driving a truck is like riding a bike. You'll remember really quick as soon as you hit that first truck back.

The hardest part I had to learn after leaving trucks in 97 and coming back in 2011 is the laws. And CDL schools don't dwell much on those.

Otherwise, Always notate your bills on your logs, along with fuel stops, load/unload and anytime you deal with DOT or the like.

You can now drive 11 hours a day and have to do it in a 14 hour window. Sometime in the first 8 hours on duty, you also have to take a mandatory 30-minute off-duty break.

You are allowed one 34 hour reset in a 168 hour period and that period much include two 1 AM-5 AM periods in it. That is start time to start time. IE, 5 PM friday to 5 PM friday is 168 hours. Pretty much says they want drivers to start having weekends free. (IMO)

I could charge you a refresher course fee for that if it would make you feel better.....

I am guessing since you are a recruiter and you have 10 years in, you are at least an E6 and that should mean you have a decent head on your shoulder. That's how I qualify that first statement.

 

If you don't mind, Chris, I'm going to offer you a bit of non-trucking-specific advice, since I was in a similar position to you some years ago.

I'll assume that as a recruiter with around 10 years service, that you're at least an E-5 (I'm assuming worst case; no offense intended). So, with nothing more than your base pay and housing allowance, you should be earning the equivalent of more than 40K per year. Therefore, unless you're fairly to really fortunate, you're going to take a cut in pay when you get out.

More importantly, at least from the standpoint of an old fart like me, you'll be giving up a substantial amount of military retirement pay. You can't be a whole lot older than 30 right now, and current actuarial tables indicate that you'll probably live until you're 85, or so (a tour in Afghanistan will reduce that likelihood, obviously). I'm not an expert on military retirement pay but it seems that if you retire from the Army in 10 years, as an E-6, you'll receive about 25 thou per year. Even without adjustments to that base figure for inflation, etc., you should receive close to a million bucks in retirement pay before you die. That's a fair chunk of change, even for a truck driver.

Obviously, you have your reasons for wanting to get out and I wouldn't presume to suggest that you shouldn't. On the other hand, I got out of the canoe club as an E-6 with 11 years of service and when I look back, I can't say that getting out was the smartest decision I ever made. Best of luck to you.

 

Phil, just so you know the military (all branches) are reducing forces. Many of our troops cannot stay in as they have been selected for RIF (reduction in force) for one reason or another (example: excessive tattoos).

OP: You will want a refresher course as others have stated. You said your from WA. If that is the west side, I'd recommend Commercial Driver Services. They have many branches now (Lakewood, Gig Harbor, Centralia, etc), give good quality training, work well with VA and other military programs for "retraining". They also will work with you for individual needs and have lifetime support for job placement. (6 years later they still check up on me!)

As a side note: check on Ft Lewis for driver jobs. They pay pretty good, and you should be familiar with most of the equipment (Hemmt, 916's etc).

Oh and Welcome Home, brother.

 

I'm aware of the concept; it comes & goes for all government employees at times. I wasn't suggesting that the OP try to hold onto his army career at all costs, merely suggesting that he might want to consider the monetary benefits of hanging in for 10 more years, if possible.